Bava Kamma 59b

בבא קמא נ״ט ע״ב

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Topic

The story of אליעזר זעירא and assessment בששים; רבי שמעון on ripe produce and רב's rulings; the משנה of stacking in a friend's field; and the משנה of sending fire through a חרש, שוטה, or קטן.

Overview

The amud opens with a story. אליעזר זעירא is jailed by the officials of the ריש גלותא for publicly mourning ירושלים. He proves he is a scholar with a question about cutting a young date cluster, which is assessed בששים, and שמואל confirms the answer. The גמרא then explains רבי שמעון's view that fully ripe produce is paid at its actual value, because it no longer needs the field. It reports that רב ruled the הלכה like רבי שמעון, and that in a separate case about a wife's כתובה he judged like רבי מאיר. A new משנה follows about stacking grain in a friend's field with and without permission. רב פפא shows that this משנה fits רבי by explaining that it is talking about a threshing-floor guard. Another new משנה deals with fire handed to a חרש, שוטה, or קטן, or passed between several people, and decides who is liable. The גמרא begins a dispute about it: ריש לקיש says the giver is liable for handing over a flame, while רבי יוחנן exempts him until he hands over branches, and that statement continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (30)

1. StatementWearing black shoes in the market
2. QuestionThe officials ask why he wears these shoes
3. ResponseHe is mourning for ירושלים
4. ChallengeThey think he is showing off and jail him
5. ResolutionHe claims to be a great scholar
6. QuestionHow do we know?
7. ResponseHe offers a test of Torah knowledge
8. QuestionWhat does one pay for cutting a young date cluster?
9. ResponseFirst answer: pay for the young cluster
10. ChallengeBut they would have become dates!
11. ResolutionSecond answer: pay for the dates
12. ChallengeBut he did not take dates from him!
13. QuestionThey ask him for the answer
14. ResponseThe answer: assess it בששים
15. QuestionWho agrees with you?
16. ResponseAsk שמואל
17. Conclusionשמואל confirms and they release him
18. QuestionWhat is רבי שמעון's reason for paying full value on ripe produce?
19. ResponseRipe produce no longer needs the field, so it is paid as is
20. Statementרב judged like רבי מאיר and ruled the הלכה like רבי שמעון
21. StatementThe case where רב judged like רבי מאיר
22. Conclusionרב ruled like רבי שמעון: ripe produce is paid in full
23. StatementStacking grain in a friend's field
24. ChallengeDoes the משנה go against רבי?
25. Resolutionרב פפא: the case of a threshing-floor guard
26. StatementSending fire through someone else
27. StatementFire and wood brought by two people
28. StatementSomeone else fans the fire, or the wind does
29. StatementA coal is exempt, but a flame makes the giver liable
30. StatementEven a flame is exempt until he hands over branches