Bava Batra 25

שעושה אותו גלל

he turns it into manure, i.e., the chaff acts like manure, and an excessive amount of manure damages the seeds.

מתני׳ מרחיקין את הנבלות ואת הקברות ואת הבורסקי מן העיר חמשים אמה אין עושין בורסקי אלא למזרח העיר רבי עקיבא אומר לכל רוח הוא עושה חוץ ממערבה ומרחיק חמשים אמה ומרחיקין את המשרה מן הירק ואת הכרישין מן הבצלים ואת החרדל מן הדבורים ורבי יוסי מתיר בחרדל

MISHNA: One must distance animal carcasses, and graves, and a tannery [haburseki], a place where hides are processed, fifty cubits from the city. One may establish a tannery only on the east side of the city, because winds usually blow from the west and the foul smells would therefore be blown away from the residential area. Rabbi Akiva says: One may establish a tannery on any side of a city except for the west, as the winds blowing from that direction will bring the odors into the city, and one must distance it fifty cubits from the city. One must distance from vegetables water in which flax is steeped, because this water ruins them; and likewise one must distance leeks from onions, and mustard from bees. And Rabbi Yosei permits one not to do so in the case of mustard.

גמ׳ איבעיא להו רבי עקיבא היכי קאמר לכל רוח הוא עושה וסומך חוץ ממערבה דמרחיק חמשים אמה ועושה או דלמא לכל רוח הוא עושה ומרחיק חמשים אמה חוץ ממערבה דאינו עושה כלל

GEMARA: A dilemma was raised before the Sages: With regard to what case is Rabbi Akiva speaking? Did he mean that one may establish a tannery on any side of a city, and one may even place the tannery close to the city, except for the west side, where one must establish it at a distance of fifty cubits? Or perhaps he meant that one may establish a tannery on any side and distance it fifty cubits, except for the west side, where one may not establish a tannery at all.

תא שמע דתניא רבי עקיבא אומר לכל רוח הוא עושה ומרחיק חמשים אמה חוץ ממערבה דאינו עושה כל עיקר מפני שהיא תדירא

The Gemara cites a proof: Come and hear, as it is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Akiva says that one may establish a tannery on any side of the city and distance it fifty cubits, except for the west side, where one may not establish a tannery at all, because the western wind is frequent.

אמר ליה רבא לרב נחמן מאי תדירא אילימא תדירא ברוחות והא אמר רב חנן בר אבא אמר רב ארבע רוחות מנשבות בכל יום ורוח צפונית עם כולן שאילמלא כן אין העולם מתקיים אפילו שעה אחת ורוח דרומית קשה מכולן ואילמלא בן נץ שמעמידה מחרבת את העולם שנאמר המבינתך יאבר נץ יפרש כנפו לתימן

§ With regard to the last statement of the baraita, Rava said to Rav Naḥman: What does frequent mean in this context? If we say it means frequent among the winds, i.e., this wind blows all the time, that is difficult. But doesn’t Rav Ḥanan bar Abba say that Rav says: Four winds blow every day from different directions, and the northern wind blows with each of the other three; as, if this were not so, i.e., if it did not blow, the world would not exist for even one hour, as the northern wind is pleasant and tempers the bitter effects of the other winds. And the southern wind is harsher than all of them, and were it not for the angel named Ben Netz, who stops it from blowing even harder, it would destroy the entire world, as it is stated: “Does the hawk [netz] soar by your wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?” (Job 39:26). This indicates that the northern wind is the most constant, not the western wind.

אלא מאי תדירא תדירא בשכינה דאמר רבי יהושע בן לוי בואו ונחזיק טובה לאבותינו שהודיעו מקום תפלה דכתיב וצבא השמים לך משתחוים

Rather, what is the meaning of frequent? It means frequent with the Divine Presence, i.e., the Divine Presence is found on the western side, and therefore it is inappropriate to set up a tannery there with its foul odors. As Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: Come and let us be grateful to our ancestors who revealed to us the place of prayer, as it is written: “And the hosts of heaven bow down to You” (Nehemiah 9:6). Since the celestial bodies move from east to west, they bow in that direction, which indicates that the Divine Presence is in the west.

