Bava Kamma 40a

בבא קמא מ׳ ע״א

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Topic

Responsibility for goring oxen held by others: guardians of a חרש, שוטה, or קטן, the nature and amount of כופר, and a borrower whose ox turns out to be a מועד.

Overview

This amud covers three topics. First, it finishes discussing רבי יעקב's ruling about the ox of a חרש, שוטה, or קטן. The ruling could be about a תם, which would teach that בית דין appoints an אפוטרופוס. רבא's reading as a מועד is defended because it packs two ideas into one case. רבינא then says the real argument is whether a change of control (רשות משנה) turns a מועד back into a תם. Next, a ברייתא says stewards do not pay כופר. רב חסדא and רב פפא debate whether כופר is atonement or a money payment, and whose value sets the amount. Then רב אחא בר יעקב asks רב נחמן two hard questions about כופר: how partners pay it, and whether בית דין takes collateral for it. רב נחמן cannot answer. Last, a ברייתא about a borrowed ox that turns out to be a מועד leads to a back-and-forth about why the borrower still pays half. That debate continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (30)

1. ChallengeThe ruling could be about a תם ox
2. ProofSource for רבי אליעזר בן יעקב's view
3. ChallengeWhat רבי יעקב would be teaching about a תם
4. Resolutionרבא's reading packs two ideas into one ruling
5. Resolutionרבינא: the argument is about change of custody
6. StatementStewards pay damages but not ransom
7. QuestionWho holds that ransom is atonement?
8. Responseרב חסדא names רבי ישמעאל
9. ProofTheir argument is money versus atonement
10. Rejectionרב פפא: everyone agrees ransom is atonement
11. QuestionWhat is the Rabbis' source?
12. ResponseA גזירה שוה from the word 'imposing'
13. Responseרבי ישמעאל's source: 'the redemption of his life'
14. ResolutionThe Rabbis accept the פסוק but still measure by the victim
15. Statementרבא praises רב אחא בר יעקב, and רב נחמן asks to meet him
16. QuestionHow do two partners pay כופר for their ox?
17. ChallengeNeither two full payments nor two half payments seems right
18. QuestionDoes בית דין take collateral from someone who owes כופר?
19. QuestionThe two sides of the collateral question
20. QuestionAnother reason collateral might be needed
21. Conclusionרב נחמן is still stuck on the first question
22. StatementA borrowed ox thought to be a תם turns out to be a מועד
23. StatementThe ox became dangerous at the borrower's and was returned
24. ChallengeWhy should the borrower pay? He borrowed an ox, not a lion
25. Resolutionרב: the borrower knew it was a gorer
26. ChallengeEven so, he borrowed a תם, not a מועד
27. ResolutionThe owner says: you would have paid half anyway
28. ChallengeThe borrower says a תם pays only from its own body
29. ResolutionThe owner says: you would have repaid me the full ox
30. ChallengeThe borrower prepares another objection