BAVA KAMA 55 (15 Teves 5784) - dedicated by Dr. Moshe and Rivka Snow in memory of Rivka's mother, Rebbetzin Leah bas Rav Yosef (Rabinowitz), the Manostrishtcher Rebbetzin, whose Yahrzeit is 15 Teves.

[55a - 36 lines; 55b - 49 lines]

1)[line 4]כלךKALECH- (a) turn away [from me] and go to [the opinion of] Rebbi Tanchum bar Chanilai (Kalech is a contraction of "Kaleh" - "stop," and "Lech" - "go to" — RASHI to Chagigah 14a DH Kalech); (b) According to the reading KELACH - go, you, to [the opinion of] Rebbi Tanchum bar Chanilai (Kelach is a contraction of "Lecha" - "go," and "Lach" - "you" — RASHI to Shabbos 145b DH Kelach)

2)[line 14]"... וטאטאתיה במטאטי השמד...""... V'TITEISIHA B'MAT'ATEI HASHMED..."- "... and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction..." (Yeshayah 14:23) - The prophet describes HaSh-m's promise to destroy Bavel.

3)[line 16]"טומאתה בשוליה...""TUM'ASAH B'SHULEHA..."- "Her impurity was in her skirts; [she took no heed of her end; therefore she came down astonishingly, she has no comforter. O HaSh-m, behold my affliction, for the enemy has magnified himself!]" (Eichah 1:9).

4)[line 17]הואיל ופתח בו הכתוב לטובה תחילהHO'IL U'FASACH BO HA'KASUV L'TOVAH TECHILAH- since the Torah begins its usage of the letter "Tes" for a good thing (i.e. the word "Tov"), when one sees the letter "Tes" in a dream it is a good omen. (The location of the first instance of something in the Torah shows its primary significance (in this case, "Tov").)

5)[line 20]הני מילי בכתבאHANEI MILEI BI'CHESAVA- this applies only when it (the word "Hesped") is written

6a)[line 21]תרנגולTARNEGOL- chicken

b)[line 21]טווסTAVAS- (O.F. paon) peacock

c)[line 21]ופסיוניPISYONI- (O.F. perdriz) a pheasant (a fat bird that is a fine delicacy)

7)[line 22]דרבו בהדי הדדיD'RAVU BAHADEI HADADEI- that they grow together

8a)[line 23]אווזAVAZ- a domestic goose

b)[line 23]ואווז הברAVAZ HA'BAR- a wild goose

9a)[line 24]אריך קועיהARICH KU'EI- (O.F. bec) its beak is long (RASHI; ARUCH explains that Ku'ei here means neck, as it does on line 25; see entry 11 below.)

b)[line 25]זוטר קועיהZUTAR KU'EI- its beak is short

10a)[line 25]גמלא פרסאGAMLA PARSA- Persian camel

b)[line 25]וגמלא טייעאGAMLA TAIYA- an Arabian camel

11a)[line 25]אלים קועיהALIM KU'EI- its neck is thick (RASHI, ARUCH; RACH explains that Ku'ei here means its calf)

b)[line 26]קטין קועיהKATIN KU'EI- its neck is thin, small

12)[line 27]הא טעונה חדא ביעתא בשיחלאHA TE'UNAH CHADA BEI'ASA B'SHICHALA- this one (the wild goose) can carry [only] one egg in each load (brood)

13)[line 30]אתיא למינהו למינהו מיבשהASYA 'L'MINEHU' 'L'MINEHU' MI'YABASHAH- we derive a Gezeirah Shavah from the word "l'Minehu" written with regard to land-creatures to "l'Minehu" written with regard to sea-creatures

14)[line 30]בעיזאIZA- a goat

15)[line 30]ושיבוטאSHIBUTA- a fish called Shibuta, possibly the mullet, or "sea-goat"

55b----------------------------------------55b

PEREK #6 HA'KONES

16)[line 1]הכונס צאן לדירHA'KONES TZON L'DIR- one who brings in sheep to the stable

