## Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia Chapter 10

###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:1:1
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:1:1)

**משנה:** הַבַּיִת וְהָעֲלִיָיה שֶׁל שְׁנַיִם שֶׁנָּפְלוּ שְׁנֵיהֶן חוֹלְקִין בָּעֵצִים וּבָאֲבָנִים וּבֶעָפָר. רוֹאִין אֵילּוּ אֲבָנִים הָרְאוּיוֹת לְהִשְׁתַּבֵּר. הָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶן מַכִּיר מִקְצָת אֲבָנָיו נוֹטְלָן וְעוֹלוֹת לוֹ מִן הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
**MISHNAH:** If the ground floor¹ and the upper floor belonging to two different persons collapse, they divide wood, stones, and dust between themselves². One takes into consideration which stones were at risk to break³. If one of them recognized his stones, he takes them, and they are debited to his account.

footnotes:
¹ בַּיִת in rabbinic Hebrew means either a one-storey (usually, one room) house or the ground floor of a multi-storey house. A building with more than two floors is called פָּלָטִין “a palace”.
² Tosephta 11:1 prescribes that in case the two apartments were of unequal size, the building material is divided proportional to the size of the apartments.
³ This is an instruction to the court if the case needs judicial intervention.


###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:1:2
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:1:2)

**הלכה:** הַבַּיִת וְהָעֲלִיָיה שֶׁלִּשְׁנַיִם שֶׁנָּפְלוּ כול׳. תַּנֵּי. נִכְמַר כְּתַנּוּר הָעֶלְיוֹנוֹת רְאוּיוֹת לִישָּׁבֵר. נָפַל לְחוּץ הַתַּחְתּוֹנוֹת רְאוּיוֹת לִישָּׁבֵר.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
**HALAKHAH:** “If the ground floor¹ and the upper floor belonging to two different persons collapse,” etc. It was stated: If they were blackened like an oven, the upper ones were apt to break. If they fell to the outside, the lower ones were apt to break⁴ but it seems that one has to switch the statements: If the broken stones were black like the inside of an oven, they probably were foundation stones. If stones fell away from the house and are broken, they were upper floor stones (*Responsa Radbaz* vol. 5, #2112; cf. *Tosephta kiFshutah Bava meṣia‘* p. 304)..

footnotes:
¹ בַּיִת in rabbinic Hebrew means either a one-storey (usually, one room) house or the ground floor of a multi-storey house. A building with more than two floors is called פָּלָטִין “a palace”.
⁴ There are no parallels to the baraita,


###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:1:3
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:1:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:1:3)

הָיָה הָאֶחָד מַכִּיר מִקְצָת אֲבָנָיו נוֹטְלָן וְעוֹלוֹת לוֹ מִן הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן. אָמַר רִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה. זֹאת אוֹמֶרֶת שֶׁשּׁוֹלֶטֶת הַיָּד מִצַּד אֶחָד. תַּמָּן תַּנִּינָן. מֵאָה טֵבֵל מֵאָה חוּלִין נוֹטֵל מֵאָה וְאַחַת. מֵאָה טֵבֵל וּמֵאָה מַעֲשֵׂר נוֹטֵל מֵאָה וְאַחַת. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי. אִם אוֹמֵר אַתְּ נוֹטֵל מֵאָה אֲנִי אוֹמֵר כֹּל חוּלִין עָליוּ בְיָדוֹ וְנִמְצְאוּ אֵילּוּ בְטִיבְלָן. אֶלָּא נוֹטֵל מֵאָה וְאַחַת כְּדֵי לְהַפְרִישׁ תְּרוּמָה וּתְרוּמַת מַעֲשֵׂר מִן הַטֵּבֵל.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
“If one of them recognized his stones, he takes them, and they are debited to his account.” Rebbi Hoshaia said, this means that the hand rules on one side⁵. There⁶ 7:9, Notes 128–129., we have stated: “A hundred *ṭevel* in a hundred profane, he removes 101. A hundred *ṭevel* in a hundred tithe, he removes 101.”⁷ in question is tithe of which heave of the tithe was not taken and which therefore is forbidden for consumption to anybody not a Cohen. The question is why 101 has to be taken as *ṭevel* rather than 100. The question is answered by R. Yose. Rebbi Yose said, if you say that he takes 100, I would say that only profane came to his hand and the other remains *ṭevel*.⁸ So he takes 101 in order to separate heave and heave of the tithe from the *ṭevel.*

footnotes:
⁵ It is not clear what the sentence means. It seems that R. Hoshaia’s problem is that both rules given in the Mishnah, i. e., that all broken stones probably from a certain place are debited to the owner of that place, and that the person who recognizes his stones takes them for his account, disregarding a certain margin of error. If property rights (“hand”) are given to one side, it rules over the entire lot in dispute. This seems to contradict common sense.
⁶ Mishnah Demay
⁷ As explained there, the ṭevel
⁸ While this is extremely unlikely, it is possible and the legal rule is based on this possibility. The same situation applies here. While it is unlikely that all broken stones come from one party’s floor, it is possible and that is enough as a legal principle.


