## Bava Batra Daf 12b

###### Bava Batra 12b:1
[Bava Batra 12b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/12b:1)

מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא בַּר יוֹסֵף כְּווֹתֵיהּ. אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: וּמַאי קוּשְׁיָא? דִּלְמָא לְהָא מִילְּתָא בַּר מַזָּלֵיהּ הוּא!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**in the name of** the well-known *tanna* **Rabbi Akiva bar Yosef in accordance with his** statement. It certainly cannot be maintained that the first Sage is similar in his nature to the illustrious Rabbi Akiva, so he must have arrived at his statement through prophecy. **Rav Ashi said: And what is the difficulty** with explaining this? **Perhaps** they were born under **the same constellation,** and **with regard to this issue** the first Sage has the same understanding as Rabbi Akiva.


###### Bava Batra 12b:2
[Bava Batra 12b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/12b:2)

אֶלָּא אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: תִּדַּע, דְּאָמַר גַּבְרָא רַבָּה מִילְּתָא, וּמִתְאַמְרָא הֲלָכָה לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִּינַי כְּווֹתֵיהּ. וְדִלְמָא כְּסוֹמֵא בַּאֲרוּבָּה! וְלָאו טַעַם יְהֵיב?!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather, Rav Ashi said: Know** that this is so, **as a great man makes a statement and** the same statement **is** then **cited as a *halakha*** transmitted **to Moses from Sinai in accordance with his** statement. The Sage makes a statement that corresponds to words pronounced in Heaven, which, without prophecy, is beyond human capability. The Gemara states: **But perhaps** he arrived at this idea by chance, without the assistance of prophecy, **like a blind man** who makes his way **through a skylight.** A blind man cannot deliberately find a skylight; therefore, his finding it occurs by chance. The Gemara answers: **But does** the Sage **not offer a reason** for his statement? The fact that he demonstrates an understanding of the issue indicates that he does not arrive at his idea by chance, but rather by prophecy.


###### Bava Batra 12b:3
[Bava Batra 12b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/12b:3)

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מִיּוֹם שֶׁחָרַב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, נִיטְּלָה נְבוּאָה מִן הַנְּבִיאִים וְנִיתְּנָה לַשּׁוֹטִים וְלַתִּינוֹקוֹת. לַשּׁוֹטִים – מַאי הִיא? כִּי הָא דְּמָר בַּר רַב אָשֵׁי – דַּהֲוָה קָאֵי בְּרִסְתְּקָא דְמָחוֹזָא, שַׁמְעֵיהּ לְהָהוּא שׁוֹטֶה דְּקָאָמַר: רֵישׁ מְתִיבְתָּא דְּמָלֵיךְ בְּמָתָא ״מַחְסֵיָא״ – ״טַבְיוֹמֵי״ חָתֵים. אֲמַר: מַאן חָתֵים ״טַבְיוֹמֵי״ בְּרַבָּנַן – אֲנָא; שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ לְדִידִי קָיְימָא לִי שַׁעְתָּא. קָם אֲתָא. אַדַּאֲתָא אִימְּנוֹ רַבָּנַן לְאוֹתֹבֵיהּ לְרַב אַחָא מִדִּפְתִּי בְּרֵישָׁא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From the day that the Temple was destroyed, prophecy was taken from the prophets and given to imbeciles and children.** The Gemara explains: In **what** way was prophecy given **to imbeciles?** It was **like this** incident involving **Mar bar Rav Ashi, who was standing in the street [*beristeka*] of Meḥoza** when **he heard a certain imbecile say: The head of the yeshiva who will be appointed in Mata Meḥasya signs** his name **Tavyumei.** Mar bar Rav Ashi **said** to himself: **Who among the Sages signs** his name **Tavyumei?** Nobody but **me. Conclude from** the statement by the imbecile **that my hour has arrived,** and I will reap success in this matter. **He arose and went** to Mata Meḥasya. **By the time he arrived, the Sages** had already **decided to appoint Rav Aḥa of Difti as the head** of the yeshiva.