17)[line 3]נפרצהNIFRETZAH- if it was broken down

18)[line 4]לסטיםLISTIM- a bandit

19)[line 8]נכנס הרועה תחתיוNICHNAS HA'RO'EH TACHTAV- the shepherd takes the place of the owner (to become obligated to pay for any damage that it causes)

20)[line 9]משלמת מה שנהניתMESHALEMES MAH SHE'NEHENEIS- it must pay for the amount that it benefited (and not the amount that it damaged)

21)[line 11]שמיןSHAMIN- we assess

22)[line 11]בית סאהBEIS SE'AH

A Beis Se'ah is a parcel of land in which a Se'ah of grain is normally planted. The area of a Beis Se'ah is 2,500 square Amos, approximately 576 square meters (6,200 square feet) or 829.43 square meters (8927.9 square feet), depending upon the differing Halachic opinions

23)[line 16]ברוח מצויהRU'ACH METZUYAH- a frequent wind

24)[line 20]במוסירהMOSEIRAH- a tie-rope, or the reins

25)[line 24]אין לו שמירה אלא סכיןEIN LO SHEMIRAH ELA SAKIN- (lit. the only method of guarding it is with the knife) even if the Shomer guarded it at the level of a Shemirah Me'ulah, he is liable for its damages; the only way to guard a Shor ha'Mu'ad properly is to slaughter it and thus remove the damaging agent from the world

26)[line 31]"שלם ישלם המבעיר את הבערה""SHALEM YESHALEM HA'MAV'IR ES HA'BE'EIRAH"- "... the one who kindled the fire shall surely pay [for the damages]" (Shemos 22:5).

27)[line 33]"... ובער בשדה אחר""U'VI'ER BI'SEDEH ACHER..."- "[If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall send in his beast,] and it shall feed in another man's field, [he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard]" (Shemos 22:4).

28)[line 36]"... משלחי רגל השור והחמור""... MESHALCHEI REGEL HA'SHOR VEHA'CHAMOR"- "... who let the feet of the ox and the donkey range freely" (Yeshayah 32:20).

29)[line 37]"[לכן הנני מביא רעה אל בית ירבעם והכרתי לירבעם משתין בקיר עצור ועזוב בישראל ובערתי אחרי בית ירבעם] כאשר יבער הגלל עד תומו""[LACHEN HINENI MEVI RA'AH EL BEIS YARAV'AM V'HICHRATI L'YARAV'AM MASHTIN BA'KIR, ATZUR V'AZUV BE'YISRAEL, U'VI'ARTI ACHAREI VEIS YARAV'AM] KA'ASHER YEVA'ER HA'GALAL AD TUMO" - "[Therefore, I will bring evil upon the House of Yerav'am, and I will eliminate every male offspring (or dog), all his money and all his cattle in Yisrael (i.e. in full view of all the people), and I shall pursue the House of Yerav'am,] just like one completely consumes food until it becomes waste" (Melachim I 14:10) (NIZKEI HA'SHEN / THE DEATH OF AVIYAH, SON OF YARAV'AM)

(a)For the source of Nizkei ha'Shen as derived from this Pasuk, see Background to Bava Kama 2:41.

(b)For the context of this Pasuk in Tanach, see Background to Sanhedrin 46:41.

30)[line 45]פטור מדיני אדם וחייב בדיני שמיםPATUR MI'DINEI ADAM V'CHAYAV B'DINEI SHAMAYIM- he is exempt from laws of man, but he is liable by the laws of Heaven (this opinion holds that one who damages through "Gerama" — indirectly causing damage — is Patur)

31)[line 47]והכופף קמתו של חבירו בפני הדליקהHA'KOFEF KOMASA SHEL CHAVEIRO BIFNEI HA'DELEIKAH- one who bends the stalks (of grain) of one's friend towards a flame

32)[last line]בכותל בריאKOSEL BARI- a strong wall