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Bava Kamma
Daf 78bדְּאִיעַבַּר מִקָּלוּט כְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן.
that the mother animal became impregnated from an animal with non-cloven hooves
בָּעֵי רָבָא: ״הֲרֵי עָלַי עוֹלָה״ וְהִפְרִישׁ שׁוֹר, וּבָא אַחֵר וְגָנַב, מִי פָּטַר גַּנָּב נַפְשֵׁיהּ בְּכֶבֶשׂ לְרַבָּנַן, בְּעוֹלַת הָעוֹף לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה? דִּתְנַן: ״הֲרֵי עָלַי עוֹלָה״ – יָבִיא כֶּבֶשׂ, רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה אוֹמֵר: יָבִיא תּוֹר אוֹ בֶּן יוֹנָה,
Rava raises a dilemma: With regard to one who says: It is incumbent upon me to bring a burnt - offering,
מַאי? מִי אָמְרִינַן שֵׁם עוֹלָה קַבֵּיל עִילָּוֵיהּ, אוֹ דִּלְמָא מָצֵי אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֲנָא מִצְוָה מִן הַמּוּבְחָר בָּעֵינָא לְמֶיעֲבַד?
Rava elaborates: What is the halakha in this case? Do we say that he accepted upon himself to sacrifice an animal with the status of a burnt-offering,
בָּתַר דְּאִיבַּעֲיָא הֲדַר פְּשַׁט: גַּנָּב פָּטַר עַצְמוֹ בְּכֶבֶשׂ לְרַבָּנַן, בְּעוֹלַת הָעוֹף לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה.
After he raised the dilemma, Rava himself subsequently resolved it: The thief can exempt himself from liability by repaying the owner with a sheep,
רַב אַחָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב אִיקָא מַתְנֵי לָהּ בְּהֶדְיָא, אָמַר רָבָא: ״הֲרֵי עָלַי עוֹלָה״ וְהִפְרִישׁ שׁוֹר, וּבָא אַחֵר וּגְנָבוֹ – פָּטַר עַצְמוֹ בְּכֶבֶשׂ לְרַבָּנַן, וּבְעוֹלַת הָעוֹף לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה.
Rav Aḥa, son of Rav Ika, teaches this halakha explicitly, i.e., without the question-and-answer format: Rava says: With regard to one who says: It is incumbent upon me to bring a burnt - offering, and he subsequently set aside a bull for this purpose, and another person came and stole the bull, the thief can exempt himself from liability by repaying the owner with a sheep, according to the opinion of the Rabbis, or by repaying him with a bird to be used as a bird burnt-offering, according to the opinion of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya.
מתני׳ מְכָרוֹ חוּץ מֵאֶחָד מִמֵּאָה שֶׁבּוֹ, אוֹ שֶׁהָיְתָה לוֹ בּוֹ שׁוּתָּפוּת, הַשּׁוֹחֵט וְנִתְנַבְּלָה בְּיָדוֹ, הַנּוֹחֵר, וְהַמְעַקֵּר – מְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּמֵי כֶפֶל וְאֵינוֹ מְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּמֵי אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה.
If a thief sold a stolen animal in a partial fashion, e.g., except for one one-hundredth of it,
גמ׳ מַאי חוּץ מֵאֶחָד מִמֵּאָה שֶׁבּוֹ? אָמַר רַב: חוּץ מִדָּבָר הַנִּיתָּר עִמּוֹ בִּשְׁחִיטָה, וְלֵוִי אָמַר: חוּץ מִגִּיזּוֹתֶיהָ; וְכֵן תַּנְיָא בְּמַתְנִיתָא: חוּץ מִגִּיזּוֹתֶיהָ.
What does the mishna mean when it states that the thief sold the animal except for one one-hundredth
מֵיתִיבֵי: מְכָרָהּ חוּץ מִיָּדָהּ, חוּץ מֵרַגְלָהּ, חוּץ מִקַּרְנָהּ, חוּץ מִגִּיזּוֹתֶיהָ – אֵינוֹ מְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּמֵי אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה; רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: דָּבָר הַמְעַכֵּב בִּשְׁחִיטָה – אֵינוֹ מְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּמֵי אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה,
The Gemara raises an objection to the opinion of Rav from a baraita: If the thief sold the whole animal except for its foreleg, or except for its hind leg, or except for its horn, or except for its fleece, he does not pay the fourfold or fivefold payment. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: If the thief sells the animal except for some part of it whose absence invalidates its slaughter,
וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ מְעַכֵּב בִּשְׁחִיטָה – מְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּמֵי אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה.
Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi continues: But if he leaves out from the sale a part of the animal whose absence does not invalidate the slaughter, he pays the fourfold or fivefold payment. If an animal is missing one of its vital organs, e.g., its liver, one of its intestines, its gullet, or its windpipe, it is considered already dead and its slaughter at this stage would be invalid. For the thief to be exempt from the fourfold or fivefold payment on the grounds of an incomplete sale, he must retain one of these organs for himself.
רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: חוּץ מִקַּרְנָהּ – אֵינוֹ מְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּמֵי אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה, חוּץ מִגִּיזּוֹתֶיהָ – מְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּמֵי אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה;
The baraita continues: Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says: If the thief sells the whole animal except for its horn, he does not pay the fourfold or fivefold payment. If he sells the whole animal except for its fleece, he does pay the fourfold or fivefold payment.
בִּשְׁלָמָא לְלֵוִי – כְּתַנָּא קַמָּא, אֶלָּא לְרַב כְּמַאן?
The Gemara explains the objection from this baraita: Granted, according to the opinion of Levi this baraita does not present a difficulty, as his ruling is exactly like that of the first tanna. But according to the opinion of Rav it does present a difficulty, as in accordance with whose opinion does his ruling accord? None of the three opinions expressed in the baraita correlate with that of Rav.
אָמְרִי: רַב דְּאָמַר כִּי הַאי תַּנָּא; דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: מְכָרָהּ חוּץ מִיָּדָהּ וְחוּץ מֵרַגְלָהּ – אֵינוֹ מְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּמֵי אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה, חוּץ מִקַּרְנָהּ חוּץ מִגִּיזּוֹתֶיהָ – מְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּמֵי אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה.
The Sages say in response: Rav says his opinion in accordance with the opinion of this tanna, as it is taught in another baraita: Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says: If the thief sold the entire animal except for its foreleg or except for its hind leg, he does not pay the fourfold or fivefold payment. If he sold the entire animal except for its horn or except for its fleece, he does pay the fourfold or fivefold payment.
בְּמַאי קָמִיפַּלְגִי? תַּנָּא קַמָּא סָבַר: ״וּטְבָחוֹ״ כּוּלּוֹ בָּעֵינַן, ״וּמְכָרוֹ״ כּוּלּוֹ בָּעֵינַן;
The Gemara analyzes the four opinions of the tanna’im presented in these baraitot. With regard to what principle do they disagree? The first tanna holds that when the Torah states: “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep” (Exodus 21:37), the term “and slaughters it” indicates that we require him to slaughter all of it for him to incur liability to pay the fourfold or fivefold payment. Likewise, the term “or sells it” teaches that we require him to sell all of it, not leaving any portion at all for himself, even the fleece.
וְרַבִּי סָבַר: ״וּטְבָחוֹ״ – מִידֵי דְּהָוֵי בִּטְבִיחָה, לְאַפּוּקֵי מִידֵי דְּלָא הָוְיָא בִּטְבִיחָה, ״וּמְכָרוֹ״ דּוּמְיָא דִּטְבִיחָה;
And Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi holds that the term “and slaughters it” is referring to parts of the animal that are affected by its slaughter, which serves to exclude parts of the animal that are not affected by its slaughter. When the Torah immediately adds the term “or sells it,” this indicates that selling is similar to slaughter. Consequently, if the sale excludes the animal’s fleece or horns, i.e., those parts that are not affected by slaughter, there is no fourfold or fivefold payment.
וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר סָבַר: קַרְנָא דְּלָא לְמִגְזָא קַיְימָא – הָוֵי שִׁיּוּר, וְאֵינוֹ מְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּם אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה, גִּיזּוֹתֶיהָ דִּלְמֵיגַז קַיְימִי – לָא הָוֵי שִׁיּוּר, וּמְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּם אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה;
And Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar holds, according to the first version of his opinion, that the animal’s horn, which is not meant to be cut off in the animal’s lifetime, is considered a significant withholding if the thief keeps that part for himself, and he does not pay the fourfold or fivefold payment. By contrast, fleece, which is meant to be cut off in the animal’s lifetime, is not considered a significant withholding if the thief keeps it for himself, and therefore he must pay the fourfold or fivefold payment.
וְאִידָךְ תַּנָּא דְּבֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר סָבַר: יָדָיו וְרַגְלָיו דִּצְרִיכִי טְבִיחָה – הָוֵי שִׁיּוּר, וְלָא מְשַׁלֵּם תַּשְׁלוּמֵי אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה, קַרְנֶיהָ וְגִיזּוֹתֶיהָ דְּלָא צְרִיכִי טְבִיחָה – לָא הָוֵי שִׁיּוּר.
And the other tanna of the school of Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar holds that the animal’s forelegs and hind legs, which require slaughter for them to be put to their usual use, i.e., for eating, are considered a significant withholding if the thief keeps one of them for himself, and consequently he does not pay the fourfold or fivefold payment. By contrast, its horns and its fleece, which do not require slaughter in order to be used, are not considered a significant withholding if the thief keeps them for himself.
קַשְׁיָא דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אַדְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר! תְּרֵי תַּנָּאֵי וְאַלִּיבָּא דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר.
The Gemara asks: This presents a difficulty, as there is a contradiction between one statement of Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar and another opinion presented in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar. The Gemara answers: The two rulings represent the reports of two tanna’im, and they disagree with regard to the opinion of Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הַגּוֹנֵב הַקִּיטַּעַת וְאֶת הַחִיגֶּרֶת וְאֶת הַסּוּמָא, וְכֵן הַגּוֹנֵב בֶּהֱמַת הַשּׁוּתָּפִין – חַיָּיב, וְשׁוּתָּפִים שֶׁגָּנְבוּ – פְּטוּרִים. וְהָתַנְיָא: שׁוּתָּפִין שֶׁגָּנְבוּ – חַיָּיבִין!
The Sages taught in a baraita: One who steals an animal that is missing a limb,
אֲמַר רַב נַחְמָן, לָא קַשְׁיָא: כָּאן בְּשׁוּתָּף שֶׁגָּנַב מֵחֲבֵירוֹ, כָּאן בְּשׁוּתָּף שֶׁגָּנַב מֵעָלְמָא.
The Gemara resolves the contradiction: Rav Naḥman said that this is not difficult. Here, where the baraita states that he is exempt, it is referring to one partner who stole an animal from another partner. There, where the baraita states that he is liable, it is dealing with a partner, who, together with other thieves, stole an animal from someone else outside their group.
אֵיתִיבֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַב נַחְמָן: יָכוֹל שׁוּתָּף שֶׁגָּנַב מֵחֲבֵירוֹ, וְשׁוּתָּפִים שֶׁגָּנְבוּ יְהוּ חַיָּיבִין? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״וּטְבָחוֹ״ – כּוּלּוֹ בָּעֵינַן, וְלֵיכָּא!
Rava raised an objection to Rav Naḥman from another baraita: One might have thought that a partner who stole an animal from another partner and slaughtered it, and likewise partners who jointly stole
אֶלָּא אֲמַר רַב נַחְמָן, לָא קַשְׁיָא: כָּאן בְּשׁוּתָּף שֶׁטָּבַח לְדַעַת חֲבֵירוֹ, כָּאן בְּשׁוּתָּף שֶׁטָּבַח שֶׁלֹּא לְדַעַת חֲבֵירוֹ.
Rather, Rav Naḥman said a different resolution of the contradiction: This is not difficult. Both baraitot are speaking of partners who together stole an animal from someone else. Here, where the baraita states that the thief is liable, it is referring to a partner who slaughtered the animal with the knowledge and consent of another partner.
בָּעֵי רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה: מְכָרָהּ חוּץ מִשְּׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם, חוּץ מִמְּלַאכְתָּהּ, חוּץ מֵעוּבָּרָהּ, מַהוּ?
§ Rabbi Yirmeya raises several dilemmas: If the thief sold the animal except for thirty days, i.e., the thief reserved the right to use the animal himself for thirty days before the sale takes effect, what is the halakha? If he sold it except for its work,
אַלִּיבָּא דְּמַאן דְּאָמַר עוּבָּר יֶרֶךְ אִמּוֹ הוּא – לָא תִּבָּעֵי לָךְ, דְּהָא שִׁיֵּיר בָּהּ. כִּי תִּבָּעֵי לָךְ – אַלִּיבָּא דְּמַאן דְּאָמַר דְּעוּבָּר לָאו יֶרֶךְ אִמּוֹ, מַאי? מֵימַר אָמְרִינַן: כֵּיוָן דִּמְחוּבָּר בָּהּ הָוֵי שִׁיּוּר, אוֹ דִּלְמָא: כֵּיוָן דִּלְמִפְרַשׁ מִינָּהּ קָאֵי לָא הָוֵי שִׁיּוּר?
The Gemara elaborates on the last dilemma: According to the one who says that a fetus is considered as its mother’s thigh,
אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: כֵּיוָן דְּלָאו יֶרֶךְ אִמּוֹ הוּא לָא הָוֵי שִׁיּוּר, אוֹ דִּלְמָא: כֵּיוָן דְּצָרִיךְ לְאִישְׁתָּרוּיֵי בַּהֲדָהּ בִּשְׁחִיטָה, כְּמַאן דְּשִׁיֵּיר בְּגוּפָהּ דָּמֵי? תֵּיקוּ.
There are those who state a different analysis of this dilemma: Since a fetus is not considered as its mother’s thigh, it is not considered a significant withholding, or perhaps, since it needs its mother to be rendered permitted for consumption through the mother’s slaughter, it is considered as though the thief has withheld a part of the mother’s body. The Gemara concludes: All these dilemmas shall stand unresolved.
בָּעֵי רַב פַּפָּא: גְּנָבָהּ, קְטָעָהּ וּמְכָרָהּ, מַהוּ? מִי אָמְרִינַן: מַאי דְּגָנַב הָא לָא זַבֵּין, אוֹ דִּלְמָא: מַה דְּזַבֵּין הָא לָא שִׁיֵּיר? תֵּיקוּ.
Rav Pappa raises a dilemma: If one stole an animal, severed one of its limbs, and then sold it,
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: גָּנַב וְנָתַן לְאַחֵר וְטָבַח, גָּנַב וְנָתַן לְאַחֵר וּמָכַר,
§ The Sages taught in a baraita: If one stole an animal and gave it to another and that person slaughtered it for him, or if he stole an animal and gave it to another and that person sold it for him, the thief is liable to pay the fourfold or fivefold payment, as performing these actions through an agent is equivalent to performing them by oneself.