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Bava Basra 98b

בבא בתרא צ״ח ע״ב

Bava Batra 98b

Learn Bava Basra 98b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The minimum sizes and heights of buildings in a sale or building deal, the opinions on who said each line of the משנה, and the height of the היכל.

Overview

The amud opens with a short ברייתא that finishes the earlier topic of selling aged wine: the wine must stay good until סוכות. A new משנה then sets the minimum size of a בית חתנות for a son or a בית אלמנות for a daughter. רבי עקיבא says 4 by 6 אמות, and רבי ישמעאל objects that this is only a cowshed. The משנה lists standard building sizes, says a building's height is half its length plus half its width, and mentions the היכל as support. The גמרא explains that the משנה ties each house to one child because a son-in-law should not live with his in-laws, and it brings support from בן סירא. It then asks who said the cowshed line and who said 'ראיה לדבר', and gives two opinions for each question. It defines a טרקלין and a קנתיר. It also brings the view of אחרים that a building's height matches its roof beams. The amud ends with רבי חנינא resolving two פסוקים about the היכל's height, and with a question whose answer comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

תָּאנָא:

It was taught:

וּמְיַישֵּׁן וְהוֹלֵךְ עַד הַחַג.

And it continues to age until the festival.

מַתְנִי׳

MISHNA:

הַמּוֹכֵר מָקוֹם לַחֲבֵירוֹ,

One who sells a plot of land to his fellow,

The steps (27)

  1. StatementAged wine must keep its quality until סוכות
  2. Statementרבי עקיבא: a bridal or widow's house is at least 4 by 6 cubits
  3. Statementרבי ישמעאל: that size is only a cowshed
  4. StatementThe size of a cowshed
  5. StatementSizes of a small house, a large house, and a banquet hall
  6. StatementHow tall a building should be
  7. ProofProof from the Sanctuary building
  8. ChallengeWhy does the משנה split son and daughter?
  9. ResolutionA son-in-law should not live with his in-laws
  10. ProofSupport from בן סירא
  11. QuestionWho said the cowshed line?
  12. ResponseTwo opinions on who said it
  13. StatementIf רבי עקיבא said it
  14. StatementIf רבי ישמעאל said it
  15. StatementWhat is a banquet hall?
  16. StatementA ברייתא adds the size of a קנתיר
  17. StatementThe משנה's rule for building height
  18. QuestionWho says 'proof of the matter'?
  19. ResponseFirst answer: רבן שמעון בן גמליאל brings the היכל as proof
  20. ResponseSecond answer: the תנא קמא brings the proof and רבן שמעון בן גמליאל is surprised
  21. StatementOthers say the height equals the beams
  22. ChallengeWhy not just say height equals width
  23. ResolutionFirst answer: the house is wider at the top
  24. ResolutionSecond answer: the beams sit in holes in the wall
  25. ChallengeTwo verses disagree about the height of the היכל
  26. ResolutionThe twenty is measured from the top of the כרובים
  27. QuestionWhat does this teach us