###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:1:4
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:1:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:1:4)

אִילֵּין תְּקוֹעַיָיא. רִבִּי זְעִירָא. אֲמַר אַרְעַיָּה. זְקִיק אַתְּ מַטְעִינֵנִי. רִבִּי לָא. אֲמַר עִילָאִי. בַּנַּאֵי אָמְרִין. תְּרַוֵּיהוֹן אֵילֵּין יְסוֹדַיָיא. וְדָא מְסַיְיעָה לְמָאן דְּאָמַר בַּנַּאֵי. הָיְתָה חוֹרְבָתוֹ סְמוּכָה לְכוֹתֶל חֲצַר חֲבֵירוֹ לֹא יֹאמַר לוֹ. הֲרֵינִי מְיַיסֵּד עִמָּךְ כּוֹתֶל חֲצֵירִי וְעוֹלֶה. אֶלָּא מְיַיסֵּד עִמּוֹ מִלְּמַטָּה וְעוֹלֶה. הָיְתָה עַל גַּבֵּי שִׁיחִין אוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי מְעָרוֹת אֵינוֹ נִזְקַק לוֹ כְּלוּם. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי בּוּן. תִּיפְתָּר כְּגוֹן אִילֵּין דָּרַיָיא דְבֵישָׁן דְּלָא יְכִיל אַרְעַיָיא בָּאנִי עַד דְּבָנִי עִילַיָיא.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
Those bearing columns⁹. Rebbi Ze‘ira: He¹⁰ tells the bottom dweller, you are obliged to support me. Rebbi La: He¹¹ tells the dweller in the upper floor, the builders say that both have to build the foundations. The following supports the builders: ¹²“If his ruined building was close to the wall of his neighbor’s courtyard, he should not tell him: I am contributing to the foundations of your wall where it comes up, but he has to contribute to the foundations from the bottom and up¹³. If it was built on top of ditches or caves, he is not obligated for anything.¹⁴” Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, explain it, for example those inhabitants of Bet Shean where the bottom dweller cannot build unless the builder of the upper floor builds¹⁵.

footnotes:
⁹ If a condominium is rebuilt, who has to pay for those elements of the wall whose only function is to carry the weight of the upper storey and the roof?
¹⁰ The owner of the rights to the upper floor.
¹¹ The owner of the rights to the lower floor.
¹² A similar text is Tosephta 11:4.
¹³ His plot is situated higher than his neighbor’s courtyard. Then he has to pay not only for the part of the wall which he will use but also for the foundations on which his part of the wall will be built. Therefore, the owner of the second floor also has to pay for the additional cost incurred by the owner of the ground floor for foundations and walls built for a heavier load.
¹⁴ Since the ground floor could not be built without covering what is beneath, the costs cannot be claimed from the owner of the second floor.
¹⁵ If the house is built on a steep hillside, the excavation must be done simultaneously for both floors; otherwise debris from above would fall into the building site of the lower floor. Therefore, each one of the parties has to assume part of the cost; satisfying both Rabbis Ze‘ira and La.


###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:2:1
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:2:1)

**משנה:** הַבַּיִת וְהָעֲלִיָיה שֶׁל שְׁנַיִם נִפְחֲתָה הָעֲלִיָיה וְאֵין בַּעַל הַבַּיִת רוֹצֶה לְתַקֵּן הֲרֵי בַּעַל הָעֲלִיָיה יוֹרֵד וְדָר לְמַטָּה עַד שֶׁיְּתַקֵּן לוֹ אֶת הָעֲלִיָיה. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר הַתַּחְתּוֹן נוֹתֵן אֶת הַתִּקְרָה וְהָעֶלְיוֹן אֶת הַמַּעֲזֵיבָה.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
**MISHNAH:** The ground floor and the upper floor belong to two different persons¹⁶; if the upper floor sprang a leak and the owner of the ground floor does not want to fix it, the owner of the upper floor descends and dwells below until he fixes the upper floor for him. Rebbi Yose says, the lower one gives the roofing¹⁷ and the upper one the roof covering¹⁸.

footnotes:
¹⁶ Following the Babli, Maimonides and Rashi explain that the house is the property of the person dwelling in the lower apartment; the dweller in the first floor rented his apartment. The landlord is required to keep the rented apartment in good repair. According to Tosaphot, the Mishnah either refers to a rental situation or to two brothers who inherited the house together. Then the expenses for necessary repairs have to be borne equally by both of them. If one of them refuses to pay his part, the other brother may use his apartment as a temporary dwelling.
¹⁷ Wooden logs or planks to make a roof.
¹⁸ Mortar and cement to make a smooth, watertight surface.


