Bava Kamma 71b

בבא קמא ע״א ע״ב

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Topic

Slaughtering a stolen animal in a forbidden way (on שבת, for עבודה זרה, a שור הנסקל), and whether the 'five oxen' fine applies to half-shares owned by partners.

Overview

The ברייתא lists cases where a thief's שליח slaughters a stolen animal in a way that cannot make it permitted: on שבת, for עבודה זרה, or a שור הנסקל. רבי מאיר makes the thief pay four or five times, and the רבנן exempt him. The גמרא explains that, by the view that food made on שבת is forbidden only מדרבנן, the רבנן exempt only in the עבודה זרה and שור הנסקל cases. רבא then defends רבי מאיר. In the עבודה זרה case, the worship begins only when the slaughter is finished. In the שור הנסקל case, the ox was with a שומר, and רבי מאיר holds like רבי יעקב and רבי שמעון that דבר הגורם לממון כממון דמי. רב כהנא and רב זביד discuss whether the משנה can follow רבי מאיר and not רבי שמעון. Then רבא asks רב נחמן whether a thief who admitted to one of two partners still owes the fine to the other: does 'five oxen' include five half-oxen? רב נחמן first says no and defends this against challenges from the משנה about a son who stole from his father. The next morning he reverses himself and says half-oxen do count. His explanation for the change continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (19)

1. ChallengeThe שבת case fits only one view of food made on שבת
2. ResolutionThe Rabbis exempt only in the other two cases
3. ChallengeWhy is רבי מאיר's thief liable in the idol-worship case?
4. ResolutionThe animal becomes forbidden only at the end of the slaughter
5. ChallengeAn ox sentenced to stoning belongs to no one
6. ResolutionThe ox was in a guardian's hands, and רבי מאיר holds like רבי יעקב and רבי שמעון
7. Resolutionרבי יעקב: a guardian may return a sentenced ox
8. ResolutionThe second half of רבא's answer: רבי מאיר holds like רבי שמעון
9. ProofProof that רבי שמעון holds this rule, from stolen קדשים
10. Challengeרב כהנא challenges: the משנה seems to follow רבי שמעון too
11. Resolutionרב זביד: רבי שמעון agrees only on the case right before
12. StatementQuoting the משנה about stealing from one's father
13. Questionרבא asks about a thief who admitted to one of two partners
14. Responseרב נחמן rules that half-oxen do not count
15. Challengeרבא challenges from the son who stole from his father
16. ResolutionThe father already took his son to court
17. Challengeרבא asks why the משנה did not split the case itself
18. Resolutionרב נחמן explains the משנה's parallel wording
19. ConclusionIn the morning, רב נחמן retracts: even five half-oxen count