The Jerusalem Talmud
בבא קמא ח׳Bava Kamma 8
Perek 8 of 10 in Bava Kamma — 8 halakhot
Halakhah 1א׳
Mishnah
משנה: הַחוֹבֵל בַּחֲבֵירוֹ חַיָיב עָלָיו מִשּׁוּם חֲמִשָּׁה דְבָרִים בְּנֶזֶק בְּצַעַר בְּרִיפּוּי בְּשֶׁבֶת וּבְבוֹשֶׁת. בְּנֶזֶק כֵּיצַד סִימָּא אֶת עֵינוֹ קָטַע אֶת יָדוֹ שָׁבַר אֶת רַגְלוֹ רוֹאִין אוֹתוֹ כְּאִילּוּ הוּא עֶבֶד נִמְכַּר כַּמָּה הָיָה יַָפֶה וְכַמָּה הוּא יָפֶה. צַעַר כְּוָייוֹ בַשְׁפוּד אוֹ בַמַּסְמֵר וַאֲפִילוּ עַל צִיפָּרְנוֹ מְקוֹם שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה חַבּוּרָה אוֹמְדִין כַּמָּה אָדָם כַּיּוֹצֵא בָזֶה רוֹצֶה לִיטּוֹל לִהְיוֹת מִצְטָעֵר כָּךְ.
MISHNAH: One who injures another person owes him under five categories: Damages, suffering, medical costs, loss of earnings, and embarrassment. How are damages determined? If he blinded his eye, or cut off his hand, or broke his leg, one considers it as if he were sold as a slave; how much was he worth and how much is he worth now. Suffering: If he burned him with a spit, or with a nail, even on his fingernails where it does not cause a wound, one estimates how much a person in his state would ask to be paid in order to be willing to suffer such pain.
Halakhah
הלכה: הַחוֹבֵל בַּחֲבֵירוֹ כול׳. תַּנֵּי. הַחוֹבֵל בַּחֲבֵירוֹ חֲמִשָּׁה נוֹתֵן לוֹ חֲמִשָּׁה. אַרְבָּעָה נוֹתֵן לוֹ אַרְבָּעָה. שְׁלשָׁה נוֹתֵן לוֹ שְׁלשָׁה. שְׁנַיִם נוֹתֵן לוֹ שְׁנַיִם. אֶחָד נוֹתֵן לוֹ אֶחָד. וְהֵיכִי. הִכָּהוּ עַל יָדוֹ וּקְטָעָהּ נוֹתֵן לוֹ חֲמִשָּׁה. נֶזֶק צַעַר רִיפּוּי שֶׁבֶת וּבוֹשֶׁת. הִכָּהוּ עַל יָדוֹ וְצָבַת נוֹתֵן לוֹ ד̇. צַעַר רִיפּוּי שֶׁבֶת וּבוֹשֶׁת. הִכָּהוּ עַל רֹאשׁוֹ וְצָבַת נוֹתֵן לוֹ ג̇. צַעַר רִיפּוּי שֶׁבֶת. בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה נוֹתֵן לוֹ ב̇. צַעַר רִיפּוּי. בְּטוֹמוֹס שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ נוֹתֵן לוֹ א̇. בּוֹשֶׁת.
HALAKHAH: “One who injures another person,” etc. It was stated: “One who injures another person in five [respects] pays him for five categories, in four he pays him four, in three he pays him three, in two he pays him two, in one he pays him one.” How? If he hit him on his hand and severed it, he pays him five times: Damages, suffering, medical costs, loss of earnings, and embarassment. If he hit him on his hand and it became swollen, he pays four times: Suffering, medical costs, loss of earnings, and embarassment. If he hit him on his head which became swollen, he pays three times, suffering, medical costs, loss of earnings. At a place where it is not visible he pays twice, suffering and medical costs. With a tome in his hand he pays only once, for embarrassment.
רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה בָּעֵי. קָטַע יָדוֹ וְחָזַר וְקָטַע יָדוֹ מִמַעֲלָן מָהוּ שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ צַעַר שֶֶׁל שָׁעָה רִאשׁוֹנָה.
Rebbi Jeremiah asked: If he severed his hand and returned and severed the arm, does he have to pay additionally for the pain inflicted the first time?
