Bava Batra 7

אהדר ליה כלילא דיילי נקרינהו לעיניה יומא חד אתא ויתיב קמיה אמר חזי מר האי עבדא בישא מאי קא עביד אמר ליה מאי אעביד ליה אמר ליה נלטייה מר אמר ליה [כתיב] (קהלת י, כ) גם במדעך מלך אל תקלל אמר ליה האי לאו מלך הוא אמר ליה וליהוי עשיר בעלמא וכתיב (קהלת י, כ) ובחדרי משכבך אל תקלל עשיר ולא יהא אלא נשיא וכתיב (שמות כב, כז) ונשיא בעמך לא תאור

He placed on his head a garland of hedgehog bristles and put out his eyes. One day he came and sat before him and said: See, Sir, what this wicked slave [Herod] does. What do you want me to do to him, replied Baba b. Buta. He said: I want you to curse him. He replied with the verse, <i>Even in thy thoughts thou shouldst not curse a king</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Eccl. X, 20. ');">¹</span> Said Herod to him: But this is no king. He replied: Even though he be only a rich man, it is written, <i>And in thy bedchamber do not curse the rich</i>;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. ');">²</span>

אמר ליה בעושה מעשה עמך והאי לאו עושה מעשה עמך אמר ליה מסתפינא מיניה אמר ליה ליכא איניש דאזיל דלימא ליה דאנא ואת יתיבנא אמר ליה כתיב (קהלת י, כ) כי עוף השמים יוליך את הקול ובעל כנפים יגיד דבר

and be he no more than a prince, it is written, <i>A prince among thy people thou shalt not curse</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXII, 27. ');">³</span> Said Herod to him: This applies only to one who acts as one of 'thy people', but this man does not act as one of thy people. He said: I am afraid of him. But, said Herod, there is no-one who can go and tell him, since we two are quite alone.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'Since you and I sit (here).' ');">⁴</span>

אמר ליה אנא הוא אי הואי ידענא דזהרי רבנן כולי האי לא הוה קטילנא להו השתא מאי תקנתיה דההוא גברא אמר ליה הוא כבה אורו של עולם דכתיב (משלי ו, כג) כי נר מצוה ותורה אור ילך ויעסוק באורו של עולם דכתיב (ישעיהו ב, ב) ונהרו אליו כל הגוים איכא דאמרי הכי אמר ליה הוא סימא עינו של עולם דכתיב (במדבר טו, כד) והיה אם מעיני העדה ילך ויתעסק בעינו של עולם דכתיב (יחזקאל כד, כא) הנני מחלל את מקדשי גאון עוזכם מחמד עיניכם

He replied: <i>For a bird of the heaven shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Eccl. X, 20. ');">⁵</span> Herod then said: I am Herod. Had I known that the Rabbis were so circumspect, I should not have killed them. Now tell me what amends I can make. He replied: As you have extinguished the light of the world, [for so the Rabbis are called] as it is written, <i>For the commandment is a light and the Torah a lamp</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. VI, 23. ');">⁶</span>

אמר ליה מסתפינא ממלכותא אמר ליה שדר שליחא וליזיל שתא וליעכב שתא ולהדר שתא אדהכי והכי סתרית [ליה] ובניית [ליה] עבד הכי שלחו ליה אם לא סתרתה אל תסתור ואם סתרתה אל תבני ואם סתרתה ובנית עבדי בישא בתר דעבדין מתמלכין אם זיינך עלך ספרך כאן לא רכא ולא בר רכא הורדוס [עבדא] קלניא מתעביד

go now and attend to the light of the world [which is the Temple, of which] it is written, <i>And all the nations become enlightened by it</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. II, 2. The Hebrew word is [H] (lit. 'and shall flow'), which here is connected with the Aramaic vruvb 'light'. ');">⁷</span> Some report that Baba b. Buta answered him thus: As you have blinded the eye of the world, [for so the Rabbis are called] as it is written, <i>if it be done unwittingly by the eyes of the congregation</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Literal rendering of Num. XV, 24. ');">⁸</span>

מאי רכא מלכותא דכתיב (שמואל ב ג, לט) אנכי היום רך ומשוח מלך ואי בעית אימא מהכא (בראשית מא, מג) ויקראו לפניו אברך

go now and attend to the eye of the world, [which is the Temple] as it is written, <i>I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XXIV, 21. ');">⁹</span> Herod replied: I am afraid of the Government [of Rome]. He said: Send an envoy, and let him take a year on the way and stay in Rome a year and take a year coming back, and in the meantime you can pull down the Temple and rebuild it. He did so, and received the following message [from Rome]: If you have not yet pulled it down, do not do so; if you have pulled it down, do not rebuild it; if you have pulled it down and already rebuilt it, you are one of those bad servants who do first and ask permission afterwards. Though you strut with your sword, your genealogy<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'book'. ');">¹⁰</span>

