## Bava Batra Daf 21b

###### Bava Batra 21b:1
[Bava Batra 21b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/21b:1)

מַאי טַעְמָא עֲבַדְתְּ הָכִי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״תִּמְחֶה אֶת זְכַר עֲמָלֵק״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וְהָא אֲנַן ״זֵכֶר״ קָרֵינַן! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֲנָא ״זְכַר״ אַקְרְיוּן. אֲזַל שַׁיְילֵיהּ לְרַבֵּיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הֵיאַךְ אַקְרִיתַן? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״זֵכֶר״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**What is the reason** that **you did that?** Why did you kill only the males? Joab **said to him: As it is written: You shall blot out the males [*zakhar*] of Amalek,** i.e., the male descendants of Amalek, who descend from Edom. David **said to him: But we read** the verse as stating: **“You shall blot out the remembrance [*zekher*] of Amalek”** (Deuteronomy 25:19). Joab **said to him: I was taught to read it as *zakhar*.** Joab **went and asked his** childhood Bible **teacher.** Joab **said to him: How did you read** this word **to us?** The teacher **said to him:** I read it as ***zekher*.** The teacher had read it the proper way, but he failed to notice that his student had learned it incorrectly.


###### Bava Batra 21b:2
[Bava Batra 21b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/21b:2)

שְׁקַל סַפְסִירָא לְמִיקְטְלֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַמַּאי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״אָרוּר עֹשֶׂה מְלֶאכֶת ה׳ רְמִיָּה״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שִׁבְקֵיהּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּלֵיקוּם בְּאָרוּר! אֲמַר לֵיהּ, כְּתִיב: ״וְאָרוּר מֹנֵעַ חַרְבּוֹ מִדָּם״! אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: קַטְלֵיהּ, וְאִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי: לָא קַטְלֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Joab **took a sword to kill him.** The teacher **said to him: Why** do you want to kill me? Joab **said to him: As it is written: “Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord with a slack hand”** (Jeremiah 48:10), and you taught me incorrectly. The teacher **said to him: Leave that man to remain as cursed.** This is a sufficient punishment; there is no need to kill me. Joab **said to him: It is** also **written: “And cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood”** (Jeremiah 48:10). **There are** those **who say** that Joab **killed him, and there are** those **who say** that **he did not kill him.** In any event, this episode demonstrates that an error learned in one’s childhood stays with him his whole life.


###### Bava Batra 21b:3
[Bava Batra 21b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/21b:3)

וְאָמַר רָבָא: מַקְרֵי יָנוֹקָא, שַׁתָּלָא, טַבָּחָא, וְאוּמָּנָא, וְסוֹפֵר מָתָא – כּוּלָּן כְּמוּתְרִין וְעוֹמְדִין נִינְהוּ. כְּלָלָא דְּמִילְּתָא: כׇּל פְּסֵידָא דְּלָא הָדַר – מוּתְרֶה וְעוֹמֵד הוּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rava says:** With regard to **a teacher of children,** a professional **tree planter, a butcher, a bloodletter, and a town scribe, all** these **are considered forewarned.** In other words, they need not be exhorted to perform their jobs correctly, as if they err in the performance of their duties they can be dismissed immediately. The **principle of the matter** is: With regard to **any** case **where loss is irreversible,** the individual **is** considered **forewarned.**


###### Bava Batra 21b:4
[Bava Batra 21b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/21b:4)

אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: הַאי בַּר מְבוֹאָה דְּאוֹקִי רִיחְיָא, וַאֲתָא בַּר מְבוֹאָה חַבְרֵיהּ וְקָמוֹקֵי גַּבֵּיהּ – דִּינָא הוּא דִּמְעַכֵּב עִילָּוֵיהּ. דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ: קָא פָּסְקַתְּ לֵיהּ לְחַיּוּתִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rav Huna said:** There was **a certain resident of an alleyway who set up a mill** in the alleyway and earned his living grinding grain for people. **And** subsequently **another resident of the alleyway came and set up** a mill **next to his. The *halakha* is that** the first one **may prevent him** from doing so if he wishes, **as he** can **say to him: You are disrupting my livelihood** by taking my customers.


