Commentary page

Bava Batra 9a

This page gathers the commentary on one source unit: the classic commentaries as they are printed, the sources the text cites, the sages named in it and direct links back to the text.

Read the full text in the reader

Babylonian Talmud · folio map

Bava Batra 9a

Bava Batra 9a. The full printed text of this folio side — 15 numbered segments, about 526 words — with the classic commentaries printed on the page.

Original text

Segment 1

וְאַתְנִי עֲלַהּ״; אִיהוּ נָמֵי עֲבַד חַד כִּיסָא, וְאַתְנִי עֲלַהּ. רַב אָשֵׁי אָמַר: אֲנָא – אַתְנוֹיֵי נָמֵי לָא צְרִיכְנָא, דְּכׇל דְּקָא אָתֵי אַדַּעְתָּא דִּידִי אָתֵי, וּלְמַאן דְּבָעֵינָא יָהֵיבְנָא לֵיהּ.

and stipulate about it with the people of your city that the money collected will be given to whomever needs it, he too made only one purse and stipulated with the people of his city about it. Rav Ashi said: I do not even need to make a stipulation, as whoever comes to donate to this charity fund comes relying on my discretion and understanding that I will give the funds to whomever I want.

Segment 2

הָנְהוּ בֵּי תְרֵי טַבָּחֵי דְּעָבְדִי עִנְיָינָא בַּהֲדֵי הֲדָדֵי, דְּכֹל מַאן דְּעָבֵיד בְּיוֹמָא דְּחַבְרֵיהּ – נִקְרְעוּהּ לְמַשְׁכֵּיהּ. אֲזַל חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ עֲבַד בְּיוֹמָא דְּחַבְרֵיהּ, קְרַעוּ לְמַשְׁכֵּיהּ. אֲתוֹ לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרָבָא, חַיְּיבִינְהוּ רָבָא לְשַׁלּוֹמֵי.

The Gemara relates: There were these two butchers who made an agreement with each other that whichever one of them worked on the day assigned to the other according to their mutually agreed-upon schedule would tear up the hide of the animal that he slaughtered that day. One of them went and worked on the other’s day, and the other butcher tore up the hide of the animal that he slaughtered. They came before Rava for judgment, and Rava obligated him to pay the butcher who slaughtered that animal.

Segment 3

אֵיתִיבֵיהּ רַב יֵימַר בַּר שֶׁלֶמְיָא לְרָבָא: ״וּלְהַסִּיעַ עַל קִיצָתָם״! לָא אַהְדַּר לֵיהּ רָבָא. אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: שַׁפִּיר עֲבַד דְּלָא אַהְדַּר לֵיהּ מִידֵּי; הָנֵי מִילֵּי הֵיכָא דְּלֵיכָּא אָדָם חָשׁוּב, אֲבָל הֵיכָא דְּאִיכָּא אָדָם חָשׁוּב – לָאו כֹּל כְּמִינַּיְיהוּ דְּמַתְנוּ.

Rav Yeimar bar Shelamya raised an objection to Rava: Isn’t it stated among actions that the residents of a city may take: And to fine people for violating their specifications, i.e., those ordinances that the residents passed? Rava did not respond to him. Rav Pappa said: He did well that he did not respond to him, as this matter applies only where there is no important person in the city, in which case it is permitted for the residents of the city to draw up ordinances on their own. But where there is an important person, it is not in the residents’ power to make stipulations, i.e., regulations; rather, they are required to obtain the approval of the city’s leading authority to give force to their regulations.

Segment 4

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אֵין מְחַשְּׁבִין בִּצְדָקָה עִם גַּבָּאֵי צְדָקָה, וְלֹא בְּהֶקְדֵּשׁ עִם הַגִּזְבָּרִין. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין רְאָיָה לַדָּבָר, זֵכֶר לַדָּבָר – שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְלֹא יְחַשְּׁבוּ אֶת הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר יִתְּנוּ אֶת הַכֶּסֶף עַל יָדָם לָתֵת לְעֹשֵׂי הַמְּלָאכָה, כִּי בֶאֱמֻנָה הֵם עֹשִׂים״.

