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Bava Basra 9b

בבא בתרא ט׳ ע״ב

Bava Batra 9b

Learn Bava Basra 9b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The greatness and rewards of צדקה, with a story about the nickname of a Sage and the source that a מצורע in his counting days makes a person impure.

Overview

The גמרא teaches that every small coin of צדקה joins into one big total, like scales in a coat of mail or threads in a garment. It then tells why the Sage who reported this was nicknamed 'the infant who perverted the ways of his mother'. רב אחדבוי בר אמי mockingly took apart רב ששת's proof that a מצורע in his counting days makes a person impure. רב אחדבוי was punished until his mother, who had nursed רב ששת, pleaded for him. The גמרא then gives the real source for that rule: a גזירה שוה from רבי שמעון בן יוחי. Back on צדקה, רבי אלעזר says secret giving is greater than משה רבינו, and רבי יצחק reads the same פסוק differently. רבי יצחק adds that giving a פרוטה earns six blessings and comforting the poor earns eleven, and that הקב״ה gives the pursuer of צדקה money to give, while רב נחמן בר יצחק says He sends him worthy recipients. The עמוד ends with רבי יהושע בן לוי's teaching that regular givers merit wise, wealthy, and learned sons, and the first proof continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

״מְשַׁגֵּשׁ אֹרְחָתַיהּ דְּאִימֵּיהּ״,

"who perverted the ways of his mother,"

מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר –

said in the name of Rabbi Elazar:

מַאי דִּכְתִיב:

What is meant by that which is written:

״וַיִּלְבַּשׁ צְדָקָה כַּשִּׁרְיֹן״?

"And He put on charity like a coat of mail"?

The steps (25)

  1. StatementEvery coin of charity joins into one big coat of mail
  2. StatementA second verse: threads joining into a garment
  3. QuestionWhy did that Sage get his strange nickname?
  4. QuestionDoes a מצורע in his counting days make a person impure?
  5. ResponseSince he makes clothes impure, he makes people impure
  6. ChallengeMaybe clothes attached to him are a special case
  7. ChallengeDon't we learn שרץ the same way?
  8. RejectionFor שרץ, the פסוק says it openly
  9. ChallengeThen what about שכבת זרע?
  10. RejectionFor שכבת זרע, the extra word 'or' teaches it
  11. Statementרב אחדבוי's mocking tone and his punishment
  12. StatementHis mother's plea and his healing
  13. QuestionAsking for the source of the rule
  14. Responseרבי שמעון בן יוחי's גזירה שוה
  15. StatementSecret צדקה is greater than משה רבינו
  16. Statementרבי יצחק disagrees: secret giving does not calm wrath
  17. StatementAnother version: a judge who takes a bribe
  18. StatementSix blessings for giving, eleven for comforting
  19. ProofThe source for the six blessings
  20. ProofThe source for the eleven blessings for comforting a poor person
  21. StatementOne who chases after צדקה is given money to give
  22. Statementהקב״ה sends worthy people to the one who gives
  23. QuestionWhat idea is רב נחמן בר יצחק pushing away?
  24. Responseירמיה's prayer that his enemies give to unworthy people
  25. StatementRegular givers of צדקה merit wise, wealthy, and learned children