bava batra 78

 

what is the role of a donkey? 

for riding? 

for carrying? 

to produce and nurture more donkeys? 

or to be a warning to the arrogant ones headed for hell?

bava batra 77

 

when the abstract defines the physical. 

words acquire words,

and money determines what is for sale. 

bava batra 76

 acquiring a ship by pulling. 

but who would park a ship in an alleyway. 

bava batra 75

the ship of future dreams.

following the discussion about the legendary aspects of the sea, including the Levithan, this page explores various visions of the future, including what will happen to the Levithan, Jerusalem, and the stature of humans. These stories finish, and the talmud picks up the original mishna topic - how to buy a ship. And the need for the acquisition to be completed by an action of pulling. It brought to mind that all these future dreams and wishes are bundled together, and can only be kept alive by the scholars and dreamers pulling them into the future. 

bava batra 74

travellers' tales
of what happened at sea,
in the desert,
where hell meets earth,
and where earth meets heaven,
and the mighty creatures who live,
and died, there.

basically, everyone is a bit of bore, prone to exaggeration, when they come back from travelling. The talmudic rabbis were no exception. 

bava batra 73

tall tales of big fish,
big trees,
big snakes, frogs, birds
and juggling demons.

all inspired by the big waves of the sea.

Discussion about the laws of buying ships, and what is included, leads to many stories about the sea. Each one more fantastic than the last. It's a talmudic rabbis story slam. For me the winner was Rabba and his tale of the demon Hurmin, the son of Lilith, juggling wine and dancing on bridges. 

bava batra 72

when the trunk is the tree and the land

bava batra 71

unspecified gifts and particular sales.
- so there's no need to go into detail when giving things to God.

bava batra 70

separating trees from fields,
and partners,
the living from the dead.

bava batra 69

significant trees,
watchtowers,
and stones.

does buying a field include items within it that have their own identity and significance?