###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:2:2
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:2:2)

**הלכה:** הַבַּיִת וְהָעֲלִיָיה שֶׁלִּשְׁנַיִם כול׳. תַּנֵּי. נִפְחַת מְקוֹם הַתַּנּוּר יוֹרֵד לְמַטָּה. מְקוֹם הַכִּירָה יוֹרֵד לְמַטָּה. אֶלָּא דּוּ אֲמַר לֵיהּ. עֲבִיד לָךְ סוּלָּם דְּלָא תִיהֲוֵי עֲלִיל וּנְפִיק גַּו בֵּיתִי.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
**HALAKHAH:** “The ground floor and the upper floor belong to two different persons,” etc. It was stated: “If it sprang a leak above the oven, he descends. If it sprang a leak above the fireplace, he descends¹⁹.” But he may tell him, make yourself a ladder so you do not have to ascend and descend through my dwelling²⁰.

footnotes:
¹⁹ Not to dwell there but to bake and cook in the courtyard in front of the bottom dweller’s door. In the Babli, 116b, this is Rav’s opinion. Samuel holds that if the top dweller has to descend for any household chores, he comes to live in the ground floor apartment.
²⁰ In any case the second floor dweller is supposed to have his own stairs outside the first floor dweller’s apartment.


###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:2:3
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:2:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:2:3)

רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר תַּחְתּוֹן נוֹתֵן אֶת הַתִּקְרָה וְעֶלְיוֹן נוֹתֵן אֶת הַמַּעֲזֵיבָה. רִבִּי יוּסְטָא בְשֵׁם רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ. הַתַּחְתּוֹן נוֹתֵן תִּקְרָה וּלְוָוחִים וְעֶלְיוֹן נוֹתֵן הַמַּעֲזֵיבָה. בְּאֵי זוֹ מַעֲזֵיבָה. רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אָחָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי לָעְזָר. מַעֲזֵיבָה עָבָה. רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְשֵׁם רִבִּי לָעְזָר. מַעֲזֵיבָה בֵּינוֹנִית. לֹא אָמְרוּ אֶלָּא לְהַדִּיחַ אֶת הַכּוֹסוֹת. בְּרַם אִין הֲוָה בָּעֵי מְשַׁזְגָּא מָאנִין אוֹף רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְשֵׁם רִבִּי לָעְזָר מוֹדֵי בְמַעֲזֵיבָה עָבָה. הוֹרֵי רִבִּי חֲנִינָה לְאִילֵּין צִיפּוֹרָאֵי שֶׁיְּהוּ שְׁנֵיהֶן נוֹתְנִין אֶת הַתִּקְרָה וְאֶת הַלְּוָוחִין. דְּאִינּוּן זְקוּקִין מֵיסַק חַמְרֵיהוֹן תַּמָּן וּמֵיסַק פֵּירֵיהוֹן תַּמָּן.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
“Rebbi Yose says, the lower one contributes the roofing and the upper one the roof covering,” etc. ²¹ Rebbi Justus in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish:: The bottom dweller contributes the logs and the planks²²; the dweller on the upper floor contributes the roof covering¹⁸. Which kind of roof covering? Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: heavy roof covering. Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: medium roof covering, since they only spoke about rinsing cups. But if he wanted to wash clothing, also Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Eleazar will agree that the roof covering has to be heavy²³. Rebbi Ḥanina instructed those of Sepphoris that both of them should contribute the logs and the plates since they expect to bring up there their wine and their produce²⁴.

footnotes:
²¹ Babli 117a. In most mss. of the Babli the name is Justinus.
²² The logs to make a roof and the planks to create a platform on top of the roof.
¹⁸ Mortar and cement to make a smooth, watertight surface.
²³ If the flat roof is used for any activity, the roof covering must withstand prolonged use without becoming leaky.
²⁴ If both parties intend to use the roof, both have to equally share the expenses.


###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:3:1
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:3:1)

**משנה:** הַבַּיִת וְהָעֲלִיָיה שֶׁל שְׁנַיִם שֶׁנָּפְלוּ אָמַר בַּעַל הָעֲלִיָיה לְבַעַל הַבַּיִת לִבְנוֹת וְהוּא אֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לִבְנוֹת הֲרֵי בַּעַל הָעֲלִיָיה בוֹנֶה אֶת הַבַּיִת וְדָר בְּתוֹכוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ יְצִיאוֹתָיו. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר אַף זֶה דָּר בְּתוֹךְ שֶׁל חֲבֵירוֹ צָרִיךְ לְהַעֲלוֹת לוֹ שָׂכָר אָלָּא בַּעַל (הַבַּיִת) בוֹנֶה אֶת הַבַּיִת וְאֶת הָעֲלִיָיה וּמְקָרֶה אֶת הָעֲלִיָיה וְיוֹשֵׁב בַּבַּיִת עַד שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ אֶת יְצִיאוֹתָיו.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
**MISHNAH:** If the ground floor and the upper floor belonging to two different persons collapse, and the owner of the upper floor suggests to the owner of the ground floor to rebuild but himself refuses to build, then the owner of the upper floor rebuilds the ground floor and dwells in it until he¹¹ pays his¹⁰ expenses. Rebbi Jehudah says, but he who dwells in another person’s [place] would have to pay him rent²⁶; so the owner of the (ground)²⁵ floor builds ground and upper floors and makes the roof over the upper floor²⁷ but dwells on the ground floor until he¹¹ pays his¹⁰ expenses.

