Bava Batra 201

ורחבן ששה

AND SIX<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Or one cubit. ');">¹</span>

רבי שמעון אומר עושה תוכה של מערה שש אמות על שמונה ופותח לתוכה שלשה עשר כוך ארבעה מכאן וארבעה מכאן ושלשה מכנגדן ואחד מימין הפתח ואחד מן השמאל

HANDBREADTHS IN WIDTH.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A space of one cubit was allowed for each of the walls intervening between the sepulchral chambers, and half a cubit space was left at the end of each wall. The two longer walls of the grotto, being respectively six cubits in length, could, therefore, contain three chambers each: The chambers, each of one cubit in width, occupying three cubits; the two walls between them, two cubits; and the two half cubit spaces at the corners, another cubit. The shorter wall facing the entrance, being four cubits long, could contain two chambers only: the chambers occupying two cubits; the intervening wall, one cubit; and the two half cubit spaces at the corners, another cubit. ');">²</span>

ועושה חצר על פי המערה שש על שש כמלא המטה וקובריה

R. SIMEON SAYS: THE CENTRAL SPACE OF THE GROTTO MUST CONTAIN [AN AREA OF] SIX CUBITS BY EIGHT. AND THIRTEEN CHAMBERS ARE TO OPEN OUT INTO IT; FOUR ON ONE SIDE, FOUR ON THE OTHER. THREE IN FRONT [OF THE ENTRANCE]. ONE ON THE RIGHT OF THE ENTRANCE AND ONE ON THE LEFT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to R. Simeon, the longer walls, being eight cubits in length. provide space for four one-cubit chambers each, allowing three cubits for the intervening one-cubit walls, and one cubit space for the two half cubit spaces at the corners. The wall opposite the entrance, being six cubits in length, can contain three one-cubit chambers, the space for the two one-cubit intervening walls and the two half-cubit spaces at the corners. This gives a total of, (4 + 4 + 3), eleven sepulchral chambers. The location of the last two is dealt with in the Gemara infra. ');">³</span>

ופותח לתוכה שתי מערות אחת מכאן ואחת מכאן רבי שמעון אומר ארבע לארבע רוחותיה

OUTSIDE THE ENTRANCE TO THE GROTTO IS TO BE MADE A COURT OF SIX [CUBITS] BY SIX, [WHICH IS] THE SPACE THE BIER AND THOSE WHO BURY IT OCCUPY. TWO GROTTOS<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The one mentioned, and another facing it. ');">⁴</span>

רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר הכל לפי הסלע:

ARE TO BE OPENED OUT INTO IT; ONE ON THE ONE SIDE AND ONE ON THE OTHER.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The following diagram represents the plan and the area of the entire cave, court, grottos and sepulchral chambers, in accordance with the regulations laid down by the Rabbis, (the representatives of the anonymous opinion cited first in the Mishnah). ');">⁵</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> הני תרי להיכא שדי להו אי לבראי הא קמיתדשי להו ותו הא תנן חצר הקבר העומד בתוכו טהור

R. SIMEON SAYS: FOUR; [ONE] FOR [EACH OF] ITS FOUR SIDES.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to R. Simeon the plan and dimensions of the grave are as follows: ');">⁶</span>

אמר רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא דעביד להו כמין נגר

R. SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAYS: ALL DEPENDS ON [THE QUALITY OF] THE ROCK.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the rock is hard, more sepulchral chambers may be cut, since less space is required for the intervening walls. If, on the other hand, the ground is soft, more space would be required for the walls and, consequently, the number of chambers would have to be reduced. ');">⁷</span>

והא אמר ר' יוחנן

<b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. Where are these two [chambers]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which, according to R. Simeon, are to be cut on the right and on the left of the entrance. ');">⁸</span> to project? If outwards,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Under the floor of the court. ');">⁹</span> they would, surely, be trodden upon!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By those who have to pass the court into the grottos; and treading upon a grave is an insult to the dead, which is forbidden. ');">¹⁰</span> Furthermore, we have learnt:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Oh. XV, 8. ');">¹¹</span> 'He who stands<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., if he was carried into the court, not having trodden upon the surrounding graves. ');">¹²</span> in the court of a [family] grave is [Levitically] clean'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But if the graves were projecting into the court, as assumed, he would have become Levitically unclean on account of his treading on these graves. ');">¹³</span> — R. Jose b. Hanina replied: They are made in the shape of a door-bolt.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The chambers are dug vertically and the bodies are placed in an upright Position. ');">¹⁴</span> But, Surely. R. Johanan said: