Bava Basra - Daf 25

• Audio Timestamps

0:00 - The 3 Sugyos

2:59 - Review of 3 Sugyos

5:50- Siman

8:41 - 4 Blatt Back Chazarah

17:28 - Pop Quiz (Last 7 blatt)

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• If the Shechinah is in מערב, or בכל מקום

Rebbe Akiva describes the west as "תדירא" – constant. The Gemara explain it means: תדירא בשכינה – constant regarding the presence of the Shechinah, as Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi said: בואו ונחזיק טובה לאבותינו – Come, let us show gratitude to our forefathers, שהודיעו מקום תפלה – who informed us of the [direction] of prayer, as the passuk says: "וצבא השמים לך משתחוים" – and the heavenly legions bow to You, meaning the sun, moon, and stars “bow” while setting in the west. Rav Acha bar Yaakov asks that perhaps they are like a servant, and back away while bowing towards the east. The Gemara agrees that this is a difficulty. Rebbe Oshaya holds: שכינה בכל מקום – the Shechinah is everywhere, because he explained a passuk saying that Hashem’s messengers (the sun, etc.) are unique, because instead of returning to the place from where they were sent, למקום שמשתלחין (מ)שם מחזירין שליחותן – to the place they are sent, there they return to report on their mission. Rebbe Yishmael also holds the Shechinah is everywhere, based on a passuk which describes two מלאכים leaving Hashem’s presence as going towards each other. Rav Sheishess holds the Shechinah is everywhere, because he told his attendant to face him in any direction to daven except east, not because the Shechinah is not in the east, but because heretics teach to pray that way.

• הרוצה שיחכים ידרים ושיעשיר יצפין

Rebbe Yitzchak said: הרוצה שיחכים ידרים – One who wants to become wise should face south when he davens, ושיעשיר יצפין – and if he wants to become wealthy, he should face north. He gives a siman to remember the directions: in the Beis Hamikdash, the שולחן (which held the לחם הפנים, symbolizing sustenance) was on the north side of the Heichal, and the Menorah (symbolizing Torah wisdom) was on the south side. Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi said: לעולם ידרים – One should always face south, שמתוך שמתחכם מתעשר – because by becoming wise, he will also become wealthy, because the passuk says: "בשמאלה עושר וכבוד" – in [the Torah’s] left hand are wealth and honor. The Gemara asks that this contradicts Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi’s statement above, that the Shechinah is in the west, and one should daven in that direction!? It answers: דמצדד אצדודי – he should turn slightly to the south, but primarily face west.

• R’ Yose holds one may plant a tree near a neighbor’s pit, but agrees בגירי דיליה

The next Mishnah states: מרחיקין את האילן מן הבור עשרים וחמש אמה – one must distance a tree twenty-five amos from a neighbor’s pit, so the roots do not damage the pit’s walls. If the pit preceded the tree, he must cut it down (but receives compensation). If the tree preceded the pit, he does not have to cut it down. Rebbe Yose says: אף על פי שהבור קודמת לאילן לא יקוץ – even if the pit preceded the tree, he does not need to cut it down, שזה חופר בתוך שלו וזה נוטע בתוך שלו – for just as this one may dig a pit in his property, that one may plant a tree in his property, regardless of the damage it may cause the pit. The Gemara on Daf 18 explained that he holds על הניזק להרחיק את עצמו – it is incumbent upon the potential damaged party to distance himself to avoid harm. Shmuel says the halachah follows Rebbe Yose. Rav Ashi reported what was said in Rav Kahana’s Yeshiva: מודי ר' יוסי בגירי דידיה – Rebbe Yose agrees regarding “his arrows” (where the damage is direct) that the מזיק must distance himself. Therefore, Rav Ashi required sesame-seed pressers to move, because the vibrations from their pressing caused someone’s mansion to tremble.

Siman – 25th Silver Anniversary

The 25th silver anniversary dinner that was held during sunset, so the husband and wife could watch the sun "bow" as it set in the west where the Shechinah always rests and was set on a new golden table in the north side of the yard in the direction the wealthy husband always davened, turned into a disaster when the wall of the yard collapsed from the vibrations of the sesame seed pressers, who according to all opinions should have worked further away.