## Bava Batra Daf 89b

###### Bava Batra 89b:1
[Bava Batra 89b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/89b:1)

אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: דִּיגָרוֹמֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Pappa says:** It is a balance scale **for blacksmiths,** who weigh heavy pieces of metal.


###### Bava Batra 89b:2
[Bava Batra 89b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/89b:2)

אָמַר רַבִּי מָנִי בַּר פַּטִּישׁ: כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאָמְרוּ לְעִנְיַן אִיסּוּרָן, כָּךְ אָמְרוּ לְעִנְיַן טוּמְאָתָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Mani Bar Pattish says: Just as** the Sages **said with regard to the prohibition of** the scales that one may not use a scale that does not meet the criteria listed in the *baraita*, **so** too **they said** that this applies **with regard to their ritual impurity.** In other words, if the cords and pole are not attached in the proper manner, they are not susceptible to ritual impurity as part of the scale.


###### Bava Batra 89b:3
[Bava Batra 89b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/89b:3)

מַאי קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן? תְּנֵינָא: חוּט מֹאזְנַיִם שֶׁל חֶנְוָנִי וְשֶׁל בַּעֲלֵי בָתִּים – טֶפַח! קָנֶה וּמִתְנָא שֶׁלָּהּ אִיצְטְרִיכָא לֵיהּ, דְּלָא תְּנַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What is** this statement **teaching us? We learned** in a mishna (*Kelim* 29:5): With regard to the **rope** from which the **scales** are suspended, if the balance scale belongs **to a storekeeper or to homeowners** it must be **one handbreadth** in length for it to be susceptible to ritual impurity. Why, then, is the statement of Rabbi Mani Bar Pattish necessary? The Gemara answers: Although the mishna in tractate *Kelim* discusses the rope from which the scales are suspended, **it was** still **necessary for** Rabbi Mani Bar Pattish to mention the *halakha* with regard to the scale’s **lever and cord, which we did not learn about** in that mishna.


###### Bava Batra 89b:4
[Bava Batra 89b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/89b:4)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אֵין עוֹשִׂין מִשְׁקָלוֹת – לֹא שֶׁל בַּעַץ, וְלֹא שֶׁל אֲבָר, וְלֹא שֶׁל גִּיסְטְרוֹן, וְלֹא שֶׁל שְׁאָר מִינֵי מַתָּכוֹת. אֲבָל עוֹשֶׂה הוּא שֶׁל צוּנְמָא וְשֶׁל זְכוּכִית.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught: One may not prepare weights of tin [*ba’atz*], nor of lead, nor of a metal alloy [*gisteron*], nor of any other types of metal,** because all of these deteriorate over time and the buyer will ultimately pay for more merchandise than he receives. **But one** may **prepare** weights **of** hard **rock and of glass.**


###### Bava Batra 89b:5
[Bava Batra 89b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/89b:5)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אֵין עוֹשִׂין הַמֶּחָק שֶׁל דְּלַעַת – מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא קַל, וְלֹא שֶׁל מַתֶּכֶת – מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מַכְבִּיד. אֲבָל עוֹשֵׂהוּ שֶׁל זַיִת וְשֶׁל אֱגוֹז, שֶׁל שִׁקְמָה וְשֶׁל אֶשְׁבְּרוֹעַ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Sages** further **taught: One may not prepare the leveler,** used to remove the excess from the mouth of a vessel, **from a gourd, because it is a light** material and does not level effectively, thereby causing a loss for the seller. **And** it may **not** be made **of metal, because it weighs down** and removes too much of the merchandise, leading to a loss for the buyer. **But one** may **prepare it from** the wood **of an olive** tree, **or of a nut** tree, or **of a sycamore** tree, **or of a boxwood** tree, which are of medium weight.


###### Bava Batra 89b:6
[Bava Batra 89b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/89b:6)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אֵין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הַמֶּחָק צִדּוֹ אֶחָד עָב וְצִדּוֹ אֶחָד קָצָר. לֹא יִמְחוֹק בְּבַת אַחַת, שֶׁהַמּוֹחֵק בְּבַת אַחַת – רַע לַמּוֹכֵר וְיָפֶה לַלּוֹקֵחַ; וְלֹא יִמְחוֹק מְעַט מְעַט – שֶׁרַע לַלּוֹקֵחַ וְיָפֶה לַמּוֹכֵר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Sages taught: One may not prepare the leveler** in such a manner that **one of its sides is thick and one** other **side is thin,** because in such a case the two sides will not level equally. Furthermore, **one may not level all at once,** by a single quick movement, **as one who levels all at once** acts in a manner that is **bad for the seller and good for the buyer,** because he removes less of the excess than one who levels in the regular fashion. **And** conversely **one may not level little by little,** i.e., with several slow movements, **as** this is **bad for the buyer and good for the seller.**


###### Bava Batra 89b:7
[Bava Batra 89b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/89b:7)

עַל כּוּלָּן אָמַר רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי: אוֹי לִי אִם אוֹמַר, אוֹי לִי אִם לֹא אוֹמַר; אִם אוֹמַר – שֶׁמָּא יִלְמְדוּ הָרַמָּאִין, וְאִם לֹא אוֹמַר – שֶׁמָּא יֹאמְרוּ הָרַמָּאִין: אֵין תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים בְּקִיאִין בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ. אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ: אַמְרַהּ, אוֹ לָא אַמְרַהּ? אֲמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב יִצְחָק: אַמְרַהּ – וּמֵהַאי קְרָא אַמְרַהּ: ״כִּי יְשָׁרִים דַּרְכֵי ה׳, וְצַדִּקִים יֵלְכוּ בָם, וּפֹשְׁעִים יִכָּשְׁלוּ בָם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said with regard to all** these *halakhot*: **Woe to me if I say** them, and **woe unto me if I do not say** them. **If I say** them, **perhaps swindlers will learn** new methods of cheating of which they were previously unaware. **And if I do not say** them, **perhaps swindlers will say: Torah scholars are not well versed in our handiwork. A dilemma was raised before** the Sages: **Did** Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai decide to **say** these *halakhot* in public **or did he not say** them? **Rav Shmuel bar Rav Yitzḥak says: He said them, and he said them on** the basis of **this verse: “For the ways of the Lord are right, and the just walk in them; but transgressors stumble over them”** (Hosea 14:10).


###### Bava Batra 89b:8
[Bava Batra 89b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/89b:8)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ עָוֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּט; בַּמִּדָּה, בַּמִּשְׁקָל וּבַמְּשׂוּרָה״; ״בַּמִּדָּה״ – זוֹ מְדִידַת קַרְקַע, שֶׁלֹּא יִמְדּוֹד לְאֶחָד בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה וּלְאֶחָד בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים. ״בַּמִּשְׁקָל״ – שֶׁלֹּא יַטְמִין מִשְׁקְלוֹתָיו בְּמֶלַח. ״בַּמְּשׂוּרָה״ – שֶׁלֹּא יַרְתִּיחַ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara further discusses weights and measures. **The Sages taught: “You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measure [*bammidda*], in weight, or in measure [*uvamesura*]”** (Leviticus 19:35). The *baraita* defines these terms: **“In measure [*bammidda*],” this** is referring to **measuring land,** teaching **that** in order to measure land in a just manner **one may not measure for one** person **in the summer** when the measuring rope has become dry and short, **and for one** other individual **in the rainy season,** when the measuring rope is wet and limp, and therefore stretches more. **“In weight”** means **that one may not cover his weights in salt,** as salt erodes the weights, causing a loss for the buyer. **“Or in measure [*bamesura*]”** means **that one may not cause** liquid he is measuring **to foam** by pouring it speedily, as this results in a loss for the buyer, who receives less of the liquid than the amount for which he paid.


###### Bava Batra 89b:9
[Bava Batra 89b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/89b:9)

וְקַל וָחוֹמֶר – וּמָה מְשׂוּרָה, שֶׁהִיא אֶחָד מִשְּׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה בַּלּוֹג – הִקְפִּידָה עָלָיו תּוֹרָה; קַל וָחוֹמֶר לְהִין, וַחֲצִי הִין, וּשְׁלִישִׁית הַהִין, וּרְבִיעִית הַהִין; וְלוֹג, וַחֲצִי לוֹג, וּרְבִיעִית, וַחֲצִי תּוֹמֶן, וְעוּכְלָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara notes: **And** it can be inferred by means of an ***a fortiori*** inference **that if** in the case of **a *mesura*, which is** a measure equivalent to merely **one thirty-sixth of a *log*, the Torah was particular that** one must measure honestly, so too, ***a fortiori*,** one must be careful in the case **of one *hin*, and a half-*hin*, and a third-*hin*, and a quarter-*hin*,** which is twelve *log*, **and one *log*, and a half-*log*, and a quarter-*log***, **and a half-*tomen*,** i.e., one-sixteenth of a *kav*, **and** even **an *ukla*,** a smaller unit, as defined below.


###### Bava Batra 89b:10
[Bava Batra 89b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/89b:10)

אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: אָסוּר לָאָדָם שֶׁיַּשְׁהֶה מִדָּה חֲסֵרָה אוֹ יְתֵרָה בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ, וַאֲפִילּוּ הִיא עָבִיט שֶׁל מֵימֵי רַגְלַיִם. אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: לָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא בְּאַתְרָא דְּלָא חֲתִימִי, אֲבָל בְּאַתְרָא דַּחֲתִימִי – אִי לָא חָזֵי חֲתִימָה לָא שָׁקֵיל. וּבְאַתְרָא דְּלָא חֲתִימִי נָמֵי לָא אֲמַרַן – אֶלָּא דְּלָא מְהַנְדְּסִי, אֲבָל מְהַנְדְּסִי – לֵית לַן בַּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Yehuda says** that **Rav says: It is prohibited for a person to keep in his house a measure** that is **too small or too large** relative to its supposed volume or weight, **and** this is the case **even** if he does not measure with it but simply uses **it** as **a chamber pot for urine. Rav Pappa said: We said** this prohibition **only with regard to a place where** measures **are not stamped** with the government’s seal, which confirms that the measure is accurate. **But in a place where** the measures **are stamped, if** the buyer **does not see the seal he would not take** the merchandise. Since they could not be used dishonestly, one is permitted to utilize these measures for other purposes. **And in a place where** measures **are not stamped as well, we said** that it is prohibited to keep these measures in one’s house **only** in a place **where they do not inspect** measures to see if they are fit for use. **But** if **they do inspect** measures, **we have no** problem **with it.**


###### Bava Batra 89b:11
[Bava Batra 89b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Batra/r/89b:11)

וְלָא הִיא; זִימְנִין דְּמִיקְּרֵי בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת, וּמִיקְּרֵי וְשָׁקֵיל. תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי: לֹא יַשְׁהֶה אָדָם מִדָּה חֲסֵרָה אוֹ יְתֵרָה בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ, וַאֲפִילּוּ הִיא עָבִיט שֶׁל מֵימֵי רַגְלַיִם. אֲבָל עוֹשֶׂה הוּא סְאָה, תַּרְקַב, וַחֲצִי תַּרְקַב, וְקַב, וַחֲצִי קַב, וְרוֹבַע, וְתוֹמֶן, וַחֲצִי תּוֹמֶן,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara comments: **And** that **is not so;** one is never permitted to keep incorrect measures in his house, as **sometimes it happens** that one measures **at twilight,** when people are hurried, **and** consequently **it happens** that the buyer **takes** the merchandise despite the fact that it was measured with an incorrect measure. **This is also taught** in a *baraita*: **A person may not keep in his house a measure** that is **too small or too large, even** if **it** is used as **a chamber pot for urine. But he** may **prepare** measures in accordance with the established format: Measurements of **a *se’a*; a *tarkav*,** which is three *kav* or one-half of a *se’a*; **and a half-*tarkav*,** which is one and one-half *kav*; **and a *kav*; and a half-*kav*; and a quarter-*kav***; **and a *tomen*,** which is one-eighth of a *kav*; **and a half-*tomen*;**