## Bava Kamma Daf 7b

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

אֲפִילּוּ פּוּרְתָּא נָמֵי לָא לִיסְפּוֹ לֵיהּ!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: But if that is the case, **we should not provide him with even a slight** amount of poor man’s tithe. Since his assets, based on their market value, have a high value, he is not to be classified as a poor person.


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

וְאָמַר מָר עֲלַהּ: לָא צְרִיכָא; דִּבְיוֹמֵי נִיסָן יָקְרָא אַרְעָתָא, וּבְיוֹמֵי תִּשְׁרֵי זָל אַרְעָתָא;

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And the Master,** Rabba, **said concerning this: No,** the *halakha* that he is provided with only up to half the value of his assets is **necessary** in a case where he cannot sell due to seasonal fluctuations in price. This is **because in the days** of the month **of Nisan,** which is the beginning of the harvest season, the market value of **land appreciates, and in the days** of the month **of Tishrei,** a time when the harvest had already been reaped and it is too late to prepare the land for the coming year, the market value of **land depreciates.**


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

דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא – נָטְרִי עַד נִיסָן, וּמְזַבְּנִי; וְהַאי, הוֹאִיל וְאִצְטְרִיכָא לֵיהּ זוּזֵי – זָבֵין כִּדְהַשְׁתָּא. עַד פַּלְגָא – אוֹרְחֵיהּ לְמֵיזַל, טְפֵי – לָאו אוֹרְחֵיהּ לְמֵיזַל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Consequently, **everyone** generally **waits until Nisan and sells** only at that point. **But this** person, **since he is in need of money, sells** his land in Tishrei **according to the current,** lower, market price. Accordingly, based on the current market prices, his assets have a low value and there is justification in regarding him as a poor person. Yet, since if he waited until Nisan, as everyone else does, his land would have a high value, he cannot truly be classified as a poor person. Therefore, he is permitted to take only as much poor man’s tithe as will cover his losses. The Gemara explains why he is permitted to take only up to half the value of his land: Since **it is the nature of** land **to depreciate up to half** its value, and it is **not its nature to depreciate more** than that, he is entitled to take poor man’s tithe that is worth up to half the value of his land and the rest he can supplement by selling his land at its current, lower price.


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

וְהָכָא נָמֵי גַּבֵּי נִזָּקִין – דִּינֵיהּ בְּעִידִּית;

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Abaye uses a similar distinction to resolve the contradiction he raises: **And here also, with regard to damages,** if one considers a case where the injured party comes to collect his damages during Tishrei, **his legal right** is to collect payment **from superior-quality** land. This will be a relatively large amount of land, owing to the current seasonal depreciation in its value.


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

וְאִי אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִיהוּ: הַב לִי בֵּינוֹנִית טְפֵי פּוּרְתָּא; אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִי שָׁקְלַתְּ כְּדִינָךְ – שְׁקוֹל כִּדְהַשְׁתָּא, וְאִי לָא – שְׁקֹיל כִּי יוּקְרָא דִּלְקַמֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**But if** the injured party **says to** the one liable for the damage: **Give me slightly more land of intermediate quality** instead, then the one liable for the damage **can say to him: If you** choose to **take** superior-quality land, **as is your legal right, take** a large amount **in accordance with the current** market value; **but if not,** and you wish to take intermediate-quality land, **take according to the future** value in Nisan, after it will have **appreciated,** which will mean you will be entitled to a smaller amount of land. This can be used to resolve the contradiction: The phrase “of the best of his field,” which indicates that payment is made only from superior-quality land, defines the injured party’s basic rights. The term “he shall recompense,” which indicates that payment may be made in any form, is referring to a case where the injured party forgoes his rights. In such a case the value of the land or item he agrees to receive is appraised based on its appreciated value at the season when it is generally sold.


