## Bava Kamma Daf 38b

###### Bava Kamma 38b:1
[Bava Kamma 38b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/38b:1)

מוֹאָבִים עַצְמָן לֹא כׇּל שֶׁכֵּן?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
with regard to the **Moabites themselves,** is it **not** clear **all the more so** that they should be attacked?


###### Bava Kamma 38b:2
[Bava Kamma 38b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/38b:2)

אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: לֹא כְּשֶׁעָלְתָה עַל דַּעְתְּךָ עָלְתָה עַל דַּעְתִּי, שְׁתֵּי פְּרִידוֹת טוֹבוֹת יֵשׁ לִי לְהוֹצִיא מֵהֶן – רוּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּה וְנַעֲמָה הָעַמּוֹנִית.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
To counter this, **the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him: That which has entered your mind has not entered Mine,** because **I have two virtuous fledglings [*feridot*],** i.e., girls, **to extract from them: Ruth the Moabite,** who will be the foremother of the dynasty of David, **and Naamah the Ammonite,** Solomon’s wife, from whom the continuation of that dynasty will emerge. For the sake of these women, the Moabites and Ammonites must not be destroyed.


###### Bava Kamma 38b:3
[Bava Kamma 38b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/38b:3)

וַהֲלֹא דְּבָרִים קַל וָחוֹמֶר, וּמָה בִּשְׁבִיל שְׁתֵּי פְּרִידוֹת טוֹבוֹת – חָס הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל שְׁתֵּי אוּמּוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת וְלֹא הֶחֱרִיבָן; בִּתּוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי – אִם כְּשֵׁרָה הִיא וּרְאוּיָה הִיא לָצֵאת מִמֶּנָּה דָּבָר טוֹב, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה דַּהֲוָה חַיָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Ulla continued: **And are** these **matters not** inferred ***a fortiori*? If for the sake of two virtuous fledglings the Holy One, Blessed be He, had pity on two large nations and did not destroy them,** then **if the daughter of my teacher,** Rav Shmuel bar Yehuda, **was righteous, and she had** the **potential for something good to emerge from her,** it is **all the more so** clear **that she would have lived.**


###### Bava Kamma 38b:4
[Bava Kamma 38b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/38b:4)

אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְקַפֵּחַ שְׂכַר כׇּל בְּרִיָּה, אֲפִילּוּ שְׂכַר שִׂיחָה נָאָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ Having mentioned the Moabites and Ammonites, the Gemara cites that **Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan says: The Holy One, Blessed be He, does not deprive any creature of** its **reward.** He rewards every person for his good deeds, and provides **reward even for** using **pleasant speech** by using euphemisms.


###### Bava Kamma 38b:5
[Bava Kamma 38b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/38b:5)

דְּאִילּוּ בְּכִירָה דְּקָאָמְרָה ״מוֹאָב״, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה ״אַל תָּצַר אֶת מוֹאָב וְאַל תִּתְגָּר בָם מִלְחָמָה״ – מִלְחָמָה הוּא דְּלָא, הָא אַנְגַּרְיָא עֲבֵיד בְּהוּ;

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**As** with regard to the descendants of the **elder** of the two daughters of Lot, **who said** that the name of her son, whom she conceived with her father, would be **Moab,** meaning: From father, **the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: “Do not be at enmity with Moab, neither contend with them in battle,”** indicating that **specifically** a full-fledged **battle was not** authorized **but** that the Jewish people could **impose forced labor [*angarya*] on them.**


###### Bava Kamma 38b:6
[Bava Kamma 38b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/38b:6)

צְעִירָה דְּקָאָמְרָה ״בֶּן עַמִּי״, אֲמַר לֵיהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה: ״וְקָרַבְתָּ מוּל בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן, אַל תְּצֻרֵם וְאַל תִּתְגָּר בָּם״ – כְּלָל, דַּאֲפִילּוּ אַנְגַּרְיָא לָא תַּעֲבֵיד בְּהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
By contrast, with regard to the descendants of the **younger** daughter, **who said** her son’s name would be **ben Ami,** meaning: Son of my nation, merely alluding to the fact she conceived him through an incestuous union, **the Holy One, Blessed be He said to Moses: “And when you come near against the children of Ammon, do not harass them, nor contend with them”** (Deuteronomy 2:19). In other words, do not contend with them **at all; do not even impose forced labor on them.** This additional prohibition was a reward for her employing a euphemism when naming her son.