###### Bava Batra 21b:5
[Bava Batra 21b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/21b:5)

לֵימָא מְסַיַּיע לֵיהּ: מַרְחִיקִים מְצוּדַת הַדָּג מִן הַדָּג – כִּמְלֹא רִיצַת הַדָּג. וְכַמָּה? אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר רַב הוּנָא: עַד פַּרְסָה. שָׁאנֵי דָּגִים, דְּיָהֲבִי סְיָיארָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Let us say** that a *baraita* **supports his** opinion: **One must distance fish traps from fish,** i.e., from other fish traps, **as far as the fish travels,** i.e., the distance from which the fish will travel. The Gemara asks: **And how much** is this distance? **Rabba bar Rav Huna says: Up to a parasang [*parsa*].** This indicates that one must distance himself from the place where another has established his business. The Gemara responds that this is no proof: Perhaps **fish are different, as they look around.** One fish explores the area ahead of the others, indicating to them where to go. Once they encounter the first trap they will not approach the second.


###### Bava Batra 21b:6
[Bava Batra 21b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/21b:6)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבִינָא לְרָבָא: לֵימָא רַב הוּנָא דְּאָמַר כְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה – דִּתְנַן, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: לֹא יְחַלֵּק חֶנְוָנִי קְלָיוֹת וֶאֱגוֹזִין לְתִינוֹקוֹת, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמֵּרְגִילָן אֶצְלוֹ. וַחֲכָמִים מַתִּירִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Ravina said to Rava: Shall we say** that **Rav Huna spoke in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Yehuda? As we learned** in a mishna (*Bava Metzia* 60a): **Rabbi Yehuda says: A storekeeper may not hand out toasted grain and nuts to children** who patronize his store, **due to** the fact **that he** thereby **accustoms them to come to him** at the expense of competing storekeepers. **And the Rabbis permit** doing so. This indicates that according to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, all forms of competition are prohibited, which would include the scenario concerning the mill.


###### Bava Batra 21b:7
[Bava Batra 21b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/21b:7)

אֲפִילּוּ תֵּימָא רַבָּנַן; עַד כָּאן לָא פְּלִיגִי רַבָּנַן עֲלֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה הָתָם – אֶלָּא דַּאֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֲנָא קָמְפַלֵּגְינָא אַמְגּוֹזֵי, אַתְּ פְּלוֹג שְׁיוּסְקֵי. אֲבָל הָכָא – אֲפִילּוּ רַבָּנַן מוֹדוּ, דַּאֲמַר לֵיהּ: קָא פָּסְקַתְּ לֵיהּ לְחַיּוּתִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this suggestion: **You** may **even say** that Rav Huna holds in accordance with the opinion of **the Rabbis. The Rabbis disagree with Rabbi Yehuda only there, as** the storekeeper **can say to** his competitor: If **I distribute walnuts, you** can **distribute almonds [*shiyuskei*]. But here,** with regard to a resident of an alleyway who sets up a mill in that alleyway where another mill already exists, **even the Rabbis concede that** the owner of the first mill can **say to him: You are disrupting my livelihood,** as beforehand whoever required grinding came to me, and you have provided them with another option.


###### Bava Batra 21b:8
[Bava Batra 21b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/21b:8)

מֵיתִיבִי: עוֹשֶׂה אָדָם חֲנוּת בְּצַד חֲנוּתוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵירוֹ, וּמֶרְחָץ בְּצַד מֶרְחָצוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵירוֹ; וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִמְחוֹת בְּיָדוֹ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיָּכוֹל לוֹמַר לוֹ: אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה בְּתוֹךְ שֶׁלְּךָ, וַאֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה בְּתוֹךְ שֶׁלִּי!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara **raises an objection** from a *baraita*: **A man may establish a shop alongside the shop of another, and a bathhouse alongside the bathhouse of another, and** the other **cannot protest, because** the newcomer **can say to him: You operate in your** space, **and I operate in my** space.


