## Bava Batra Daf 15a

###### Bava Batra 15a:1
[Bava Batra 15a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:1)

וְעַל יְדֵי שְׁלֹשָׁה בְּנֵי קֹרַח.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**and by the three sons of Korah.**


###### Bava Batra 15a:2
[Bava Batra 15a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:2)

יִרְמְיָה כָּתַב סִפְרוֹ וְסֵפֶר מְלָכִים וְקִינוֹת. חִזְקִיָּה וְסִיעָתוֹ כָּתְבוּ (יִמְשָׁק סִימָן:) יְשַׁעְיָה, מִשְׁלֵי, שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים וְקֹהֶלֶת. אַנְשֵׁי כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה כָּתְבוּ (קַנְדָּג סִימָן:) יְחֶזְקֵאל וּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר, דָּנִיֵּאל וּמְגִילַת אֶסְתֵּר. עֶזְרָא כָּתַב סִפְרוֹ, וְיַחַס שֶׁל דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים עַד לוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Jeremiah wrote his own book, and the book of Kings, and Lamentations. Hezekiah and his colleagues wrote** the following, and **a mnemonic** to remember which books they wrote is ***yod*, *mem*, *shin*, *kuf*: Isaiah [*Yeshaya*], Proverbs [*Mishlei*], Song of Songs [*Shir HaShirim*], and Ecclesiastes [*Kohelet*]. The members of the Great Assembly wrote** the following, and **a mnemonic** to remember these books is ***kuf*, *nun*, *dalet*, *gimmel*: Ezekiel [*Yeḥezkel* ], and the Twelve Prophets [*Sheneim Asar*], Daniel** [***Daniel*** ], **and the Scroll of Esther [*Megillat Ester*]. Ezra wrote his own book and the genealogy of** the book of **Chronicles until his** period.


###### Bava Batra 15a:3
[Bava Batra 15a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:3)

מְסַיְּיעָא לֵיהּ לְרַב, דְּאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: לֹא עָלָה עֶזְרָא מִבָּבֶל, עַד שֶׁיִּחֵס עַצְמוֹ וְעָלָה. וּמַאן אַסְּקֵיהּ? נְחֶמְיָה בֶּן חֲכַלְיָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara comments: This **supports Rav, as Rav Yehuda says** that **Rav says: Ezra did not ascend from Babylonia** to Eretz Yisrael **until he established his own genealogy, and** after that he **ascended.** This genealogy is what is written in the book of Chronicles. **And who completed** the book of Chronicles for the generations following Ezra? **Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah.**


###### Bava Batra 15a:4
[Bava Batra 15a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:4)

אָמַר מָר: יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כָּתַב סִפְרוֹ וּשְׁמוֹנָה פְּסוּקִים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה. תַּנְיָא כְּמַאן דְּאָמַר: שְׁמוֹנָה פְּסוּקִים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כְּתָבָן. דְּתַנְיָא ״וַיָּמׇת שָׁם מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד ה׳״ – אֶפְשָׁר מֹשֶׁה מֵת, וְכָתַב: ״וַיָּמׇת שָׁם מֹשֶׁה״?! אֶלָּא עַד כָּאן כָּתַב מֹשֶׁה, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ כָּתַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ; דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara elaborates on the particulars of this *baraita*: **The Master said** above that **Joshua wrote his own book and eight verses of the Torah.** The Gemara comments: This *baraita* **is taught in accordance with the one who says that** it was **Joshua** who **wrote the** last **eight verses in the Torah.** This point is subject to a tannaitic dispute, **as it is taught** in another *baraita*: **“And Moses the servant of the Lord died there”** (Deuteronomy 34:5); **is it possible that** after **Moses died, he** himself **wrote “And Moses died there”? Rather, Moses wrote** the entire Torah **until this point,** and **Joshua wrote from this** point **forward;** this is **the statement of Rabbi Yehuda. And some say** that **Rabbi Neḥemya** stated this opinion.