###### Bava Kamma 38b:7
[Bava Kamma 38b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/38b:7)

וְאָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קׇרְחָה: לְעוֹלָם יַקְדִּים אָדָם לִדְבַר מִצְוָה, שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל לַיְלָה אַחַת שֶׁקְּדָמַתָּה בְּכִירָה לִצְעִירָה – קְדָמַתָּה אַרְבַּע דּוֹרוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: עוֹבֵד, יִשַׁי, וְדָוִד, וּשְׁלֹמֹה; וְאִילּוּ צְעִירָה – עַד רְחַבְעָם, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ נַעֲמָה הָעַמֹּנִית״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** with regard to the daughters of Lot, **Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says** that **Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa says: A person should always hasten to perform a mitzva, as due to** the **one night by which the elder** daughter of Lot **preceded the younger** daughter, with the intention of performing a mitzva by bringing children into the world, **she preceded her by four generations** in having her descendants enter **into the Jewish people.** They are: **Obed,** son of Ruth the Moabite, **Yishai, David, and Solomon. Whereas,** the descendants of **the younger** daughter did not join the Jewish people **until Rehoboam,** Solomon’s son, was born, **as it is written: “And his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite”** (I Kings 14:31).


###### Bava Kamma 38b:8
[Bava Kamma 38b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/38b:8)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: שׁוֹר שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנָּגַח שׁוֹר שֶׁל כּוּתִי – פָּטוּר; וְשֶׁל כּוּתִי שֶׁנָּגַח שׁוֹר שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל – תָּם מְשַׁלֵּם חֲצִי נֶזֶק, וּמוּעָד מְשַׁלֵּם נֶזֶק שָׁלֵם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught:** With regard to **the ox of a Jew that gored the ox of a Samaritan,** the owner is **exempt** from liability. **But** with regard to the ox **of a Samaritan that gored the ox of a Jew,** if the Samaritan’s ox was **innocuous he pays half** the cost of **the damage, and** if it was **forewarned, he pays the full** cost of the **damage.** Accordingly, the *halakha* with regard to Samaritans is not identical to that of a gentile, who is liable to pay the full cost of the damage even for the act of an innocuous ox.


###### Bava Kamma 38b:9
[Bava Kamma 38b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/38b:9)

רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: שׁוֹר שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנָּגַח שׁוֹר שֶׁל כּוּתִי – פָּטוּר. וְשֶׁל כּוּתִי שֶׁנָּגַח שׁוֹר שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל – בֵּין תָּם בֵּין מוּעָד מְשַׁלֵּם נֶזֶק שָׁלֵם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Meir says:** With regard to **the ox of a Jew that gored the ox of a Samaritan,** the owner of the ox is **exempt** from liability. **And** with regard to the ox **of a Samaritan that gored the ox of a Jew, whether** it was **innocuous or forewarned,** the owner **pays the full** cost of the **damage,** like a gentile.


###### Bava Kamma 38b:10
[Bava Kamma 38b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/38b:10)

לְמֵימְרָא דְּסָבַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר: כּוּתִים גֵּרֵי אֲרָיוֹת הֵן?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **Is this to say that Rabbi Meir holds** that **Samaritans are converts** who had converted due to fear **of lions,** i.e., the original conversion of the Samaritans was under duress and consequently meaningless, and therefore he assigns to them the same status as gentiles with regard to liability for damages?


###### Bava Kamma 38b:11
[Bava Kamma 38b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/38b:11)

ורְמִינְהִי: כׇּל הַכְּתָמִים הַבָּאִים מֵרְקָם – טְהוֹרִים. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה מְטַמֵּא, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן גֵּרִים וְטוֹעִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** the Gemara **raises a contradiction** to this suggestion from a mishna (*Nidda* 56b): **All bloodstained** clothes, presumably from menstrual blood, **that come from** the city of **Rekem are ritually pure,** since most of the residents there are gentiles, and the bloodstains of gentile women are not ritually impure. Nevertheless, **Rabbi Yehuda deems** them **impure because,** in his opinion, the inhabitants of Rekem **are converts who are mistaken,** i.e., they converted, and they do not observe the mitzvot because they have forgotten Judaism. He holds that since they are halakhically Jewish, their blood is ritually impure.


###### Bava Kamma 38b:12
[Bava Kamma 38b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/38b:12)

מִבֵּין הַגּוֹיִם – טְהוֹרִים. מִבֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִבֵּין הַכּוּתִים – רַבִּי מֵאִיר מְטַמֵּא; וַחֲכָמִים מְטַהֲרִין – שֶׁלֹּא נֶחְשְׁדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל כִּתְמֵיהֶן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Bloodstained clothes that come **from among gentiles** are considered **pure.** With regard to bloodstained clothes that come **from among Jews or from among Samaritans, Rabbi Meir deems** them **impure,** as he suspects them of not taking care to keep impure clothes out of the public domain. **And the Rabbis deem** them **pure, as Jews** and Samaritans **are not suspected of** not being careful about **their bloodstains.**


###### Bava Kamma 38b:13
[Bava Kamma 38b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/38b:13)

אַלְמָא קָסָבַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר כּוּתִים גֵּרֵי אֱמֶת הֵם!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Apparently, Rabbi Meir holds** that **Samaritans are true converts;** otherwise the *halakha* concerning them would be the same as for gentiles, whose bloodstains are not impure at all. This being the case, why does Rabbi Meir regard them as gentiles with regard to liability to pay damages?


###### Bava Kamma 38b:14
[Bava Kamma 38b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/38b:14)

אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ: קְנָס הוּא שֶׁקָּנַס רַבִּי מֵאִיר בְּמָמוֹנָם, שֶׁלֹּא יִטָּמְעוּ בָּהֶם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Abbahu says:** They are true converts, and are therefore considered Jews by Torah law inasmuch as in the event that a Jew’s ox causes damage to them, the owner of the ox is liable to pay damages, and if an innocuous ox belonging to them gores a Jew’s ox, the owner pays only half the cost of the damage. Nevertheless, **Rabbi Meir imposed a monetary fine on them,** giving them the status of gentiles, **so that** Jews **would not assimilate with them.**


###### Bava Kamma 38b:15
[Bava Kamma 38b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/38b:15)

מֵתִיב רַבִּי זֵירָא: וְאֵלּוּ נְעָרוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם קְנָס – הַבָּא עַל הַמַּמְזֶרֶת, וְעַל הַנְּתִינָה, וְעַל הַכּוּתִית. וְאִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ קָנַס רַבִּי מֵאִיר בְּמָמוֹנָם, הָכִי נָמֵי נִקְנוֹס, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִטָּמְעוּ בָּהֶן!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Zeira raises an objection** to this answer from a mishna (*Ketubot* 29a): **And these** are the cases of **young women for whom there is a fine** paid to their fathers by one who rapes them. Not only is one who rapes a Jewish young woman of unflawed lineage liable to pay this fine, but so is **one who engages in intercourse with a *mamzeret*, or with a female Gibeonite, or with a female Samaritan.** Rabbi Zeira states his objection: **And if it enters your mind that Rabbi Meir imposed a monetary fine on them** to render them like gentiles, **so too, let us fine** a female Samaritan who is raped, by rendering her ineligible to receive the fine for rape, **so that** people will not consider them regular Jews and **will not assimilate with them.**


###### Bava Kamma 38b:16
[Bava Kamma 38b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/38b:16)

אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: כְּדֵי

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Abaye said:** According to Rabbi Meir, the reason the Sages did not revoke this fine is **in order**