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Bava Basra 002: Where should the gatehouse be built?

Kollel Iyun Hadaf
Thu, 10 Sep 2009 05:20:07 -0700

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Bava Basra 002: Where should the gatehouse be built?

alex lebovits asked:

The Gem on 2b brings down a Mishna from 7b stating that all residents were 
required to assist in the construction of the gatehouse. In the Artscroll Gem. 
a picture is drawn  of this, showing that this gatehouse is built in Reshus 
Harabaim. 

Is this not a problem? Shouldn’t it be built INSIDE the Chotzer? If the 
residents of the Chotzer are bearing the cost of the material then they should 
also have to contribute the land for it. Also, don’t we want the Reshus Harabim 
to be clear for traffic? 

Do we also not see in the Mishna on Daf 27B that if a tree hangs down over 
Reshus Harabim one may cut off the branches to provide clearance for a camel + 
to pass underneath. So how do we initially allow an impediment to be built in 
Reshus Harabim on the ground itself that may end up being 4 amos high?!

Regardless of the above, from the Gem. about Eliyahu Hanavi on 7b we see why 
the gatehouse had to be built in Reshus Harabim. 

May we thus conclude that “Tzorchei Aniyim” overrides  “Tzorchei D’Rabim” and 
‘Tirchei D’Rabim’.

Is this a proper diyuk?

Yet the following disturbs me:

1. Rashi on 2b DH Beis HaShar defines this as a curved wall, opposite and 
around the courtyard gate, with a small door on the side to prevent people from 
seeing in. This fits in well with the Gem. on 7b. Yet the Bartenura and the 
Tiferes Yisroel in the Mishnayis learn Beis Shar simply as a self contained 
guardhouse outside the wall. Why don’t they learn like Rashi which fits in so 
well with the Gem.?  

2. Of what use is a small door at the end of the curved wall, if a big door is 
required to get things in and out of the Chotzer? Also, it is the second wall 
that prevents people from being able to see in; not the size of the opening at 
the end of the wall.

The following should be answered as well:

3. Rashi on 7b DH ‘Kofin Oso’ says that a gatekeeper sits in the shade of the 
gatehouse. If this is so, then let’s build the gatehouse inside  the Chotzer 
and since there is a gatekeeper sitting in its shade, then there is only the 
one door of the Chotzer between him and the Aniyim and he will be able to hear 
them and to let them in! 

4. Is 4 amos high enough for this wall, or would everyone agree that it has to 
be at least ‘K’Gamal Verochvo’? 

Kol Tuv,
alex lebovits, toronto, canada
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The Kollel replies:

Alex – Shalom Aleichem! This is another “bomber kashya”!

I want to answer that the Beis Sha’ar is actually situated in Tzidei Reshus 
ha'Rabim. Rashi Kesuvos 31b DH Tzidei writes that rocks and obstacles were 
placed outside the houses to prevent the carts rubbing against the houses. 
Rashi Kesuvos 86b DH Tzidei adds that people do not usually walk too near the 
walls of the houses because they do not want to scrape against the wall. So it 
is in this sidewalk area that the Beis Sha'ar was situated and it did not 
disturb the people in the Reshus ha'Rabim that much because anyway they did not 
use that area. In contrast, the Mishnah 27b is referring to branches of a tree 
which hang over Reshus ha'Rabim itself but if they only hung over Tzidei Reshus 
ha'Rabim one would not be required to cut them down.

According to this, the Diyuk that Tzorchei Aniyim overrides Tzorchei Rabim or 
Tircha d’Rabim might not necessarily be inevitable.

1. I think the simple Pshat is that the Bartenura and Tiferes Yisrael are more 
concise in their commentary on the Mishnah than Rashi was on his commentary on 
the Gemara, so they did not tell us all the details about the Beis Sha'ar.

2. The big door to take things in and out of the Chatzer is not used very much 
– only when it is necessary to deliver goods etc. and for that short time the 
people in the Chatzer will be careful not to do anything very private. The 
small door is for people to go in and out of, so we make sure it is small so 
that everyone outside will not be able to see things inside the Chatzer every 
time one of the inhabitants comes in or goes out.

3. Rashi 7b DH v’Lo writes that the paupers come and scream and this way the 
people inside the Chatzer hear them and have pity on them and want to give them 
Tzedakah. Then they will come outside and give them money, but if we would rely 
solely on the gatekeeper he, and the dwellers in the chotzer, would not always 
want to let the Aniyim inside.

4. I have not yet found anyone who writes specifically about this question but 
it seems probable to me (especially since nobody seems to say otherwise) that 
four Amos is sufficient for this wall too. Rashi 5a in the Mishnah DH Mechayvin 
writes that four amos is enough to remove Hezek Re'iyah. However, of course 
this is referring to a wall in the middle of the courtyard between two 
partners, while the wall of the Beis Sha'ar is to prevent people looking in 
from Reshus ha'Rabim and these people might be riding high on a camel. 
Nevertheless I have a hunch that when Rashi 7b in the Mishnah DH Kofin writes 
that the Beis Sha'ar is to prevent people in the Reshus ha'Rabim from peeping 
into the Chatzer, this is principally aimed at people standing just outside the 
Chatzer and having a Shmooze there and in the process also observing everything 
that is going on inside. In contrast the fellow riding past on his camel does 
not have time to look closely at what is going on inside. In addition 
we noted above that he does not go on the Tzidei Reshus ha'Rabim so he does not 
really get very close to the Chatzer. Therefore I think that Kedei Gamal 
v’Rochvo is not necssary.

Alex - wishing you a kesivah u’Chasimah Tova and a very happy and successful 
New Year and looking forward to receiving lots more “bomber Kashyos” from you 
and everyone else!

Kol Tuv,
Dovid Bloom


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