Gemara Clarity

Bava Basra 88b

בבא בתרא פ״ח ע״ב

Bava Batra 88b

Learn Bava Basra 88b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Bava Basra 88b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The seller's extra weight (הכרעה and גירומין), and רבי לוי's teachings on false measures, theft and blessings

Overview

The משנה teaches that a seller must tilt the scale a טפח in the buyer's favor. If he weighed exactly, he must add extra amounts (גירומין). Local custom also decides how goods are measured. The גמרא first brings ריש לקיש's source, ״וצדק״, for the tilting. It then concludes that tilting is only local custom, and that ריש לקיש's פסוק really teaches the גירומין. רב gives the liquid rate as a tenth of a ליטרא per ten ליטרין, and the dry-goods rate stays a תיקו. Then come teachings of רבי לוי. Cheating with measures is harsher than עריות because it cannot be fixed through תשובה. Robbing a person is worse than robbing הקדש. ה׳ blessed ישראל with twenty-two letters and cursed with only eight, while משה רבינו did the opposite.

Opening lines

וְחַיָּיב לְהַכְרִיעַ לוֹ טֶפַח.

And he is obligated to tilt [the scale] for him a handbreadth.

הָיָה שׁוֹקֵל לוֹ עַיִן בְּעַיִן,

If he was weighing for him exactly,

נוֹתֵן לוֹ גֵּירוּמִין.

he gives him extra amounts.

אֶחָד לַעֲשָׂרָה בַּלַּח,

one for ten with liquids,

The steps (22)

  1. StatementThe seller tilts the scale; if he weighed exactly, he adds extra
  2. StatementMeasuring must follow local custom
  3. QuestionWhere does the tilting rule come from?
  4. Responseריש לקיש: "Be righteous with your own"
  5. ChallengeIf tilting is a Torah law, how can he weigh exactly?
  6. ResolutionTilting is only local custom
  7. Statementריש לקיש's פסוק moves to the גירומין
  8. QuestionHow much are the extra amounts?
  9. Responseרב: a tenth of a ליטרא per ten ליטרין
  10. QuestionHow should the משנה's numbers be read?
  11. ConclusionThe question stays unanswered
  12. StatementFalse measures are punished more harshly than עריות
  13. QuestionHow do we know אל means harshness?
  14. ResponseProof from "the mighty of the land"
  15. ChallengeBut עריות also has the word אלה
  16. ResolutionThe אלה by עריות comes to leave out measures from כרת
  17. ChallengeThen what makes measures harsher?
  18. ResolutionMeasures are harsher because תשובה is not possible
  19. StatementRobbing a person is worse than robbing הקדש
  20. Statementהקדוש ברוך הוא blessed with twenty-two and cursed with eight
  21. StatementExplaining the twenty-two and the eight letters
  22. Statementמשה רבינו did the opposite