Dina demalchuta dina, the law of the land is the law, is one of the most famous, far-reaching and even revolutionary laws of the Talmud. At its most…
Travelling for Teshuva: Bava Kamma 103
The distinction between a ganav and a gazlan is fairly well known. The former in trying to hide his crime pays double the amount stolen whereas the…
Keep the Money: Bava Kamma 94
Doing teshuva is hard work. Sinning can be fun, easy to do, financially beneficial and habit forming. Change is hard. It requires hard work,…
The Wisdom of the Common Man: Bava Kamma 92
One of the revolutions of Judaism was its democratization. No person is inherently superior to another--all are created in the same Divine image. One…
Please Forgive Me: Bava Kamma 92
“Even though he repays him he is not forgiven until he asks him.” (Bava Kamma 92a) In our last couple of postings we have discussed the…
Let's Have a Party!: Bava Kamma 87
In our last post we discussed Rabbi Yehuda’s (rejected) view that the blind are exempt from mitzvoth. This exemption actually brought great joy…
The Death Penalty?: Bava Kamma 86
Rav Yaakov Ettlinger in his collection of responsa (Binyan Tzion #172) discusses the powerful and scary question of whether one has to give up one…
Take Five:Bava Kamma 85
Masechet Bava Kamma begins by describing one’s responsibility to pay for damages caused by one’s animals. It then discusses damages one…
A Perfect Ten: Bava Kamma 82
“Rav Yossi said: It would have been proper for the Torah to be given by Ezra had Moshe not preceded him.” (Sanhedrin 21b) It was Moshe…
Only One Chance: Bava Kamma 80
When opportunity knocks, answer – you may not get a second chance. Or to quote the language of our Sages “a closed door does not easily […
Baa Baa Black Sheep: Bava Kamma 80
One of the beautiful features of the Land of Israel is its wide-ranging topography. The lowest point on earth some 1,300 feet below sea level is…
Man and G-d: Bava Kamma 79
“The disciples of Rav Yochanan ben Zakkai asked him ‘why was the Torah stricter regarding a ganav, thief than a gazlan…
Talking too Much: Bava Kamma 72
“Al pi [1], according to the testimony of two or three shall something be established.” (Devarim 19:15) With so much power…
It's Almost Chanukah: Bava Kamma 62b
While there are 613 categories of mitzvoth they are not all created equal. Saving a life is more important than observing Shabbat, Shabbat is more…
Fire! Bava Kamma 62
One of the greatest causes of damage to public property is that of fire. Forest fires cause damage to millions of acres of every year and we…
No Reciprocity: Bava Kamma 37
“The ox of a Jew who gores the ox belonging to the Temple or the ox of the Temple that gores the ox of the Jew they are exempt from…
A Shabbat Ox: Bava Kamma 37
Correlation does not imply causation - though it may be just that. It is not always easy to distinguish between two events that, while…
Bava Kamma 32: Running Late on Friday
Slow down. Such would be good advice for those trying to navigate a busy street. Running down the street in any major urban area is not recommended…