Bava Metzia 3b

בבא מציעא ג׳ ע״ב

Learn Bava Metzia 3b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Searching for a קל וחומר that makes witnesses (העדאת עדים) obligate an oath: first from a person's own admission, then from a single witness

Overview

The גמרא explains why the ברייתא needed a קל וחומר to teach that when witnesses prove part of a debt, the defendant must swear on the rest. רבה's reason for a מודה במקצת's oath is that he is only stalling. That reason does not fit a case of witnesses, so a קל וחומר is needed. The first קל וחומר learns from a person's own admission (פיו): it does not obligate a קנס, yet it obligates an oath, so witnesses, who do obligate a קנס, should surely obligate an oath. The גמרא then tests this with several ways his own mouth might be stronger than witnesses: קרבן, אשם and חומש. Each is answered by saying רבי חייא holds like רבי מאיר, who lets witnesses obligate these through a קל וחומר. But witnesses can be contradicted or proven false (הכחשה and הזמה), while a person's own admission cannot. So the proof from פיו is dropped. The גמרא tries a new קל וחומר from a single witness (עד אחד). It then starts to reject that one too, because with one witness the oath is about the very thing he testified to. This continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (17)

1. StatementWhy a partial admitter must swear: he is only stalling
2. ResponseWitnesses don't fit that reason, so a קל וחומר is needed
3. QuestionWhat exactly is the קל וחומר?
4. ResponseIf his own mouth creates an oath, surely witnesses do
5. ChallengeBut a person's own admission does make him pay
6. ResolutionThe 'money' means a fine, so the קל וחומר works
7. ChallengeHis own mouth is stronger in one way: it can obligate a קרבן
8. Resolutionרבי חייא follows רבי מאיר: witnesses can obligate a קרבן
9. ProofThe משנה that shows רבי מאיר's view about חלב
10. Proofרבי מאיר's argument and the חכמים' reply in the משנה
11. ChallengeA person's own mouth obligates an אשם
12. ResolutionAn אשם is just a קרבן
13. ChallengeA person's own mouth obligates a חומש
14. Resolutionרבי מאיר would apply the קל וחומר to חומש too
15. ChallengeA person's own mouth cannot be contradicted or proven false
16. ResolutionDeriving the oath from a single witness instead
17. RejectionA single witness has a special feature