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

מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַב אַחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב: אִם כֵּן, הוֹרַעְתָּ כֹּחָן שֶׁל נִזָּקִין אֵצֶל בֵּינוֹנִית וְזִיבּוּרִית – דְּרַחֲמָנָא אָמַר מִמֵּיטַב, וְאַתְּ אָמְרַתְּ מִבֵּינוֹנִית וְזִיבּוּרִית נָמֵי לָא!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov objects to this** suggestion: **If so, you have weakened the power of injured** parties **with regard to intermediate-quality and inferior-quality** land, as, by agreeing to receive land of a lower quality than that to which their rights entitle them, they will actually receive less land, since the land is then appraised based on the appreciated market values in Nisan. Such an opinion is untenable, **as the Merciful One states** that injured parties collect **from the best**-quality land, clearly intending to enhance their rights, **and** yet **you said** he **cannot also** collect **from intermediate-quality and inferior-quality** land unless he agrees that the land should be appraised based on the appreciated Nisan values, thereby lowering the value of his payment.


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

אֶלָּא אָמַר רַב אַחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב: אִי אִיכָּא לְדַמּוֹיֵי – לְבַעַל חוֹב מְדַמֵּינַן לֵיהּ; בַּעַל חוֹב – דִּינֵיהּ בְּבֵינוֹנִית. וְאִי אָמַר לֵיהּ: הַב לִי זִיבּוּרִית טְפֵי פּוּרְתָּא, אָמַר לֵיהּ: אִי שָׁקְלַתְּ כְּדִינָךְ – שְׁקוֹל כִּדְהַשְׁתָּא, וְאִי לָא – שְׁקֹיל כִּי יוּקְרָא דִּלְקַמֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather, Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said: If there is** a case **to compare to** Rabba’s distinction, it is not compared to a case of payment of damages, but **we can compare it to** a case of **a creditor** who comes to collect the loan during Tishrei. **His legal right is** to collect **from** the borrower’s **intermediate-quality** land, which will be a relatively large amount owing to the current seasonal depreciation in the value of land. **But if** the creditor **says to** the borrower: **Give me slightly more land of inferior quality** instead, the borrower **can say to him: If you** choose to **take** the intermediate-quality land, **as is your legal right, take** a large amount **in accordance with the current** market value, **but if not,** and you wish to take land of inferior quality, **take** it **in accordance with the future, appreciated,** market value in the month of Nisan. This would mean that the creditor would be entitled to a smaller amount of land.


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

מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַב אַחָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב אִיקָא: אִם כֵּן, נָעַלְתָּ דֶּלֶת בִּפְנֵי לֹוִין – דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ: אִילּוּ הֲווֹ לִי זוּזֵי, הֲוָה שְׁקַלִי כִּדְהַשְׁתָּא; הַשְׁתָּא דְּזוּזֵי גַּבָּךְ, אֶשְׁקוֹל כְּיוּקְרָא דִּלְקַמֵּיהּ!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Aḥa, son of Rav Ika, objects to this** suggestion: **If so, you have locked the door in the face of** potential **borrowers, as,** according to your suggestion, the creditor is in a disadvantageous position. **He can say to** the borrower: **Were I** still **to have** the **money** I lent you, **I would** be able to **purchase** a large parcel of land **in accordance with the current** depreciated market value, so why, **now that the money is with you, should I** be forced to **purchase** land **in accordance with the future, appreciated** market value of the month of Nisan? If people are penalized as a result of granting loans, they will cease to do so.


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

אֶלָּא אָמַר רַב אַחָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב אִיקָא: אִי אִיכָּא לְדַמּוֹיֵי – לִכְתוּבַּת אִשָּׁה מְדַמֵּינַן; דְּהָא כְּתוּבַּת אִשָּׁה דִּינָה בְּזִיבּוּרִית, וְאִי אָמְרָה לֵיהּ אִיהִי: הַב לִי בֵּינוֹנִית בְּצִיר פּוּרְתָּא; אָמַר לַהּ: אִי שָׁקְלַתְּ כְּדִינִךְ – שְׁקוּלִ[י] כִּדְהַשְׁתָּא, וְאִי לָא – שְׁקֻלִי כְּיוּקְרָא דִּלְקַמֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather, Rav Aḥa, son of Rav Ika, said: If there is** a case **to compare to** Rabba’s distinction, **we can compare it to** the collection of **a woman’s marriage contract** where she comes to collect it during Tishrei. **As a woman’s legal right** in **a marriage contract** is to collect payment **from** her husband’s **inferior-quality** land, which will be a relatively large amount owing to the current seasonal depreciation in the value of land. **But if she says to** her former husband: **Give me slightly less land of intermediate quality** instead, her former husband **can say to her: If you** choose to **take** the lowest-quality land, **as is your legal right, take** a large amount **in accordance with the current** market value, **but if not,** and you wish to take land of a higher quality, **take in accordance with the future appreciated** market value of the month of Nisan, which will mean you will be entitled only to a smaller amount of land.


