## Bava Batra Daf 7a

###### Bava Batra 7a:1
[Bava Batra 7a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/7a:1)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״אֶיסְתְּרֵיהּ אֲנָא וְאֶבְנְיֵיהּ״. אֲמַר: ״לֵית לִי דּוּכְתָּא לְמֵידַר בַּהּ״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״אֲנָא אוֹגַר לָךְ דּוּכְתָּא״. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״לָא טָרַחְנָא״. ״לָא קָא מִתְּדַר לִי״. ״שׁוּף אַכְּרֵיסָךְ וְעוּל, וָשׁוּף אַכְּרֵיסָךְ וּפוֹק״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The owner of the lower story **said to him: I will dismantle** the structure **and rebuild it.** The owner of the upper story **said:** But then **I** will **have no place to live** while you are renovating. The owner of the lower story **said to him: I will rent a place for you** to live for the duration. The owner of the upper story **said to him: I do not** want **to bother** with moving. The owner of the lower story said to him: But **I cannot live** in my apartment in this condition, as the walls have sunk into the ground. The owner of the upper story said to him: That is not my problem. **Crawl on your stomach to go in, and crawl on your stomach to go out.**


###### Bava Batra 7a:2
[Bava Batra 7a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/7a:2)

אָמַר רַב חָמָא: בְּדִינָא קָא מְעַכֵּב. וְהָנֵי מִילֵּי דְּלָא מָטוּ כְּשׁוּרֵי לְמַטָּה מֵעֲשָׂרָה, אֲבָל מָטוּ כְּשׁוּרֵי לְמַטָּה מֵעֲשָׂרָה, מָצֵי אָמַר לֵיהּ: לְמַטָּה מֵעֲשָׂרָה רְשׁוּתָא דִידִי הוּא, וְלָא מְשַׁעְבַּד לָךְ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ḥama said: By law,** the owner of the upper story **can prevent** his downstairs neighbor from rebuilding. The Gemara comments: **And this statement** applies **only when the beams** supporting the second story **have not reached lower than ten** handbreadths from the ground. **But if** those **beams have reached lower than ten** handbreadths from the ground, the owner of the lower story **can say to** the owner of the upper story: **Below ten** handbreadths **is my domain and** my domain **is not bound to you** to support your residence.


###### Bava Batra 7a:3
[Bava Batra 7a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/7a:3)

וְהָנֵי מִילֵּי דְּלָא אַתְנוֹ גַּבֵּי הֲדָדֵי, אֲבָל אַתְנוֹ גַּבֵּי הֲדָדֵי – סָתְרִי וּבָנוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara further comments: **And this statement,** that the owner of the upper story can prevent his downstairs neighbor from rebuilding, applies **only** when **they did not stipulate with each other** that if the house sinks they will rebuild the house anew. **But if they made** such **a stipulation with each other, they must dismantle** the house **and rebuild it.**


###### Bava Batra 7a:4
[Bava Batra 7a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/7a:4)

וְכִי אַתְנוֹ בַּהֲדֵי הֲדָדֵי – עַד כַּמָּה? אָמְרוּ רַבָּנַן קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבָּה מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּמָר זוּטְרָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב נַחְמָן, דְּאָמַר מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב נַחְמָן, כְּאוֹתָהּ שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ: רוּמוֹ – כַּחֲצִי אׇרְכּוֹ וְכַחֲצִי רׇחְבּוֹ. אֲמַר לְהוּ רַבָּה, לָאו אָמֵינָא לְכוּ: לָא תִּיתְלוֹ בֵּיהּ בּוּקֵי סְרִיקֵי בְּרַב נַחְמָן?! הָכִי אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: כִּי דְּדָיְירִי אִינָשֵׁי. וְכַמָּה? אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: כִּי הֵיכִי דְּעָיְילִי אִיסּוּרְיָתָא דְמָחוֹזָא, וְהָדַר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And if they made** such **a stipulation with each other, to what extent** must the ceiling of the lower story drop before they implement the stipulation? **The Sages said before Rabba in the name of Mar Zutra, son of Rav Naḥman, who said in the name of Rav Naḥman: Like that which we learned** in a mishna (98b): If one takes upon himself to build a house for another person, without stipulating its dimensions, **its height** must be equal to the sum of **half its length and half its width. Rabba said to them: Did I not tell you not to hang empty pitchers on Rav Naḥman,** meaning not to attribute foolish opinions to him? Rather, **this is what Rav Naḥman said: As people normally live,** and no more. **And how much** space is that? **Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, said:** The ceiling of the lower story must be high enough **so that one could bring in bundles** of reeds **of** the type made in **Meḥoza and** be able to **turn around.**