§ The Sages taught: One does not calculate sums with charity collectors concerning the money they collected for charity, to verify how much they received and how much they distributed, nor does one calculate sums with the Temple treasurers concerning the property consecrated to the Temple. And even though there is no explicit proof of the matter from the Bible, there is nevertheless an allusion to the matter, as it is stated: “And they did not reckon with the men into whose hand they delivered the money to pay out to the workmen; for they dealt in good faith” (II Kings 12:16).

Segment 5

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לָאָדָם גִּזְבָּר נֶאֱמָן בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ – יָצוּר וְיִמְנֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיָּצֻרוּ וַיִּמְנוּ.

Rabbi Elazar says: Even though a person has a trusted treasurer in his house like the aforementioned Temple treasurers, who were fully trusted, he should nevertheless tie up his money and count it, as it is stated: “And the king’s scribe and the High Priest came up, and they tied it in bags and counted the money…And they gave the money that was counted into the hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the House of the Lord” (II Kings 12:11–12).

Segment 6

אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: בּוֹדְקִין לִמְזוֹנוֹת, וְאֵין בּוֹדְקִין לִכְסוּת – אִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא קְרָא, וְאִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא סְבָרָא;

Rav Huna says: Charity collectors examine the level of poverty of one who asks for food, but they do not examine the level of poverty of one who asks for clothing. If a person comes before the charity collectors in tattered clothes, he is given clothing without any questions being asked. If you wish, say that this distinction is derived from a verse; if you wish, say instead that it is derived via logical reasoning.

Segment 7

אִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא סְבָרָא – הַאי קָא מִבַּזֵּי, וְהַאי לָא קָא מִבַּזֵּי. אִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא קְרָא – ״הֲלֹא פָרֹשׂ לָרָעֵב לַחְמֶךָ״; בְּשִׁין כְּתִיב – פְּרֹשׁ, וַהֲדַר הַב לֵיהּ. וְהָתָם כְּתִיב: ״כִּי תִרְאֶה עָרֹם וְכִסִּיתוֹ״; ״כִּי תִרְאֶה״ – לְאַלְתַּר.

If you wish, say that this distinction is derived via logical reasoning: This one who stands before us in rags is exposed to contempt, whereas that one who is hungry is not exposed to contempt. If you wish, say instead that this distinction is derived from a verse, as it is written: “Is it not to share [ paros ] your bread with the hungry?” (Isaiah 58:7). The word paros is written with a shin , alluding to the word parosh , meaning examine and investigate, and only then should you give him. And there in the same verse it is written with regard to clothing: “When you see the naked, that you cover him,” indicating that “when you see” him you should immediately cover him.

Segment 8

וְרַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר: בּוֹדְקִין לִכְסוּת, וְאֵין בּוֹדְקִין לִמְזוֹנוֹת – אִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא סְבָרָא, וְאִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא קְרָא;

And Rav Yehuda says just the opposite: Charity collectors examine the level of poverty of one who asks for clothing, but they do not examine the level of poverty of one who asks for food. He too adduces supports for his opinion. If you wish, say that this distinction is derived via logical reasoning; if you wish, say instead that it is derived from a verse.

Segment 9

אִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא סְבָרָא – הַאי קָמְצַעֲרָא לֵיהּ, וְהַאי לָא קָמְצַעֲרָא לֵיהּ. אִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא קְרָא – הָכָא כְּתִיב: ״הֲלֹא פָרֹס לָרָעֵב לַחְמֶךָ״ – פְּרוֹס לְאַלְתַּר, וּכְדִקְרֵינַן; וְהָתָם כְּתִיב: ״כִּי תִרְאֶה עָרֹם וְכִסִּיתוֹ״ – כְּשֶׁיֵּרָאֶה לְךָ. תַּנְיָא כְּווֹתֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוּדָה: אָמַר ״כַּסּוּנִי״ – בּוֹדְקִין אַחֲרָיו. ״פַּרְנְסוּנִי״ – אֵין בּוֹדְקִין.

If you wish, say that this distinction is derived via logical reasoning: This one who is hungry suffers, whereas that one who is in tattered clothing does not suffer in the same way. And if you wish, say instead that this distinction is derived from a verse. Here, it is written: “Is it not to share [ paros ] your bread with the hungry?” meaning, share it immediately, just as the word is read. Since the word is read with a samekh , Rav Yehuda does not understand it as alluding to examining the recipient. And there, it is written: “When you see the naked, that you cover him,” meaning, when it will be clearly apparent to you, after you have investigated the matter and found that the supplicant is deserving, then you shall cover him. The Gemara comments: It is taught in a baraita in accordance with the opinion of Rav Yehuda: If a poor person said: Cover me with clothing, the charity collectors examine him; but if he said: Sustain me with food, they do not examine him.

Segment 10

תְּנַן הָתָם: אֵין פּוֹחֲתִין לְעָנִי הָעוֹבֵר מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם, מִכִּכָּר בְּפוּנְדְּיוֹן – מֵאַרְבַּע סְאִין בְּסֶלַע. לָן – נוֹתְנִין לוֹ פַּרְנָסַת לִינָה. מַאי ״פַּרְנָסַת לִינָה״? אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: פּוּרְיָא וּבֵי סַדְיָא. שָׁבַת – נוֹתְנִין לוֹ מְזוֹן שָׁלֹשׁ סְעוּדוֹת. תָּנָא: אִם הָיָה מְחַזֵּיר עַל הַפְּתָחִים – אֵין נִזְקָקִין לוֹ.

We learned in a mishna there ( Pe’a 8:7): One does not give a poor person who is traveling from place to place requesting charity less than a loaf worth a pundeyon , one forty-eighth of a sela , when the standard price of grain is four se’a for a sela . If the poor person sleeps in that place, one gives him provisions for lodging. The Gemara asks: What is meant by provisions for lodging? Rav Pappa said: A bed and a pillow [ bei sadya ]. And if he spends Shabbat in that place, one gives him food for three meals. A Sage taught in a baraita : If a poor person was going door to door asking for charity, one is not required to attend to him and give him money from the charity fund.

Segment 11

הָהוּא עַנְיָא דַּהֲוָה מְחַזֵּיר עַל הַפְּתָחִים, דַּאֲתָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב פָּפָּא – לָא מִזְדְּקִיק לֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב סַמָּא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יֵיבָא לְרַב פָּפָּא: אִי מָר לָא מִזְדְּקִיק לֵיהּ, אִינָשׁ אַחֲרִינָא לָא מִזְדְּקִיק לֵיהּ! לֵימוּת לֵיהּ?! וְהָא תַּנְיָא: אִם הָיָה עָנִי הַמְחַזֵּיר עַל הַפְּתָחִים – אֵין נִזְקָקִין לוֹ! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֵין נִזְקָקִין לוֹ לְמַתָּנָה מְרוּבָּה, אֲבָל נִזְקָקִין לוֹ לְמַתָּנָה מוּעֶטֶת.

It is related that a certain poor person who was going door to door requesting charity came before Rav Pappa, the local charity collector, but Rav Pappa did not attend to him. Rav Sama, son of Rav Yeiva, said to Rav Pappa: If the Master does not attend to him, nobody else will attend to him either; should he be left to die of hunger? Rav Pappa said to him: But isn’t it taught in a baraita : If a poor person was going door to door asking for charity, one is not required to attend to him? Rav Sama said to him: That baraita means to say that one is not required to attend to him and give him a large gift, since he is already collecting money as he goes door to door, but one does attend to him and give him a small gift.

Segment 12

אָמַר רַב אַסִּי: לְעוֹלָם אַל יִמְנַע אָדָם עַצְמוֹ [מִלָּתֵת] שְׁלִישִׁית הַשֶּׁקֶל בְּשָׁנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהֶעֱמַדְנוּ עָלֵינוּ מִצְוֹת לָתֵת עָלֵינוּ שְׁלִישִׁית הַשֶּׁקֶל בַּשָּׁנָה לַעֲבֹדַת בֵּית אֱלֹהֵינוּ״. וְאָמַר רַב אַסִּי: שְׁקוּלָה צְדָקָה כְּנֶגֶד כׇּל הַמִּצְוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהֶעֱמַדְנוּ עָלֵינוּ מִצְוֹת וְגוֹ׳״ – ״מִצְוָה״ אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא ״מִצְוֹת״.

Rav Asi says: A person should never prevent himself from giving at least one-third of a shekel a year in charity, as it is stated: “And we also established mitzvot upon ourselves, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the House of our God” (Nehemiah 10:33). And Rav Asi says: Charity is equivalent to all the other mitzvot combined, as it is stated in that verse: “We also established mitzvot upon ourselves.” A mitzva is not written here, but rather mitzvot, in the plural, thereby teaching that this mitzva is equivalent to all the other mitzvot.

Segment 13

(סִימָן: גָּדוֹל, מִקְדָּשׁ, מֹשֶׁה) אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: גָּדוֹל הַמְעַשֶּׂה יוֹתֵר מִן הָעוֹשֶׂה – שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהָיָה מַעֲשֵׂה הַצְּדָקָה שָׁלוֹם, וַעֲבֹדַת הַצְּדָקָה הַשְׁקֵט וָבֶטַח עַד עוֹלָם״; זָכָה – ״הֲלֹא פָרֹשׂ לָרָעֵב לַחְמֶךָ״. לֹא זָכָה – ״וַעֲנִיִּים מְרוּדִים תָּבִיא בָיִת״.

The Gemara offers a mnemonic device for the following statements extolling the mitzva of charity: Greater; Temple; Moses. Rabbi Elazar says: One who causes others to perform [ me’aseh ] a meritorious act is greater than one who performs that act himself, as it is stated: “And the causing [ ma’aseh ] of righteousness shall be peace, and the work of righteousness, quietness, and assurance forever” (Isaiah 32:17). If one merits, the following verse is applied to him: “Is it not to share your bread with the hungry?” (Isaiah 58:7), i.e., he will wholeheartedly give charity to the poor. If he does not merit, the latter clause of that verse is applied to him: “You shall bring the poor that are cast out to your house,” i.e., he will be compelled by the government to billet soldiers in his house and sustain them against his will.

Segment 14

אֲמַר לְהוּ רָבָא לִבְנֵי מָחוֹזָא: בְּמָטוּתָא מָנַיְיכוּ, עוּשׂוּ בַּהֲדֵי הֲדָדֵי, כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלֶיהְוֵי לְכוּ שְׁלָמָא בְּמַלְכוּתָא. וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים, אָדָם שׁוֹקֵל שִׁקְלוֹ – וּמִתְכַּפֵּר לוֹ; עַכְשָׁיו שֶׁאֵין בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים, אִם עוֹשִׂין צְדָקָה – מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו – בָּאִין אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם וְנוֹטְלִין בִּזְרוֹעַ. וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן נֶחְשָׁב לָהֶן לִצְדָקָה – שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְנֹגְשַׂיִךְ צְדָקָה״.

Rava said to the people of Meḥoza: I beg of you, strive with each other to perform acts of charity and righteousness, so that you will live in peace with the government, since if you do not act charitably toward each other, you will end up paying fines to the government. And Rabbi Elazar says: When the Temple is standing, a person contributes his shekel for the Temple service and achieves atonement for his sins. Now that the Temple no longer stands, if people act charitably, it will be well for them; but if not, the nations of the world will come and take their money by force. The Gemara comments: And even so, the money taken from them by force is credited to them as if they had freely given charity, as it is stated: “And I will make your oppressors charity” (Isaiah 60:17).

Segment 15

אָמַר רָבָא: הַאי מִילְּתָא אִישְׁתַּעִי לִי עוּלָּא

Rava said: This following matter was told to me by the infant

Bava Batra 9a

Bava Batra 9a

Rashi

Tosafot

Rashba

Meiri

Maharsha (Chidushei Halachot)

Maharam

Shita Mekubetzet

Ben Yehoyada

What this page contains

Continue the sequence

Parallel sources

Lessons and study tools

Sages named on this page

Original text