Bava Kamma 234:1

הדרא ליה עכנא א"ל עכנא עכנא פתח פומיך ויכנס הרב אצל תלמיד ולא פתח יכנס חבר אצל חבר ולא פתח יכנס תלמיד אצל הרב פתח ליה בעא רחמי ואוקמיה

a snake coiled round it. He said: 'Snake, snake, open thy mouth<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The snake holds its tail in its mouth. MS.M. reads 'open the door'.] ');">¹</span> and let the Master go in to the disciple.' But the snake did not open its mouth. He then said: 'Let the colleague go in to [his] associate!' But it still did not open [its mouth, until he said,] 'Let the disciple enter to his Master,' when the snake did open its mouth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. B.M. 84b; Hill. 7b. ');">²</span>

א"ל אי הוה ידענא דדרכיה דמר הכי לא חלשא דעתי השתא ליתי מר בהדן א"ל אי מצית למיבעי רחמי דתו לא שכיבנא אזילנא ואי לא לא אזילנא הואיל וחליף שעתא חליף

He then prayed for mercy and raised him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Ber. 5b. ');">³</span> He said to him, 'Had I known that the natural appearance of the Master was like that, I should never have taken offence; now, therefore let the Master go with us.' He replied, 'If you are able to pray for mercy that I should never die again [through causing you any annoyance],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So Rashi a.l. ');">⁴</span>

תייריה אוקמיה שייליה כל ספיקא דהוה ליה ופשטינהו ניהליה היינו דאמר ר' יוחנן דילכון אמרי דילהון היא:

I will go with you, but if not I am not prepared to go with you. For later on you might change again.' R. Johanan thereupon completely awakened and restored him and he used to consult him on doubtful points, R. Kahana solving them for him. This is implied in the statement made by R. Johanan: 'What<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the knowledge of the law. ');">⁵</span> I had believed to be yours<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the Palestinian scholars'. ');">⁶</span>

ההוא דאחוי אמטכסא דר' אבא יתיב ר' אבהו ור' חנינא בר פפי ור' יצחק נפחא ויתיב ר' אילעא גבייהו

was In fact theirs.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the Babylonians'; v. Suk. 44a. ');">⁷</span> There was a certain man who showed a silk<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [G]. ');">⁸</span>

סבור לחיוביה מהא דתנן דן את הדין זיכה את החייב וחייב את הזכאי טימא את הטהור וטיהר את הטמא מה שעשה עשוי וישלם מביתו

ornament of R. Abba [to heathen ruffians]. R. Abbahu and R. Hanina b. Papi and R. Isaac the Smith were sitting in judgment with R. Elai sitting near them. They were inclined to declare the defendant liable, as we have learnt: Where a judge in deciding [on a certain case], declared innocent the person who was really liable, or made liable the person who was really innocent, declared defiled a thing which was [levitically] clean, or declared clean a thing which was really defiled, his decision would stand, but he would have to make restitution out of his own estate.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Bek. IV, 4; v. supra p. 584. Thus proving that for a mere utterance that caused a loss there is liability to pay. ');">⁹</span> Thereupon Elai said to them: Thus stated Rab: provided the defendant<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the judge. ');">¹⁰</span>

א"ל ר' אילעא הכי אמר רב והוא שנשא ונתן ביד אמרי ליה זיל לגבי דר"ש בן אליקים ורבי אלעזר בן פדת דדייני דינא דגרמי

actually took and gave it away with his own hand.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. supra p. 585, Bek. 28b and Sanh. 33a. ');">¹¹</span> They therefore said to the plaintiff: Go and take your case to R. Simeon b. Eliakim and R. Eleazar b. Pedath who adjudicate liability for damage done by Garmi.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., a direct cause; for the difference between Gerama and Garmi, viz. between an indirect and direct cause, v. Asheri, B.B. II, 17. ');">¹²</span>

אזל לגבייהו חייבי' ממתני' אם מחמת הגזלן חייב להעמיד לו שדה אחר ואוקימנא דאחוי אחוויי:

When he went to them they declared the defendant liable on the strength of our Mishnah: IF THIS WAS CAUSED THROUGH THE ROBBER HE WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE HIM WITH ANOTHER FIELD, which we intrepreted<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supra p. 695. ');">¹³</span> to refer to a case where he showed [the field to oppressors].

