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Bava Metzia 33a

בבא מציעא ל״ג ע״א

Learn Bava Metzia 33a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Unloading an animal and צער בעלי חיים; the order of priority among one's own, a teacher's and a father's lost items; who counts as 'his teacher.'

Overview

The amud begins with a ברייתא that reads "רובץ תחת משאו" narrowly. It says the duty to unload applies only to an animal lying down right now, not a standing one or a habitual collapser, and only under a load it can bear. The גמרא argues that if צער בעלי חיים were from the Torah, these limits would make no sense. It answers that the ברייתא follows רבי יוסי הגלילי, who holds it is דרבנן, and on loading he agrees with the רבנן. A second ברייתא sets when the duty begins: once you see the animal from within a ריס. The helper then walks along up to a פרסה, and רבה בר בר חנה says he may be paid for that. A new משנה ranks lost items: your own comes first, then your teacher's, then your father's, unless the father is a חכם. The same order applies to unloading burdens and redeeming captives. The גמרא learns 'yours comes first' from "אפס כי לא יהיה בך אביון" and warns against always insisting on it. It then debates who counts as 'his teacher,' with stories about רבא, שמואל, עולא, and רב חסדא and רב הונא, and rulings like רבי יהודה or רבי יוסי. The amud ends with a ברייתא ranking מקרא, משנה and תלמוד that seems to contradict itself; רבי יוחנן's answer comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

״רֹבֵץ״ וְלֹא רַבְצָן,

"Lying down," but not a habitual collapser,

״רֹבֵץ״ וְלֹא עוֹמֵד.

"lying down," but not standing.

״תַּחַת מַשָּׂאוֹ״ וְלֹא מְפוֹרָק.

"Under its burden," but not unloaded.

״תַּחַת מַשָּׂאוֹ״, מַשּׂאוֹי שֶׁיָּכוֹל לַעֲמוֹד בּוֹ.

"Under its burden": a burden that it is able to bear.

The steps (34)

  1. ProofThe ברייתא that limits the duty to unload
  2. ChallengeIf animal suffering were a Torah law, these limits would make no sense
  3. ResolutionThe ברייתא follows רבי יוסי הגלילי
  4. ProofSupport: 'a burden it can bear' is רבי יוסי הגלילי's idea
  5. ChallengeThe ending of the ברייתא matches the רבנן
  6. Resolutionרבי יוסי הגלילי agrees with the רבנן about loading
  7. StatementTwo verses set the range: not too far, not only a direct encounter
  8. StatementThe Sages measure the distance: a ריס
  9. StatementAfter reloading, walk with the animal up to a פרסה
  10. StatementHe may take payment for walking along
  11. StatementYour own lost item comes before your father's or your teacher's
  12. StatementTeacher before father, because the teacher brings him to עולם הבא
  13. StatementA father who is a חכם comes first
  14. StatementBurdens: help the teacher put his down first
  15. StatementCaptivity: redeem the teacher first
  16. StatementIf the father is a scholar, redeem the father first
  17. QuestionWhat is the source for 'your own comes first'?
  18. ResponseSource: 'There shall be no needy among you'
  19. StatementWarning: always putting yourself first leads to poverty
  20. Statementרבי מאיר: 'His teacher' means one who taught him deep understanding
  21. Statementרבי יהודה: The one he learned most of his knowledge from
  22. Statementרבי יוסי: Even one משנה makes him your teacher
  23. Statementרבא's example: רב סחורה explained one word
  24. Statementשמואל tore his garment for a scholar who explained one משנה
  25. Statementעולא: Babylonian scholars honor each other, but lost items go only to the main teacher
  26. Questionרב חסדא asks about a student whose teacher needs him
  27. Responseרב הונא answers sharply, taking it personally
  28. StatementThe falling-out and the forty fasts
  29. Statementרבי יוחנן: the הלכה follows רבי יהודה
  30. Statementרב ששת: the הלכה follows רבי יוסי
  31. ChallengeDid רבי יוחנן really rule like רבי יהודה?
  32. Resolution'Wisdom' means most of his wisdom
  33. StatementRanking the study of מקרא, משנה, and תלמוד
  34. ChallengeThe ברייתא seems to contradict itself