Bava Kamma 39b

בבא קמא ל״ט ע״ב

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Topic

An אפוטרופוס for the ox of יתומים or of a חרש, שוטה, or קטן, and רבי יעקב's ruling of half damages

Overview

This amud opens with the end of an argument about who pays when an orphans' מועד ox does damage. One view says the orphans' property pays, so people will not refuse to be an אפוטרופוס. רבי יוסי בר חנינא says the אפוטרופוס pays and is repaid when the יתומים grow up. The גמרא then shows that appointing an אפוטרופוס for a תם ox, so damages can be collected from its body, is a dispute between סומכוס and חכמים in a ברייתא. It also explains that סומכוס and רבי יוסי argue about whether a change of רשות changes the ox's status. Next comes a ברייתא where רבי יעקב rules that half damages are paid when the ox of a חרש, שוטה, or קטן gores. רבא explains this as a מועד given only a lesser guarding, built on two rules of רבי יהודה plus the view of the רבנן about appointing an אפוטרופוס. אביי holds that רבי יעקב and רבי יהודה really disagree, and explains the case as a מועד that was not guarded at all. The amud ends with רב אחא בר אביי asking why, according to רבא, the case was not simply set in a תם ox, and the discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (23)

1. StatementPeople would refuse to become stewards
2. StatementThe steward pays and is repaid later
3. StatementAppointing stewards for a תם ox is a dispute of תנאים
4. Proofברייתא: ox whose owner is unavailable
5. StatementWhen the owner becomes available again
6. QuestionWhat did סומכוס mean by 'it stays תם'?
7. Responseסומכוס means the ox stays whole, so nothing is collected from it
8. Conclusionחכמים hold that an אפוטרופוס is appointed to collect from a תם
9. QuestionWhat is the argument in the last part of the ברייתא?
10. ResponseDoes a change of custody change the ox's status?
11. Statementרבי יעקב: half damages for the ox of a חרש, שוטה, or קטן
12. ChallengeWhy would רבי יעקב himself be paying?
13. ResolutionRead it as רבי יעקב saying that half is paid
14. ChallengeHalf damages fits neither a תם nor a מועד
15. Resolutionרבא: a מועד that was guarded only with a lesser guarding
16. Resolutionרבי יעקב follows two views of רבי יהודה
17. Resolutionרבא's third point: a guardian is appointed for a תם
18. Challengeאביי asks: don't רבי יהודה and רבי יעקב disagree?
19. Resolutionרבה בר עולא: רבי יעקב is only explaining רבי יהודה
20. QuestionAccording to אביי, what is their disagreement?
21. Responseאביי: the case is a מועד that was not guarded at all
22. ResponseWhere רבי יעקב agrees with רבי יהודה and where he disagrees
23. ChallengeWhy not set the case in a תם ox according to רבא?