Bava Metzia 58-64 - Issue #28
11 - 17 Elul 5754 / 18 - 24 August 1994

---

This issue is dedicated in the memory of Mr. Isadore Kaplan O.B.M.

---

This publication is also available in the following formats: Explanation of these symbols

---

Survival Begins at Home

The Case:	Two people are walking along a deserted road and only one of them has a canteen of water. If both drink from this limited amount of water they will both die of thirst before reaching civilization. Should the owner of the water alone drink he alone will survive but his companion will die sooner.
The Problem:	Must they share the water?
The Ruling:	It is preferable that they both drink and die together rather than one drink and see his companion die earlier.

"Your brother shall live with you" says the Torah, which means that your life comes first.

(Even Rabbi Akiva, whose opinion is accepted as law, will concede that if the water belongs to both of them they must share it. This is based on the principle of "who says your blood is redder than the other fellow's?" which mandates martyrdom where the only means of survival is another's life. - Maharsha)

---

Dyeing for a Living

It is forbidden to dress up an old item in order to pass it off as new to an unwitting buyer, whether the item be human, animal or vessel.

The story is told of an old non-Jew who dyed his gray hair and beard black to appear younger and then tried to sell his services to the Sage Rava. After Rava refused because of the Talmudic counsel to employ needy workers from his own people this fellow succeeded in selling himself to Rabbi Papa ben Shmuel. But no sooner was he asked to bring some water to his new master than this cunning servant rinsed the dye from his hair and beard and chided Rabbi Papa for asking him to do such menial work "when I am older than your father."

Rabbi Papa then cited a passage from King Solomon's "Proverbs" as an appreciation of the cautious wisdom of Rava which saved him from this pitfall.

---

General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
Production Design: Lev Seltzer
HTML Design: Eli Ballon

---

© 1994 Ohr Somayach International - All rights reserved. This publication may be distributed to another person intact without prior permission. We also encourage you to include this material in other publications, such as synagogue newsletters. However, we ask that you contact us beforehand for permission, and then send us a sample issue.

---

This publication is available via E-Mail

---

Ohr Somayach Institutions is an international network of Yeshivot and outreach centers, with branches in North America, Europe, South Africa and South America. The Central Campus in Jerusalem provides a full range of educational services for over 685 full-time students.

The Jewish Learning Exchange (JLE) of Ohr Somayach offers summer and winter programs in Israel that attract hundreds of university students from around the world for 3 to 8 weeks of study and touring.

Ohr Somayach's Web site is hosted by TeamGenesis

---

Copyright © 1994 Ohr Somayach International. Send us feedback.
Dedication opportunities are available for Weekly Daf. Please contact us for details.