footnotes:
¹¹ The owner of the rights to the lower floor.
¹⁰ The owner of the rights to the upper floor.
²⁶ His problem is that if the owner of the ground floor pays his share, the owner of the upper floor will have dwelt in the apartment rent free, which amounts to receiving hidden interest.
²⁵ Clearly one has to read הָעֲלִייָה “the upper floor” with the Babli and all Mishnah mss.
²⁷ To make the upper floor livable, even if he does not dwell there.
¹¹ The owner of the rights to the lower floor.
¹⁰ The owner of the rights to the upper floor.


###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:3:2
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:3:2)

**הלכה:** הַבַּיִת וְהָעֲלִיָיה כול׳. אֶלָּא בַעַל הַבַּיִת מְבַקֵּשׁ לִבְנוֹת וּבַעַל הָעֲלִיָיה אֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה. מָהוּ שֶׁיֹּאמַר לוֹ. גּוֹפְיָנוֹ. נִישְׁמְעִינָהּ מֵהָדָא. הָיְתָה חוֹרְבָתוֹ סְמוּכָה לְחוֹרְבַת חֲבֵירוֹ. עָמַד הַלָּהּ וּבְנָאָהּ בְּלֹא רְשׁוּתוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה מְחַשֵּׁב יְצִיאוֹתָיו כְּשַׁעַר שֶׁבָּנָה וְיִתֵּן לוֹ אֶת כָּל יְצִיאוֹתָיו. הָדָא אָמְרָה. שֶׁאֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר לוֹ. גּוֹפְיָנוֹ מִן הַצַּד. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר לוֹ. גּוֹפְיָנוֹ מִן הַצַּד. כָּךְ אֵין אוֹמֵר לוֹ. גּוֹפְיָנוֹ מִלְּמַעֲלָן.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
**HALAKHAH:** “If the ground floor and the upper floor,” etc. But if the owner of the ground floor wants to build and the owner of the upper floor does not, may he tell him: seal it?²⁸ Let us hear from the following: ²⁹ is Tosephta 11:4.“If his collapsed building was next to another’s collapsed building³⁰, and he rebuilt without permission, he computes his actual expenses and he has to pay him all his expenses³¹.” This implies that he cannot tell him, seal it on the side. Just as he cannot tell him, seal it on the side, so he cannot tell him, seal it on top³².

footnotes:
²⁸ Can the ground floor dweller ask the owner of the upper floor to provide a roof? If both floors were rebuilt, the roof would be a charge on the second floor’s owner.
²⁹ A related baraita
³⁰ And the two buildings shared a wall.
³¹ If the second owner later decides to rebuild his house, he cannot use the other building’s wall without paying the first builder’s cost in full. But at the moment of building, he is not required to contribute.
³² The owner of the ground floor has no regress on the owner of the upper floor at the moment when he is building; he has to finish his own roof. He will be able to recoup part of his expenses only when the owner of the upper floor decides to rebuild.


###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:4:1
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:4:1)

**משנה:** וְכֵן בֵּית הַבַּד שֶׁהוּא בָנוּי בַּסֶּלַע וְגִינָּה אַחַת עַל גַּבָּיו וְנִפְחַת הֲרֵי בַּעַל הַגִּינָּה יוֹרֵד וְזוֹרֵעַ לְמַטָּה. עַד שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה לְבֵית בַּדּוֹ כִּיפִּין. הַכּוֹתֶל וְהָאִילָן שֶׁנָּפְלוּ לִרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים וְהִזִּיקוּ פְּטוּרִין מִלְּשַׁלֵּם. נָתְנוּ לוֹ זְמַן לִסְתּוֹר אֶת הַכּוֹתֶל וְלָקוֹץ אֶת הָאִילָן וְנָפְלוּ בְּתוֹךְ הַזְּמַן פָּטוּר לְאַחַר הַזְּמַן חַיָיב.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
**MISHNAH:** And so an olive press built into a rock with a vegetable garden on its top: If it caved in, the garden’s owner may sow on the bottom until he build cupolas on his olive press³³. If a wall or a tree fell into the public domain and caused damage, he is not liable to pay³⁴. If he was given an order³⁵ to tear down the wall or cut down the tree; within the term he is not liable, after the term he is liable.

footnotes:
³³ Olive presses (as well as wine presses) usually were built with cupolas. If the natural roof of the press hewn into the rock collapsed, the owner of the vegetable plot may use the bottom for his vegetables until the owner of the olive press rebuilds it. The owner of the vegetable garden may fill the top with soil to create a level surface.
³⁴ Since it was an unforseeable accident.
³⁵ By the court, on application of the building police.