###### Bava Batra 12b:4
[Bava Batra 12b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/12b:4)

כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁמְעִי דַּאֲתָא, שַׁדּוּר זוּגָא דְּרַבָּנַן לְגַבֵּיהּ לְאִימְּלוֹכֵי בֵּיהּ. עַכְּבֵיהּ. הֲדַר שַׁדּוּר זוּגָא דְּרַבָּנַן אַחֲרִינָא, עַכְּבֵיהּ גַּבֵּיהּ. עַד דִּמְלוֹ בֵּי עַשְׂרָה. כֵּיוָן דִּמְלוֹ בֵּי עַשְׂרָה, פְּתַח הוּא וּתְנָא וּדְרַשׁ. לְפִי שֶׁאֵין פּוֹתְחִין בְּכַלָּה פָּחוֹת מֵעֲשָׂרָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**As soon as** the Sages **heard that** Mar bar Rav Ashi **had arrived,** they determined not to proceed with their appointment without the approval of an important figure such as him. **They sent a pair of Sages to him to consult with him,** and **he detained them. They again sent a pair of Sages** to him, and **he detained them** as well. This continued **until they completed** a quorum **of ten** Sages. **Once they reached ten** men, Mar bar Rav Ashi **opened** his lecture, **taught, and expounded.** He did not speak earlier **because one should not open a lecture during *kalla*,** the gatherings for Torah study during the months of Elul and Adar, when **less than ten** men are present. He was then appointed as head of the yeshiva.


###### Bava Batra 12b:5
[Bava Batra 12b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/12b:5)

קָרֵי רַב אַחָא אַנַּפְשֵׁיהּ: כׇּל הַמְּרִיעִין לוֹ – לֹא בִּמְהֵרָה מְטִיבִין לוֹ, וְכׇל הַמְּטִיבִין לוֹ – לֹא בִּמְהֵרָה מְרִיעִין לוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Understanding that he had been passed over for the position, **Rav Aḥa** of Difti **read about himself** the rabbinic aphorism: **Anyone who is treated poorly will not soon be treated well; and anyone who is treated well will not soon be treated poorly.** Rav Aḥa understood that he had lost the chance to be appointed, whereas Mar bar Rav Ashi had the good fortune to be appointed, and would remain in his position.


###### Bava Batra 12b:6
[Bava Batra 12b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/12b:6)

תִּנוֹקֹת – מַאי הִיא? כִּי הָא דְּבַת רַב חִסְדָּא – הֲוָה יָתְבָה בְּכַנְפֵיהּ דַּאֲבוּהָ, הֲווֹ יָתְבִי קַמֵּיהּ רָבָא וְרָמֵי בַּר חָמָא. אֲמַר לַהּ: מַאן מִינַּיְיהוּ בָּעֵית? אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: תַּרְוַיְיהוּ. אָמַר רָבָא: וַאֲנָא בָּתְרָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
And in **what** way was prophecy given **to children?** It was **like this** incident involving the **daughter of Rav Ḥisda,** who when she was a child **was sitting on her father’s lap** while he sat and learned. **Rava and Rami bar Ḥama were sitting before him.** Rav Ḥisda jokingly **said to** his daughter: **Which of them would you want** as a husband? **She said:** I want **both of them. Rava said: And I** will be **last.** And this is what happened; first she married Rami bar Ḥama, and when he died she married Rava.