###### Bava Batra 7a:5
[Bava Batra 7a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/7a:5)

הָהוּא גַּבְרָא דַּהֲוָה בָּנֵי אֲשִׁיתָא אֲחוֹרֵי כַּוֵּוי דְּחַבְרֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ: קָא מַאַפְלַתְּ עֲלַי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: סָכַרְנָא לָךְ הָכָא, וְעָבֵידְנָא לָךְ כַּוֵּוי לְעֵיל מֵאֲשִׁיתַאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: קָא מַרַעְתְּ לֵיהּ לַאֲשִׁיתַאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: סָתַרְנָא לָךְ לַאֲשִׁיתָךְ עַד דּוּכְתָּא דְכַוֵּוי, וּבָנֵינָא לַהּ, וְעָבֵידְנָא לָךְ כַּוֵּוי בְּבִנְיָנָא – לְעֵיל מֵאֲשִׁיתַאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֲשִׁיתָא מִתַּתָּאָה עַתִּיקָא, וּמִלְּעֵיל חַדְתָּא – לָא קָיְימָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It is further related that **a certain man built a wall outside the windows of his neighbor.** The neighbor **said to him: You are** blocking the light with your wall and **darkening my** house. The one who built the wall **said to him: I will seal** your windows **here and make** new **windows for you** in your wall **above the wall** that I am building. The neighbor **said to him:** By doing so **you will damage my wall.** The one who built the wall **said to him: I will demolish your wall until the level of the windows and rebuild it, and** then **I will make windows for you in** the new part of **the building above my wall.** The neighbor **said to him: A wall that is old at the bottom and new at the top will not endure.**


###### Bava Batra 7a:6
[Bava Batra 7a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/7a:6)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: סָתַרְנָא לַהּ עַד לְאַרְעָא, וּבָנֵינָא לַהּ, וְעָבֵידְנָא לָךְ כַּוֵּוי בְּגַוַּהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חֲדָא אֲשִׁיתָא חַדְתָּא בְּכוּלֵּיהּ בֵּיתָא עַתִּיקָא, לָא קָיְימָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ: סָתַרְנָא לַהּ לְכוּלֵּיהּ בֵּיתָא, וּבָנֵינָא לָךְ כַּוֵּוי בְּבִנְיָנָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לֵית לִי דּוּכְתָּא לְמֵידַר בַּהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אָגַירְנָא לָךְ דּוּכְתָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לָא טָרַחְנָא. אָמַר רַב חָמָא: בְּדִין קָא מְעַכֵּב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The one who built the wall **said to him: I will demolish** the wall **until the ground and** entirely **rebuild it, and** then **I will make windows for you in it** above my wall. The neighbor **said to him: One new wall in an old house will not endure.** The one who built the wall **said to him: I will demolish your entire house and put windows in the** new **building** that I will erect in its place. The neighbor **said to him:** But in the meantime **I will have no place to live.** The one who built the wall **said to him: I will rent a place for you** to live. The neighbor **said to him: I do not** want **to bother** with moving. **Rav Ḥama said: By law,** the neighbor **can prevent** him from building the wall.