###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:4:2
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:4:2)

**הלכה:** וְכֵן בֵּית הַבַּד כול׳ עַד הַכּוֹתֶל וְהָאִילָן כול׳. אָמַר רִבִּי לָעְזָר. מַעֲשֶׂה בְדָלִית אַחַת שֶׁהָיְתֵה מוּדְלָה עַל פֶּרְסִיקוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵירוֹ וְנִפְשַׁח הַפֶּרְסִק. וּבָא מַעֲשֶׂה לִפְנֵי רִבִּי חִיָיה הַגָּדוֹל וְאָמַר לוֹ. צֵא וְהַעֲמֵד לוֹ פֶּרְסִק. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. וְלֹא מַתְנִיתָא הִיא. וְכֵן בֵּית הַבַּד שֶׁהוּא בָנוּי בַּסֶּלַע וְגִינַּת אַחֵר עַל גַּבָּיו וְנִפְחַת. שָׁמַעְנוּ שֶׁאֵין כּוֹפִין. וְהָתַנֵּי רִבִּי חִיָיה. כּוֹפִין. נֵימַר. וְלֹא פְלִיגֵי. מָאן דָּמַר. כּוֹפִין. שֶׁהוּא שָׁם. וּמָאן דָּמַר. אֵין כּוֹפִין. בְּשֶׁאֵין עוֹמֵד שָׁם.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
**HALAKHAH:** “And so an olive press,” until “if a wall or a tree,” etc. Rebbi Eleazar said: It happened that a vine was growing on another person’s peach tree³⁶ “Persian plum tree”, and the peach tree withered³⁷. The case came before the great Rebbi Ḥiyya who told him, go and provide him with a peach tree. Rebbi Joḥanan told him: Is this not a Mishnah? “And so an olive press built into a rock and another’s vegetable garden is on its top”? Do we not understand that one does not force³⁸? But Rebbi Ḥiyya stated that one forces³⁹! We may say that they did not disagree. He who says that one forces, if he is there. But he who says that one does not force, if he is absent⁴⁰.

footnotes:
³⁶ Latin prunus persica
³⁷ Killed by the vine which overgrew it.
³⁸ The Mishnah does not require the owner of the oil press to rebuild but gives the gardener the right to use the area on top of the oil press for his purposes. The court is not empowered to force the owner of the oil press to reconstitute the vegetable garden.
³⁹ To provide a replacement tree.
⁴⁰ The Mishnah speaks of an absentee landlord. Until the absentee be notified it may take a long time; in the meantime the gardener is given the use of the area occupied by the oil press.


###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:4:3
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:4:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:4:3)

נָתְנוּ לוֹ זְמַן לָקוּץ. כַּמָּה הוּא זְמַן. רִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה אָמַר. ל̇ יוֹם.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
“If he was given an order to cut down.⁴¹” What is the time limit? Rebbi Hoshaia said, 30 days⁴² 2:5, the wording is: at least 30 days. The enforcement of a strict limit of 30 days for obeying court orders is Amoraic..

footnotes:
⁴¹ This quote shows that the Mishnah underlying the Halakhah is not the version presented in the Mishnah (and Maimonides’s autograph) but the text given in the Babli and many Mishnah mss. which mention cutting down the tree before tearing down the wall.
⁴² In the Babli, 118a, this is attributed to R. Joḥanan (R. Hoshaia’s student.) In the Tosephta, 11:7 and Bava qamma


###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:5:1
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:5:1)

