Bava Basra 60b

בבא בתרא ס׳ ע״ב

Bava Batra 60b

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Topic

רבי ינאי's tree, building balconies over the street, and how to mourn the חורבן without overburdening the public; end of פרק חזקת הבתים.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing the story of רבי ינאי. He cut down his own tree that hung over the public street before ordering another man to cut his, following ריש לקיש's rule: 'fix yourself first, then fix others.' The גמרא then returns to the משנה. A person may pull his wall back onto his own land and build a balcony out to his property line. רבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש argue about building the balcony later, and רבי יעקב gives a second version where they argue about moving the wall back out. Next, רב הונא says a bought courtyard with balconies may be rebuilt the same way if it falls. The גמרא answers a challenge from a ברייתא about decorated houses by saying that something forbidden is different. That leads into how to mourn the חורבן: רבי יהושע teaches the פרושין to mourn in a balanced way, leaving a small reminder in the house, the meal and a woman's beauty treatments, and ashes are placed on a חתן's head. רבי ישמעאל בן אלישע adds that a גזירה is only made if most people can keep it, since it is better for people to be שוגגין than מזידין. The amud closes with the הדרן for פרק חזקת הבתים.

Opening lines

The steps (41)

1. Statementרבי ינאי delays the case and cuts his own tree at night
2. Statementרבי ינאי rules the tree must be cut
3. QuestionWhy did רבי ינאי change his mind?
4. ResponseAt first he thought the public liked the shade
5. ChallengeWhy make the man wait until tomorrow?
6. ResolutionFix yourself first, then others
7. StatementQuoting the משנה: draw back the wall and extend
8. QuestionPulled back but did not build: may he build later?
9. Statementרבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש disagree
10. StatementA second version of the argument: moving the walls back
11. StatementWhy רבי יוחנן forbids moving the walls back
12. RejectionWhy ריש לקיש allows moving the walls back
13. StatementThe משנה: buying a courtyard that already has balconies
14. Statementרב הונא: if it fell, he may rebuild it the same way
15. ChallengeChallenge from the ברייתא about decorated courtyards
16. ResolutionA forbidden decoration is different
17. StatementNo plastering a house with fine plaster
18. StatementAfter the destruction, many stopped eating meat and drinking wine
19. Questionרבי יהושע asks why they stopped
20. ResponseMeat and wine were used on the מזבח
21. ChallengeBy that logic, no bread, fruit or water
22. StatementNot too little mourning, and not too much
23. StatementPlaster the house but leave a small spot
24. QuestionHow big is the bare spot?
25. ResponseAn אמה by an אמה, facing the door
26. StatementPrepare a full meal but leave out a small item
27. QuestionWhich item is left out of the meal?
28. ResponseA dish of small fried fish
29. StatementA woman does all her beauty treatments but one
30. QuestionWhich treatment does she skip?
31. ResponseThe hair at the temple
32. ProofThe source: 'If I forget you, Jerusalem'
33. QuestionWhat does 'on the head of my joy' mean?
34. ResponseAshes on the head of a groom
35. QuestionWhere exactly do the ashes go?
36. ResponseIn the place of the תפילין, with a proof
37. StatementWhoever mourns for ירושלים will see her joy
38. StatementWe should have banned meat and wine, but most people could not keep it
39. StatementUnder Roman decrees, we should stop marrying altogether
40. ConclusionLeave the Jewish people alone
41. Conclusionהדרן — Closing פרק חזקת הבתים