###### Bava Batra 15a:5
[Bava Batra 15a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:5)

אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: אֶפְשָׁר סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה חָסֵר אוֹת אַחַת, וּכְתִיב: ״לָקֹחַ אֵת סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּה״?! אֶלָּא עַד כָּאן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר – וּמֹשֶׁה אוֹמֵר וְכוֹתֵב; מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר – וּמֹשֶׁה כּוֹתֵב בְּדֶמַע, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לְהַלָּן: ״וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם בָּרוּךְ: מִפִּיו יִקְרָא אֵלַי אֵת כׇּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, וַאֲנִי כּוֹתֵב עַל הַסֵּפֶר בַּדְּיוֹ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Shimon said to him: Is it possible** that the **Torah scroll was missing a single letter? But it is written: “Take this Torah scroll”** (Deuteronomy 31:26), indicating that the Torah was complete as is and that nothing further would be added to it. **Rather, until this point the Holy One, Blessed be He, dictated and Moses repeated** after Him **and wrote** the text. **From this** point **forward,** with respect to Moses’ death, **the Holy One, Blessed be He, dictated and Moses wrote with tears.** The fact that the Torah was written by way of dictation can be seen **later, as it is stated** concerning the writing of the Prophets: **“And Baruch said to them: He dictated all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink in the scroll”** (Jeremiah 36:18).


###### Bava Batra 15a:6
[Bava Batra 15a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:6)

כְּמַאן אָזְלָא הָא דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַב גִּידֵּל אָמַר רַב: שְׁמוֹנָה פְּסוּקִים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה יָחִיד קוֹרֵא אוֹתָן? לֵימָא רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הִיא – וּדְלָא כְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן? אֲפִילּוּ תֵּימָא רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, הוֹאִיל וְאִשְׁתַּנּוֹ – אִשְׁתַּנּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **In accordance with whose** opinion **is that which Rabbi Yehoshua bar Abba says** that **Rav Giddel says** that **Rav says:** When the Torah is read publicly in the synagogue, **one** person **reads the** last **eight verses in the Torah,** and that section may not be divided between two readers? **Shall we say** that **this is** in accordance with the opinion of **Rabbi Yehuda and not in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Shimon,** as according to Rabbi Shimon these verses are an integral part of the Torah, written by Moses just like the rest? The Gemara answers: **Even** if **you say** that this was said in accordance with the opinion of **Rabbi Shimon, since they differ** from the rest of the Torah in one way, as Moses wrote them with tears, **they differ** from the rest of the Torah in this way as well, i.e., they may not be divided between two readers.


###### Bava Batra 15a:7
[Bava Batra 15a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:7)

יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כָּתַב סִפְרוֹ. וְהָכְתִיב: ״וַיָּמׇת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן עֶבֶד ה׳״! דְּאַסְּקֵיהּ אֶלְעָזָר. וְהָכְתִיב: ״וְאֶלְעָזָר בֶּן אַהֲרֹן מֵת״! דְּאַסְּקֵיהּ פִּנְחָס.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It is stated in the *baraita* that **Joshua wrote his own book.** The Gemara asks: **But isn’t it written** toward the end of the book: **“And Joshua, son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died”** (Joshua 24:29)? Is it possible that Joshua wrote this? The Gemara answers: Aaron’s son **Eleazar completed it.** The Gemara asks: **But isn’t it** also **written: “And Eleazar, son of Aaron, died”** (Joshua 24:33)? The Gemara answers: **Pinehas completed it.**


###### Bava Batra 15a:8
[Bava Batra 15a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:8)

שְׁמוּאֵל כָּתַב סִפְרוֹ. וְהָכְתִיב: ״וּשְׁמוּאֵל מֵת״! דְּאַסְּקֵיהּ גָּד הַחוֹזָה וְנָתָן הַנָּבִיא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It is also stated in the *baraita* that **Samuel wrote his own book.** The Gemara asks: **But isn’t it written: “And Samuel died”** (I Samuel 28:3)? The Gemara answers: **Gad the seer and Nathan the prophet finished it.**


###### Bava Batra 15a:9
[Bava Batra 15a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:9)

דָּוִד כָּתַב סֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים – עַל יְדֵי עֲשָׂרָה זְקֵנִים. וְלִיחְשׁוֹב נָמֵי אֵיתָן הָאֶזְרָחִי! אָמַר רַב: אֵיתָן הָאֶזְרָחִי זֶה הוּא אַבְרָהָם – כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״אֵיתָן הָאֶזְרָחִי״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח צֶדֶק [וְגוֹ׳]״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It is further stated that **David wrote the book of Psalms by means of ten elders,** whom the *baraita* proceeds to list. The Gemara asks: **But** then **let it also count Ethan the Ezrahite** among the contributors to the book of Psalms, as it is he who is credited with Psalms, chapter 89. **Rav says: Ethan the Ezrahite is** the same person as **Abraham.** Proof for this is the fact that **it is written here:** “A Maskil of **Ethan the Ezrahite”** (Psalms 89:1), **and it is written there: “Who raised up one from the east [*mizraḥ*], whom righteousness** met wherever he set his foot” (Isaiah 41:2). The latter verse is understood as referring to Abraham, who came from the east, and for that reason he is called Ethan the Ezrahite in the former verse.


