Gittin 97

הכא במאי עסקינן כגון שהיתה עידית דניזק כזיבורית דמזיק רבי ישמעאל סבר בדניזק שיימינן ור"ע סבר בדמזיק שיימינן

that the case here considered is one where the best of the claimant is equal [in quality] to the worst of the defendant, in which case R. Ishmael held that we assess on the land of the claimant,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the quality of the field paid by the defendant as damages need not exceed the best quality of the claimant's estate. Hence in this case, he can claim only the worst of the defendant's. ');">¹</span>

מ"ט דרבי ישמעאל נאמרה (שמות כב, ה) שדה למטה ונאמרה (שמות כב, ד) שדה למעלה מה שדה האמורה למעלה דניזק אף שדה האמורה למטה דניזק

whereas R. Akiba held that we assess on the land of the defendant.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who therefore has to pay out of his best. ');">²</span>

ור"ע סבר מיטב שדהו ישלם דהאיך דקא משלם

What is R. Ishmael's reason? — The word 'field' occurs both in the earlier<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten. Ex. XXII, 4. ');">³</span>

ור' ישמעאל אהני גז"ש ואהני קרא אהני גז"ש לכדאמרן אהני קרא דאי אית ליה למזיק עידית וזיבורית וזיבורית דידיה לא שויא כעידית דניזק דמשלם ליה ממיטב

and the later<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the best of his own field shall he make restitution. Ibid. ');">⁴</span>

רע"א לא בא הכתוב אלא לגבות לניזקין מן העידית וק"ו להקדש

clause; just as in the earlier clause it refers to the field of the claimant, so in the later it refers to the field of the claimant. R. Akiba, on the other hand, held that the words, from the best of his field he shall make restitution mean, from the best of him who makes restitution. What does R. Ishmael say to this? — [He says that] the <i>gezerah shawah</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of 'field' 'field'. V. Glos. ');">⁵</span>

מאי ק"ו להקדש אילימא דנגחיה תורא דידן לתורא דהקדש (שמות כא, לה) שור רעהו אמר רחמנא ולא שור של הקדש

has its lesson and the text has its lesson. The lesson of the <i>gezerah shawah</i> is what we have said.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That we assess on the estate of the claimant. ');">⁶</span>

אלא לאומר הרי עלי מנה לבדק הבית דאתי גזבר ושקיל מעידית

The lesson of the text is that if the defendant has high grade and low grade land and his low grade land is not equal to the best of the claimant, he pays him from the best.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even though this is much better than the best of the claimant. ');">⁷</span>

לא יהא אלא בעל חוב ובעל חוב דינו בבינונית וכ"ת קסבר ר"ע בעל חוב שקיל בעידית כניזקין איכא למיפרך מה לבעל חוב שכן יפה כחו בניזקין תאמר בהקדש שכן הורע כחו בניזקין

'R. Akiba says: The whole purpose of the text is to allow compensation for damage to be recovered from the best property of the defendant; and all the more so in the case of the Sanctuary.' What is the meaning of 'all the more so in the case of the Sanctuary'? Are we to say that [this rule applies] where our ox has gored the ox of the Sanctuary? [This cannot be, because] the Divine Law says, [if one man's ox hurt] the ox of one's neighbour,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXI, 35. ');">⁸</span>

לעולם דנגחיה תורא דידן לתורא דהקדש ור"ע סבר לה כר"ש בן מנסיא דתניא ר"ש בן מנסיא אומר שור של הקדש שנגח לשור של הדיוט פטור ושל הדיוט שנגח לשור של הקדש בין תם ובין מועד משלם נזק שלם

but not an ox of the Sanctuary.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the damage to which there is no liability. ');">⁹</span>

אי הכי ממאי דבעידית דניזק כזיבורית דמזיק פליגי דלמא דכ"ע בדניזק שיימינן והכא בפלוגתא דר"ש בן מנסיא ורבנן קמיפלגי

Shall we say then that what is meant is that if a man says, 'I take upon myself to give a <i>maneh</i> for the repair of the Temple,' the treasurer can come and collect it from the best [of his land]? Surely he is in no better position than a creditor, and a creditor has a right to collect only from the medium property!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As laid down in our Mishnah. ');">¹⁰</span>

דר"ע סבר לה כר"ש בן מנסיא ור' ישמעאל סבר לה כרבנן

And should you contend that R. Akiba holds that a creditor can collect from the best like a [claimant for] damages, we may still object, how can you draw an analogy from a [private] creditor, who is at an advantage in that he can claim compensation for damages, to the Sanctuary, which has no right [ever] to claim compensation for damages?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As stated supra. ');">¹¹</span>

א"כ מאי לא בא הכתוב ועוד מאי ק"ו להקדש ועוד הא אמר רב אשי

— I may still say that [these words refer to the case where] our ox gored the ox of the Sanctuary, for R. Akiba held the same view as R. Simeon b. Menasya, as it has been taught: R. Simeon b. Menasya says: If an ox of the Sanctuary gores an ox of a layman, there is no liability, but if the ox of a layman gores an ox of the sanctuary, whether it was <i>tam</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos. ');">¹²</span> or <i>mu'ad</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos. ');">¹²</span> the owner has to pay compensation in full.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' B.K. 37b, q.v. for notes. ');">¹³</span> If that is the case, why should you say that R. Akiba and R. Ishmael differ [as to what is to be done] when the best of the claimant is equal to the worst of the defendant? Perhaps in that case both agree that we assess on the land of the claimant,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And where the claimant's best equals the defendant's worst, the latter will perhaps suffice according to all opinions. ');">¹⁴</span> and their dispute here<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the Baraitha quoted supra 48b. ');">¹⁵</span> is the same as that between R. Simeon b. Menasya and the Rabbis, R. Akiba adopting the same view as R. Simeon b. Menasya and R. Ishmael adopting the view of the Rabbis?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., R. Akiba differed from R. Ishmael only in the second part of his statement, regarding the Sanctuary, but not the first. ');">¹⁶</span> — If that were the case, why should R. Akiba have said 'The whole purpose of the text etc.,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which indicates that the interpretation of the verse (Ex. XXII, 4) is the point at issue. ');">¹⁷</span> and again, what means 'All the more so in the case of the Sanctuary'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [As according to the view requiring full payment in all cases, the quality of the payment for damage done to sacred property may be higher than that paid for damage done to ordinary property, and in fact nothing less than the very best of the defendant's estate would suffice.] ');">¹⁸</span> And besides, R. Ashi has told us,