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Bava Metzia 90a

בבא מציעא צ׳ ע״א

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Topic

בל תחסום: threshing תרומה and מעשר, the reason behind the ban, and telling a נכרי to muzzle

Overview

This amud opens at the end of a ברייתא: cows threshing תרומה or מעשר may be muzzled without breaking בל תחסום. For appearance's sake, though, the owner hangs food by the cow's mouth, and רבי שמעון בן יוחאי says כרשינים are best. A second ברייתא rules the opposite. The גמרא settles the תרומה clash with real תרומה versus גידולי תרומה. That answer fails for מעשר, so the גמרא offers several other answers: מעשר ראשון versus מעשר שני; a מחלוקת between רבי מאיר and רבי יהודה about whether מעשר שני is מָמוֹן גָּבוֹהַּ; and ודאי versus דמאי, which it finally reworks into תרומת מעשר, since there is no תרומת דמאי. Next, רב ששת uses רבי שמעון בן יוחאי's teaching to show that the ban on muzzling exists for the animal's benefit. The גמרא then asks whether a Jew may tell a נכרי to muzzle his cow. One proof is pushed aside, and a second proof, about a question sent to שמואל's father, continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְהַדָּשׁוֹת בִּתְרוּמָה וּמַעֲשֵׂר,

And those that thresh תרומה and tithe,

אֵינוֹ עוֹבֵר מִשּׁוּם ״בַּל תַּחְסוֹם״,

he does not transgress 'Do not muzzle,'

אֲבָל מִפְּנֵי מַרְאִית הָעַיִן –

but because of how it looks to others,

מֵבִיא בּוּל מֵאוֹתוֹ הַמִּין

he brings a bundle of that same species

The steps (26)

  1. StatementCows threshing תרומה and מעשר may be muzzled, but hang food for appearance
  2. Statementרבי שמעון בן יוחאי: hang vetches instead
  3. ChallengeA second ברייתא says threshing תרומה and מעשר does involve בל תחסום
  4. ResolutionThe תרומה clash is solved: real תרומה versus its growths
  5. ChallengeBut the מעשר clash still stands
  6. ResolutionA suggested answer: real מעשר versus its growths
  7. RejectionRejected: growths of מעשר are ordinary food
  8. ProofProof from a משנה: growths of טבל and מעשר שני are חולין
  9. ResolutionA new answer: first tithe versus second tithe
  10. ResolutionA second answer: both are about second tithe, but they follow different תנאים
  11. StatementExplaining the מחלוקת: whose money is second tithe?
  12. QuestionHow could tithes be under a threshing animal?
  13. ResponseHe separated the tithe early, while it was still on the stalks
  14. ChallengeBut second tithe must be eaten inside the walls
  15. ResolutionHe threshed inside the wall of בית פאגי
  16. ResolutionAnother answer: definite tithe versus doubtful tithe
  17. ResolutionUsing the same answer for the תרומה contradiction
  18. ChallengeThere is no such thing as תרומת דמאי
  19. ResolutionThe answer is about תרומת מעשר
  20. QuestionQuestion to רב ששת: an animal that eats and gets sick
  21. Responseרב ששת quotes רבי שמעון בן יוחי about vetches
  22. ConclusionThe reason is the animal's benefit
  23. QuestionMay one tell a non-Jew to muzzle one's cow?
  24. ProofProof from a non-Jew threshing with a Jew's cow
  25. RejectionThe wording only matches the second half
  26. ProofA question sent to שמואל's father about oxen