###### Bava Batra 15a:10
[Bava Batra 15a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:10)

קָא חָשֵׁיב מֹשֶׁה וְקָא חָשֵׁיב הֵימָן, וְהָאָמַר רַב: הֵימָן זֶה מֹשֶׁה – כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״הֵימָן״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״בְּכׇל בֵּיתִי נֶאֱמָן הוּא״! תְּרֵי הֵימָן הֲווֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: The *baraita* **counts Moses** among the ten elders whose works are included in the book of Psalms, **and it** also **counts Heman. But doesn’t Rav say:** The **Heman** mentioned in the Bible (I Kings 5:11) **is** the same person as **Moses?** This is proven by the fact that **it is written here: “Heman”** (Psalms 88:1), which is Aramaic for trusted, **and it is written there** about Moses: **“For he is the trusted one in all My house”** (Numbers 12:7). The Gemara answers: **There were two Hemans,** one of whom was Moses, and the other a Temple singer from among the descendants of Samuel.


###### Bava Batra 15a:11
[Bava Batra 15a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:11)

מֹשֶׁה כָּתַב סִפְרוֹ וּפָרָשַׁת בִּלְעָם וְאִיּוֹב. מְסַיְּיעָא לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי לֵוִי בַּר לַחְמָא – דְּאָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בַּר לַחְמָא: אִיּוֹב בִּימֵי מֹשֶׁה הָיָה – כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״מִי יִתֵּן אֵפוֹא וְיִכָּתְבוּן מִלָּי״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״וּבַמֶּה יִוָּדַע אֵפוֹא״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *baraita* further states that **Moses wrote his own book,** i.e., the Torah, **the portion of Balaam, and** the book of **Job. This supports Rabbi Levi bar Laḥma, as Rabbi Levi bar Laḥma says: Job** lived **in the time of Moses. It is written here** with regard to Job: **“Oh, that my words were written now [*eifo*]”** (Job 19:23), **and it is written there** in Moses’ words to God: **“For in what shall it be known here [*eifo*]”** (Exodus 33:16). The unusual use of the word *eifo* in these two places indicates that Job and Moses lived in the same generation.


###### Bava Batra 15a:12
[Bava Batra 15a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:12)

וְאֵימָא בִּימֵי יִצְחָק, דִּכְתִיב: ״מִי אֵפוֹא הוּא הַצָּד צַיִד״! וְאֵימָא בִּימֵי יַעֲקֹב, דִּכְתִיב: ״אִם כֵּן אֵפוֹא זֹאת עֲשׂוּ״! וְאֵימָא בִּימֵי יוֹסֵף, דִּכְתִיב: ״אֵיפֹה הֵם רוֹעִים״!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara comments: **But** if that is the proof, **say** that Job lived **in the time of Isaac, as it is written** in connection with Isaac: **“Who then [*eifo*] is he that has taken venison”** (Genesis 27:33). **Or say** that he lived **in the time of Jacob, as it is written** with respect to Jacob: **“If it must be so now [*eifo*], do this”** (Genesis 43:11). **Or say** that he lived **in the time of Joseph, as it is written** with respect to Joseph: “Tell me, I pray you, **where [*eifo*] are they feeding their flocks?”** (Genesis 37:16).


###### Bava Batra 15a:13
[Bava Batra 15a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:13)

לָא סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ, דִּכְתִיב: ״מִי יִתֵּן בַּסֵּפֶר וְיֻחָקוּ״ – וּמֹשֶׁה הוּא דְּאִיקְּרִי ״מְחוֹקֵק״, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיַּרְא רֵאשִׁית לוֹ כִּי שָׁם חֶלְקַת מְחֹקֵק סָפוּן״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: It could **not enter your mind** to say this, **as it is written** in the continuation of the previously mentioned verse: **“Oh, that** my words **were inscribed [*veyuḥaku*] in a book”** (Job 19:23), **and it is Moses who is called the inscriber, as it is written** with regard to him: **“And he provided the first part for himself, for there was the inscriber’s [*meḥokek*] portion reserved”** (Deuteronomy 33:21).