כְּתִיב עַיִן תַּחַת עַיִן שֵׁן תַּחַת שֵׁן. וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר הוּא אוֹמֵר לֹא תָחוֹס עֵינֶךָ. אֶחָד שׁוֹגֵג וְאֶחָד מֵזִיד. יֹאמַר שׁוֹגֵג וְאַל יֹאמַר מֵזִיד. שֶׁאִילּוּ נֶאֱמַר שׁוֹגֵג וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר מֵזִיד הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר. שׁוֹגֵג יְשַׁלֵּם מָמוֹן מֵזִיד [יִקְטַע אֶת יָדוֹ. הֲוֵי צוֹרֶךְ הוּא שֶׁיֹּאמַר מֵזִיד. אוֹ אִילּוּ נֶאֱמַר מֵזִיד וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר שׁוֹגֵג הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר. מֵזִיד יְשַׁלֵּם מָמוֹן שׁוֹגֵג] לא יְשַׁלֵּם כְּלוּם. הֲוֵי צוֹרֶךְ לוֹמַר שׁוֹגֵג וְצוֹרֶךְ לוֹמַר מֵזִיד. שֶׁאִם הָיָה סוּמֶא וְסִימָּא אֵת עֵינוֹ קִיטֵּעַ וְקִיטַּע אֶת יָדוֹ הֵיאַךְ זֶה מִתְקַיֵים וַעֲשִׂיתֶם לוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר זָמַם לַעֵשׂוֹת לְאָחִיו. מַגִּיד שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְשַׁלֵּם אֶלָּא מָמוֹן.
It is written: “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” At another place, He says: “Do not be softhearted.” One refers to inadvertent acts, the other to intentional ones. He could mention the inadvertent but not mention the intentional. But if the inadvertent had been mentioned but not the intentional, I would have said that for the inadvertent act he shall pay money, for the intentional [have his hand cut off. Therefore it was necessary to mention the intentional. Or if the intentional had been mentioned but not the inadvertent, I would have said that for the intentional act he shall pay money, for the inadvertent] he should not pay at all. Therefore it was necessary to mention both inadvertent and intentional. And if he blinded a blind man or cut off the arm of an amputee, how could one fulfill: “Do to him as he intended to do to his brother”? This indicates that he only pays money.
צַעַר. כְּוָייוֹ בַשְׁפוּד אוֹ בַמַּסְמֵר אֲפִילוּ עַל צִפּוֹרְנוֹ מְקוֹם שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה חַבּוּרָה. כְּתִיב כְּוִיָיה תַּחַת כְּוִיָיה וגו׳. הֵיכִי דָמֵי. אִם בְּשֶׁפְּצָעוֹ וְהוֹצִיא דָמוֹ כְּבָר כְּתִיב פֶּצַע תַּחַת פָּצַע. מַה תַלְמוּד לוֹמַר חַבּוּרָה. אֶלָּא שֶׁאִם כְּוָייוֹ בַשְׁפוּד עַל כַּף יָדוֹ וְצָבַת עַל כַּף רַגְלוֹ וְצָבַת. אוֹ שֶׁהִטִּיל עָלָיו שֶׁלֶג אוֹ צִינִּים בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה חַיָיב לְרַפּוֹתוֹ.
“Suffering: If he burned him with a spit, or with a nail, even on his fingernails where it does not cause a wound.” How is this? If he wounded him so that he lost blood, it already is written: “A wound for a wound.” Why does the verse say “a contusion”? To tell you that if he burned him with a spit on the palm of his hand and it swelled, on the sole of his foot and it swelled, or he put snow or ice on him at a place which is not visible, he has to pay his medical expenses.
אוֹמְדִין כַּמָּה אָדָם כַּיּוֹצֵא בָזֶה רוֹצֶה לִיטּוֹל לִהְיוֹת מִצְטָעֵר בְּכָךְ. אָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָה. חֲמֵיי בַּר נַשׁ וְאָמְרִין לֵיהּ. כַּמָּה אַתְּ בָּעֵי לְמִיתָּן וְלָא יֵיאבָךְ אָהֵן צַעֲרָא. וּמַה דְהוּא אֲמַר יְהָבִין לֵיהּ. אָמַר מַר עוּקְבָּה. כַּמָּה אָדָם רוֹצֶה לִיטּוֹל הִיא מַתְנִיתָא. וְתֵימַר אָכֵן. אֶלָּא חֲמֵיי בַּר נַשׁ וְאָמְרִין לֵיהּ. כַּמָּה אַתְּ בָּעֵי מֵיסָב וְיֵאבָךְ אָהֵן צַעֲרָא. וּמַה דְוּ אֲמַר יְהָבִין לֵיהּ. תַּנֵּי. בֶּן עַזַּאי אוֹמֵר. נוֹתְנִין נִכְאֵי מָזוֹן. מָהוּ נִכְאֵי מָזוֹן. בְּקַדְמִיתָא הֲוִינָא אֲכִיל טְלוֹפְחִין וְיָרָק. וּכְדוֹן לֵית בִּי מֵיכַל אֶלָּא בֵּיעִין וְתַרְנוֹגַלִּין. וּמַה דְוּ אֲמַר יְהָבִין לֵיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר יַעֲקֹב. אָהֵן רוֹמַיי כַּד מִיבְאַשׁ לֹא נְפִיק לִקְרָבָא עַד דְּיֵיכוּל מַה דְחָסֵר יוֹמִין בְּיוֹמִין.