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

מִכׇּל מָקוֹם, קַשְׁיָא!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara returns to examine the contradiction raised by Abaye: **In any case,** the original **difficulty** still remains.


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

אָמַר רָבָא: כֹּל דְּיָהֵיב לֵיהּ – מִמֵּיטַב לִיתֵּיב לֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava said: Whatever he gives** the injured party as payment **he must give him of the best** of that type. For example, even if he pays in bran he must pay with his best-quality bran, and this is the meaning of the phrase “of the best of his field.” Accordingly, the contradiction is resolved. The term “he shall recompense” indicates that payment can be given in any form, but the phrase “of the best of his field” indicates only that whichever form of payment is used, it must be of a superior quality, and not, as Abaye initially understood it, as limiting the form of payment specifically to land of superior quality.


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

וְהָא ״מֵיטַב שָׂדֵהוּ״ כְּתִיב!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But isn’t “the best of his field” written,** which suggests that the requirement to pay with one’s best land applies only when one pays with land?


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

אֶלָּא כִּי אֲתָא רַב פָּפָּא וְרַב הוּנָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ מִבֵּי רַב, פָּרְשׁוּהָ: כֹּל מִילֵּי – מֵיטַב הוּא, דְּאִי לָא מִזְדַּבַּן הָכָא – מִזְדַּבַּן בְּמָתָא אַחֲרִיתִי; לְבַר מֵאַרְעָא – דְּלִיתֵּיב לֵיהּ מִמֵּיטַב, כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלִקְפּוֹץ עֲלַהּ זָבוֹנָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather, when Rav Pappa and Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, came from Rav’s academy, they explained it** as follows: With regard to payment, **all items are** classified as property of the **best** quality, **as, if** an item **cannot be sold here, it can be sold in another city.** Since movable items are easily liquidated, they are always considered an acceptable form of payment. This is **with the exception of land,** which is not always easily sold. Therefore, the *halakha* is that the one liable for the damage **must give** the injured party payment **from his best**-quality land, which is easier to sell. This is **in order** to ensure the possibility **that a buyer will jump at** the opportunity to purchase **it,** thereby providing the injured party with the possibility of liquidating it. This resolves the contradiction. The phrase “of the best of his field” indicates that if payment is made with land it must be with superior-quality land, and the term “he shall recompense” indicates that if payment is made from movable property, anything worth money may be used.


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

בְּעָא מִינֵּיהּ רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר אַבָּא מֵאַקְרוֹנְיָא – מֵרַבִּי אַבָּא: כְּשֶׁהֵן שָׁמִין – בְּשֶׁלּוֹ הֵן שָׁמִין, אוֹ בְּשֶׁל עוֹלָם הֵן שָׁמִין?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rav Shmuel bar Abba from Akronya asked Rabbi Abba: When** the court **appraises** land to determine if it is to be classified as being of superior-quality, does **it appraise** land **based on** the quality of a property owner’s other land **or** does **it appraise** it **based on** the quality of the land in **the world** at large?


###### Bava Kamma 7b:15
[Bava Kamma 7b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/7b:15)

אַלִּיבָּא דְּרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל לָא תִּבְּעֵי לָךְ, דְּאָמַר בִּדְנִיזָּק שָׁיְימִינַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara notes: **Do not raise the dilemma in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Yishmael, as he says** that **we appraise** land **based on** the quality of land owned by the **injured** party, and therefore payment is made with land that is of a similar quality to the best-quality land of the injured party. Accordingly, it is obvious that the classification is based only on the land of the injured party.


