## Bava Batra Daf 81b

###### Bava Batra 81b:1
[Bava Batra 81b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/81b:1)

מַאי טַעְמָא דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר בְּאִילָן אֶחָד, וּמַאי טַעְמָא דְּרַבָּנַן בִּשְׁנֵי אִילָנוֹת? אָמַר לוֹ: דָּבָר שֶׁהָרִאשׁוֹנִים לֹא אָמְרוּ בּוֹ טַעַם, תִּשְׁאָלֵנִי בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ כְּדֵי לְבַיְּישֵׁנִי?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**What is the rationale of Rabbi Meir** that **in** the case of **one tree,** an individual is obligated to bring first fruits but does not recite the passage, **and what is the rationale of the Rabbis** that **in** the case of **two trees,** an individual is obligated to bring the first fruits but does not recite the passage? If one owns the ground and is obligated to bring the first fruits to the Temple, he should also recite the passage of thanks. If he does not own the ground and therefore is not obligated to recite the passage, why does he bring the first fruits to the Temple? Rabbi Elazar **said to** Rabbi Shimon ben Elyakim: **Do you ask me** publicly, **in the study hall,** about **a matter for which the early** Sages **did not give a reason, in order to embarrass me?** In other words, I do not know the reason, as not even the early Sages explained this matter.


###### Bava Batra 81b:2
[Bava Batra 81b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/81b:2)

אָמַר רַבָּה: מַאי קוּשְׁיָא? דִּלְמָא רַבִּי מֵאִיר בְּאִילָן אֶחָד סַפּוֹקֵי מְסַפְּקָא לֵיהּ, וְרַבָּנַן בִּשְׁנֵי אִילָנוֹת סַפּוֹקֵי מְסַפְּקָא לְהוּ!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabba said: What is the difficulty? Perhaps Rabbi Meir is uncertain, in** the case of an individual who purchases **one tree,** whether or not the buyer owns the ground, **and the Rabbis are uncertain, in** the case of an individual who purchases **two trees,** whether or not the buyer owns the ground. Due to this uncertainty, the owner of the tree must bring the first fruits to the Temple, as he might be obligated in this mitzva. He does not recite the passage of thanks because it is not definitely established that he is obligated to bring the fruits.


###### Bava Batra 81b:3
[Bava Batra 81b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/81b:3)

וּמִי מְסַפְּקָא לֵיהּ? וְהָא קָתָנֵי: לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא קָנָה קַרְקַע, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר! אֵימָא: שֶׁמָּא לֹא קָנָה קַרְקַע.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And is** Rabbi Meir really **uncertain** whether the buyer owns the ground? **But it teaches: Since he did not acquire** any **land;** this is **the statement of Rabbi Meir.** Rabbi Meir states definitively that the owner of the tree does not own the ground. The Gemara answers: **Say** that the *baraita* should be emended as follows: **Perhaps he did not acquire** any **land.**


###### Bava Batra 81b:4
[Bava Batra 81b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/81b:4)

וְלֵיחוּשׁ דְּדִלְמָא לָאו בִּיכּוּרִים נִינְהוּ, וְקָא מְעַיֵּיל חוּלִּין לָעֲזָרָה! דְּמַקְדֵּישׁ לְהוּ. וְהָא בָּעֵי מֵיכְלִינְהוּ! דְּפָרֵיק לְהוּ. וְדִלְמָא לָאו בִּכּוּרִים נִינְהוּ, וְקָא מַפְקַע לְהוּ מִתְּרוּמָה וּמַעֲשֵׂר! דְּמַפְרֵישׁ לְהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But let us be concerned that perhaps** these fruits **are not first fruits, and he is bringing non-sacred** fruit **to the** Temple **courtyard,** which is prohibited. The Gemara answers: The case is **where he consecrates them.** The Gemara asks: **But** the priest **is required to eat** first fruits, and he cannot do so if they are consecrated. The Gemara answers: The case is **where** the priest **redeems them.** The Gemara asks: **But perhaps they are not first fruits, and** thereby **he removes them from** the obligation of ***teruma* and tithes,** as one does not separate *teruma* and tithes from first fruits. The Gemara answers: The case is **where he separates** *teruma* and tithes from the fruits, due to the uncertainty over their status.