**משנה:** מִי שֶׁהָיָה כוֹתְלוֹ סָמוּךְ לְגִינַּת חֲבֵירוֹ וְנָפַל וְאָמַר לוֹ פַּנֵּה אֲבָנֶיךָ וְאָמַר לוֹ הִגִּיעוּךָ אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ. מִשֶׁקִיבֵּל עָלָיו אָמַר לוֹ הֵילָךְ אֶת יְצִיאוֹתֶיךָ וַאֲנִי נוֹטֵל אֶת שֶׁלִּי אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ. הַשּׂוֹכֵר אֶת הַפּוֹעֵל לַעֲשׂוֹת עִמּוֹ בַּתֶּבֶן וּבַקַּשׁ אָמַר לוֹ תֶּן לִי אֶת שְׂכָרִי אָמַר לוֹ טוֹל מַה שֶׁעָשִׂיתָה בִּשְׂכָרְךָ אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ. מִשֶׁקִיבֵּל עָלָיו אָמַר לוֹ הֵילָךְ שְׂכָרְךָ וַאֲנִי נוֹטֵל אֶת שֶׁלִּי אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ. הַמּוֹצִיא זִבְלוֹ לִרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים הַמּוֹצִיא מוֹצִיא וְהַמְזַבֵּל מְזַבֵּל. אֵין שׁוֹרִין טִיט בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים וְאֵין לוֹבְנִין לְבֵינִים אֲבָל גּוֹבְלִין טִיט בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים אֲבָל לֹא לִלְבֵינִים. הַבּוֹנֶה בִרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים וְהַמֵּבִיא אֲבָנִים הַמֵּבִיא מֵבִיא וְהַבּוֹנֶה בּוֹנֶה. וְאִם הִזִּיק מְשַׁלֵּם מַה שֶׁהִזִּיק. רִבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר אַף מְתַקֵּן הוּא אֶת מְלַאכְתּוֹ לִפְנֵי שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
**MISHNAH:** Somebody’s wall bordering on another’s vegetable garden collapsed. That one told him, remove your stones; if he said, they are yours⁴³, one⁴⁴ does not listen to him. If after the other had accepted, he told him: here are your expenses and I shall take what is mine, one does not listen to him.
Somebody hired a worker to work on straw and chaff. When he said to him, pay me my wages, he answered, take what you worked on as your wages, one does not listen to him. If after the other⁴⁵ had accepted, he told him: here are your wages and I shall take what is mine, one does not listen to him⁴⁴.
If somebody brought his manure into the public domain, he who brings, brings, and he who uses it to manure, manures⁴⁶. One does not soak loam in the public domain⁴⁷ nor does one form bricks; one kneads loam in the public domain⁴⁸ but not bricks. If somebody builds in the public domain and somebody brings stones; he who brings, brings, and he who builds, builds⁴⁹; but if he caused damage, he pays for what he damaged. Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel says, also he has to prepare his work 30 days in advance.⁵⁰

footnotes:
⁴³ If the neighbor pays for the removal of the building material, it is his.
⁴⁴ The court will not accept the proposition; the opposing party can force a judgment for their claim.
⁴⁵ The worker.
⁴⁴ The court will not accept the proposition; the opposing party can force a judgment for their claim.
⁴⁶ Temporary use of the public domain for agricultural purposes is permitted but care must be taken that the time in which the public domain is used to deposit potentially dangerous material is reduced to the absolute minimum.
⁴⁷ Which takes a long time.
⁴⁸ If a wall is built bordering on the public domain it is permissible to knead mortar for immediate use on the wall.
⁴⁹ Again, the time in which the public domain is used to deposit potentially dangerous material must be reduced to the absolute minimum.
⁵⁰ No building permit should be given without a plan to hold the use of public domain for private purposes to a minimum.


###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:5:2
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:5:2)

