Bava Batra 214

תשעין שוה והאי דקאמר עשרים דקא טעי עשרה לאחוריה והאי דקא אמר מנה קא טעי עשרה לקמיה

is worth ninety [<i>zuz</i>], and the reason why one valued it at twenty [sela]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'I.e., eighty zuz, ');">¹</span> is because he had underestimated<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'erred (by) ten backwards'. ');">²</span> it by ten [<i>zuz</i>], and he who valued it at a <i>maneh</i> overestimated<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'erred (by) ten forwards'. ');">³</span> it by ten [<i>zuz</i>]. On the contrary! [Let it be assumed that] the land is worth a hundred and ten [<i>zuz</i>] and that he who valued it at a <i>maneh</i> underestimated<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. note 6. ');">⁴</span>

אדרבה האי ארעא מאה ועשרה שויא והאי דקאמר מנה קא טעי עשרה לאחוריה והאי דקאמר שלשים קא טעי עשרה לקמיה נקוט מיהת תרי קמאי בידך דמתורת מנה לא מפקי ליה

it, by ten [<i>zuz</i>], and he who said thirty<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., 120 zuz. ');">⁵</span> overestimated<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. note 7. ');">⁶</span> it by ten [<i>zuz</i>]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Why. then, should the two lower valuations be taken into account and not the two higher ones? ');">⁷</span> At all events one should adopt the first two, since both do not exceed the sum of one <i>maneh</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is preferable to adopt the two valuations which have in common the point of not exceeding the sum of a maneh, and to ignore the third, rather than to adopt valuations which have nothing in common. ');">⁸</span>

אחרים אומרים עושין שומא ביניהן ומשלשין קא סברי האי ארעא תשעין ותלתא ותילתא שויא האי דקא אמר עשרים קא טעי תליסר ותילתא לאחוריה והאי דקאמר מנה קא טעי תליסר ותילתא לקמיה ובדין הוא דלימא טפי והאי דלא קאמר סבר מיסתאי דקא מטפינא כולי האי אחבראי

The others [who] said: [The difference] between them is calculated and divided by three, hold the opinion [that] the land is worth ninety-three [<i>zuz</i>] and a third; [and] that he who valued it at twenty [<i>sela'</i>] underestimated<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. note 6. ');">⁴</span> it by thirteen [<i>zuz</i>] and a third; he who valued it at a <i>maneh</i> overestimated<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. note 7. ');">⁶</span> by thirteen [<i>zuz</i>] and a third. Logically [the latter] should have given a higher<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., 93 1/3 + 13 1/3 = 106 2/3, zuz. ');">⁹</span> estimate<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'should have said more'. ');">¹⁰</span>

אדרבה הא ארעא מאה ותליסר ותלתא שויא האי דקאמר מנה קא טעי תליסר ותלתא לאחוריה והאי דקאמר שלשים טעי תליסר ותלתא לקמיה ובדין הוא דקאמר טפי סבר מיסתאי דקא מטפינא כולי האי אחבראי נקוט מיהת תרי קמאי בידך דמתורת מאה לא מפקי ליה

but the reason why he did not do it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'why he did not say'. ');">¹¹</span> is because he thought. 'It is enough that I have exceeded my colleague's [estimate] by so much' — On the contrary! [Let it be said]: The land is worth a hundred and thirteen [<i>zuz</i>] and a third; he who valued it at a <i>maneh</i> underestimated<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 445, n. 6. ');">¹²</span> it by thirteen [<i>zuz</i>] and a third, and he who valued it at thirty [<i>sela'</i>] overestimated<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 445, n. 7. ');">¹³</span> it by thirteen [<i>zuz</i>] and a third; and logically he should have submitted a higher estimate<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. loc. cit. n. 14. ');">¹⁴</span>

אמר רב הונא הלכה כאחרים אמר רב אשי טעמא דאחרים לא ידעינן הלכתא עבדינן כוותייהו תנו דייני גולה עושין שומא ביניהן ומשלשין אמר רב הונא הלכתא כדייני גולה אמר רב אשי טעמא דדייני גולה לא ידעינן הלכתא עבדינן כוותייהו:

[but] he thinks, 'It is enough that I have exceeded my colleague's by so much'? — At all events one should adopt the first two, since both do not exceed the sum of a <i>maneh</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V.loc.cit.n. 12. ');">¹⁵</span> R. Huna said: The <i>halachah</i> is in accordance with [the opinion of the] others. R. Ashi said: We do not know the reason<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., 'their reason does not appeal to us', 'we do not accept it'. ');">¹⁶</span> [for the opinion] of the others; shall we administer the law in accordance with their view? The judges of the Exile<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Samuel and Karna, v. p. 279. n. 6. ');">¹⁷</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> האומר לחבירו חצי שדה אני מוכר לך משמנין ביניהן ונוטל חצי שדהו חציה בדרום אני מוכר לך משמנין ביניהן ונוטל חציה בדרום והוא מקבל עליו מקום הגדר חריץ ובן חריץ וכמה הוא חריץ ששה טפחים ובן חריץ שלשה:

taught: [The difference] between them is calculated and divided by three. R. Huna said: The law is in accordance with [the teaching of] the Judges of the Exile. R. Ashi said: We do not know the reason<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' v. note 5. ');">¹⁸</span> [for the opinion] of the judges of the Exile, shall we administer the law in accordance with their view? <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. IF ONE SAYS TO ANOTHER, 'I SELL YOU HALF<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Not specifying which half. ');">¹⁹</span> A FIELD', A COMPROMISE IS MADE BETWEEN THEM AND HE TAKES THE HALF OF HIS FIELD.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is explained in the Gemara, infra, to refer to the value of, and not to the actual field. ');">²⁰</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> א"ר חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן לוקח נוטל כחוש שבו א"ל רבי חייא בר אבא לרבי יוחנן והא אנן משמנין ביניהן תנן א"ל אדאכלת כפנייתא בבבל תרגימנא מסיפא

[IF ONE SAYS.] 'I SELL YOU HALF OF IT<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The field. ');">²¹</span> ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE', A COMPROMISE IS MADE BETWEEN THEM AND HE TAKES ITS SOUTHERN HALF.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is explained in the Gemara, infra, to refer to the value of, and not to the actual field. ');">²⁰</span> HE<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The seller. ');">²²</span> MUST UNDERTAKE [TO SUPPLY]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Out of his portion of the field. ');">²³</span>

דקתני סיפא חציה בדרום אני מוכר לך משמנין ביניהן ונוטל חציה בדרום ואמאי משמנין ביניהן והא חציה בדרום אמר ליה אלא לדמי ה"נ לדמי:

SPACE FOR THE WALL<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Round half the field. ');">²⁴</span> [AND] FOR THE BIGGER AND SMALLER TRENCH.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which is dug round the wall. A smaller trench is made between the wall and the bigger trench. ');">²⁵</span> AND WHAT IS [THE WIDTH OF] THE BIGGER TRENCH? SIX HANDBREADTHS;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Along the entire length of the field. ');">²⁶</span> AND [THAT OF] THE SMALLER ONE, THREE.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Along the entire length of the field. ');">²⁶</span>

מקבל עליו מקום גדר כו': תאנא חריץ מבחוץ ובן חריץ מבפנים וזה וזה אחורי גדר

<b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. R. Hiyya b. Abba said in the name of R. Johanan: The buyer takes the poorer [side] of it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the field. The seller, being the previous possessor, is entitled to choose the fertile, and better side. ');">²⁷</span> Said R. Hiyya b. Abba to R. Johanan: Surely we have learned that a compromise<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which implies that the buyer is not to be at a disadvantage and is to have a share which is as good as that of the seller How, then, could R. Johanan state that the buyer must take the worst part? ');">²⁸</span> was to be made between them? — He replied unto him: While you were [engaged in] eating date-berries in Babylon,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., engaged in worldly pleasures and neglecting the study of the Torah. [Hiyya b. Abba was born at Kafri in Babylonia, whence he came to Palestine at a somewhat advanced age.] ');">²⁹</span> I expounded [this] with the aid of the concluding clause. For in the concluding clause it is taught: [IF ONE SAYS]. 'I SELL YOU HALF OF IT ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE', A COMPROMISE IS MADE BETWEEN THEM AND HE TAKES ITS SOUTHERN HALF. But why, [according to your reasoning,] should a compromise be made between them? Surely he [explicitly] said to him, 'Half of it on the southern side'!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' How, then, does a compromise come in? Since the seller specified the southern side, that side should go to the buyer! ');">³⁰</span> But [you must say that the expression there refers] to the price.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By saying, 'the southern side', not the actual spot was meant but the value of that spot in any part of the field. ');">³¹</span> here also [it must be assumed that the expression used refers] to the price.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The compromise consists in this, that the buyer gets land equal to the full value of half the field, while the seller has the choice of giving of the land on any side, even on the worst, provided the value of it is not less than half the price of the entire field. ');">³²</span> HE MUST UNDERTAKE [TO SUPPLY] THE SPACE FOR THE WALL etc. It was taught: The bigger trench is without and the smaller one is within,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Between the wall and the outer trench. ');">³³</span> and both [are made] behind the wall [on its outer side]