(Permission is granted to print and redistribute this material
as long as this header and the footer at the end are included.)


BACKGROUND ON THE DAILY DAF

brought to you by Kollel Iyun Hadaf of Har Nof


Ask A Question on the daf

Previous daf

Bava Kama 119

1) [line 3] SHAVISHTA - a bundle of branches
2) [line 3] ARISA - a sharecropper, a hired field laborer who receives a percentage (1/2, 1/3 or 1/4) of the produce of the field

3) [line 8] TURTANI - a balance-scale
4) [line 8] V'CHULAN SHE'AMRU "HATMEN!" ASUR - but if any of them say "Hide it!" it is prohibited to buy from them (because it is most probably stolen merchandise)

5) [line 9] LOKCHIN MEHEN MI'PESACH HA'GINAH - it is only permitted to buy from them at the front entrance to the field or orchard

6) [line 13] ADA DAILA - Ada, the attendant to the Rabanan

7) [line 14] MASUR (MOSER)
A Moser is an informer, who causes his friend's possessions to be expropriated by a Nochri. When a Moser causes his friend's object to be handed over ("Masur") to the Nochrim, Ameimar asks (Bava Kama 62a) whether the Takanas ha'Nigzal applies to the object, and the person can swear and claim compensation for the object from the Moser.

8) [line 19] "YACHIN (RASHA) V'TZADIK YILBASH..." - "He (the wicked man mentioned in verse 13) may prepare [a wardrobe -- see Iyov 27:16], but the righteous man shall wear it, [and the blameless shall divide his money.]" (Iyov 27:17)

9) [line 20] TAKIL V'YASIV, TAKIL V'SHAKIL - (lit. weigh out and give, weigh out and take) (a) he was extremely meticulous with the apportionment of their shares, not prepared to forgo a penny (RASHI, 1st explanation); (b) he would take one half of the produce, while the custom of the area was for the sharecropper to take one third (RASHI, 2nd explanation)

10) [line 21] SALKEI - he fired him
11) [line 21] "...V'TZAFUN LA'TZADIK CHEIL CHOTEI." - "[A good man leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren;] but the wealth of the wicked is laid away for the righteous." (Mishlei 13:22)

12) [line 22] "KI MAH TIKVAS CHANEF KI YIVTZA; KI YESHEL ELOKA NAFSHO." - "For what hope does the flatterer have when he steals? For HaSh-m will *take away* his soul from him." (Iyov 27:8) - This is the translation according to the Amora who claims that the word "Nafsho" refers to the flatterer (in the context of our Gemara, the thief). The other Amora feels that the word "Nafsho" refers to the Nigzal, and he translates the end of the verse as, "For HaSh-m will *save* his soul." (see Ibn Ezra to Iyov ibid.)

13) [line 25] "KEN ORCHOS KOL BOTE'A BETZA, ES NEFESH BE'ALAV YIKACH." - "So are the ways of everyone who is greedy of gain; it takes away the life of its owner." (Mishlei 1:19) - The Amora'im likewise argue as to the translation of the word "Be'alav." It can refer to the Nigzal -- "...it (stealing) takes away the life of the owner [of the stolen item]," or to the Gazlan -- "...it (stealing) takes away the life of the [current] owner [of the stolen item, i.e. the Gazlan]. Alternatively, the end of the verse can be translated for the second opinion as "He (HaSh-m) takes away the life of the [current] owner." (See Vilna Ga'on to Mishlei ibid.)

14) [line 27] AL TIGZOL DAL KI DAL HU, V'AL TEDAKEI ANI BA'SHA'AR. KI HASH-M YARIV RIVAM V'KAVA ES KOVEIHEM NEFESH." - "Rob not the poor, because he is poor; nor oppress the afflicted in the gate. For HaSh-m will plead their cause, and rob the life of those who rob them." (Mishlei 22:22-23) - This follows the opinion that the word "Nefesh" refers to the Gazlan. According to the opinion that it refers to the Nigzal, the end of the verse is rendered as, "...and rob those who rob them (the Nigzalim) of their lives."