###### Bava Batra 81b:5
[Bava Batra 81b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/81b:5)

בִּשְׁלָמָא תְּרוּמָה גְּדוֹלָה – יָהֵיב לַהּ לְכֹהֵן, מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי נָמֵי – יָהֵיב לֵיהּ לְכֹהֵן, מַעְשַׂר עָנִי נָמֵי – יָהֵיב לֵיהּ לְכֹהֵן עָנִי, אֶלָּא מַעֲשֵׂר רִאשׁוֹן – דְּלֵוִי הוּא! לְמַאן יָהֵיב לֵיהּ?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **Granted,** the ***teruma gedola*** that he separates from these fruits **he gives to a priest,** and the priest may partake of it, as it has the halakhic status of either first fruits or *teruma gedola*, both of which are eaten by a priest. It is understood with regard to the **second tithe as well; he gives it to a priest,** who eats it in Jerusalem, either as first fruits or as second tithe. If it is the third or the sixth year of the Sabbatical cycle, when instead of second tithe one is obligated to give the **poor man’s tithe,** here **too, he gives it to a poor priest,** who eats it as either first fruits or poor man’s tithe. **But** with regard to **first tithe, which is** given to **a Levite, to whom can he give it?** A Levite may not eat first fruits.


###### Bava Batra 81b:6
[Bava Batra 81b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/81b:6)

דְּיָהֵיב לֵיהּ לְכֹהֵן, כְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה – דְּתַנְיָא: תְּרוּמָה גְּדוֹלָה לְכֹהֵן, מַעֲשֵׂר רִאשׁוֹן לְלֵוִי, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה אוֹמֵר: מַעֲשֵׂר רִאשׁוֹן אַף לְכֹהֵן. וְדִלְמָא בִּכּוּרִים נִינְהוּ, וּבָעוּ קְרִיָּיהּ! קְרִיָּיהּ לֹא מְעַכֶּבֶת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: The case is **where he gives it to a priest, in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya. As it is taught** in a *baraita*: ***Teruma gedola*** is given only **to a priest,** and **first tithe** is given only **to a Levite;** this is **the statement of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya says: First tithe** may **also** be given **to a priest.** The Gemara asks: **But perhaps they are** in fact **first fruits and require recitation** of the passage of thanks, and yet the owner does not recite it due to the uncertainty. The Gemara answers: The **recitation** is **not indispensable,** i.e., one can perform the mitzva of bringing first fruits without the recitation.


###### Bava Batra 81b:7
[Bava Batra 81b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/81b:7)

וְלָא?! וְהָאָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא: כׇּל הָרָאוּי לְבִילָּה, אֵין בִּילָּה מְעַכֶּבֶת בּוֹ; וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְבִילָּה, בִּילָּה מְעַכֶּבֶת בּוֹ!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And** is the recitation **not** indispensable? **But doesn’t Rabbi Zeira say** in the context of offerings: For **any** measure of flour **that** is **suitable for mixing** with oil in a meal-offering, the lack of **mixing does not invalidate** the meal-offering. Even though there is a mitzva to mix the oil and the flour *ab initio*, the meal-offering is fit for sacrifice even if the oil and the flour are not mixed. **And** for **any** measure of flour **that** is **not suitable for mixing** with oil in a meal-offering, the lack of **mixing invalidates** the meal-offering. The principle is: *Ab initio* requirements prevent the fulfillment of a mitzva in situations where they are not merely absent but impossible. Accordingly, first fruits that are unfit for recitation should not be brought to the Temple.


###### Bava Batra 81b:8
[Bava Batra 81b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/81b:8)

דְּעָבֵיד לְהוּ כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲנִינָא, דְּאָמַר: בְּצָרָן וְשִׁגְּרָן בְּיַד שָׁלִיחַ, וּמֵת שָׁלִיחַ בַּדֶּרֶךְ – מֵבִיא וְאֵינוֹ קוֹרֵא. מַאי טַעְמָא? דִּכְתִיב: ״וְלָקַחְתָּ וְהֵבֵאתָ״ –

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: The case is **where he renders them** exempt from the obligation of recitation, **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina, who says:** If one **harvested** the fruits **and sent them in the possession of an agent, and** the **agent died on the way,** the owner or any other person **brings** the first fruits **but does not recite** the passage of thanks. **What is the reason? As it is written: And you shall take, and you shall bring.** The Gemara is citing from the following verse with a slight variation: “And you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you shall bring in from your land that the Lord your God gives you” (Deuteronomy 26:2).