Midrash for Bava Kamma 121:12
או נהר: רב אמר נהר ממש ושמואל אמר אריתא דדלאי
A PUBLIC ROAD. Who was the Tanna [who laid this down]? — Raba said: He was R. Eliezer, as we have indeed learnt: 'R. Eliezer says: [If it was] sixteen cubits [wide] like the road in a public thoroughfare, [there would be exemption].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. next Mishnah. ');"><sup>18</sup></span> OR A CANAL. Rab said: It means an actual river. Samuel, however, said: It means a pond for watering fields. The one who says it is an actual river [would maintain the same ruling<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On account of its great width. ');"><sup>19</sup></span>
Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
"If fire go out and it find thorns": "thorns" are mentioned only to assign a limit (for his liability). If thorns are present (and carry the fire), there is a limit (for his liability). If they are not present (and he lights it directly) there is no limit. From here they ruled: If it crossed a river or a (public) way or a fence ten cubits high and caused damage, he is not liable. How is he perceived? He is perceived as standing in the midst of a beth-kor and damaging, (liability obtaining up to about 137 cubits on all sides.) R. Eliezer says: Sixteen cubits, as (the distance of) the public way. R. Akiva says: Fifty cubits. R. Shimon says: "Pay shall he pay, he that lights the fire" — all according to the fire (i.e., according to the height of the fire and its mass. The bigger it is, the farther it travels.) It once happened that a fire crossed the Jordan and caused damage because of its mass. When is this so? When it moves in spurts; but when it moves contiguously, even up to a mil, he is liable.
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