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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON GEMARA AND RASHI

prepared by Rabbi Eliezer Chrysler
Kollel Iyun Hadaf, Jerusalem

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Bava Basra 18

BAVA BASRA 18 (25 Nisan) - dedicated by Sandy and Les Wiesel in memory of Les's father, Menachem Yehuda ben Avigdor Yosef Wiesel, who perished in the Holocaust.

1)

(a) If as Rava explains, our Mishnah is speaking even when the neighbor has not yet built a wall, what is the Tana coming to teach us when he rules ...
  1. ... 'Marchikin es ha'Geffes ve'es ha'Zevel ... mi'Koslo shel Chavero Sheloshah Tefachim ... '?
  2. ... 'Marchikim es ha'Zera'im ve'es ha'Machrishah ... min ha'Kosel Sheloshah Tefachim ... '?
  3. ... 've'es ha'Rechayim Sheloshah ... ', 've'es ha'Tanur Sheloshah ... '?
(b) The Mishnah later forbids Reuven to open a bakery, a dyeing-shop or a stable underneath Shimon's storehouse, implying that he would be permitted to do so, if the storehouse was not yet there.
How will Rava explain this Mishnah?

(c) What does the Mishnah add there with regard to a stable, that bears this out?

2)
(a) The Mishnah later forbids Reuven to plant a tree within four Amos of Shimon's field. What reason does the Beraisa give for this? What purpose do those four Amos serve according to the Tana of the Beraisa?

(b) Why, according to Rava, is it not forbidden anyway, because of the roots of Reuven's tree that will spread into Shimon's field and damage his plants?

(c) The Mishnah later permits Reuven and Shimon to plant trees right up to the wall that divides their fields, dispensing with the Isur of Kil'ayim.
Why are we not concerned about the roots of Reuven's tree that will grow under the wall into Shimon's field?

(d) In that case, how can the Tana say in the Seifa 'Hayu Sharashav Yotz'in be'Toch shel Chavero, Ma'amik Sheloshah Tefachim'? How did the roots cross the strip of rocky terrain?

3)
(a) The Mishnah later teaches 'Marchikin es ha'Ilan min ha'Bor Esrim-ve'Chamesh Amah.
If, as Rava explains, the Tana speaks even when there is no pit as yet in the second field, then what is the Tana coming to teach us?

(b) If planting the tree is prohibited even before the pit exists, how will we explain the Seifa 've'Im Ilan Kadam, Lo Yikotz'.
How did the tree get there?

4)
(a) The Tana Kama there states 'Marchikin es ha'Mishrah min ha'Yerek ... ', implying that if there would be no vegetables, it would be permitted to place the soaking-house next to his neighbor's field.
How does Rava explain this Mishnah?

(b) Why does the Tana Kama forbid Reuven to plant his mustard-seeds next to Shimon's bees?

(c) On what grounds does Rebbi Yossi permit it?

(d) But if - as Rava explains, the Mishnah is speaking even before Shimon opened his aviary there (since it is forbidden to place a potential Mazik close to the Nizak's Reshus in anticipation of the Nizak pacing his article there), what does Rebbi Yossi mean? How can Reuven plant his mustard-seeds close to the place where Shimon might later place his aviary?

Answers to questions

18b---------------------------------------18b

5)

(a) Seeing as Rav Papa just established the Machlokes between Rebbi Yossi and the Rabbanan (with regard to the mustard-seeds and the bees) when Reuven sold Shimon half the field only after he had planted his mustard-seeds, on what grounds do the Rabbanan obligate Reuven to move his mustard-seeds?

(b) What problem do we have with attributing Rebbi Yossi's ruling to the S'vara 'al ha'Nizak Le'harchik es Atzmo min ha'Mazik'?

(c) So we assume that Rebbi Yossi too, holds 'al ha'Mazik Le'harchik es Atzmo min ha'Nizak'.
Then why does Rebbi Yossi differentiate between the soaking-house and the vegetables (where he concedes to the Rabbanan) and the mustard-seeds and the bees, where he argues with them?

(d) How do the Rabbanan counter Rebbi Yossi's argument? What do they say about ...

  1. ... the mustard-seeds?
  2. ... the leaves of the mustard plant?
6)
(a) What does Rebbi Yossi say about a case where Reuven plants a tree within twenty-five Amos of Shimon's pit?

(b) What conclusion can we draw from there?

(c) Then how do we reconcile Rebbi Yossi regarding the mustard-seeds and the bees with this latter ruling of his?

Answers to questions

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