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

הַיְינוּ הָךְ – וְהָא תּוּ לְמָה לִי? הָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן – דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא מִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ אֶלָּא תִּיבְנָא וּבֵי צִיבֵי בְּעָלְמָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **This** case **is** identical to **that** case; this case is very similar to the previous case of the owner of the upper story who can prevent the owner of the lower story from rebuilding. **Why do I** need **this additional** case? The Gemara answers: **This teaches us that even if he uses** the house **only for** storing **straw and wood,** he can still maintain that blocking the light causes him damage and can prevent the neighbor from erecting the wall.


###### Bava Batra 7a:8
[Bava Batra 7a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/7a:8)

הָנְהוּ בֵּי תְרֵי אַחֵי דְּפָלְגִי בַּהֲדֵי הֲדָדֵי; חַד מַטְיֵיהּ אִסְפְּלִידָא, וְחַד מַטְיֵיהּ תַּרְבִּיצָא. אֲזַל הָהוּא דְּמַטְיֵיהּ תַּרְבִּיצָא, וְקָא בָנֵי אֲשִׁיתָא אַפּוּמָּא דְאִסְפְּלִידָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: קָא מַאַפְלַתְּ עֲלַי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּדִידִי קָא בָנֵינָא. אָמַר רַב חָמָא: בְּדִין קָאָמַר לֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara further relates: **There were two brothers who divided** their father’s estate **between them. One received a hall [*aspelida*]** in his share **and one received a garden. The one who received the garden went and built a wall in front of the opening of the hall.** His brother **said to him: You are** blocking the light with your wall and **darkening my** house. The one who received the garden **said to him: I am building on my** property. **Rav Ḥama said: By right he said** that **to him,** as it is permitted for him to build there.


###### Bava Batra 7a:9
[Bava Batra 7a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/7a:9)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבִינָא לְרַב אָשֵׁי, מַאי שְׁנָא מֵהָא דְּתַנְיָא: שְׁנֵי אַחִין שֶׁחָלְקוּ, אֶחָד מֵהֶן נָטַל שְׂדֵה כֶרֶם וְאֶחָד מֵהֶן נָטַל שְׂדֵה לָבָן – יֵשׁ לוֹ לְבַעַל הַכֶּרֶם אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת בִּשְׂדֵה לָבָן, שֶׁעַל מְנָת כֵּן חָלְקוּ?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Ravina said to Rav Ashi:** In **what** way **is** this **different from that which is taught** in a *baraita*: If **two brothers divided** their father’s estate between them, **one of them taking a vineyard and** the other **one taking a grain field, the owner of the vineyard has** the right to an area **four cubits** wide **in the grain field** for the purpose of working the vineyard, **since it was on that condition** that **they divided** the estate. Why in this case does the owner of the hall not have the right to make use of the light coming in from the garden?


###### Bava Batra 7a:10
[Bava Batra 7a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/7a:10)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הָתָם דְּעַלּוּ לַהֲדָדֵי. אֲבָל הָכָא – מַאי, דְּלָא עַלּוּ לַהֲדָדֵי? וְכִי בְּשׁוּפְטָנֵי עָסְקִינַן – דְּהַאי שָׁקֵיל אִסְפְּלִידָא וְהַאי שָׁקֵיל תַּרְבִּיצָא, וְלָא עַלּוּ לַהֲדָדֵי?! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: נְהִי דְּעַלּוּ לַהֲדָדֵי דְּמֵי לִיבְנֵי, כְּשׁוּרֵי וְהוּדְרֵי; דְּמֵי אַוֵּירָא לָא עַלּוּ לַהֲדָדֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rav Ashi **said to him: There,** the reason is that **they made an assessment with each other** with regard to the value of the fields, arranging for compensation if one received more than the other, and they took the work area into account. Ravina asked: **But what** did they do **here? Did they not make an assessment with each other? Are we dealing with fools, that this one took the** valuable **hall and the** other **one took** the much less valuable **garden without making an assessment with each other? Rav Ashi said to him: Although they assessed with each other the value of the bricks, the beams, and the boards, they did not assess with each other the value of the airspace.** With regard to that, each one retained full rights to his respective airspace.


