Bava Metzia 89a

בבא מציעא פ״ט ע״א

Learn Bava Metzia 89a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The worker's right to eat: the היקש between worker and animal, the limits learned from 'threshing' (דיש), including the cutoffs of מעשר and חלה, and whether he may singe produce before eating

Overview

The גמרא asks why the תורה wrote the word 'ox' (שור) in the law against muzzling, since all animals are already included. It answers that the word links the person who muzzles to the muzzled animal, so each one may eat from both attached and detached produce. Then a series of ברייתות learn limits on a worker's eating from the word 'threshing' (דיש). He eats only from things that grow from the ground, so milking and making cheese are excluded. He eats only at the finishing stage of the work, so a weeder of garlic and onions is excluded. He eats only before the produce is finished for מעשר, and רב פפא explains that a ברייתא allowing a separator of dates to eat speaks about unripe dates. A last ברייתא uses חלה as the cutoff, and after two answers fail, רבינא joins the מעשר and חלה ברייתות into one teaching. Finally the גמרא asks whether a worker may singe produce in fire before eating it. It begins to answer from a ברייתא that lets workers dip their bread in brine so they will eat more grapes, and the discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (20)

1. QuestionWhy does the verse say 'ox'?
2. ResponseThe worker and the animal are compared to each other
3. StatementA worker eats only from things that grow from the ground
4. ChallengeThe vineyard verse already teaches this
5. ResolutionWithout it, 'standing grain' might include everything
6. StatementA worker eats only at the finishing stage of the work
7. ChallengeWhy is this needed? The פסוק about the vessel already teaches it
8. ResolutionNeeded for a weeder who also pulls the small plants
9. StatementA worker eats only before the produce is finished for מעשר
10. ChallengeA ברייתא says the separator of dates may eat
11. Resolutionרב פפא: that ברייתא is about unripe dates
12. StatementAnother teaching from 'threshing': not yet finished for חלה
13. ChallengeIsn't the dough already finished for מעשר?
14. ResolutionAnswer: the ברייתא is about חוצה לארץ
15. ChallengeBut there is no חלה there either
16. ResolutionNew answer: the 14 years of conquering and dividing the land
17. ChallengeWhat matters is finished work, not the מעשר duty
18. Resolutionרבינא: join the two ברייתות into one teaching
19. QuestionMay a worker singe the produce in fire and eat it?
20. ProofA proof from workers dipping bread in brine