Bava Batra 74

דקמכחשי בארעא שיורי שייר דאי לא שייר לימא ליה עקור אילנא וזיל

he would certainly reserve for himself [some of the soil], since otherwise the purchaser can say to him [when the tree withers], 'Pluck up your tree and be gone. If, however, a man sells the trees [in a field<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The case here discussed is one in which only two trees are sold, since there is no question that the sale of three trees carries with it a certain amount of ground round the trees. V. infra 81a. ');">¹</span>

מכר אילנות ושייר קרקע לפניו פלוגתא דר"ע ורבנן לר"ע דאמר מוכר בעין יפה מוכר אית ליה לרבנן לית ליה

and retains the ground for himself], in this there applies the dispute between R. Akiba and the Rabbis [viz., whether the purchaser is entitled to any ground round the trees]. According to R. Akiba, who holds that the vendor interprets the terms of the sale liberally, the purchaser is entitled [to such ground]; according to the Rabbis, he is not. That R. Akiba would allow the purchaser such ground would not be questioned even by R. Zebid, who said [in the case mentioned above] that he is not so entitled. For this was only where there were two purchasers, the reason being that one can say to the other, 'Just as I have no share in the trees, so you have no share in the ground.' Here, however, the seller interprets the terms of the sale liberally. That the Rabbis in this case do not allow the purchaser such ground would not be questioned even by R. Papa, who said above that he is so entitled. For this was only where there are two purchasers, the reason being that one [the purchaser of the ground] can say to the other, 'Just as the vendor interpreted the terms of sale generously for you,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By making over the tree and its produce to you in perpetuity. ');">²</span>

לר"ע אית ליה ואפילו לרב זביד דאמר אין לו ה"מ גבי שני לקוחות דא"ל כי היכי דלדידי לית לי באילנות לדידך נמי לית לך בקרקע אבל הכא מוכר בעין יפה מוכר

so he did for me.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By allowing me ground under and round the tree. ');">³</span>

לרבנן לית ליה ואפילו לרב פפא דאמר יש לו ה"מ גבי שני לקוחות דא"ל כי היכי דלדידך זבין בעין יפה לדידי נמי זבין בעין יפה אבל הכא מוכר בעין רעה מוכר

Here, however, the seller interprets the terms of sale strictly.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'sells with a malignant eye.' ');">⁴</span>

אמרי נהרדעי אכלן רצופין אין לו חזקה מתקיף לה רבא אלא מעתה האי מישרא דאספסתא במאי קני לה אלא אמר רבא מכרן רצופין אין לו קרקע

The Nehardeans say: [If the thirty trees mentioned above<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The text here reverts to the discussion of the subject of the thirty trees. ');">⁵</span>

א"ר זירא כתנאי כרם שהוא נטוע על פחות מארבע אמות ר' שמעון אומר אינו כרם וחכמים אומרים הרי זו כרם ורואין את האמצעיים כאילו אינן

are planted] close together,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The 'trees' in question are apparently saplings which are meant to be transplanted. ');">⁶</span>

אמרי נהרדעי האי מאן דזבין דקלא לחבריה קני ליה משפוליה עד תהומא

the gathering in of their produce does not confer <i>hazakah</i>. Raba strongly questioned this ruling. On this view, he said, how is <i>hazakah</i> to be obtained in a row of clover?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which also is planted closely, and with a view to transplanting. ');">⁷</span> No, said Raba; [what we should say is that] if a man sells saplings closely planted, the purchaser does not acquire any of the soil.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because they are meant to be uprooted. ');">⁸</span> R. Zera said: A similar [difference of opinion is found] between Tannaim, [in the following Mishnah]: If a vineyard is planted on less than four cubits,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., with less than four cubits between the rows of vines. ');">⁹</span> R. Simeon says that it is not a vineyard in the legal sense,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And corn or other seed sown there does not form kilayim. ');">¹⁰</span> whereas the Rabbis say that it is a proper vineyard, the middle row being regarded as non-existent.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Kil. V, 2; v. infra 83a. And similarly in regard to the trees, the Rabbis look upon the middle ones as non-existent, and therefore if the owner sells them the purchaser acquires the soil round them; whereas Raba follows R. Simeon. ');">¹¹</span> The Nehardeans say: If a man sells a date tree to another, the purchaser acquires the soil [under it] from its base to the furthest depth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And can therefore plant a new one when this one withers. ');">¹²</span>