###### Bava Kamma 7b:16
[Bava Kamma 7b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/7b:16)

כִּי תִּבְּעֵי לָךְ אַלִּיבָּא דְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא – דְּאָמַר בִּדְמַזִּיק שָׁיְימִינַן,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**When you raise this dilemma,** it is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Akiva, who says** that **we appraise** land **based on** the quality of land owned by **the one liable for the damage,** and he pays with his superior-quality land even if its quality exceeds that of any of the injured party’s land. Consequently, according to Rabbi Akiva it is appropriate to ask whether the appraisal is based only on his other land or based on the land in the world at large.


###### Bava Kamma 7b:17
[Bava Kamma 7b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/7b:17)

מַאי? ״מֵיטַב שָׂדֵהוּ״ אָמַר רַחֲמָנָא – לְמַעוֹטֵי דְּנִיזָּק; אוֹ דִלְמָא, לְמַעוֹטֵי דְּעָלְמָא נָמֵי?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What** is the answer to the dilemma? When **the Merciful One states: “The best of his field”** (Exodus 22:4), does the stress in the verse on “his field” serve **to exclude** only the possibility of appraising land based solely on the value of the land **of the injured** party, but land is appraised based on the quality of land in the world at large? **Or perhaps,** does it serve **to exclude** the possibility of appraising land based on the quality of land **of the world** at large **as well,** and it is sufficient if the land he pays with is his best-quality land?


###### Bava Kamma 7b:18
[Bava Kamma 7b:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/7b:18)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ, רַחֲמָנָא אָמַר: ״מֵיטַב שָׂדֵהוּ״, וְאַתְּ אָמְרַתְּ בְּשֶׁל עוֹלָם הֵן שָׁמִין?!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rabbi Abba **said to him: The Merciful One states: “The best of his field,” and you say** the court **appraises** land **based on** the quality of land in **the world** at large? Certainly the term “his field” teaches that it is sufficient that the land be the best of the land of the one liable for the damage.


###### Bava Kamma 7b:19
[Bava Kamma 7b:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bava%20Kamma/r/7b:19)

אֵיתִיבֵיהּ: אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא עִידִּית – כּוּלָּם גּוֹבִין מִן הָעִידִּית. בֵּינוֹנִית – כּוּלָּם גּוֹבִין בֵּינוֹנִית. זִיבּוּרִית – כּוּלָּם גּוֹבִין זִיבּוּרִית.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rav Shmuel bar Abba **raised an objection to** this opinion from a *baraita* that delineates the forms of payment used for paying damages, repaying a debt to a creditor, and paying a marriage contract: If the debtor **has only superior-quality** land, **all of them collect from the superior-quality** land. Similarly, if **he has only intermediate-quality** land, **all of them collect from** the **intermediate-quality** land. And if **he has only inferior-quality** land, **all of them collect from** the **inferior-quality** land.


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

הָיוּ לוֹ עִידִּית וּבֵינוֹנִית וְזִיבּוּרִית; נִזָּקִין – בְּעִידִּית, וּבַעַל חוֹב – בְּבֵינוֹנִית, וּכְתוּבַּת אִשָּׁה – בְּזִיבּוּרִית. עִידִּית וּבֵינוֹנִית; נִזָּקִין – בְּעִידִּית, בַּעַל חוֹב וּכְתוּבַּת אִשָּׁה – בְּבֵינוֹנִית. בֵּינוֹנִית וְזִיבּוּרִית; נִזָּקִין וּבַעַל חוֹב – בְּבֵינוֹנִית, וּכְתוּבַּת אִשָּׁה – בְּזִיבּוּרִית.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
If **he has superior-quality, intermediate-quality, and inferior-quality** land, **damages** are paid **from** the **superior-quality** land, **and a creditor** collects **from** the **intermediate-quality** land, **and a woman’s marriage contract** is paid **from** the **inferior-quality** land. If he has only **superior-quality and intermediate-quality** land, **damages** are paid **from** the **superior-quality** land, and payment to **a creditor and** payment of **a woman’s marriage contract** are made **from** the **intermediate-quality** land. If he has only **intermediate-quality and inferior-quality** land, payments for **damages and** payments owed to **a creditor** are made **from** the **intermediate-quality** land, while payments of **a woman’s marriage contract** are made **from** the **inferior-quality** land.