ההוא גברא דהוה מפקיד ליה כסא דכספא סליקו גנבי עילויה שקלה יהבה להו אתא לקמיה דרבה פטריה א"ל אביי האי מציל עצמו בממון חבירו הוא אלא אמר רב אשי חזינן אי איניש אמיד הוא אדעתא דידיה אתו ואי לא אדעתא דכספא אתו:

A certain man had a silver cup which had been deposited with him, and being attacked by thieves he took it and handed it over to them. He was summoned before Rabbah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' MS.M.: Raba. ');">¹⁴</span> who declared him exempt. Said Abaye to Rabbah: Was this man not rescuing himself by means of another man's money?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 351 and Sanh. 74a. ');">¹⁵</span>

ההוא גברא דהוה מפקיד גביה ארנקא דפדיון שבויים סליקו גנבי עילויה שקלה יהבה ניהלייהו אתא לקמיה דרבא פטריה א"ל אביי והא מציל עצמו בממון חבירו הוא א"ל אין לך פדיון שבויים גדול מזה:

R. Ashi said: We have to consider the circumstances. If he was a wealthy man,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. supra p. 360. ');">¹⁶</span> the thieves came [upon him] probably with the intention of stealing his own possessions, but if not, they came for the silver cup.

ההוא גברא דאקדים ואסיק חמרא למברא קמי דסליקו אינשי במברא בעי לאטבועי אתא ההוא גברא מלח ליה לחמרא דההוא גברא ושדייה לנהרא וטבע אתא לקמיה דרבה פטריה אמר ליה אביי והא מציל עצמו בממון חבירו הוא א"ל האי מעיקרא רודף הוה

A certain man had a purse<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [G] (Krauss, Lehnworter, II, 133.) ');">¹⁷</span> of money for the redemption of captives deposited with him. Being attacked by thieves he took it and handed it over to them. He was thereupon summoned before Raba<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'Rabbah' according to Asheri. ');">¹⁸</span>

רבה לטעמיה דאמר רבה רודף שהיה רודף אחר חבירו להורגו ושיבר את הכלים בין של נרדף בין של כל אדם פטור שהרי מתחייב בנפשו

who nevertheless declared him exempt. Said Abaye to him: Was not that man rescuing himself by means of another man's money? — He replied: There could hardly be a case of redeeming captives more pressing than this.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For even if the depositee was not poor, since at that time he had nothing else with which to rescue himself from the thieves, he was allowed to do so; v. Tosaf. a.l. ');">¹⁹</span> A certain man managed to get his ass on to a ferry boat before the people in the boat had got out on to shore.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So MS.M.; curr. edd.: 'had embarked on the ferry boat'. ');">²⁰</span>

ונרדף ששיבר את הכלים של רודף פטור שלא יהא ממונו חביב עליו מגופו אבל של כל אדם חייב דאסור להציל עצמו בממון חבירו

The boat was in danger of sinking, so a certain person came along and pushed that man's ass over in to the river, where it drowned. When the case was brought before Rabbah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' MS.M.: 'Raba'. ');">²¹</span> he declared him exempt. Said Abaye to him: Was that person not rescuing himself by means of another man's money? — He, however, said to him: The owner of the ass was from the very beginning in the position of a pursuer.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., of threatening to endanger human life, which involves even a capital liability during the continuance of the threat; v. Ex. XXII, I, and Sanh. VIII, 7 ');">²²</span>

ורודף שהיה רודף אחר רודף להציל ושבר כלים בין של נרדף בין של כל אדם פטור ולא מן הדין אלא שאם אי אתה אומר כן אין לך אדם שמציל את חבירו מן הרודף:

Rabbah follows his own line of reasoning, for Rabbah [elsewhere] said: If a man was pursuing another with the intention of killing him, and in his course broke utensils, whether they belonged to the pursued or to any other person, he would be exempt, for he was at that time<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., of threatening to endanger human life, which involves even a capital liability during the continuance of the threat; v. Ex. XXII, I, and Sanh. VIII, 7 ');">²²</span> incurring capital liability.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 680, n. 7. ');">²³</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> שטפה נהר אומר לו הרי שלך לפניך:

If, however, he who was pursued broke utensils, he would be exempt only if they belonged to the pursuer, whose possessions could surely not be entitled to greater protection than his body,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. infra p. 713. ');">²⁴</span> whereas if they belonged to any other person he would be liable, as it is forbidden to rescue oneself by means of another man's possessions. But if a man ran after a pursuer with the intention of rescuing [some one from him] and [in his course accidentally] broke utensils, whether they belonged to the pursued or to any other person he would be exempt; this,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the latter ruling. ');">²⁵</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> ת"ר הגוזל שדה מחבירו ושטפה נהר חייב להעמיד לו שדה אחר דברי ר' אלעזר וחכ"א אומר לו הרי שלך לפניך

however, is not a matter of [strict] law, but is based upon the consideration that if you were not to rule thus,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But make him liable. ');">²⁶</span> no man would ever put himself out to rescue a fellow-man from the hands of a pursuer.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sanh. 74a. ');">²⁷</span>

