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Bava Basra, 25

1) DISTANCING A POTENTIALLY DAMAGING AGENT FROM A NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY

QUESTION: The Mishnah states that one must distance his washing pit from his neighbor's vegetables, his leeks from his neighbor's onions, and his mustard from his neighbor's bees. The Mishnah, though, does not say specify how far he must distance these items from his neighbor's property.

How far must one distance his washing pit from his neighbor's vegetables, or his leeks from his neighbor's opinions? (The RAMBAN adds that "I am perplexed that the Mishnah does not specify [the distance].")

ANSWERS:

(a) The RASHBA suggests that the distance is the same as the distance specified in the earlier Mishnah (17a), which states that one must distance his irrigation channel or his laundry pit *three Tefachim* from the wall of his neighbor's Bor.

(b) The Rashba cites a Tosefta, however, which states that one must distance his mustard plant *fifty Amos* away from his neighbor's bees. The Rashba adds that perhaps the same distance of fifty Amos applies to one's soaking pit and to one's leaks, since the Tana teaches the requirement to distance all of these items together.

The reason why such a large distance is necessary is because the smell, fumes or vapor of these potentially damaging agents travels far and thus these things are able to cause damage up to a distance of fifty Amos. (The Rashba infers this also from the words of the RIF.)

(c) The RAMBAN writes that it is logical that the distance that one must move his soaking pit away from the vegetables of his neighbor is *four Amos*, the same distance that one must move his laundry pit (that is, the "Nadyan" type of laundry pit, which one must move four Amos away from his neighbor's property, as the Gemara says on 19a). The distance required for leeks is the same distance that one must move his plants away from his neighbor's plants in order to prevent Kela'im -- three Tefachim (see Tosfos 19a, DH ha'Mavrich). The distance required for a mustard plant is, like the Tosefta writes, fifty Amos.

The Ramban asks, though, why the Tana of the Mishnah grouped all of these objects together, and did not differentiate between them based on their different required distances. The Ramban therefore concludes like the Rashba that all of these objects need to be moved fifty Amos away from the neighbor's property, but he writes in the end that this distance is not clear. (I. Alsheich)

25b

OPINIONS: Rebbi Yitzchak states that "one who wants to become wise should face south (when Davening, -Rashi), and one who wants to become wealthy should face north."

Does Rebbi Yitzchak argue with the Halachic opinion as expressed in the Gemara in Berachos (30a), which says that one should face Yerushalayim when he Davens (see Tosfos 25a, DH l'Chol)?

(a) RASHI here writes that the Gemara means that one can turn his face towards the north or south, while the rest of his body is facing Yerushalayim. (the TAZ (OC 94:3) writes that this is preferable to what the REMA suggests -- that one's body face Yerushalayim while his face turns slightly towards the north or to the south).

(b) RAV YEHUDAH TRAGER shlit'a (Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivas Etz Chaim, Antwerp), the son-in-law of RAV SHLOMO ZALMAN AUERBACH zt'l, relates that Rav Shlomo Zalman explained that this Gemara means that one who wants to become wise should turn southward *at the time that he is Davening for wisdom* (such as in the blessing of "Atah Chonen Da'as" in the Shemoneh Esreh), and one who wants to become wealthy should turn northward *at the time that he is Davening for wealth*. (Recorded in "Acharis Davar," in the end of HALICHOS SHLOMO, a collection of insights and rulings of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt'l.)

Rav Trager adds that according to this explanation, on Shabbos -- when one does not Daven for his personal needs -- there is no reason to face south or north. (I. Alsheich)

QUESTION: Rebbi Yitzchak states that "one who wants to become wise should face south (when Davening, -Rashi), and one who wants to become wealthy should face north." The Gemara says that if one wants to remember which direction to face for which benefit, he should just remember that the Shulchan was in the north of the Heichal of the Beis ha'Mikdash, and that the Menorah was in the south of the Heichal.

In what way does the Shulchan represent wealth, and in what way does the Menorah represent wisdom?

ANSWER: The Shulchan represents wealth because it held the Lechem ha'Panim, and it was thus the conduit for Divine blessing of sustenance to the world.

The Menorah represents wisdom, because it provides light, and light is compared with wisdom, as in the verse, "Ki Ner Mitzvah v'Torah Or" (Mishlei 6:23). RABEINU BACHYE (Parshas Terumah) writes that the lighting of the Menorah in the Beis ha'Mikdash served as a conduit to bring the wisdom of the Torah to the Jewish people.

In addition, the Gemara in Berachos (57a) says that when a person sees olive oil in a dream, "he should anticipate receiving wisdom," because olive oil is the fuel that is used to produce light in the Menorah. This is also why the days of Chanukah -- which celebrate the rekindling of the Menorah in the Beis ha'Mikdash -- are especially propitious for achieving great depths of understanding in Torah (MINHAGEI HA'CHASAM SOFER 9:1, SEFER MAGEN AVRAHAM Al ha'Torah (Parshas Miketz)). (RAV CHANOCH KARELENSTEIN, zt'l, in MAR'EI MEKOMOS; see also TORAS CHAIM.) (I. Alsheich)

(See also KLI YAKAR to Shemos 25:10. The Kli Yakar points out that the measurements of the Aron were all partial units (2 1/2 by 1 1/2 by 1 1/2), while the measurements of the Shulchan were part complete units and part partial units (2 by 1 by 1 1/2). The Kli Yakar suggests that the reason why the measurements of the Aron were all partial units is to teach that a person should always view himself as lacking when it comes to his Torah knowledge, which is represented by the Aron, in which the Luchos and Sefer Torah of Moshe Rabeinu were kept. Viewing oneself as lacking in Torah knowledge, a person will always constantly strive to learn more. The Shulchan, in contrast, represents material sustenance and gain in this world. Hence, part of the measurements of the Shulchan were complete units, to teach that a person should view his financial situation as complete and lacking nothing, and be content with his lot, "Same'ach b'Chelko." On the other hand, part of the measurements of the Shulchan were partial units, to teach that a person should not try to fill all of his lusts for material gain, and he should not focus all of his energies and time on attaining material success. Perhaps this, too, is part of the reason why the Siman for facing north when Davening for wealth is that the Shulchan was in the north - the Shulchan will remind him to be content with his lot, and not to focus all of his energies on attaining material gain. -Y. Shaw)