Bava Kamma 24a

בבא קמא כ״ד ע״א

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Topic

How an ox becomes a מועד: רבי מאיר's קל וחומר and the זבה challenge, the rulings of רבי יוסי and רבי שמעון, and whether the three days are about the ox or the owner

Overview

רבי מאיר argues with a קל וחומר. If an ox that gores on spread-out days becomes a מועד, then one that gores three times close together should become one even more. The רבנן push back from the case of a זבה, where spread-out sightings make her טמאה but close-together ones do not. רבי מאיר answers that the word וזאת makes זב and זבה a special rule set by the פסוק: a זב is counted by sightings and a זבה by days. The גמרא then works out why the פסוק is read this way, using a היקש of male to female and the context of the passage. Next, a ברייתא brings two more views. רבי יוסי and רבי שמעון each mix the opinions of רבי יהודה and רבי מאיר on becoming a מועד and on going back to תם. רב נחמן rules like רבי יוסי, because his reasoning is sound. Finally, the גמרא asks whether רבי יהודה's three days are meant to make the ox a מועד or to warn the owner. It brings a ברייתא about three sets of lying witnesses to test the question, and the analysis continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (20)

1. Statementרבי מאיר's argument: gorings close together are even worse
2. ChallengeThe רבנן challenge from the case of זבה
3. Resolutionרבי מאיר: the פסוק makes זב and זבה a special rule
4. ChallengeMaybe the word excludes the man from days instead
5. ResolutionThe verse compares male to female, so a man also counts by days
6. ChallengeWhy not compare female to male instead?
7. ResolutionThe word וזאת blocks the reverse comparison
8. ChallengeWhy Choose That Reading of the Word
9. ResolutionThe Verse Is About Sightings, So It Limits Sightings
10. StatementTwo More Views on מועד and תם
11. Statementרב נחמן Rules Like the Parts רבי יוסי Agrees With
12. Challengeרבא: Why Not Follow רבי שמעון's Agreement Instead
13. Resolutionרב נחמן: I Follow רבי יוסי, Whose Reasoning Is Sound
14. QuestionAre the three days about the ox or about the owner?
15. QuestionThe practical difference: three sets of witnesses on one day
16. ProofA ברייתא: testimony must be before the owner and the court
17. ProofThree sets of witnesses count as one testimony for הזמה
18. ProofIf the first or second set is shown to be lying, everyone is exempt
19. ProofIf the third set is also shown to be lying, all of them are liable
20. ProofThis ruling fits well if the three days are meant to make the ox a מועד