Bava Metzia 59b

בבא מציעא נ״ט ע״ב

Learn Bava Metzia 59b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Bava Metzia 59b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

תנור של עכנאי, the power of אונאת דברים, and not hurting a גר

Overview

This amud finishes the story of the תנור של עכנאי. רבי אליעזר brings every argument and then miracles to prove his view: a carob tree, a stream, the walls of the בית המדרש, and finally a בת קול. רבי יהושע answers 'לא בשמים היא': the תורה was given at סיני, and it tells us to follow the majority. אליהו later reports that הקדוש ברוך הוא smiled and said, 'My children have defeated Me.' The חכמים then place רבי אליעזר in נידוי, and his pain brings damage to the world. In the end רבן גמליאל dies, because the gates of Heaven are always open to someone hurt by words. The גמרא then teaches that hurting or oppressing a גר breaks three לאוין, and that we must not insult a גר, since we were strangers in מצרים ourselves. Finally, a new משנה begins about not mixing batches of produce when selling.

Opening lines

The steps (41)

1. StatementThe oven gets its name
2. QuestionWhy call it a snake?
3. ResponseSurrounded with arguments like a coiled snake
4. Statementרבי אליעזר brings every argument, but no one accepts
5. ProofFirst miracle: the carob tree moves
6. RejectionA tree is no proof
7. ProofSecond miracle: the stream flows backward
8. RejectionA stream is no proof
9. ProofThird miracle: the walls of the בית המדרש lean
10. Rejectionרבי יהושע scolds the walls
11. ProofFinal proof: a בת קול from Heaven
12. Rejectionרבי יהושע declares: It is not in heaven
13. QuestionWhat does 'It is not in heaven' mean here?
14. Responseרבי ירמיה explains: the תורה follows the majority
15. Questionרבי נתן asks אליהו how Heaven reacted
16. ResponseGod smiled: My children have defeated Me
17. StatementThe pure items are burned and רבי אליעזר is placed in נידוי
18. QuestionWho will tell him?
19. Responseרבי עקיבא volunteers
20. Statementרבי עקיבא comes dressed in black
21. Questionרבי אליעזר asks what is different today
22. Responseרבי עקיבא gently gives the news
23. Statementרבי אליעזר accepts the נידוי
24. StatementHis tears damage the world's crops
25. StatementWherever רבי אליעזר looked, things burned
26. StatementA huge wave threatens רבן גמליאל at sea
27. Statementרבן גמליאל's prayer calms the sea
28. Statementאימא שלום guards her husband's prayers
29. StatementA mix-up about ראש חודש
30. StatementAnother version: a poor man at the door
31. Statementרבן גמליאל dies
32. QuestionHow did you know?
33. ResponseThe gates of hurt feelings are never locked
34. StatementHurting or oppressing a גר
35. ChallengeOppressing a גר also has three לאוין
36. ConclusionBoth kinds of hurting a גר break three לאוין
37. StatementWhy the תורה warns so many times about the גר
38. QuestionWhat does 'you were strangers in Egypt' mean?
39. ResponseDo not point out your own flaw in someone else
40. ProofA popular saying: don't mention hanging in a family with a hanging
41. StatementNew משנה: a seller may not mix batches of produce