15) [line 30] BE'ALAV D'HASHTA - the current owner of the item, i.e. the Gazlan
16) [line 32] MISHUM D'KAV'EI NEFESH - since he robs him (the Nigzal) of his life
17) [line 35] "V'ACHAL KETZIRECHA V'LACHMECHA; YOCHELU BANECHA U'VNOSECHA..." - "And they will consume your harvest, and your bread; they will consume your sons and your daughters; [they will consume your flocks and your herds; they will consume your vines and your fig trees; the sword will impoverish your fortified cities, in which you put your trust.]" (Yirmeyahu 5:17, see RASHI there)

18) [line 36] "...ME'CHAMAS BENEI YEHUDAH ASHER SHAFCHU DAM NAKI B'ARTZAM." - "...because of the violence of the people of Yehudah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land." (Yoel 4:19)

19) [line 37] "...EL SHAUL V'EL BEIS HA'DAMIM, AL ASHER HEMIS ES HA'GIV'ONIM" - "[Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David inquired of HaSh-m. And HaSh-m answered,] 'It is for Shaul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Giv'onim.'" (Shmuel II 21:1)

20) [line 39] HEICHA D'YAHIV DAMI - when he pays money, the definition of a Chamsan - an extortionist (who snatches an article and forces the owner to accept money for it)

21) [line 40] GERAMA - indirectly
22) [line 42] SHE'HARAG NOV IR HA'KOHANIM - When David was running away from King Shaul, Achimelech the Kohen Gadol, aided him by providing him with bread and a sword, as recorded in Shmuel I 21:2-9. As a result, King Shaul charged Achimelech and all of the Kohanim of the city of Nov with treason and had them killed by Do'eg ha'Adomi (ibid. 22:9-19).

23) [line 45] HA'BADADIM - the owners of olive presses
24a) [line 45] B'MIDAH - in large quantities
b) [line 46] B'MU'AT - (a) in small quantities (RASHI, 1st explanation);
(b) straight from the vat (RASHI, 2nd explanation)
25) [line 48] KAVLEI V'SHIREI - gold chains and bracelets
26) [line 49] MOCHIN - (O.F. gratuise) pieces of wool or lint that detach from a garment when it is washed

27) [line 49] KOVES - a clothes-washer
28) [line 50] SOREK - (O.F. folons) a fuller, a person who cleans, shrinks and thickens woolen cloth by washing, combing and pressing it

29) [line 51] CHAYAT - a tailor
30) [line 51] MATLIS - a small piece of cloth
31) [line 52] CHARASH - a carpenter
32) [line 52] MA'ATZAD - (O.F. dolodoire) adz, a small axe; hatchet
33) [line 52] KASHIL - axe
34) [last line] (HA'NESARIM) HA'NESORES - sawdust

119b---------------------------------------119b

35) [line 1] CHUBIN - (O.F. poinz - points) seams, stitches
36a) [line 2] L'SHISYO - along the threads of the Shesi, the spun warp or longitudinal threads of the loom, which are thinner and harder to make than the Erev
b) [line 2] L'ARVO - along the threads of the Erev, the woof or latitudinal threads

37) [line 2] U'MASHVINHU - he evens it out, cutting the edges with a pair of scissors

38a) [line 5] ALIMEI - thick ones (the Beraisa rules that the Koves may take only two)
b) [line 5] KETINEI - thin ones (the Mishnah rules that the Koves may take three)

39a) [line 7] GELIMA - an every-day cloak; shawl (combing it along the threads of the Shesi is likely to tear it)
b) [line 7] SARBELA - a fine Shabbos and Yom Tov robe (combing it along the threads of the Shesi raises the fibers, giving it a softer feel)

40) [line 8] AMTUYEI V'ASUYEI CHAD O DILMA AMTUYEI V'ASUYEI TREI? - Is pushing the needle in and pulling it out considered one stitch or two?

41) [line 9] TEIKU
The Pri Megadim (in his Igeres preceding his introduction to Orach Chaim, #9) quotes and discusses various explanations for the word Teiku:
1. It is sealed in its container ("Tik") (ARUCH, Erech Tik).
2. Tehei Ka'i - "Let it (the question) stand" (MUSAF HA'ARUCH).
3. Tishbi Yetaretz Kushyos v'Ibayos - "Eliyahu ha'Navi will answer difficulties and questions" (TOSFOS YOM TOV, end of Eduyos).