**הלכה:** הַמּוֹצִיא זִבְלוֹ כול׳. תַּנֵּי. פּוֹרֵק אָדָם זִבְלוֹ בְפֶתַח חֲצֵירוֹ בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים לְפַנּוֹתוֹ מִיַּד. אֲבַל לַשְׁהוֹתוֹ אָסוּר. בָּא אֶחָד וְהוּזָּק הֲרֵי זֶה חַיָיב. רִבִּי יוּדָה אוֹמֵר. בְּשָׁעַת הַזְּבָלִים פּוֹרֵק אָדָם זִבְלוֹ בְפֶתַח חֲצֵירוֹ בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְפָּרֵךְ בְּרַגְלֵי אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה ל̇ יוֹם. שֶׁעַל מְנָת כֵּן הִנְחִיל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הָאָרֶץ. פּוֹרֵק אָדָם עַפְרוֹ בְפֶתַח חֲצֵירוֹ בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים לִשְׁרוֹתוֹ וּלְהַעֲלוֹתוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי דִּימוֹס מִיַּד. לַשְׁהוֹתוֹ אָסוּר. בָּא אַחֵר וְהוּזָּק בּוֹ חַיָיב. לֹא יְהֵא גוֹבֵל בְּצַד זֶה [וּבוֹנֶה בְצַד זֶה] אֶלָּא בְמָקוֹם שֶׁבּוֹנֵהוּ. פּוֹרֵק אָדָם אֲבָנָיו בְפֶתַח חֲצֵירוֹ בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים לְפַנּוֹתָן מִיַּד. לַשְׁהוֹתָן אָסוּר. בָּא אַחֵר וְהוּזָּק בָּהֶן חַיָיב. מָסָר הַחוֹצֵב לַגַּמָּל הַגַּמָּל חַיָיב. גַּמָּל לַסַּתָּת הַסַּתָּת חַיָיב. סַתָּת לַסַּבָּל הַסַּבָּל חַיָיב. הֶעֱלָה עַל גַּבֵּי בִימוֹס וְהָיָה מְפַקְפֵּק בָּהּ וְנָפְלָה הָאַרְדִּכַל חַיָיב. מְסָרָהּ (הַסַּתָּת לַסַּבָּל) [הַחַצָּב לַסַּתָּת] וְהוּזַּק בֵּין בְּסִיתּוּת בֵּין בָּאֶבֶן הַסַּתָּת חַיָיב. הַסַּתָּת לַסַּבָּל וְהוּזַּק בְּסִיתּוּת הַסַּתָּת חַיָיב. בָּאֶבֶן הַסַּבָּל חַיָיב. עָלְתָה וְיָשְׁבָה בְדִימוֹס וְנָפְלָה פָטוּר.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
**HALAKHAH:** “Somebody who brought his manure,” etc. It was stated: ⁵⁴ 81b..”A person may unload his manure at his courtyard door in the public domain in order immediately to remove it. But it is forbidden to leave it there. If another person was injured by it, he is liable. Rebbi Jehudah says, at the time of carrying out manure⁵⁵ a person may unload his manure at his courtyard door in the public domain for it to be broken down by the feet of people and animals for 30 days, for on this condition did Joshua distribute the Land to Israel.⁵⁶ 5:1 Notes 16 ff.” ⁵⁷“A person may unload his dust at his courtyard door in the public domain in order immediately to mix it with water⁵⁸ and to bring it to the row of stones; it is forbidden to leave it there. If another person was injured by it, he is liable. He should not knead on one side [and build on the other]⁵¹ but on the side where he is building.” ⁵⁹“A person may unload his stones at his courtyard door in the public domain in order immediately to remove them; it is forbidden to leave them there. If another person was injured by them, he is liable. If the quarryman delivered to the camel driver, the camel driver is liable. The camel driver to the stone-mason, the stone-mason is liable. The stone-mason to the porter, the porter is liable. It it was brought up to scaffolding⁶⁰, it was wobbly there and fell, the master-mason is liable. If the (stone-mason)⁵² [quarryman]⁵³ handed it to the (porter)⁵² [stone mason]⁵³ and somebody was injured either by splinters or the stone, the stone-mason is liable. The stone-mason to the porter and he⁶¹ was injured by a splinter, the stone-mason is liable. By the stone, the porter is liable. If it was delivered, settled in the row⁶² 2:5, Note 226., and fell, he is not liable³⁴.”

footnotes:
⁵⁴ Tosephta 11:8, Babli 118b, Bava qamma
⁵⁵ A month before ordinarily the fields have to be manured.
⁵⁶ For other authorized private uses of public or other people’s properties, cf. Bava batra
⁵⁷ Tosephta 11:6.
⁵⁸ To make mortar.
⁵¹ Missing in L, added from E, confirmed by the Tosephta.
⁵⁹ Tosephta 11:5; Babli 118b.
⁶⁰ Greek βωμός.
⁵² Reading of L, erroneously copied from the next sentence.
⁵³ Reading of E, confirmed by the Tosephta.
⁵² Reading of L, erroneously copied from the next sentence.
⁵³ Reading of E, confirmed by the Tosephta.
⁶¹ A third party.
⁶² Greek δόμος “building; rows of stones or bricks in a building”; cf. Berakhot
³⁴ Since it was an unforseeable accident.


###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:6:1
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:6:1)

**משנה:** שְׁתֵּי גִנּוֹת זוֹ עַל גַּב זוֹ וְהַיָּרָק בֵּינְתַּיִים רִבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר שֶׁל עֶלְיוֹן. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר שֶׁל תַּחְתּוֹן. אָמַר רִבִּי מֵאִיר וּמַה אִם יִרְצֶה הָעֶלְיוֹן לִיקַּח אֶת עֲפָרוֹ אֵין כָּאן יָרָק. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אִם יִרְצֶה הַתַּחְתּוֹן לְמַלְאוֹת גִּינָּתוֹ עָפָר אֵין כָּאן יָרָק. אָמַר רִבִּי מֵאִיר וְכִי מֵאַחַר שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶן יְכוֹלִין לְמַחוֹת זֶה עַל זֶה רוֹאִין מְנַיִין יָרָק זֶה חָיָיה. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר כָּל שֶׁהָעֶלְיוֹן יָכוֹל לִפְשׁוֹט אֶת יָדוֹ וְלִיטּוֹל הֲרֵי הוּא שֶׁלּוֹ וְהַשְּׁאָר שֶׁל תַּחְתּוֹן.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
**MISHNAH:** Two vegetable gardens, one on top of the other⁶³ and vegetables growing between them. Rebbi Meїr says, it is the upper’s⁶⁴. Rebbi Jehudah says, it is the lower’s⁶⁵. Said Rebbi Meїr: If the upper’s owner wanted to remove his earth, there would be no vegetables. Said Rebbi Jehudah: If the lower’s wanted to fill up his vegetable garden with earth, there would be no vegetables. Said Rebbi Meїr: Since both of them may object to one another one looks from where these vegetables grow⁶⁶. Rebbi Simeon says, any which the upper’s may take by stretching out his hand are his; the remainder is the lower’s.

footnotes:
⁶³ One on the slope of a hill, the other in the valley.
⁶⁴ The owner’s of the upper plot.
⁶⁵ The owner’s of the lower plot.
⁶⁶ The wild growing vegetable in between grows from the water with which the upper plot is irrigated.


