Bava Basra 72a

בבא בתרא ע״ב ע״א

Bava Batra 72a

Learn Bava Basra 72a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Whether רבי שמעון can follow רבי עקיבא's view that a seller sells generously (עין יפה), tested through a ברייתא about consecrating trees together with the land around them.

Overview

The גמרא challenges the suggestion that רבי שמעון follows רבי עקיבא, who says a seller sells generously (עין יפה). It brings a ברייתא about consecrating trees. If a person consecrates three trees planted in orchard spacing (ten per בית סאה), the land and the young trees between them are consecrated too. He redeems the land at the Torah's fixed rate. If the spacing is different, the land is not included. The same is true if he consecrates the trees one after the other: he redeems only the trees, at their value. The גמרא shows this ברייתא cannot follow רבי עקיבא or the רבנן, since both say a consecrator gives generously. So it must be רבי שמעון. It then proves that רבי שמעון agrees with the רבנן that a seller is sparing (עין רעה), and he holds that a consecrator is sparing too and keeps the land. So רבי שמעון cannot be explained as following רבי עקיבא.

Opening lines

The steps (7)

1. ChallengeCan רבי שמעון really follow רבי עקיבא? A ברייתא about three trees
2. ProofDifferent spacing or one tree at a time: the land is not included
3. ProofEven if he later consecrates the land, the trees are redeemed separately
4. QuestionWhose opinion is the ברייתא? Not רבי עקיבא and not the רבנן
5. ResponseSo the ברייתא must be רבי שמעון
6. QuestionWhich view about selling does רבי שמעון follow?
7. Conclusionרבי שמעון follows the רבנן and holds that a consecrator also gives sparingly