אמרי מי שלא ראה בנין הורדוס לא ראה בנין נאה [מימיו] במאי בנייה אמר רבה באבני שישא ומרמרא איכא דאמרי באבני כוחלא שישא ומרמרא אפיק שפה ועייל שפה כי היכי דנקביל סידא סבר למשעייה בדהבא אמרו ליה רבנן שבקיה דהכי שפיר טפי דמיחזי כי אידוותא דימא

is here; [we know] you are neither a <i>reka</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [ [H] prob. a transliteration of the Latin rex.] ');">¹¹</span> nor the son of a reka, but Herod the slave who has made himself a freedman. What is the meaning of reka? — It means royalty, as it is written, <i>I am this day</i> rak<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the E.V. 'tender' ');">¹²</span>

ובבא בר בוטא היכי עבד הכי והאמר רב יהודה אמר רב ואיתימא ר' יהושע בן לוי מפני מה נענש דניאל מפני שהשיא עצה לנבוכדנצר שנאמר (דניאל ד, כד) להן מלכא מלכי ישפר עלך וחטאיך בצדקה פרוק ועויתך במיחן עניין הן תהוי ארכא לשלותך וגו' וכתיב (דניאל ד, כה) כולא מטא על נבוכדנצר מלכא וכתיב ולקצת ירחין תרי עשר וגו'

<i>and anointed king</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. III, 39 ');">¹³</span> Or if you like, I can derive the meaning from this verse, <i>And they cried before him</i>, Abrek.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] prob. an Egyptian word meaning 'ruler', interpreted by the Rabbis to mean 'father of the king'. Gen. XLI, 43. ');">¹⁴</span>

איבעית אימא שאני עבדא דאיחייב במצות ואיבעית אימא שאני בית המקדש דאי לא מלכות לא מתבני

It used to be said: He who has not seen the Temple of Herod has never seen a beautiful building. Of what did he build it? Rabbah said: Of yellow and white marble. Some say, of blue, yellow and white marble. Alternate rows [of the stones] projected,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'it sent forth an edge and drew in an edge'. ');">¹⁵</span> so as to leave a place for cement. He originally intended to cover it with gold, but the Rabbis advised him not to, since it was more beautiful as it was, looking like the waves of the sea.

ודניאל מנלן דאיענש אילימא משום דכתיב (אסתר ד, ה) ותקרא אסתר להתך ואמר רב התך זה דניאל הניחא למ"ד שחתכוהו מגדולתו אלא למ"ד שכל דברי מלכות נחתכין על פיו מאי איכא למימר דשדיוהו לגובא דארייוותא:

How came Baba b. Buta to do this [to give advice to Herod], seeing that Rab Judah has said in the name of Rab (or it may be R. Joshuah b. Levi) that Daniel was punished only because he gave advice to Nebuchadnezzar, as it is written, Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and atone thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, if there may be a lengthening of thy tranquility etc.,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Dan. IV, 24. ');">¹⁶</span> and again, All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 25. ');">¹⁷</span>

הכל כמנהג המדינה: הכל לאתויי מאי לאתויי אתרא דנהיגי בהוצא ודפנא:

and again, At the end of twelve months etc.?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 26. The twelve months' reprieve is regarded as a result of Daniel's advice. ');">¹⁸</span> — If you like I can say that this does not apply to a slave [of an Israelite, such as Herod was.] who is under obligation to keep the commandments [of the Torah], or if you like I can say that an exception had to be made in the case of the Temple which could not have been built without the assistance of Royalty.

לפיכך אם נפל הכותל המקום והאבנים של שניהם: פשיטא לא צריכא דנפל לרשותא דחד מינייהו אי נמי דפנינהו חד לרשותא דידיה מהו דתימא ניהוי אידך המוציא מחבירו עליו הראיה קמ"ל:

From whence do we learn that Daniel was punished? Shall I say from the verse, And Esther called to Hatach,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Esther, IV, 5. ');">¹⁹</span> who, as Rab has told us, was the same as Daniel? This is a sufficient answer if we accept the view of those who say that he was called Hatach because he was cut down [hatach] from his greatness.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] to cut, this being his punishment. ');">²⁰</span>

וכן בגינה מקום שנהגו לגדור מחייבין אותו: הא גופא קשיא אמרת וכן בגינה מקום שנהגו לגדור מחייבין אותו הא סתמא אין מחייבין אותו

But on the view of those who say that he was called Hatach because all matters of state were decided<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] denotes 'to determine', 'to decide', as well as 'to cut'. ');">²¹</span> [hatach] according to his counsel, what answer can we give? — That he was thrown Into the den of lions.

