Bava Metzia 105b

בבא מציעא ק״ה ע״ב

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Topic

Measures for 'weak' things, four קבין for תפלה and תפילין, כדי נפילה, and a tenant's rent after a regional disaster

Overview

The amud opens by defining 'weak' (שכוחו רע) in the laws of טומאה. It covers a weak tree or branch that a זב and a טהור person climb together, and a weak person or animal ridden through a בית הפרס. Because דבי רבי ינאי gave some of those measures, the גמרא brings their rule that four קבין is the key measure for תפלה and תפילין. A four-קבין load must be put down before praying, and it may not be carried on top of head-תפילין. Related teachings from רבי חייא, רבי שילא and אביי add that תפילין must be treated with respect, and nothing at all may rest on top of them. The גמרא then returns to רבי יהודה's measure, כדי נפילה (the amount of seed sown), and explains why the number changed from four to eight סאין as the land grew poorer. A related משנה about wind-scattered sheaves leads to a question that ends in a תיקו. Finally a new משנה rules that a tenant reduces his rent only for a מכת מדינה, a regional disaster, and the גמרא begins defining that term with questions that continue on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (39)

1. StatementClimbing a weak tree or weak branch makes the pure person impure
2. QuestionWhat counts as a weak tree?
3. Responseדבי רבי ינאי: a trunk too thin to carve a רובע vessel
4. QuestionWhat counts as a weak branch?
5. Responseריש לקיש: a branch that fits inside a fist
6. StatementA parallel משנה: riding on a weak person or animal in a בית הפרס
7. QuestionWhat counts as a weak person?
8. Responseריש לקיש: his knees knock when someone rides him
9. QuestionWhat counts as a weak animal?
10. Responseדבי רבי ינאי: it releases dung when ridden
11. StatementFour קבין is the measure for תפלה and תפילין
12. QuestionWhat does four קבין mean for prayer?
13. ResponseA heavy load must be put down before praying
14. QuestionWhat does four קבין mean for תפילין?
15. ResponseA four-קבין load on the head crushes תפילין
16. StatementCarrying garbage while wearing תפילין
17. StatementEven the תפילין wrapper may not rest on the head
18. QuestionHow small a load is forbidden?
19. Responseאביי: even a tiny amount is forbidden
20. StatementBack to the משנה: רבי יהודה's measure of כדי נפילה
21. QuestionHow much is כדי נפילה?
22. Responseרבי יוחנן: four סאין per כור
23. Responseרבי אמי's own view: eight סאין per כור
24. ResolutionRich land versus poor land
25. StatementA related משנה: wind scattered the sheaves
26. QuestionHow much falls during harvest?
27. Responseרב דימי: four קבין per כור
28. Questionרבי ירמיה: which כור, and which kind of sowing?
29. ResponseThe כור means a field sown with a כור of seed
30. ConclusionHand sowing or oxen sowing stays unresolved
31. StatementA new משנה: crop disaster and the tenant's rent
32. Statementרבי יהודה: a tenant who pays money never reduces his rent
33. QuestionWhat counts as a regional disaster?
34. Responseרב יהודה: most of the valley was blasted
35. Responseעולא: the four fields around it were blasted
36. QuestionOnly one blasted furrow connects the fields
37. QuestionOne furrow survived along the whole length
38. QuestionA fallow field separates the fields
39. QuestionA field of animal fodder in between