Bava Basra 4a

בבא בתרא ד׳ ע״א

Bava Batra 4a

Learn Bava Basra 4a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The story of הורדוס rebuilding the בית המקדש, then the משנה's rules on shared walls, partitions in gardens and fields, and the חזית mark

Overview

This amud finishes the story of הורדוס and בבא בן בוטא. הורדוס comes in disguise and tries to get the blind חכם to curse the king, but he refuses every time, backing each refusal with a פסוק. הורדוס reveals himself and asks how to make up for killing the חכמים. בבא בן בוטא tells him to rebuild the בית המקדש and gives him a plan to get past רומי. The גמרא praises the beautiful marble building and asks how בבא בן בוטא could advise a wicked king, when דניאל was punished for advising נבוכדנצר. It answers in two ways and proves that דניאל was punished. Then the גמרא returns to the משנה about a shared wall: local custom decides the material, a fallen wall belongs to both neighbors, and רבא explains when a garden or a field needs a partition. Finally the גמרא discusses the חזית, the mark on a wall built by one neighbor, and begins רבי יוחנן's explanation, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (53)

1. Statementהורדוס blinds בבא בן בוטא
2. Statementהורדוס, in disguise, urges him to curse the king
3. RejectionRefusal: do not curse a king even in thought
4. Challengeהורדוס objects: he is not a real king
5. ResolutionEven a rich man or a leader may not be cursed
6. Challengeהורדוס objects: he does not act like your people
7. ResolutionI am afraid of him
8. Challengeהורדוס objects: no one will tell him
9. ResolutionA bird of the sky will carry the sound
10. Questionהורדוס reveals himself and asks how to repent
11. ResponseYou put out the light of the world, so work on the light of the world
12. ResponseAnother version: you blinded the eye of the world
13. Challengeהורדוס objects: I am afraid of the government of רומי
14. ResolutionSend a messenger and build in the meantime
15. Conclusionרומי's angry reply to הורדוס
16. QuestionWhat does the word רכא mean?
17. Responseרכא means royalty, proven from a פסוק about דוד
18. ResponseA second source: what they called out before יוסף
19. StatementNo building was more beautiful than הורדוס's
20. QuestionWhat did he build it with?
21. ResponseBuilt from marble stones
22. StatementHow the stones were laid
23. StatementThe חכמים tell him not to cover it with gold
24. ChallengeHow could בבא בן בוטא give advice to הורדוס, when דניאל was punished for advising נבוכדנצר?
25. ResolutionA slave is obligated in מצוות
26. ResolutionThe בית המקדש is different
27. QuestionHow do we know דניאל was punished?
28. ProofA suggested source: התך is דניאל
29. ChallengeThe proof only works by one explanation of the name
30. ResolutionHis punishment was the lions' den
31. QuestionWhat does the word "everything" add?
32. ResponseIt adds a place that uses palm and laurel branches
33. ChallengeIsn't it obvious that a fallen wall belongs to both?
34. ResolutionNeeded when the stones are on one side
35. ChallengeThe garden ruling seems to contradict itself
36. ChallengeThe second half of the garden ruling clashes with the first half
37. Resolutionאביי reads the ordinary garden as obligated
38. Challengeרבא objects to the word 'אבל'
39. Resolutionרבא: an ordinary garden counts as a fencing place, an ordinary field does not
40. QuestionWhat is the חזית mentioned in the משנה?
41. Responseרב הונא: bend the wall's edge outward
42. ChallengeWhy not bend it inward?
43. ResolutionAn inner mark lets the neighbor add his own mark
44. ChallengeThe neighbor could cut off an outer mark
45. ResolutionA cut can be noticed
46. ResponseSecond version: רב הונא says bend the edge inward
47. ChallengeWhy not bend it outward?
48. ResolutionAn outer mark could be cut off
49. ChallengeThe neighbor could add a matching mark
50. ResolutionAn addition can be noticed
51. ChallengeThe משנה says 'on the outside'
52. ConclusionThe difficulty remains
53. StatementIntroducing רבי יוחנן's view