###### Bava Batra 7a:11
[Bava Batra 7a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/7a:11)

וְלֵימָא לֵיהּ: מֵעִיקָּרָא אִסְפְּלִידָא פְּלַגְתְּ לִי, הַשְׁתָּא מְשַׁוֵּית לִי אִידְּרוֹנָא! אָמַר רַב שִׁימִי בַּר אָשֵׁי: שְׁמָא בְּעָלְמָא פְּלַג לֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara says: **And let** the one who received the hall **say to** the other: **Initially, you gave me** a well-lit **hall; now you are making it** into **a small** dark **room [*idrona*]. Rav Shimi bar Ashi said: He gave him only** a place that is called a hall **by name,** that is, a place that is called a hall even though it is no longer used that way.


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

מִי לָא תַּנְיָא, הָאוֹמֵר: ״בֵּית כּוֹר עָפָר אֲנִי מוֹכֵר לָךְ״, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לֶתֶךְ – הִגִּיעוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא מָכַר לוֹ אֶלָּא שְׁמָא; וְהוּא דְּמִיתְקְרֵי ״בֵּית כּוֹר״. ״פַּרְדֵּס אֲנִי מוֹכֵר לָךְ״, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ רִמּוֹנִים – הִגִּיעוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא מָכַר לוֹ אֶלָּא שְׁמָא; וְהוּא דְּמִיתְקְרֵי ״פַּרְדֵּס״. ״כֶּרֶם אֲנִי מוֹכֵר לָךְ״, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ גְּפָנִים – הִגִּיעוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא מָכַר לוֹ אֶלָּא שְׁמָא; וְהוּא דְּמִיתְקְרֵי ״כַּרְמָא״?!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rav Ashi continues: **Isn’t it taught** in a *baraita*: In the case of **one who says** to another: **I am selling you a *beit kor* of dirt, it becomes his even if it is only a *letekh*,** i.e., a half-*kor*, and the sale is not void, **because he sold him only** a place that is called a *beit kor* **by name.** The Gemara comments: **And this** ruling applies only as long as the land he is selling him **is** actually **called a *beit kor*.** Similarly, if he says to him: **I am selling you an orchard, it becomes his even if it lacks pomegranates, because he sold him only** a place that is called an orchard **by name.** The Gemara comments: **And this** applies only as long as the land he is selling **is** actually **called an orchard.** And similarly, if he says to him: **I am selling you a vineyard, it becomes his even if it lacks grapevines, because he sold him only** a place that is called a vineyard **by name.** The Gemara comments: **And this** applies only as long as the land he is selling **is** actually **called a vineyard.**


###### Bava Batra 7a:13
[Bava Batra 7a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/7a:13)

מִי דָּמֵי?! הָתָם, מָצֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ מוֹכֵר לְלוֹקֵחַ: שְׁמָא זַבֵּינִי לָךְ; הָכָא, מָצֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַדַּעְתָּא דְּהָכִי פְּלַגִי – דְּדָאֵירְנָא בֵּיהּ כִּי הֵיכִי דְּדָרוּ אֲבָהָתַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this argument: **Are these** cases **comparable? There, the seller can say to the buyer: I sold you** only a place that is called that **by name; here,** the one who received the hall **can say to** his brother: **I took** this portion **as my share on condition that I would live there the way our fathers lived** there, and that you would not change that by blocking the light entering through the windows.


###### Bava Batra 7a:14
[Bava Batra 7a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/7a:14)

אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to Rav Ḥama’s ruling that it is permitted for the brother who received the garden to build a wall in front of the hall, **they said to him,**