Bava Batra 243

תא שמע (במדבר כו, נו) בין רב למעט

— Come and hear: [According to the lot shall their inheritance be divided] whether many<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., whether the tribe consists of many individuals. ');">¹</span> or few.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXVI, 56. Few, is taken to refer to a small tribe. Since scripture directs the distribution of equal shares to all tribes, the land must have been divided 'according to the number of tribes', and not 'according to the number of individuals'. It will be noted that the rendering of [H] adopted in the Gemara, slightly differs from that in E.V. ');">²</span> Furthermore it was taught: The land of Israel will in time to come be divided between thirteen tribes; for at first<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When the promised land was entered. ');">³</span>

ועוד תניא עתידה ארץ ישראל שתתחלק לשלשה עשר שבטים שבתחלה לא נתחלקה אלא לשנים עשר שבטים ולא נתחלקה אלא בכסף שנאמר בין רב למעט אמר רבי יהודה סאה ביהודה שוה חמש סאין בגליל

it was only divided among twelve tribes and was divided only according to monetary [values],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is at present assumed to mean that the one who received a share in which the land was worth more than the land of equal size in another share, had to pay the difference so as to equalise their respective monetary values. ');">⁴</span> as is said, whether many or few.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. This implies that the shares must in all cases be equal in value. ');">⁵</span> R. Judah said: A <i>se'ah</i> in Judaea is worth five <i>se'ah</i> in Galilee.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Judah illustrates by example the meaning of 'according to monetary values.' [Cf. Josephus, Antiquities, V, 1-21:&nbsp;… Joshua thought the land for the tribes should be divided by estimation of its goodness&nbsp;… it often happening that one acre of some sort of land was equivalent to a thousand other acres.] ');">⁶</span>

ולא נתחלקה אלא בגורל שנאמר (במדבר כו, נה) אך בגורל ולא נתחלקה אלא באורים ותומים שנאמר על פי הגורל

And it was only divided by lot, for it is said, Not with standing [the land shall be divided] by lot.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. v. 55. ');">⁷</span> And it was only divided by [the direction] of] the Urim and Tumim.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos. ');">⁸</span> for it is said, According to the speaking<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] lit., 'mouth', i.e., 'by the word of God'. ');">⁹</span>

הא כיצד אלעזר מלובש אורים ותומים ויהושע וכל ישראל עומדים לפניו וקלפי של שבטים וקלפי של תחומין מונחין לפניו

of the lot;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 56. ');">¹⁰</span> how [could] this [be done]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If by lot, why the Urim and Tumim? If by the latter what was the use of the former? ');">¹¹</span> — Eleazar was wearing the Urim and Tumim, while Joshua and all Israel stood before him. An urn [containing the names] of the [twelve] tribes, and an urn containing descriptions] of the boundaries were placed before him. Animated by the Holy Spirit, he gave directions, exclaiming: 'Zebulun' is coming up and the boundary lines of Acco are coming up with it. [Thereupon], he shook well the urn<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So Rashb. Rashi renders, 'he hastily took up a (ballot).' ');">¹²</span>

והיה מכוין ברוח הקדש ואומר זבולן עולה תחום עכו עולה עמו טרף בקלפי של שבטים ועלה בידו זבולן טרף בקלפי של תחומין ועלה בידו תחום עכו

of the tribes and Zebulun came up in his hand. [Likewise] he shook well the urn of the boundaries and the boundary lines of Acco came up in his hand. Animated again by the Holy Spirit, he gave directions, exclaiming: 'Naphtali' is coming up and the boundary lines of Gennesar<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gennesareth, from the Heb. Kinnereth, [H] a district in Galilee named after the lake of the same name. ');">¹³</span> are coming up with it. [Thereupon] he shook well the urn of the tribes and Naphtali came up in his hand. He, [likewise], shook well the box of the boundaries, and the boundary lines of Gennesar came up in his hand. And [so was the procedure with] every [other] tribe. And the division in the world to come will not be like the division in this world. [In] this world, [should] a man possess a cornfield<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'a field of white.' V. supra 28a. ');">¹⁴</span> he does not possess an orchard; [should he possess] an orchard he does not possess a cornfield, [but] in the world to come<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the Messianic era. ');">¹⁵</span>

וחוזר ומכוין ברוח הקדש ואומר נפתלי עולה ותחום גינוסר עולה עמו טרף בקלפי של שבטים ועלה בידו נפתלי טרף בקלפי של תחומין ועלה בידו תחום גינוסר וכן כל שבט ושבט

there will he no single individual who will not possess [land] in mountain, lowland and valley; for it is said, The gate of Reuben one; the gate of Judah one; the gate of Levi one.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XLVIII, 31, implying that all will have shares equal in all respects, even in the city of Jerusalem itself. ');">¹⁶</span> The Holy One, blessed be He, Himself, [will] divide it among them; for it is said, And these are their portions saith the Lord God'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XLVIII, 29. God himself will, thus, allot to each one his share. ');">¹⁷</span> At all events, it was taught [here] that, at first, [the land] was only divided among twelve tribes, [from which it] may be inferred that the division was in accordance with [the number of] the tribes. This proves it.

