Bava Batra 86-92; Issue #47
5-11 Tamuz, 5762 / June 15-21

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TRUTH IN THE HEART

In our shacharit (morning) prayers we say:

"A man should always be yarei shamayim (G-d fearing), both in private and in public, admitting the truth and speaking the truth in his heart."

This description of the yarei shamayim as one who "speaks truth in his heart", says our gemara, was personified by Rabbi Safra.

A customer once came to purchase some merchandise from this sage and made an offer. Rabbi Safra was in the middle of reciting the Shema and was unable to respond in any way, either verbally or with any motion. The customer misconstrued his silence as a rejection of an offer considered inadequate. As the silence continued he raised his offer higher and higher. Finally, the sage completed his prayers and informed the buyer that he was indeed interested in making the transaction. But he was willing to accept only the amount of money mentioned in the original offer. His explanation was that when he heard that offer he made up his mind to sell at that price and therefore felt morally bound to abide by the "truth in his heart".

Our gemara applies this to what happens when a yarei shamayim like Rabbi Safra is inspecting vegetables in the marketplace and makes up his mind to buy some of them. Although he did nothing to finalize any transaction and legally could return to their owner the vegetables he was inspecting, he should consider himself duty bound to treat them as his property. Since these goods are being purchased from one who cannot be relied upon for tithing, he must himself separate a tithe from them and give it to the Levite. Only then, if the seller is willing to take the remaining vegetables back, may he return them along with payment for the missing tithe.

We are thus presented with both a practical and a theoretical example of what the yarei shamayim must be prepared to sacrifice in order to speak "truth in his heart".

Bava Batra 88a

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OF KINGS AND WATER CARRIERS

Who is the ultimate kingmaker?

"Yours is kingdom and the One who raises those who become heads." (Divrei Hayamim I 29:11)

Not only is Hashem the crowner of kings, says Rabbi Chanan bar Rava, but even the lowest level of authority is determined by Him. The example he gives is that of the person in charge of his community's water wells who has the authority to determine which member of the community can draw water from the public wells today to irrigate his fields and who can do so the next day.

Maharsha calls our attention to this Sage's stressing of such a lowly appointment as something noteworthy of Hashem's control of the world. Is it not a far greater praise of this Divine power that He too is responsible for making even important kings?

His answer is that Rabbi Chanan's interpretation of the above passage was intended as a refuation of those misguided theologians who believed that after He created the world Hashem abandoned it because of its lowly nature and was no longer involved in its affairs. This is why it was important to stress the fact that even the most mundane affairs such as water drawing are controlled by Providence which determines who will be in charge of it.

Maharsha concludes with a lesson for anyone in charge of any group. Since his appointment to this position of leadership was determined by Heaven, he has the responsiblility of guiding those in his charge in the ways of honesty and of steadily admonishing them to be loyal to the One who made him their leader.

Bava Batra 84a

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