Bava Kamma 93b

בבא קמא צ״ג ע״ב

Learn Bava Kamma 93b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

How a change to a stolen item affects what a גזלן pays, which kinds of change count, and the view that a change does not alter an item's status (שינוי במקומו עומד).

Overview

The משנה teaches that a גזלן always pays what the stolen item was worth at the time of the גזילה. This holds whether he turned wood into vessels or wool into garments, or the animal gave birth or was sheared while he had it. The גמרא infers that only a real change counts, not sanding or washing. A ברייתא seems to say the opposite. אביי answers that the משנה teaches a reversible, rabbinic-level change and the ברייתא a permanent, Torah-level one. רב אשי answers that both speak of permanent changes. The גמרא then asks whether washing wool is a change at all, using the laws of ראשית הגז, and אביי, רבא and רבי חייא בר אבין each answer differently. A further question about dyeing in רבי שמעון's view leads to the distinction between dye that soap removes and indigo, which is permanent. Finally אביי lists five תנאים who hold שינוי במקומו עומד, and the גמרא starts proving each one. The proof for בית שמאי, from a prostitute's payment that she changed, continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (22)

1. StatementStolen wood or wool turned into products
2. StatementStealing an animal that was already pregnant or full of wool
3. StatementAnimal that got pregnant or grew wool while with the robber
4. ConclusionThe general rule: robbers pay the value at the time of the robbery
5. StatementOnly a significant change counts
6. ChallengeA ברייתא that treats sanding and washing as a change
7. Resolutionאביי: The משנה teaches a reversible change
8. ResolutionHow the משנה's cases are reversible changes
9. ResolutionThe ברייתא teaches only a Torah-level change
10. Resolutionרב אשי: Our משנה also speaks of Torah-level changes
11. ChallengeChallenge: Is washing wool really a change?
12. Resolutionאביי: A dispute between רבי שמעון and the Sages
13. Resolutionרבא: Both follow רבי שמעון, depending on how the wool was prepared
14. ResolutionLight whitening versus strong bleaching
15. ChallengeFor רבי שמעון even dyeing is not a change
16. ResolutionTwo students report רבי שמעון differently
17. ResolutionDye can be washed out, but indigo cannot
18. Statementאביי lists five תנאים who hold that a change does not alter status
19. ProofThe source for רבי שמעון בן יהודה is what was already said
20. QuestionWhat is the source for בית שמאי?
21. ProofTwo ברייתות disagree about a prostitute's payment that she changed
22. Resolutionרב יוסף begins to resolve the two ברייתות by quoting גוריון