ולא כחלוקה של עולם הזה חלוקה של עולם הבא העולם הזה אדם יש לו שדה לבן אין לו שדה פרדס שדה פרדס אין לו שדה לבן לעולם הבא אין לך כל אחד ואחד שאין לו בהר ובשפלה ובעמק שנאמר (יחזקאל מח, לא) שער ראובן אחד שער יהודה אחד שער לוי אחד הקדוש ברוך הוא מחלק להן בעצמו שנאמר (יחזקאל מח, כט) ואלה מחלקותם נאם ה'

The Master has said, 'The land of Israel will in time to come be divided among thirteen tribes'. For whom is that [extra portion]? — R. Hisda said: For the prince;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The King. ');">¹⁸</span> for it is written, <i>And he that serves the city,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the prince whose duty it is to serve the interests, and to provide for the wellbeing of his subjects. ');">¹⁹</span></i> they out of all the tribes of Israel, shall serve him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XLVIII, 19. Serve him, is interpreted to mean 'providing him with a share in the land'. ');">²⁰</span>

קתני מיהת שבתחלה לא נתחלקה אלא לשנים עשר שבטים שמע מינה לשבטים איפלוג שמע מינה

R. Papa said to Abaye: Might it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The verse from Ezekiel quoted. ');">²¹</span> not be said [to refer] merely [to] public service?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which subjects render to their chief. [Or, 'as day-labourer'. Levy, s.v. [H], v. Fleischer's note, a.l.]. What proof, then, is there for the statement that the prince was given a special share in the land? ');">²²</span> — This cannot be assumed at all,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'it does not enter your mind. ');">²³</span>

אמר מר עתידה ארץ ישראל שתתחלק לשלשה עשר שבטים אידך למאן אמר רב חסדא לנשיא דכתיב (יחזקאל מח, יט) והעובד העיר יעבדוהו מכל שבטי ישראל אמר ליה רב פפא לאביי אימא רונגר בעלמא לא סלקא דעתך דכתיב (יחזקאל מח, כא) והנותר לנשיא מזה ומזה לתרומת הקדש ולאחוזת העיר

for it is written, And the residue shall be for the prince. On the one side and on the other, of the holy offering and of the possession of the city.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XLVIII, 21. ');">²⁴</span> 'And it was divided only according to monetary [values], as it is said, Whether many or few'. In what [respect]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Was it necessary to state that compensation was given. ');">²⁵</span> If it be suggested [that compensation was to be given in respect of lands] of superior and inferior quality,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the possessor of the better quality had to pay compensation to him who received the inferior quality. ');">²⁶</span>

ולא נתחלקה אלא לכספים שנאמר בין רב למעט למאי אילימא לשופרא וסניא אטו בשופטני עסקינן אלא לקרובה ורחוקה

[it could he retorted,] 'Are we discussing fools'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' What man in his senses would consent to take a portion in an inferior soil without getting compensation from him who obtained a portion in a soil of better quality. What need, then is there to state such and obvious thing? ');">²⁷</span> — But, [this is the explanation, in respect] of [an estate that was] near and [one that was distant.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though equality in the distribution was obtained by giving larger portions of inferior soil against smaller portions of superior soil, further compensation was paid, by those who obtained land nearer to Jerusalem, to those whose lands were further away. The nearer an estate was to Jerusalem the higher was its value. ');">²⁸</span> [This<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The view that compensation for distance was paid with money. ');">²⁹</span>

כתנאי רבי אליעזר אומר בכספים העלוה רבי יהושע אומר בקרקע העלוה

is] in accordance with [the opinion of one of the following] Tannaim: R. Eliezer said: Compensation<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. previous note. Lit., they brought it up'. ');">³⁰</span> was given in money. R. Joshua said: Compensation was given in land. And it was only divided by lot, for it is said, Notwithstanding [the land shall be divided] by lot'. A Tanna taught; 'Notwithstanding&nbsp;… by lot'; Joshua and Caleb being excluded. In what [respect]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Were they excluded. ');">³¹</span>

ולא נתחלקה אלא בגורל שנאמר אך בגורל תנא אך בגורל יצאו יהושע וכלב למאי אילימא דלא שקול כלל השתא דלאו דידהו שקול דידהו מיבעיא אלא שלא נטלו בגורל אלא ע"פ ה' יהושע דכתיב (יהושע יט, נ) על פי ה' נתנו לו את העיר אשר שאל את תמנת סרח בהר אפרים

If it be suggested that they did not take [any portion] at all, [it might be retorted], 'if<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'now/. ');">³²</span> they took [that] which was not theirs<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The portion of the spies etc. V. supra 118b. ');">³³</span> could there be any question [as to whether they should take] what was theirs? — But [this means], that they did not receive [their shares] by lot but by the command of the Lord. 'Joshua'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' What evidence is there that Joshua received his share by the command of the Lord and not by lot? ');">³⁴</span> — for it is written, According to the commandment of the Lord they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Josh. XIX, 50. ');">³⁵</span>