Bava Metzia 92a

בבא מציעא צ״ב ע״א

Learn Bava Metzia 92a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Bava Metzia 92a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

How much a worker may eat on the job, and whether the food he eats is his own or a right given by the Torah

Overview

The עמוד opens by finishing an earlier point: a worker walking between rows counts as working. It then rereads the משנה so that a donkey may eat from its load until it is unloaded, and shows a ברייתא teaching the same rule. A new משנה says a worker may eat even a דינר's worth of cucumbers or dates. רבי אלעזר חסמא limits him to his wages, while חכמים allow more but warn him not to be greedy. The גמרא gives three ways the תנא קמא and חכמים differ: the advice not to be greedy, רב אסי's rulings about a single cluster, or איסי בן יהודה's view that anyone entering a vineyard may eat, which רב rejects. Next the גמרא asks whether a worker eats from his own or משל שמים, a right the Torah gave him. The practical case is a worker who asks that his share go to his wife and children. Proofs from the משנה and from ברייתות about this case are each pushed off, mostly by explaining them as a נזיר worker who is kept away from vineyards. A new proof from a משנה about a worker preparing figs begins at the end and continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (31)

1. ConclusionWalking between rows counts as working
2. ChallengeHow can a donkey eat while it is being unloaded?
3. ResolutionRead it as 'until it is unloaded'
4. ProofOur משנה teaches the same rule as a ברייתא
5. StatementHow much may a worker eat?
6. ChallengeAren't חכמים saying the same as the תנא קמא?
7. ResolutionThe difference is 'we teach a person'
8. ResolutionAnother answer: they differ over רב אסי's rulings
9. ResolutionWhy רב אסי needed to say both rulings
10. ResolutionA third answer: they differ over איסי בן יהודה's teaching
11. Resolutionרב's reaction: איסי leaves owners with nothing
12. Challengeרב אשי suggests איסי meant only volunteers who work
13. Resolutionרב כהנא: an owner prefers to pick his own workers
14. QuestionDoes a worker eat from his own or from Heaven's?
15. QuestionWhat is the practical difference?
16. ResponseThe case: a worker asks to give his share to his family
17. ProofA worker may eat even more than his wage
18. RejectionThe same problem exists either way
19. ProofMaybe רבי אלעזר חסמא and the חכמים argue about this exact question
20. RejectionNo, they argue about the word כנפשך
21. RejectionThe חכמים read כנפשך as 'like yourself'
22. ProofProof from a נזיר who asks to give his share to his family
23. RejectionThe נזיר is kept away from the vineyard
24. ProofProof from an ordinary worker who asks to give to his family
25. RejectionThe 'worker' here is a נזיר
26. ChallengeBut one teaching says נזיר and another says worker
27. ResolutionThe two teachings were not taught side by side
28. ProofProof from a verse about workers
29. ChallengeBlocking the nazirite answer
30. RejectionIt is a נזיר, but the verse matches the wording
31. ProofA new proof begins: the case of hiring a worker to prepare figs