Bava Batra 23 - July 18, 12 Tamuz

Today's daf is sponsored by Gabrielle Altman in loving memory of Yechezkel Yitzhak Ben Shlomo Zev, Honorable Herbert Altman z”l on his Shloshim. "Beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, brilliant jurist, and wonderful Jew. He will be forever cherished, missed, and loved. Yehi Zichro Baruch." Today's daf is sponsored by Becki Goldstein in honor of the marriage of her cousin Aviva Engel to Mickey Fankhauser, the Aliyah of her parents from Montreal to Modiin, and welcomes her brother Rabbi Zvi Engel from Chicago who will be the mesader kiddushin. "My heart is full of thanksgiving to Hashem for all his chasadim. והריקותי לכם ברכה והצלחה בלי די." A story is told about Rav Yosef who has bloodletters that worked under his tree and attracted ravens that ruined his tree. He wanted to get rid of the bloodletters. Abaye questioned this as the damages were indirect, but Rav Yosef answered that even indirect damages are forbidden. Did the bloodletters have a legitimate claim that they had been doing this already for a while (chazaka) and Rav Yosef would not be able to kick them out? Can one create a chazaka for damages? One needs to distance one's dovecote from a city and other fields a certain distance to prevent one's doves from eating seeds or grains of others. But if one purchased a field with a dovecote within a short distance from one's neighbor, one can assume that it was done within the law (the neighbor allowed it or was compensated financially). What is the distance needed? How does this correspond to the distance mentioned regarding setting up traps for trapping doves? The Mishna discusses laws relating to a chick found in a certain area - how does one determine to whom the chick belongs? Rabbi Chanina says that in determining uncertainties, if there is a majority factor and a proximity factor that lead each to different conclusions, one follows the majority. Difficulties are raised from three sources (including our Mishna) which indicate that proximity is the more determining factor. Each one is resolved. In the context of those difficulties, Rabbi Yirmia asked a question on account of which he was kicked out of the Beit Midrash!