מתקיף לה רב אחא בר יעקב ודלמא כעבד שנוטל פרס מרבו וחוזר לאחוריו ומשתחוה קשיא

Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov objects to this: But perhaps the celestial bodies are like a servant who receives a gift from his master and walks backward while bowing. If so, the Divine Presence is in the east and the celestial bodies are moving backward. The Gemara comments: Indeed, this is difficult, i.e., the verse does not provide a definitive proof.

ורבי אושעיא סבר שכינה בכל מקום דאמר רבי אושעיא מאי דכתיב אתה הוא ה׳ לבדך את עשית את השמים וגו׳ שלוחיך לא כשלוחי בשר ודם שלוחי בשר ודם ממקום שמשתלחים לשם מחזירים שליחותן אבל שלוחיך למקום שמשתלחין משם מחזירין שליחותן שנאמר התשלח ברקים וילכו ויאמרו לך הננו יבואו ויאמרו לא נאמר אלא וילכו ויאמרו מלמד שהשכינה בכל מקום

The Gemara comments: And Rabbi Oshaya holds that the Divine Presence is found in every place, as Rabbi Oshaya says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “You are the Lord, even You alone, You have made heaven…You preserve them all alive and the hosts of heaven bow down to You” (Nehemiah 9:6)? This indicates that Your messengers are not like the messengers of flesh and blood. The messengers of flesh and blood return to the place from where they were sent to report on their mission. But Your messengers return and report on their mission from the very same place to which they are sent, as it is stated “Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go out and say to you: Here we are?” (Job 38:35). The verse does not state: They will come and say, i.e., they do not return to their point of departure, but: “They may go out and say,” which teaches that the Divine Presence is found in every place.

ואף רבי ישמעאל סבר שכינה בכל מקום דתנא דבי רבי ישמעאל מנין ששכינה בכל מקום שנאמר הנה המלאך הדבר בי יצא ומלאך אחר יצא לקראתו אחריו לא נאמר אלא לקראתו מלמד ששכינה בכל מקום

The Gemara comments: And Rabbi Yishmael, too, holds that the Divine Presence is in every place, as one of the Sages of the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: From where is it derived that the Divine Presence is in every place? As it is stated: “And behold the angel who spoke with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him” (Zechariah 2:7). Although both angels were coming from the Divine Presence, the verse does not state: After him, but: “To meet him,” which teaches that the Divine Presence is in every place, and therefore the angels depart for their missions from every place.

ואף רב ששת סבר שכינה בכל מקום דאמר ליה רב ששת לשמעיה לכל רוחתא אוקמן לבר ממזרח ולאו משום דלית ביה שכינה אלא משום דמורו בה מיני

And Rav Sheshet, too, holds that the Divine Presence is in every place, as Rav Sheshet said to his servant: Set me facing any direction to pray except for the east. Rav Sheshet, who was blind, required the assistance of his aide to prepare for prayer. He explained to his servant: And the reason I do not wish to face east is not because it does not contain the Divine Presence, but because the heretics instruct people to pray in that direction.

ורבי אבהו אמר שכינה במערב דאמר רבי אבהו מאי אוריה אויר יה

But Rabbi Abbahu says: The Divine Presence is in the west, as Rabbi Abbahu says: What is the meaning of oriyya, which is a name for the west? It means the air of God [avir Yah], i.e., this is the place of the Divine Presence.

אמר רב יהודה מאי דכתיב יערף כמטר לקחי זו רוח מערבית שבאה מערפו של עולם

The Gemara cites a statement connected to the four winds. Rav Yehuda said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distill as the dew; as the small rain upon the tender growth, and as the showers upon the herb” (Deuteronomy 32:2)? “My doctrine shall drop [ya’arof ] as the rain”; this is the western wind, which comes from the back of [me’orpo] the world, as the west is also referred to as the back.

תזל כטל אמרתי זו רוח צפונית שמזלת את הזהב וכן הוא אומר הזלים זהב מכיס

“My speech shall distill [tizzal] as the dew”; this is the northern wind, which brings dry air that reduces the rain and grain and thereby devalues [mazzelet] gold. When grain crops are reduced their price appreciates, and consequently the value of gold decreases. And in addition, it says: “You who lavish [hazzalim] gold out of the bag” (Isaiah 46:6).

כשעירם עלי דשא זו רוח מזרחית שמסערת את כל העולם כשעיר וכרביבים עלי עשב זו רוח דרומית שהיא מעלה רביבים ומגדלת עשבים

“As the small rain [kisirim] upon the tender growth”; this is the eastern wind that rages through [maseret] the entire world like a demon [sa’ir] when it blows strongly. “And as the showers upon the herb”; this is the southern wind, which raises showers and causes herbs to grow.

תניא רבי אליעזר אומר עולם

It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Eliezer says: The world

לאכסדרה הוא דומה ורוח צפונית אינה מסובבת וכיון שהגיעה חמה אצל קרן מערבית צפונית נכפפת ועולה למעלה מן הרקיע ורבי יהושע אומר עולם לקובה הוא דומה ורוח צפונית מסובבת וכיון שחמה מגעת לקרן מערבית צפונית מקפת וחוזרת אחורי כיפה

is similar to a partially enclosed veranda [le’akhsadra], enclosed on three sides, and the northern side of the world is not enclosed with a partition like the other directions. The sun begins its revolution in the east and passes to the south and the west, and once the sun reaches the northwestern corner it turns around and ascends throughout the night above the sky to the east side and does not pass the north side. And Rabbi Yehoshua says: The world is similar to a small tent [lekubba], and the north side is enclosed with a partition as well, but once the sun reaches the northwestern corner it emerges from this small tent, and circles and passes behind the dome, i.e., outside the northern partition, until it reaches the east.

שנאמר הולך אל דרום וסובב אל צפון וגו׳ הולך אל דרום ביום וסובב אל צפון בלילה סובב סבב הולך הרוח ועל סביבתיו שב הרוח אלו פני מזרח ופני מערב שפעמים מסבבתן ופעמים מהלכתן

As it is stated: “The sun also rises and the sun goes down, and hastens to its place, where it rises again. It goes toward the south, and turns about to the north; round and round goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns” (Ecclesiastes 1:5–6). The verse is understood as describing the sun’s movements, as follows: “It goes toward the south” during the day, “and turns about to the north,” on the outside of the firmament, at night. “Round and round goes the wind [ruaḥ] and the wind returns again to its circuits”; as the word ruaḥ can also mean direction or side, Rabbi Yehoshua explains that these are the face of the east and the face of the west. Sometimes, in the short winter days, the sun turns about them without being seen, and sometimes, in the long summer days, it traverses them visibly.

הוא היה אומר אתאן לרבי אליעזר מן החדר תבא סופה זו רוח דרומית וממזרים קרה זו רוח צפונית מנשמת אל יתן קרח זו רוח מערבית ורחב מים במוצק זו רוח מזרחית

The baraita continues: He would say. Before continuing its citation, the Gemara interjects: In this statement, we arrive at the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer that the world is like a partially enclosed veranda. The Gemara resumes its citation of the baraita: There is proof from a verse that the north side is open: “Out of the chamber comes the storm”; this is the southern side that forms a room with the other two sides. “And cold out of the dispersed parts” (Job 37:9); this is the northern side, which is open, and from which a cold wind comes. “By the breath of God ice is given”; this is the western side. “And the breadth of the waters is straitened” (Job 37:10); this is the eastern side, from which the rains come.

והאמר מר רוח דרומית מעלה רביבים ומגדלת עשבים לא קשיא הא דאתיא מטרא בניחותא הא בשפיכותא

The Gemara asks: But doesn’t the Master say that the southern wind raises showers and causes herbs to grow? The Gemara answers that this is not difficult: This is referring to rain that falls gently, which waters plants and brings growth; that is referring to a downpour of rain that causes damage.

אמר רב חסדא מאי דכתיב מצפון זהב יאתה זו רוח צפונית שמזלת את הזהב וכן הוא אומר הזלים זהב מכיס

Rav Ḥisda said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Out of the north comes gold” (Job 37:22)? This is the northern wind, which devalues gold by causing a drought that raises the price of grain. And, in addition, it says: “You who lavish gold out of the bag” (Isaiah 46:6).

אמר רפרם בר פפא אמר רב חסדא מיום שחרב בית המקדש לא הוגשמה רוח דרומית שנאמר ויגזר על ימין ורעב ויאכל על שמאל ולא שבעו וכתיב צפון וימין אתה בראתם

§ Rafram bar Pappa says that Rav Ḥisda says: From the day the Temple was destroyed the southern wind has not brought rain, as it is stated in the description of the destruction of the Temple: “He decrees on the right and there is hunger, and consumes on the left and they are not satisfied” (Isaiah 9:19). This means that God decreed that the southern wind, which is called right, shall bring famine with it. And it is written: “North and right, You have created them” (Psalms 89:13). This proves that the term right means south.

ואמר רפרם בר פפא אמר רב חסדא מיום שחרב בית המקדש אין הגשמים יורדין מאוצר טוב שנאמר יפתח ה׳ לך את אוצרו הטוב בזמן שישראל עושין רצונו של מקום וישראל שרויין על אדמתם גשמים יורדין מאוצר טוב בזמן שאין ישראל שרויין על אדמתם אין גשמים יורדין מאוצר טוב

And Rafram bar Pappa says that Rav Ḥisda says: From the day the Temple was destroyed, the rains no longer descend from the good storehouse, as it is stated: “The Lord will open to you His good storehouse, the skies, to give the rain of your land in its season” (Deuteronomy 28:12). In a time when the Jewish people perform God’s will, and the Jewish people are settled in their land, rain descends from the good storehouse. In a time when the Jewish people are not settled in their land, rain does not descend from the good storehouse.

אמר רבי יצחק הרוצה שיחכים ידרים ושיעשיר יצפין וסימניך שלחן בצפון ומנורה בדרום ורבי יהושע בן לוי אמר לעולם ידרים שמתוך שמתחכם מתעשר שנאמר ארך ימים בימינה בשמאלה עשר וכבוד

Rabbi Yitzḥak says: One who wishes to become wise should face south, and one who wishes to become wealthy should face north. And your mnemonic for this is that in the Temple the Table, which symbolized blessing and abundance, was in the north, and the Candelabrum, which symbolized the light of wisdom, was in the south of the Sanctuary. And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: One should always face south, as once he becomes wise he will subsequently also become wealthy, as it is stated with regard to the Torah: “Length of days is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor” (Proverbs 3:16).

והא רבי יהושע בן לוי אמר שכינה במערב דמצדד אצדודי אמר ליה רבי חנינא לרב אשי כגון אתון דיתביתו בצפונה דארץ ישראל אדרימו אדרומי ומנא לן דבבל לצפונה דארץ ישראל קיימא דכתיב מצפון תפתח הרעה על כל ישבי הארץ

The Gemara asks: But Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says that the Divine Presence is in the west. How, then, can one pray facing south? The Gemara explains that one should turn aside slightly, so that he faces southwest. Rabbi Ḥanina said to Rav Ashi: An individual such as you, who lives to the north of Eretz Yisrael, should face south when you pray. And from where do we derive that Babylonia is located to the north of Eretz Yisrael? As it is written in a prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians: “Out of the north evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land” (Jeremiah 1:14).

מרחיקין את המשרה מן הירק וכו׳ תנא רבי יוסי מתיר בחרדל שיכול לומר לו עד שאתה אומר לי הרחק חרדלך מן דבוריי הרחק דבורך מן חרדליי שבאות ואוכלות לגלוגי חרדליי

§ The mishna teaches that one must distance from vegetables the water in which flax is steeped, and distance mustard from bees. A Sage taught that Rabbi Yosei permits one not to do so in the case of mustard because he can say to the beekeeper: Before you tell me: Distance your mustard from my bees, I can tell you: Distance your bees from my mustard, as they come and eat my mustard plants. In other words, you are also causing damage to my property. Since they each cause damage to the other, neither can force his neighbor to move.

מתני׳ מרחיקין את האילן מן הבור עשרים וחמש אמה ובחרוב ובשקמה חמשים אמה בין מלמעלה בין מן הצד אם הבור קדמה קוצץ ונותן דמים ואם אילן קדם לא יקוץ ספק זה קדם וספק זה קדם לא יקוץ רבי יוסי אומר אף על פי שהבור קודמת לאילן לא יקוץ שזה חופר בתוך שלו וזה נוטע בתוך שלו

MISHNA: One must distance a tree twenty-five cubits from a cistern, and in the case of a carob and of a sycamore tree, whose roots extend farther, one must distance the tree fifty cubits. This is the halakha whether the cistern or tree is located above or to the side of the other. If the digging of the cistern preceded the tree, the owner of the tree cuts down the tree and the owner of the cistern pays him money. And if the tree preceded the cistern the owner of the tree need not cut down the tree. If it is uncertain whether this came first or that came first, the owner of the tree need not cut down the tree. Rabbi Yosei says: Even if the cistern preceded the tree, the owner of the tree need not cut down the tree. This is due to the fact that this one digs in his own property, and that one plants in his own property.

גמ׳ תנא בין שהבור למטה ואילן למעלה בין שהבור למעלה ואילן למטה בשלמא בור למטה ואילן למעלה קא אזלין שרשין מזקי לה לבור אלא בור למעלה ואילן למטה אמאי אמר רבי חגא בשם רבי יוסי מפני שמחלידין את הקרקע ומלקין קרקעיתה של בור

GEMARA: The Gemara discusses the mishna’s statement that a tree must be distanced if it is above a cistern. A Sage taught: This is the halakha whether the cistern is below and the tree is above, or whether the cistern is above and the tree is below. The Gemara asks: Granted, if the cistern is below and the tree is above, it will cause damage, as the roots extend and damage the cistern when they breach its walls. But if the cistern is above and the tree is below, why should he have to distance the tree, considering that the roots extend downward? Rabbi Ḥagga says in the name of Rabbi Yosei: He must distance the tree because its roots form holes in the ground and ruin the floor of the cistern.

רבי יוסי אומר אף על פי שהבור קודמת לאילן לא יקוץ שזה חופר בתוך שלו וזה נוטע בתוך שלו אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל הלכה כרבי יוסי אמר רב אשי כי הואן בי רב כהנא הוה אמרינן מודי רבי יוסי בגירי דידיה

Rabbi Yosei says: Even if the cistern preceded the tree, the owner of the tree need not cut down the tree. This is due to the fact that this one digs in his own property, and that one plants in his own property. Rav Yehuda says that Shmuel says: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei. Rav Ashi said: When we were studying in the study hall of Rav Kahana, we would say that Rabbi Yosei concedes with regard to one’s arrows, i.e., one must distance his activities from his neighbor if his actions will cause immediate damage to his neighbor, even if he is acting on his own property.

פאפי יונאה עני והעשיר הוה בנה אפדנא הוו הנך עצורי בשיבבותיה דכי הוו דייקי שומשמי הוה ניידא אפדניה אתא לקמיה דרב אשי אמר ליה כי הואן בי רב כהנא הוה אמרינן מודי רבי יוסי בגירי דיליה

The Gemara relates that a man called Pappei Yona’a was poor and became wealthy. He built a mansion [appadna] on his land. There were these sesame seed pressers in his neighborhood who would work, and when they would press the sesame seeds their activity would shake his mansion. He came before Rav Ashi to complain. Rav Ashi said to him: When we were studying in the study hall of Rav Kahana, we would say that Rabbi Yosei concedes with regard to one’s arrows. Here too, because the sesame seed pressers cause immediate damage they must distance themselves.

וכמה

The Gemara asks: And how much must the mansion shake for the owner to have the right to compel the sesame seed pressers to distance themselves?