42) [line 11] HEMYONI - a belt
43) [line 16] GARDI - a weaver
44) [line 16] IRIN - small balls of cotton or wool that were placed in the Buchyar (shuttle) to hold the spool of Erev (woof) thread

45) [line 16] NIRIN - (O.F. lices) loops of thread of the heddle (the harness that holds the loops through which the strings of Shesi pass)

46) [line 17] PONKELIN - (O.F. trames) remaining threads of the woof from a certain type of weaving process

47) [line 17] PEKA'AYOS - (O.F. lumesels) left over balls of thread
48) [line 18] BEGED MENUMAR - a multicolored garment
49) [line 18] TEVI - spun thread
50) [line 18] ARIG - the Gemara assumes at this point that this means woven material

51) [line 19] TIKEI - (O.F. treces) twisted cords or chains made from flax that has not been spun

52) [line 20] TZABA - a dyer
53) [line 20] OSOS - pieces of test cloth, cut off by the dyer to check if the material will dye well or not

54) [line 20] DUGMOS - samples of dyed cloth, brought by the owner of the cloth to be dyed as specimens of the desired color

55) [line 21] TELUSHIN SHEL TZEMER - tufts of wool that come off the material

56) [line 23] NAMTEI - (O.F. feltre - felt) a cloth made of wool fibers that have been pressed together and not spun

57) [line 24] ABDAN - a tanner
58) [line 24] HA'KITZU'IN - (O.F. rodognedures) the bits of skin that the tanner cuts off the edges of the hides

59) [line 24] HA'TELUSHIN - the bits of wool that are cut off the hide
60) [line 25] VEHA'OLEH (U'MESHATEF BA'MAYIM) [MIN SHETEF HA'MAYIM] - but the wool that floats up after rinsing the hide [belongs to the tanner]

61) [line 26] KATZRA - a clothes-washer
62) [line 27] HA'KOL OLIN L'MINYAN TECHELES - all [of the threads of a garment (even the threads that the Koves is permitted to remove)] can be counted into the measurement [to determine the correct location] of the [Tzitzis, which contain strands of] Techeles thread. [The Tzitzis strings must be at least one "Melo Kesher Agudal," (approximately 1.9, 2.0 or 2.4 cm, depending upon the differing Halachic opinions), from the edge of the garment.]

63) [line 28] V'YITZCHAK BRI KAPID ALAIHU - but my son Yitzchak [was uncertain as to whether to count them in the measurement or not, and therefore he] cut them off (lit. was particular about them)

64) [line 30] MELO MACHAT [V']CHUTZ LA'MACHAT - thread that is as long as the needle and extends beyond the needle

65) [line 31] MELO MACHAT V'CHUTZ LA'MACHAT KI'MELO MACHAT, O DILMA MELO MACHAT V'CHUTZ LA'MACHAT MASHEHU? - Is the measure of thread that is called Melo Machat v'Chutz la'Machat equal to a Melo Machat and *another* Melo Machat or is it equal to a Melo Machat and a very small amount more?

66) [line 39] SICHASA - Chubin, above, entry #35
67) [line 41] MEGEIRAH - (O.F. serre) a saw
68) [line 42] MAKDE'ACH - (O.F. tariedre) a hand-drill
69) [line 42] REHITANI - (O.F. plaine) a plane used for evening wooden or metal surfaces such as flat shutters or shields (RASHI here and to Kidushin 35b and Shabbos 97a; see Background to Kidushin 35:19b-c)

70) [line 43] CHATZINEI - a word referring to different types of axes
71) [line 44] MESATETEI AVANIM - stone masons
72) [line 45] MEFASGEI ILANOS - workers who prune trees
73) [line 45] MENAKFEI HIGEI - workers who cut hedges
74) [line 45] MENAKSHEI ZERA'IM - workers who weed grain fields
75) [line 45] ODREI YERAKOS - workers who thin out the rows in vegetable patches
76) [line 46] KESHUS - (O.F. homlon) hops
77) [line 46] CHAZIZ - Shachas, grain in an early stage of growth, at which point it can be used as animal fodder, e.g. wheat grass

78) [line 47] MASA MECHASYA - the city of Mechasya (probably a suburb of Sura)

*****HADRAN ALACH HA'GOZEL U'MA'ACHIL*****
*****U'SLIKA LAH MASECHES BAVA KAMA B'SIYATA DI'SHEMAYA*****

*****TAM V'NISHLAM SHEVACH LA'KEL BOREI OLAM*****

On to Bava Metzia

Index


For further information on
subscriptions, archives and sponsorships,
contact Kollel Iyun Hadaf,
daf@shemayisrael.co.il