###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:6:2
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:6:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:6:2)

**הלכה:** שְׁתֵּי גִינּוֹת כול׳. מַה יַעֲשׂוּ. אֶפְרַיִם בְּשֵּׁם רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר. יַחֲלוֹקוּ. דְּבֵית רִבִּי יַנַּאי אָמְרֵי. עַד יֹ טְפָחִים. רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יַנַּאי. וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יוּאֲנָס.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
**HALAKHAH:** “Two vegetable gardens,” etc. What shall one do? Ephraim⁶⁷ in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, they shall split⁶⁸. In the House of Rebbi Yannai they say, up to ten handbreadths⁶⁹ 3:1, Notes 25,26). The owner of private property owns the rights to its airspace without limitations (Babli *Šabbat* 7a/b), but for any domain not purely private property, the domain only extends ten handbreadths from the ground (*Kilaim*6:2, Note 31, *Šabbat* 11:2 13a l. 32; Babli *Šabbat* 7b). Since the area between the two vegetable gardens is not the private domain of either of them, the domain of the owner of the lower plot cannot extend to more than 10 handbreadths above his ground.. Rebbi Joḥanan said in the name of Rebbi Yannai: Only he shall not force himself⁷⁰ 39b, R. Joḥanan in the name of R. Yannai). He qualifies the right of the owner of the upper plot in that he has a right only to those vegetables which he can reach without undue exertion. In the Babli, 119a, this opinion is quoted in the name of the House of R. Yannai..

footnotes:
⁶⁷ In the Babli, 119a, he is called “Ephraim the scribe, R. Simeon ben Laqish’s student.” But there, he is quoted as deciding following R. Simeon (cf. Note 69).
⁶⁸ Since it was not decided whom to follow in practice, it is “money in doubt” and must be split evenly (Chapter 1, Note 5).
⁶⁹ They decide following R. Jehudah who has precedence over R. Meïr and R. Simeon (Terumot
⁷⁰ He decides following R. Simeon, following the rule that if a dispute between two authorities in the Mishnah is not resolved, practice follows the third opinion which arbitrates between the two (Babli Šabbat


###### Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:6:3
[Jerusalem Talmud Bava Metzia 10:6:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Jerusalem%20Talmud%20Bava%20Metzia/r/10:6:3)

כּוֹתֵל שֶׁבֵּין שְׁתֵי מְחִיצוֹת וְנִפְרָץ. רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל. חַד אָמַר. מֶחֱצָה לָזֶה וּמֶחֱצָה לָזֶה. וְחַד אָמַר. כּוּלּוֹ לָזֶה וְכוּלּוֹ לָזֶה. מַה מַפְקָה מִבֵּינֵיהוֹן. מָצָא מְצִיאָה. מָאן דָּמַר. מֶחֱצָה לָזֶה וּמֶחֱצָה לָזֶה. מֵחֶצְיוֹ וְהֵילֵךְ לָזֶה וּמֵחֶצְיוֹ וְהֵילֵךְ לָזֶה. וּמָאן דָּמַר. כּוּלּוֹ לָזֶה וְכוּלּוֹ לָזֶה. הַמּוֹצֵא זָכָה.

**The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer. Berlin, De Gruyter, 1999-2015:**
A wall between two partitions⁷¹ (Warsaw 1883, vol. 1, part 2, p. 24b Note 14). which was breached. Rav and Samuel, one said, half belongs to one party, the other half to the other party. The other said, both own it entirely. What is the difference between them? If one found a find. For him who said that half belongs to one party, the other half to the other party, if it was on one side it belongs to this party, one the other side it belongs to the other party. For him who said that both own it entirely, the finder acquired it⁷².

footnotes:
⁷¹ The scribe first wrote שתי חצירות "two courtyards" and then corrected it to שתי מחיצות "two partitions". The problem to be corrected was that a courtyard usually is a condominium of many home owners dwelling in the same compound, whereas clearly, we are dealing here with only two owners. The corrected text is confirmed by E; the scribe's original text is quoted by Sefer ha'Iṭṭur
⁷² Since abandoned property on private grounds automatically belongs to the owner.