###### Bava Batra 21b:9
[Bava Batra 21b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/21b:9)

תַּנָּאֵי הִיא, דְּתַנְיָא: כּוֹפִין בְּנֵי מְבוֹאוֹת זֶה אֶת זֶה – שֶׁלֹּא לְהוֹשִׁיב בֵּינֵיהֶן לֹא חַיָּיט, וְלֹא בּוּרְסְקִי, וְלֹא מְלַמֵּד תִּינוֹקוֹת, וְלֹא אֶחָד מִבְּנֵי בַּעֲלֵי אוּמָּנִיּוֹת; וְלִשְׁכֵנוֹ אֵינוֹ כּוֹפֵיהוּ. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: אַף לִשְׁכֵנוֹ כּוֹפֵיהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: This entire matter **is** a dispute between ***tanna’im*, as it is taught** in a *baraita*: **The residents of an alleyway can compel one another** to agree **not to allow among them** in that alleyway **a tailor, a tanner, a teacher of children, nor any type of craftsman.** They can bar outside craftsmen from plying their trade in that alleyway. **But one cannot compel his neighbor,** i.e., one who already lives in the alleyway, to refrain from practicing a particular occupation there. **Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says:** One can **even compel his neighbor** not to conduct such work in the alleyway. Rav Huna holds in accordance with the opinion of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel.


###### Bava Batra 21b:10
[Bava Batra 21b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/21b:10)

אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: פְּשִׁיטָא לִי – בַּר מָתָא אַבַּר מָתָא אַחֲרִיתִי, מָצֵי מְעַכֵּב. וְאִי שָׁיֵיךְ בִּכְרָגָא דְּהָכָא, לָא מָצֵי מְעַכֵּב. בַּר מְבוֹאָה אַבַּר מְבוֹאָה דְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ – לָא מָצֵי מְעַכֵּב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, says:** It is **obvious to me** that **a resident of** one **town can prevent a resident of another town** from establishing a similar business in the locale of the first individual. **But if he pays the tax of that** first town, **he cannot prevent him** from doing business there, as he too is considered a resident of the town. **The resident of an alleyway cannot prevent a resident of his alleyway** from practicing a particular trade there, in accordance with the opinion of the Rabbis in the *baraita*, and contrary to the opinion of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel.


###### Bava Batra 21b:11
[Bava Batra 21b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/21b:11)

בָּעֵי רַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: בַּר מְבוֹאָה אַבַּר מְבוֹאָה אַחֲרִינָא, מַאי? תֵּיקוּ. אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: וּמוֹדֵי רַב הוּנָא בְּמַקְרֵי דַרְדְּקֵי – דְּלָא מָצֵי מְעַכֵּב, דְּאָמַר מָר: עֶזְרָא תִּיקֵּן לָהֶן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיְּהוּ מוֹשִׁיבִין סוֹפֵר בְּצַד סוֹפֵר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With these conclusions in mind, **Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, raises a dilemma:** With regard to **a resident of** one **alleyway** protesting about **a resident of another alleyway** conducting business there, **what** is the *halakha*? No answer was found, and the Gemara states that the dilemma **shall stand** unresolved. **Rav Yosef said: And Rav Huna,** who said that a resident of an alleyway can prevent another from setting up an additional mill, **concedes with regard to those who teach children that one cannot prevent** him from working, **as the Master said: Ezra instituted** an ordinance **for the Jewish people** requiring **that they establish** one **teacher alongside** another **teacher,** to raise the standard of teaching.


###### Bava Batra 21b:12
[Bava Batra 21b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/21b:12)

וְנֵיחוּשׁ דִּילְמָא אָתֵי לְאִיתְרַשּׁוֹלֵי! אֲמַר לֵיהּ:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges: **And let us be concerned lest** the teachers **will** thereby **come to be negligent.** Rav Yosef **said to** the Sage who raised this objection: