Study Bava Batra folio 8B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
that redeeming captives is a great mitzva.
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: Concerning this matter that the rabbis stated, that redeeming captives is a great mitzva, from where is it derived? Rabba bar Mari said to him: As it is written: “And it shall come to pass, when they say to you: To where shall we depart? Then you shall tell them: So say
R' Yoḥanan explains: The sword is worse than death. If you wish, say that this is learned from a verse; if you wish, say instead that it is derived by way of logical reasoning. If you wish, say that this is derived by way of logical reasoning: This punishment, i.e., death by sword, mutilates the bod
Famine is worse than the sword. If you wish, say that this is derived by way of logical reasoning: This one, who dies of famine, suffers greatly before departing from this world, but that one, who dies by the sword, does not suffer. If you wish, say instead that the fact that famine is worse than
§ In connection with the previous discussion concerning charity distribution, the Talmud cites a baraita in which A baraita states: Money for the charity fund is collected by two people and distributed by 3 people. It is collected by two people because one does not appoint an authority over the com