אימא סיפא אבל בקעה מקום שנהגו שלא לגדור אין מחייבין אותו הא סתמא מחייבין אותו השתא סתם גינה אמרת לא סתם בקעה מיבעיא

ALL ACCORDING TO THE CUSTOM OF THE DISTRICT. What further implication is conveyed by the word 'ALL'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which appears to be superfluous. ');">²²</span> — That we include places where fences are made of palm branches and branches of bay trees.

אמר אביי הכי קאמר וכן סתם גינה ובמקום שנהגו לגדור בבקעה מחייבין אותו אמר ליה רבא אם כן מאי אבל אלא אמר רבא הכי קתני וכן סתם גינה כמקום שנהגו לגדור דמי ומחייבין אותו אבל סתם בקעה כמקום שלא נהגו דמי ואין מחייבין אותו:

THEREFORE IF THE WALL FALLS, THE PLACE AND THE STONES BELONG TO BOTH. Surely this is self-evident? — It required to be stated in view of the case where the wall has fallen entirely into the property of one of them, or where one of them has cleared all the stones Into his own part. You might think that in that case the onus probandi falls on the other as claimant. Now we know [that this is not so]. SIMILARLY IN AN ORCHARD, IN A PLACE WHERE IT IS CUSTOMARY TO FENCE OFF. The text itself seems here to contain a contradiction. You first say, SIMILARLY IN AN ORCHARD, IN A PLACE WHERE IT IS CUSTOMARY TO FENCE OFF, EITHER CAN BE COMPELLED, from which I infer that in an ordinary<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., where no definite custom exists. ');">²³</span>

אלא אם רצה כונס לתוך שלו ובונה ועושה חזית: מאי חזית אמר רב הונא אכפיה ליה לקרנא לבר ונעביד מלגיו עביד חבריה נמי מלבר ואמר דידי ודידיה הוא אי הכי השתא נמי גייז ליה חבריה ואמר דידי ודידיה הוא גיזוזא מידע ידיע

[orchard] he cannot be compelled to fence off. Now see the next clause: BUT IN A STRETCH OF FIELDS, IN A PLACE WHERE IT IS USUAL NOT TO FENCE OFF, NEITHER CAN BE COMPELLED, from which I infer that in an ordinary<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., where no definite custom exists. ');">²³</span> [stretch] he can be compelled. Now if you say that he cannot be compelled in an ordinary orchard, do we require to be told that he cannot be compelled in an ordinary stretch of fields?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where there is no damage from 'overlooking', as in an orchard. ');">²⁴</span>

איכא דאמרי אמר רב הונא מיכפא לקרנא מלגיו ונעבד מלבר גייז ליה חבריה ואמר דידי ודידיה הוא אי הכי השתא נמי לייף ליה חבריה ואמר דידי ודידיה הוא ליפופא מידע ידיע והא מבחוץ קתני קשיא

— Abaye replied: We must read the Mishnah thus: 'Similarly with an ordinary orchard:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., where no definite custom exists. ');">²³</span> and also where it is customary to put fences in a stretch of fields, he can be compelled.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus Abaye takes the words IN A PLACE WHERE IT IS CUSTOMARY TO FENCE with IN A STRETCH OF FIELDS. ');">²⁵</span>

רבי יוחנן אמר

Said Raba to him: If that is the meaning, what are we to make of the word BUT?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On Abaye's theory, this should come after IN A STRETCH OF FIELDS, not before it, ');">²⁶</span> No, said Raba; we must read the Mishnah thus: 'Similarly with an ordinary orchard, which is regarded as a place where it is customary to make a fence, and he can be compelled: but an ordinary stretch of cornfields is regarded as a place where it is not customary to make a fence, and he is not compelled.' IF, HOWEVER, ONE DESIRES TO MAKE A FENCE, HE MUST WITHDRAW A LITTLE AND BUILD ON HIS OWN GROUND, MAKING A FACING. How does he make a facing? — R. Huna says: He bends the edge over towards the outer side. Why should he not make it on the inner side?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which would equally be a sign that the wall is his. ');">²⁷</span> — Because then his neighbour may make another one on the outer side<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., on his side. ');">²⁸</span> and say that the wall belongs to both of them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'say it is mine and his', as having jointly made it originally. ');">²⁹</span> If he can do that, then even if the ledge is on the outer side he can cut it off and say that the wall belongs to both? — Breaking off would be noticeable. According to another version, R. Huna said: He bends the edge over on the inner side. Why should he not bend it over on the outer side? — His neighbour may break it off and say that the wall belongs to both of them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'say it is mine and his', as having jointly made it originally. ');">²⁹</span> If he can do that, he can join one on and claim that the wall belongs to both? — Such a joining on would be noticeable. But the Mishnah says, ON THE OUTER SIDE?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' How then could R. Huna say that he should make the facing on the inner side? ');">³⁰</span> — This is certainly a difficulty. R. Johanan said: