Commentary for Bava Batra 48:19

בשלמא ממקשואיו ומדלועיו דאזיל אבקא ואתי בליביה ומצוי ליה אלא מנירו אמאי א"ר אבא בר זבדא ואיתימא ר' אבא בר זוטרא מפני

And if the question of compensation arises, we say to him: prove that it is yours<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., that your tree was there first. ');">¹⁷</span> and you will be paid. <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. A FIXED THRESHING-FLOOR MUST BE KEPT FIFTY CUBITS FROM A TOWN.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On account of the chaff which flies about. ');">¹⁸</span> A MAN SHOULD NOT FIX A THRESHING-FLOOR ON HIS OWN ESTATE UNLESS THERE IS A CLEAR SPACE ALL ROUND OF FIFTY CUBITS. HE MUST KEEP IT AWAY FROM THE PLANTATION OF HIS NEIGHBOUR AND HIS PLOUGHED FALLOW A SUFFICIENT DISTANCE TO PREVENT DAMAGE BEING CAUSED.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This distance being presumably less than fifty cubits. Hence this rule apparently contradicts the preceding clause. ');">¹⁹</span> <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. Why this difference between the beginning and the end [of this Mishnah]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. note I. ');">²⁰</span> — Abaye said: The last clause refers to a threshing-floor which is not fixed. What do you mean by a threshing-floor which is not fixed? — R. Jose said in the name of R. Hanina: One that does not require the use of a winnowing shovel.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., where only a small heap is placed which is winnowed by the wind itself without being lifted by a shovel. ');">²¹</span> R. Ashi [however], said: The last clause gives the reason for the first,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And the distance required there also is fifty cubits. ');">²²</span> as much as to say: Why is a fixed threshing-floor kept fifty cubits away from a town? — To prevent it doing damage. An objection [to Abaye's opinion] was raised from the following: 'A fixed threshing-floor must be kept fifty cubits away from a town, and as it must be kept fifty cubits from a town, so it must be kept fifty cubits from a neighbour's cucumber and pumpkin fields, from his plantations and his ploughed fallow, to prevent damage being caused.' This squares with the opinion of R. Ashi, but conflicts with that of Abaye<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because it shows that there is no reason to take the last clause of the Mishnah, despite the phrase to prevent damage being caused', as referring to a threshing-floor which is not fixed (v. Tosaf.). ');">²³</span> [does it not]? — [This indeed] is a difficulty. We can understand [why the threshing-floor must be kept away] from the cucumber and pumpkin fields, because the dust goes and penetrates into them and dries them up but [why should it be kept away] from the ploughed fallow? — R. Abba b. Zebid [or it may be R. Abba b. Zutra] replied:

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