Bava Kamma 83 - January 24, 14 Shvat

Today's daf is sponsored by Betsy and Tevie Mehlman in honor of the birth of their grandson Lavi to Hillel and Shaked. "His name symbolizes strength. May he be a continuing source of pride and joy to his parents and his entire family." Today's daf is sponsored by Deborah Kotz for the refuah shleima of Yonatan Yitzchak Ben Ateret, an IDF soldier critically injured in his tank in Gaza on Friday. Today's daf is dedicated in memory of the twenty-one soldiers who were killed in Gaza on Monday. Our thoughts are with their families.  Is it really forbidden to teach Greek wisdom, doesn't it say in a braita that the Greek language is better than the Sorsi language!? To answer, they distinguish between Greek language and Greek wisdom. But even this is challenged by a braita that tells about Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel and his family who studied Greek wisdom. They were allowed because of political reasons – so they could interact with the Romans. It is allowed to raise a dog at home only if it is chained so as not to cause damage. The Mishna states that one cannot spread nets to catch pigeons unless it is a distance of thirty ris (8,000 cubits) from a settlement. The Gemara cites sources that seemingly contradict this source and then resolves the difficulties. One who damages another must pay five payments - damage, pain, doctor bills, the loss of employment, and humilation. How are these payments evaluated? Why do we think that the one who harms his friend pays damage, after all, it is written in the Torah an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, etc.! The Gemara brings different drashot to prove that even though it is written in the Torah an eye for an eye, the obligation is to pay money.