###### Bava Batra 12b:7
[Bava Batra 12b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/12b:7)

אָמַר רַבִּי אַבְדִּימִי דְּמִן חֵיפָה: קוֹדֶם שֶׁיֹּאכַל אָדָם וְיִשְׁתֶּה, יֵשׁ לוֹ שְׁתֵּי לְבָבוֹת; לְאַחַר שֶׁאוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה – אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא לֵב אֶחָד. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִישׁ נָבוּב יִלָּבֵב״ – וּכְתִיב: ״נְבוּב לֻחֹת״, וּמְתַרְגְּמִינַן: חֲלִיל לוּחִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Having already cited one statement of Rabbi Avdimi from Haifa, the Gemara cites another statement in his name: **Rabbi Avdimi from Haifa says: Before a person eats and drinks he has two hearts,** meaning his heart is unsettled because he is distracted by hunger. But **after he eats and drinks he has only one heart, as it is stated: “A hollow [*nevuv*] man is two-hearted”** (Job 11:12). How is it indicated that “*nevuv*” means hungry? **As it is written** concerning the altar: **“*Nevuv luḥot*”** (Exodus 27:8), **which we translate** into Aramaic as: **Hollow with planks,** meaning that a hollow person, i.e., one who has not yet eaten, is two-hearted.


###### Bava Batra 12b:8
[Bava Batra 12b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/12b:8)

אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: הָרָגִיל בְּיַיִן, אֲפִילּוּ לִבּוֹ אָטוּם כִּבְתוּלָה – יַיִן מְפַקְּחוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְתִירוֹשׁ יְנוֹבֵב בְּתֻלוֹת״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara continues to discuss the meaning of *nevuv*, **Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, says:** With regard to **one who is accustomed to wine, although his heart,** i.e., his mind, **is closed like a virgin, wine opens it, as it is stated: “And new wine opens [*yenovev*] the virgins”** (Zechariah 9:17). The word *yenovev* is used here in the sense of clearing out a space: Even if one’s heart and mind are closed, wine will open them to understanding.


###### Bava Batra 12b:9
[Bava Batra 12b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/12b:9)

אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: פְּשִׁיטָא, חֵלֶק בְּכוֹר וְחֵלֶק פָּשׁוּט – יָהֲבִינַן לֵיהּ אַחַד מִצְרָא. יָבָם – מַאי?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara resumes its discussion of the division of property. **Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, says:** It is **obvious** that if a person inherits **a portion** of his father’s estate because he is the **firstborn, and** he also inherits **a portion** of that estate as **an ordinary** son, like the rest of his brothers, **he is given** his two portions **along one boundary,** so that they are adjacent to one another and form a single property. The Gemara asks: **What** is the *halakha* with regard to **a *yavam*,** a man whose brother died without children, who is obligated by Torah law to marry his deceased brother’s widow or grant her *ḥalitza*? If he marries his brother’s widow, the *halakha* dictates that he receive his brother’s portion of their father’s estate in addition to his own. Does he too receive the two portions along one boundary?


###### Bava Batra 12b:10
[Bava Batra 12b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/12b:10)

אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: הִיא – הִיא; מַאי טַעְמָא? ״בְּכוֹר״ קַרְיֵיהּ רַחֲמָנָא. רָבָא אָמַר, אָמַר קְרָא: ״וְהָיָה הַבְּכוֹר״ – הֲוָיָיתוֹ כִּבְכוֹר, וְאֵין חֲלוּקָּתוֹ כִּבְכוֹר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Abaye said: This** case **is** equal to **that** case. **What is the reason** for this? **The Merciful One calls** the *yavam* **“firstborn”** (see *Yevamot* 24a) and therefore he is treated like a firstborn in all regards. He receives the two portions of his father’s estate as a single parcel of land. But **Rava said: The verse states: “And it shall be, the firstborn”** (Deuteronomy 25:6). With regard to **his being,** i.e., his inheritance itself, he **is like a firstborn; but** as for **the distribution** of the estate, he **is not like a firstborn,** and the brothers are not obligated to give him two adjacent portions.