###### Bava Batra 15a:14
[Bava Batra 15a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:14)

רָבָא אָמַר: אִיּוֹב בִּימֵי מְרַגְּלִים הָיָה – כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״אִישׁ הָיָה בְאֶרֶץ עוּץ, אִיּוֹב שְׁמוֹ״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״הֲיֵשׁ בָּהּ עֵץ״. מִי דָּמֵי?! הָכָא ״עוּץ״, הָתָם ״עֵץ״! הָכִי קָאָמַר לְהוּ מֹשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: יֶשְׁנוֹ לְאוֹתוֹ אָדָם שֶׁשְּׁנוֹתָיו אֲרוּכּוֹת כְּעֵץ, וּמֵגֵין עַל דּוֹרוֹ כְּעֵץ?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava says: Job** lived **at the time of the spies** whom Moses sent to scout the land of Canaan. This is proven by the fact that **it is written here: “There was a man in the land of Utz, whose name was Job”** (Job 1:1), **and it is written there** in the account of the spies: **“Whether there are trees [*eitz*] in it”** (Numbers 13:20). The Gemara asks: **Is it comparable? Here** the word that is used is ***Utz*,** whereas **there** the word is ***eitz*.** The Gemara answers: **This is what Moses said to Israel,** i.e., to the spies: **Is that man** named Job still alive, **he whose years are as long as** the years **of a tree and who protects his generation like a tree?** This is why the allusion to him here is through the word *eitz*, rather than *Utz*.


###### Bava Batra 15a:15
[Bava Batra 15a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:15)

יָתֵיב הָהוּא מֵרַבָּנַן קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי, וְיָתֵיב וְקָאָמַר: אִיּוֹב לֹא הָיָה וְלֹא נִבְרָא, אֶלָּא מָשָׁל הָיָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עָלֶיךָ אָמַר קְרָא: ״אִישׁ הָיָה בְאֶרֶץ עוּץ, אִיּוֹב שְׁמוֹ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates that **one of the Sages sat before Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani and he sat and said: Job never existed and was never created;** there was never such a person as Job. **Rather,** his story **was a parable.** Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani **said to him:** In rebuttal **to you, the verse states: “There was a man in the Land of Utz whose name was Job”** (Job 1:1), which indicates that such a man did indeed exist.


###### Bava Batra 15a:16
[Bava Batra 15a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:16)

אֶלָּא מֵעַתָּה, ״וְלָרָשׁ אֵין כֹּל כִּי אִם כִּבְשָׂה אַחַת קְטַנָּה, אֲשֶׁר קָנָה וַיְחַיֶּהָ וְגוֹ׳״, מִי הֲוָה? אֶלָּא מָשָׁל בְּעָלְמָא, הָכָא נָמֵי מָשָׁל בְּעָלְמָא. אִם כֵּן, שְׁמוֹ וְשֵׁם עִירוֹ לָמָּה?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But if that is so,** that the words “there was” prove that Job existed, what shall we say about the parable that Natan the prophet presented to David: “There were two men in one city; the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, **but the poor man had nothing except one little lamb, which he had bought and reared”** (II Samuel 12:3)? **Was there** really such a person? **Rather, it was merely a parable; here too it is merely a parable.** The Gemara answers: **If so,** that it is a parable, **why** state **his name and the name of his city?** Rather, Job was clearly a real person.


###### Bava Batra 15a:17
[Bava Batra 15a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/15a:17)

רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר דְאָמְרִי תַּרְוַיְיהוּ: אִיּוֹב מֵעוֹלֵי גוֹלָה הָיָה, וּבֵית מִדְרָשׁוֹ בִּטְבֶרְיָא הָיָה. מֵיתִיבִי: יְמֵי שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אִיּוֹב – מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִצְרַיִם, וְעַד שֶׁיָּצְאוּ!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara cites another opinion with regard to the time when Job lived. **Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Elazar both say: Job was among those who ascended from the exile** to Eretz Yisrael at the start of the Second Temple period, **and his house of study was in Tiberias.** The Gemara **raises an objection** from what is taught in a *baraita*: **The days of Job’s life** extended **from when Israel entered Egypt until they left,** indicating that this is the period during which he lived and not, as suggested, in the early days of the Second Temple.