Gittin 49a

גיטין מ״ט ע״א

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Topic

Whose land sets the standard of עידית in damages, and what רבי עקיבא's 'קל וחומר for הקדש' refers to.

Overview

The גמרא explains the exact case where רבי ישמעאל and רבי עקיבא argue: the damager's worst land is as good as the injured party's best land. רבי ישמעאל measures 'best' by the injured party's land, using a גזירה שוה on the word 'field'. רבי עקיבא measures by the damager's own land, reading 'מיטב שדהו' plainly. רבי ישמעאל uses both the גזירה שוה and the plain פסוק. The גמרא then asks what רבי עקיבא means by 'a קל וחומר for הקדש'. It rejects a pledge to בדק הבית as the case, because a creditor collects only from בינונית and הקדש is weaker in damages. It settles on an ox goring a הקדש ox, following רבי שמעון בן מנסיא. The גמרא then asks whether the whole argument might only be about רבי שמעון בן מנסיא. It rejects this from רבי עקיבא's own words and begins a further proof from רב אשי that continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (14)

1. ResolutionDefining the exact case of the dispute
2. ResponseThe source for רבי ישמעאל
3. ResponseThe source for רבי עקיבא
4. Resolutionרבי ישמעאל uses both the analogy and the plain verse
5. Statementרבי עקיבא: the verse is about the damaged party collecting from the best land, and הקדש by a קל וחומר
6. QuestionWhat is the קל וחומר for הקדש?
7. RejectionIt cannot mean our ox gored a הקדש ox
8. ResolutionIt means someone who pledged money to בדק הבית
9. Challengeהקדש should be no better than a regular creditor
10. RejectionEven if a creditor takes עידית, the קל וחומר still fails
11. ResolutionBack to the first case: a regular ox gored a הקדש ox
12. ProofThe ברייתא of רבי שמעון בן מנסיא
13. ChallengeMaybe the whole argument is about רבי שמעון בן מנסיא
14. Rejectionרבי עקיבא's own words show the argument is not only about הקדש