“One estimates how much a person in his state would ask to be paid in order to be willing to suffer such pain.” Rebbi Ze‘ira said, one sees a person and asks him, how much would you give that such pain would not be inflicted on you? And what he says, he has to give. Mar Uqba said, the Mishnah is “how much a person would ask to be paid,” and you say so? But one sees a person and asks him, how much would you ask that such pain not be inflicted on you? And what he says, he has to give. Ben Azai said, one gives food invalidity. What is food invalidity? Before that, I was eating lentils and vegetables but now I can only eat eggs and chicken. What he asks one gives him. Rebbi Yose ben Jacob said, a Roman who was sick would not go into battle until he could eat all he had been missing those days.
Halakhah 2ב׳
Mishnah
משנה: רִיפּוּי הִכָּהוּ חַיָיב לְרַפּוֹתוֹ. עָלוּ בוֹ צְמָחִים אִם מַחֲמַת הַמַּכָּה חַיָיב שֶׁלֹּא מַחֲמַת הַמַּכָּה פָּטוּר. חָיְיתָה וְנִסְתְּרָה חָיְיתָה וְנִסְתְּרָה חַיָיב לְרַפּוֹתוֹ. חָיְיתָה כָּל צָרְכָּהּ אֵינוֹ חַיָיב לְרַפּוֹתוֹ.
MISHNAH: Medical costs. If he hit a person, he has to pay that person’s medical costs. In case a growth on that person’s body developed, if it was a consequence of the injury, he has to pay medical costs. If it started to heal but regressed several times, he has to pay medical costs. After it was healed completely he no longer has to pay medical costs.
Halakhah
הלכה: רִיפּוּי הִכָּהוּ חַיָיב לְרַפּוֹתוֹ כול׳. רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה בָעֵי. עָלוּ בוֹ צְמָחִין סְבִיבוֹת הַמַּכָּה וְנִסְתְּרָה מַחֲמַת הַמַּכָּה מָהוּ. מִן מַה דִכְתִיב וְרַפֹּא יְרַפֵּא. שֶׁאִם עָבַר עַל דְּבַר רוֹפֵא [פָּטוּר]. תַּנֵּי חוֹרִין וְרַפֹּא יְרַפֵּא. שֶׁאִם עָלַת גַּרְגּוּתְנִי חַיָיב לְרַפּוֹתוֹ. תַּנֵּי. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי יוּדָן אוֹמֵר. עָלוּ בוֹ צְמָחִים סְבִיבוֹת הַמַּכָּה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּסְתְּרָה [מַחֲמַת] הַמַּכָּה חַיָיב לְרַפּוֹתוֹ וְאֵין חַיָיב לִיתֵּן לוֹ דְּמֵי שִׁבְתּוֹ. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר. חִידּוּשׁ חִידֵּשׁ הַכָּתוּב בַּפָּרָשָׁה הַזֹּאת שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ שֶׁבֶת וְרִיפּוּי. רַק שִׁבְתּוֹ יִתֵּן וְרַפֹּא יְרַפֵּא.
HALAKHAH: “Medical costs. If he hit a person, he has to pay that person’s medical costs,” etc. Rebbi Jeremiah asked: If there was a growth around the wound and complications ensued because of the wound, what is the rule? Since it is written: “And healing he shall heal,” if [the patient] did not follow the doctor’s instructions, he is [not liable]. It was stated in another baraita: If [the wound] was covered with scab, he must pay for medical treatment. It was stated: “Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Jehudah says, if there was a growth around the wound, even if complications ensued because of the wound, he must pay for medical treatment but he is not liable to pay for his loss of earnings. Rebbi Simeon says, in this paragraph Scripture introduced a novelty stating that he has to pay for loss of earnings together with medical treatment: ‘Only his loss of earnings he shall compensate and healing he shall heal.’”
The Jerusalem Talmud, edition by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer, De Gruyter 1999–2015, via Sefaria — CC BY
English: The Jerusalem Talmud, translation by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer, De Gruyter 1999–2015, via Sefaria — CC BY