Personal Responsibility and Damages- Exploring Mishnayot in Bava Kamma

(1) [If] one places a jar in a public domain and another comes and trips on it and breaks it, he is exempt [from damage to the jar]. And if he was injured by it, the barrel's owner is liable for his damages. [If] one's jar broke in a public domain and another slipped in the [spilled] water, or was injured by its shards, [the jar's owner is] liable. Rabbi Judah says, if intentional, he is liable. If unintentional, he is exempt.

(2) [If] one pours water in a public domain, and another is damaged by it, he is liable to pay damages. One who hides thorns or glass [in the public domain], or one who builds his fence [bordering the public domain] with thorns, or a fence that falls into the public domain -- if others were injured, he is liable to pay their damages.

(3) [If] one brings his straw [or thatch] into the public domain for fertilizer and another was damaged by them, he is responsible for the damage. And [furthermore], anyone who first [takes possession] of them is entitled [to the straw]. Rabbi Shimon ben Gamaliel says, anyone who destroys [objects] in the public domain, thereby causing damage is responsible to pay, and anyone who first [takes possession] of them is entitled. [If] one turns over dung in the public domain and another is damaged by it, he is responsible for the damage.

(4) [In the case of] two potters who were walking one behind the other, and the first tripped and fell, and the second tripped on the first, the first [potter] is liable for the damage to the second [potter].

(5) One came with his barrel and one came with his beam. [If] this one's jug were broken on this one's beam, [the beam's owner] is exempt, because this one has permission to walk and this one [also] has permission to walk. If the beam's owner was in front, and the barrel's owner was behind, [then] if the barrel broke on the beam, the beam's owner is exempt. [But] if the beam's owner stopped, he is liable. [But] if he said to the barrel's owner, "Stop," he is exempt. If the barrel's owner was in front, and the beam's owner was behind, [then] if the barrel broke on the beam, then he is liable. [But] if the barrel's owner stopped, he is exempt. [But] if he said to the beam's owner, "Stop," he is liable. So too [the case of] one who comes with his candle and one with his flax.

(6) [In the case where] two people were traveling in the public domain, one running and the other walking, or if both were running, and they damaged each other, both are exempt.

(7) [If] one was splitting [wood] in a private domain and [thereby] caused damage in the public domain, or [split wood] in the public domain and caused damage in a private domain, or [split wood] in a private domain and caused damaged in a different private domain, he is liable.

(5) One who digs a pit in a private domain and opens it into the public domain, or in the public domain and opens it into a private domain, or in a private domain and opens it into another private domain, he is liable. One who digs a pit in the public domain and an ox or donkey fell into and died, he is liable. Whether one digs a pit, trench, or cavern, or trenches or channels he is liable. If so, why does it say “a pit” (Exodus 21:33)? Just as a pit which is deep enough to cause death [to the depth of] ten handbreadths, so anything that is deep enough to cause death, [to the depth of] ten handbreadths . If they were less than ten handbreadths deep and an ox or a donkey fell in and died, he is exempt; But if it was damaged he is liable.

(6) If a spark went out from under the hammer and caused damage, he is liable. If a camel laden with flax passed by in the public domain and its load of flax entered into a shop and caught fire from the storeowner's candle and lit a large house on fire, the owner of the camel is liable. But if the shopkeeper left his candle outside, the shopkeeper is liable. Rabbi Judah says: If it was a Hannukah light, he is exempt.