###### Bava Batra 12b:11
[Bava Batra 12b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/12b:11)

הָהוּא דִּזְבַן אַרְעָא אַמִּצְרָא דְּבֵי נְשֵׁיהּ. כִּי קָא פָּלְגוּ, אֲמַר לְהוּ: פְּלִיגוּ לִי אַמִּצְרַאי. אָמַר רַבָּה: כְּגוֹן זֶה – כּוֹפִין עַל מִדַּת סְדוֹם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It is reported that **a certain person bought land along the boundary of his father’s property.** After some time the father died. **When they** came to **divide** the estate, this person **said to** his brothers: **Give me my portion** of the estate **along my boundary. Rabba said: In** a case **such as this,** the court **compels** people to refrain from **conduct** characteristic **of Sodom.** The court forces a person to waive his legal rights in order to prevent him from acting in a manner characteristic of the wicked city of Sodom. Since it makes no difference to the brothers which portion they receive since the parcels of land must be of equal value, whereas it matters to this brother that the area he receives should be adjacent to the land he already bought, the court forces the others to give this brother his portion along his boundary.


###### Bava Batra 12b:12
[Bava Batra 12b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/12b:12)

מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַב יוֹסֵף: אָמְרִי לֵיהּ אֲחֵי, מְעַלִּינַן לֵיהּ עִלּוּיָא כִּי נִכְסֵי דְּבֵי בַּר מָרִיּוֹן! וְהִלְכְתָא כְּרַב יוֹסֵף.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Yosef objects to this,** saying this is not a case involving conduct characteristic of Sodom, since the brothers can explain their refusal to grant the request. **The brothers** can **say to him: We assess this** field that you want for yourself **as** particularly **valuable, like the property of the house of bar Maryon.** The brothers can claim that the portion he wants is more desirable than the others, and for that reason they do not want to give it to him. The Gemara concludes: **And the *halakha*** is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rav Yosef,** and the brothers can refuse the request.


###### Bava Batra 12b:13
[Bava Batra 12b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/12b:13)

תְּרֵי אַרְעָתָא אַתְּרֵי נִגְרֵי – אָמַר רַבָּה: כְּגוֹן זֶה – כּוֹפִין עַל מִדַּת סְדוֹם. מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַב יוֹסֵף: זִמְנִין דְּהַאי מִדְּוִיל וְהַאי לָא מִדְּוִיל! וְהִלְכְתָא כְּרַב יוֹסֵף.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
If a father leaves his two sons **two** parcels of **land next to two** water **channels [*nigrei*],** and one brother requests the field that is next to a field that he already owns, **Rabba says: In** a case **such as this,** the court **compels** people to refrain from **conduct** characteristic **of Sodom** and allows that brother to receive the field adjoining his own. **Rav Yosef objects to this,** saying that if the other brother protests and wants that parcel of land, it is not a case involving conduct characteristic of Sodom because he may have a valid reason for objecting: **Sometimes this** water channel **continues running** well, **while this** second one **does not continue running** well; therefore, the second brother wants to receive land that adjoins a water channel on both sides. The Gemara concludes: **And the *halakha*** is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rav Yosef.**


###### Bava Batra 12b:14
[Bava Batra 12b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/12b:14)

תַּרְתֵּי אַחַד נִגְרָא – אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: כְּגוֹן זֶה – כּוֹפִין עַל מִדַּת סְדוֹם. מַתְקֵיף לַהּ אַבָּיֵי, מָצֵי אָמַר: בָּעֵינָא דְּאַפֵּישׁ אֲרִיסֵי! וְהִלְכְתָא כְּרַב יוֹסֵף; אַפּוֹשֵׁי לָאו מִילְּתָא הִיא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
If a father leaves his two sons **two** parcels of land **next to one channel** and one of the brothers already owns a field next to one of those parcels of land, **Rav Yosef said: In** a case **such as this,** the court **compels** people to refrain from **conduct** characteristic **of Sodom** and allows that brother to receive the field adjoining his own. **Abaye objects to this,** saying that this is not a case involving conduct characteristic of Sodom because the other brother **can say** to him: **I want** the number of **sharecroppers to increase.** If my field is in the middle and you have fields on either side, you will need more sharecroppers to work them and my field will enjoy greater security. **And the *halakha*** is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rav Yosef** because **the increase** of sharecroppers **is** considered as **nothing,** and this is therefore not a valid reason for objecting.