Bava Kamma 27b

בבא קמא כ״ז ע״ב

Learn Bava Kamma 27b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Bava Kamma 27b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

A walker who breaks a jug left in the street, and whether a person may take the law into his own hands

Overview

The amud begins by closing an earlier point: in money cases we do not follow the רוב (majority). Then the גמרא quotes the משנה that someone who trips over a jug left in the street and breaks it is פטור, and asks why, since he should have watched where he was going. רב, שמואל and רבי יוחנן each describe a case where he could not avoid the jug, and רבי עולא adds that people simply do not watch the road. רב פפא and רבא argue over whether the word 'stumbled' in the משנה fits רב's explanation. Real court cases follow, where שמואל and רבא made the walker pay, and רב פפא explains that רבא's case was at an olive press, where jugs are put down with permission. A new topic then opens: רב חסדא asks רב נחמן about payment for a blow with a hoe. The facts reveal that the hitter was protecting his water, which leads to the dispute between רב יהודה and רב נחמן over whether a person may take the law into his own hands. רב כהנא challenges רב יהודה from בן בג בג, and רב יהודה's answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (21)

1. ConclusionIn money cases we do not follow the majority
2. StatementQuoting the משנה: the one who trips is exempt
3. ChallengeWhy exempt? He should have looked
4. Resolutionרב: the whole street was filled with barrels
5. Resolutionשמואל: it happened in the dark
6. Resolutionרבי יוחנן: the jug was at a corner
7. Statementרב פפא: the משנה fits שמואל or רבי יוחנן
8. ChallengeAgainst רב: why say tripped?
9. Resolutionרבא's defense: the word 'stumbled' is for the second half of the משנה
10. Resolutionרבי עולא's reason: people don't watch the road
11. StatementReal cases: שמואל and רבא made the walker pay
12. QuestionDoes רבא agree with שמואל?
13. Responseרבא's case happened at an olive press, where walkers must look
14. Questionרב חסדא asks about payment for hitting with a hoe
15. Responseרב נחמן questions collecting fines and asks for the facts
16. StatementThe story of the shared cistern
17. Responseרב נחמן says the partner was right to hit him
18. StatementThe dispute between רב יהודה and רב נחמן
19. StatementDefining where they really argue
20. Challengeרב כהנא challenges רב יהודה from בן בג בג
21. Resolutionרב יהודה begins his reply to רב כהנא