Oxen - And Why We Study Them

Rav says: Rav Yehudah said: One who wishes to be pious should fulfill the words of "Damages." Rava said: [One should study matters dealt with in Pirke] Avot. And some say, [matters dealt with in] Berachot.

(28) And if an ox gores a man or a woman, that they die, the ox shall be surely stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be acquitted.

(29) But if the ox had the habit of goring in the past, and warning has been given to its owner, and he has not kept it in, but it has killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death.

(33) And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit and not cover it, and an ox or an ass falls in,

(34) the owner of the pit shall make it good; he shall give money to the owner of them [the animal that fell in], and the dead beast shall be his.

(4) If a man causes a field or vineyard to be eaten, and lets his beast loose, and it feeds in another man’s field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, he shall make restitution.

(5) If fire breaks out, and catch in thorns, so that the shocks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field are consumed; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.

(1) [There are] four categories of damages: The ox, the pit, the tooth, and the fire. The case of the ox is not like the case of the tooth. And the case of the tooth is not similar to the case of the ox. Nor are either of these, which have a living spirit, similar to the fire, which has no living spirit. Nor are any of these, which move and do damage, similar to the pit, which does not move and does damage. What is common among them is that they do damage, and the responsibility for their supervision is upon you. And when they do damage, the damager must pay from the best of the land.