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Bava Basra 64b

בבא בתרא ס״ד ע״ב

Bava Batra 64b

Learn Bava Basra 64b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Proving that רבי עקיבא holds מוכר בעין יפה מוכר and the רבנן hold מוכר בעין רעה מוכר, from the משניות about selling a house and a field

Overview

The גמרא asks whether the מחלוקת between רבי עקיבא and the רבנן about a path to a pit comes from a general rule: does a seller sell generously (מוכר בעין יפה מוכר) or stingily (מוכר בעין רעה מוכר)? It first tries to prove this from the house משנה, but both halves can be explained another way. The רישא may be about what each side would put up with. The סיפא may be about whether we follow the buyer's intention or the seller's. Next the גמרא turns to a second משנה, about selling a field, which repeats the same argument. It argues the repeat must teach the general rule. That proof is pushed off with a צריכותא: a house needs privacy, and a field is harmed by trampling. Finally, the last clause of the field משנה, about selling the pit to someone else, has no such separate reason. The גמרא concludes שמע מינה: רבי עקיבא holds a seller sells generously, and the רבנן hold he sells stingily. The amud ends as the גמרא begins to bring רב הונא's report of רב's ruling on the הלכה.

Opening lines

דְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא סָבַר:

As Rabbi Akiva holds:

מוֹכֵר בְּעַיִן יָפָה מוֹכֵר,

one who sells, sells with a generous eye,

וְרַבָּנַן סָבְרִי:

and the Rabbis hold:

מוֹכֵר בְּעַיִן רָעָה מוֹכֵר;

one who sells, sells with a stingy eye;

The steps (11)

  1. StatementThe suggestion: generous seller vs. stingy seller
  2. RejectionRejecting the suggestion: they may be arguing only about this case
  3. ProofA new attempt to prove it from the סיפא
  4. RejectionRejecting the סיפא proof: whose intention do we follow?
  5. ProofA new source: the משנה about selling a field
  6. ProofWhy repeat the argument? It must teach generous versus stingy selling
  7. RejectionBoth cases are needed for their own reasons, house for privacy and field for trampling
  8. ProofA new proof from the last clause of the field משנה
  9. ProofThe repeated case must teach the general rule
  10. ConclusionThe proof is accepted
  11. StatementOpening the discussion on what the law is