במאי קא מיפלגי ר"א דרש ריבויי ומיעוטי (ויקרא ה, כא) וכחש בעמיתו ריבוי בפקדון מיעט (ויקרא ה, כד) כל אשר ישבע עליו לשקר חזר וריבה

<b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. IF A RIVER FLOODED [A MISAPPROPRIATED FIELD, THE ROBBER] IS ENTITLED TO SAY TO THE OTHER PARTY, 'HERE IS YOURS BEFORE YOU'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. supra p. 694. ');">²⁸</span> <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. Our Rabbis taught: If a man robbed another of a field and a river flooded it, he would have to present him with another field. This is the opinion of R. Eleazar<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., b. Shamua'; MS.M.: Eliezer [b. Horkenos]; as also in Shebu. 37b; v. D.S. n. 2. ');">²⁹</span>

ריבה ומיעט וריבה ריבה הכל ומאי רבי רבי כל מילי

but the Sages maintain that he would be entitled to say to him: 'Here is yours before you.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Shebu. 37b. ');">³⁰</span> What is the ground of their difference? — R. Eleazar expounds [Scripture] on the principle of amplifications and limitations.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Shebu. (Sonc. ed.) p. 12, n. 3; and supra 54b. ');">³¹</span>

ומאי מיעט מיעט שטרות

[The expression,] <i>And lie unto his neighbour</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. V, 21. ');">³²</span> is an amplification;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Including all matters. ');">³³</span>

ורבנן דרשי כללי ופרטי וכחש כלל בפקדון פרט או מכל חזר וכלל כלל ופרט וכלל אי אתה דן אלא כעין הפרט

<i>In that which was delivered him to keep</i>&nbsp;…<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. V, 21. ');">³²</span> constitutes a limitation;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By the fact that it specifies certain transactions. ');">³⁴</span>

מה הפרט דבר המיטלטל וגופו ממון אף כל דבר המיטלטל וגופו ממון יצאו קרקעות שאין מטלטלין יצאו עבדים שהוקשו לקרקעות יצאו שטרות שאע"פ שמטלטלין אין גופן ממון

<i>Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 24. ');">³⁵</span> forms again an amplification;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Including all matters. ');">³³</span>

והדתניא הגוזל את הפרה ושטפה נהר חייב להעמיד לו פרה דברי ר' אלעזר וחכמים אומרים אומר לו הרי שלך לפניך התם במאי קמיפלגי

and where an amplification is followed by a limitation which precedes another amplification,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 24. ');">³⁵</span> everything is included. What is thus included? All articles. And what is excluded?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By the fact that it specifies certain transactions. ');">³⁴</span>

אמר רב פפא התם במאי עסקינן כגון שגזל שדה מחבירו והיתה

Bills.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As their intrinsic value does not lie in their substance; v. also supra p. 364. ');">³⁶</span> But the Rabbis expound [Scripture] on the principle of generalisation and specification,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Shebu. (Sonc. ed.) p. 12, n. 3; and supra 54b. ');">³¹</span> [thus: The expression,] <i>and lie</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 703, n. 9. ');">³⁷</span> is a generalisation;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 703, n. 10. ');">³⁸</span> <i>In that which was delivered him to keep</i>&nbsp;…<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 703, n. 9. ');">³⁷</span> is a specification;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 703, n. 11. ');">³⁹</span> <i>Or all that [about which he has sworn falsely</i>]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 703, n. 12. ');">⁴⁰</span> is again a generalisation;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 703, n. 12. ');">⁴⁰</span> and where a generalisation is followed by a specification that precedes another generalisation<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 703, n. 12. ');">⁴⁰</span> you surely cannot include anything save what is similar to the specification.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra p. 364. ');">⁴¹</span> So here, just as the specification is an article which is movable and of which the intrinsic value lies in its substance, you include any other matter which is movable and of which the intrinsic value lies in its very substance. Land is thus excluded<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From the general law of robbery. ');">⁴²</span> as it is not movable; so also are slaves excluded<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From the general law of robbery. ');">⁴²</span> as they are compared [in law] to lands,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Lev. XXV, 46 and supra p. 364. ');">⁴³</span> and bills are similarly excluded,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' From the general law of robbery. ');">⁴²</span> for though they are movables, their substance does not constitute their intrinsic value. But was it not taught: If one misappropriated a cow and a river swept it away, he would have to present him with another cow,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 569, n. 2. ');">⁴⁴</span> according to the opinion of R. Eleazar, whereas the Sages maintain that he would be entitled to say to him: 'Here is yours before you'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 569, n. 2. ');">⁴⁴</span> Now in what principle did they differ there [in the case of the cow]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which is certainly subject to the law of robbery. ');">⁴⁵</span> — Said R. papa: We are dealing there with a case where, e.g., he robbed a man of a field on which