Bava Metzia 107a

בבא מציעא ק״ז ע״א

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Topic

Protecting a field from weakening, and רב יהודה's practical teachings to רבין about cress among flax, border trees, and land near a town

Overview

This amud opens with the last word of an earlier discussion: in the צדקה case, רבן שמעון בן גמליאל is lenient. אביי explains that his strictness about a sharecropper changing crops is really about protecting the land, since the wrong crop order wears it out unless the field is plowed twice. On the משנה's rule that a grain field may not be planted with legumes, רב יהודה says that ruling is for ארץ ישראל, and in Babylonia it is allowed. רב יהודה then gives רבין בר רב נחמן several practical teachings. One is when picking cress from a flax field counts as גזל. Another is that fruit of a border tree goes to the side it leans toward, following רב against שמואל. The גמרא defends רב from a ברייתא that says border trees are split, explaining that it means a tree filling the whole border strip, which is divided equally. Finally רב יהודה advises against buying a field near a town, based on a teaching of רב. The גמרא challenges this from רב's own explanation of the blessings in דברים 28, which calls property near the city a blessing. רבי אבא also brings רבי יוחנן's different explanation of those blessings. The answer to the challenge comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (23)

1. Conclusionרבן שמעון בן גמליאל is lenient in the צדקה case
2. Statementאביי explains: changing crops wrongly harms the land
3. StatementPlowing twice removes the concern
4. Statementרב יהודה teaches that grain fields may be planted with legumes
5. Challengeרבין objects from the משנה
6. ResolutionOne rule for Babylonia, one for ארץ ישראל
7. StatementCress growing among flax: when taking it is or is not stealing
8. StatementOnce the cress is fully grown, taking it is always stealing
9. StatementFruit of border trees goes to whoever's side the tree leans toward
10. ProofThe source: רב and שמואל argue about a tree on the border
11. ChallengeA ברייתא says border trees are split
12. Resolutionשמואל explains the ברייתא to fit רב
13. ChallengeThen why say something so obvious
14. ResolutionThe branches lean to one side
15. ChallengeStill, what is new
16. ResolutionWhich way do we cut the tree
17. StatementDon't buy a field near a town
18. ChallengeBut רב explained the city and field blessings
19. Challengeרב's explanation of the four blessings
20. Statementרבי יוחנן's version: a bathroom near your table, not a synagogue
21. Proofרבי יוחנן is consistent: there is reward for steps
22. Statementרבי יוחנן on 'in the field': property split into thirds
23. Statementרבי יוחנן on coming and going: leaving the world without sin