Bava Batra 102a (קב.) — the Talmud in English

But if

he found three

dead,

if there is between them,

between the first and the third,

from four

cubits

to eight

cubits,

this is a

“burial plot,”

and it is forbidden to relocate them, since it has become clear that a cemetery had been located there.

And this tanna holds that the burial caves were eight cubits long and four cubits wide. The arrangement of the burials in them was as follows: In the long wall they would make six niches, one cubit for each niche, while the remaining two cubits, which are twelve handbreadths, served as the spaces between the niches: two handbreadths between each pair of niches. Thus, there are ten handbreadths for the five spaces between the six niches, plus two vacant handbreadths in the corners of the walls, one handbreadth for each corner—eight cubits in all. Along the width of the cave there were three niches, comprising three cubits for the niches, plus one cubit for the spaces: two handbreadths between each pair of niches, and one handbreadth for each corner.

Therefore, when he finds three graves within four cubits, he must be concerned that perhaps there was a burial cave here, and that these three graves were in the wall along the width of the cave, which is four cubits. Or perhaps they were in the long wall, but not all the remaining niches had yet been filled with coffins.

Similarly, if there are eight cubits between them, he must be concerned that perhaps they are from the long wall of the cave, whose length is eight cubits, and that there were additional niches between them that remained empty. When the cave collapsed, the niches were filled with earth, and no trace of them remained.

But if there are fewer than four cubits between the graves, or more than eight, this is not a burial plot. Since this form of burial is unsuitable for ordinary burial in a cave, presumably they were buried there only temporarily, with the intention of relocating them afterward; therefore, it is permitted to relocate them from there.

In addition to the fact that it is forbidden to relocate these graves, it is also impossible to perform taharot in their vicinity, unless

he examines from it onward twenty cubits.

Perhaps this cave is part of a family cemetery and there is another cave nearby.

For, as stated above, their practice was to make the cemetery like a courtyard measuring six by six cubits in the middle, surrounded by burial caves.

It follows that he must examine from the end of the graves he found: eight cubits corresponding to the length of the cave, six cubits corresponding to the courtyard, and another eight cubits corresponding to the cave opposite it [and the Gemara will immediately explain that if so, he should have examined twenty-two cubits].

He likewise examines twenty cubits on the other side of the graves, in case the courtyard and the additional cave are located in that direction.

And if indeed

he finds

even one dead person

at the end of

twenty cubits, he

examines from it onward

an additional

twenty cubits,

just as he examined with regard to the first three graves, because there is circumstantial basis to assume that the place was designated for cemeteries.

Had he found it initially,

if he had found only this single dead person, he would have

removed him and his associated earth,

as is the law concerning one who finds a solitary dead person mentioned above, who does not have the status of a burial plot.

But now that he has already found three graves in the vicinity, and it has been established that this is a burial plot, there is concern that perhaps this solitary grave does not belong to that same cemetery, but is a separate cemetery belonging to another family, in which they had as yet had time to bury only one dead person. Therefore, he must examine an additional twenty cubits from it onward.

The Master said [in the preceding Mishna]: He found three; if there is between them

between the first and the third

from four to eight

cubits, this is a burial plot.

And we raised a difficulty concerning it:

Who is it?

Which tanna does the Mishna follow?

If it is the Rabbis,

they say

in the preceding Mishna that the dimensions of a cave are

four cubits by six.

If so, it should have said: “If there is between them from four to six.” For if there are more than six cubits between the graves, they are certainly not from one cave.

And if it is Rabbi Shimon, he said

that the dimensions of a cave are

six by eight

cubits, and there should be at least six cubits between them, corresponding to the width of the cave.

And we answer:

Actually, it is Rabbi Shimon,

who holds that the length of the cave is eight cubits; but concerning its width, the Mishna in Nazir holds that, according to Rabbi Shimon, it is only four cubits.

And this is the tanna

whom we find disputing the tanna of the Mishna, and who holds, according to Rabbi Shimon, that the dimensions of a cave are four by eight.

As it is taught in a beraita: If he found

many graves when they are

close together, and there is not between them from four cubits to eight

cubits—that is, there are fewer than four cubits between each group of three graves—

they have associated earth,

and he must remove some of the earth together with them when he relocates them,

but they do not have the status of a burial plot,

and it is permitted to relocate them. Since they are so crowded together, they were certainly buried there only temporarily.

It follows that this tanna holds that the dimensions of a cave are four by eight, and presumably this is according to Rabbi Shimon.

Rabbi Shimon ben Yehuda says in the name of Rabbi Shimon

bar Yoḥai:

We regard

the graves

in the middle as though they were not there, and the remaining ones combine when they are from four cubits to eight.

We regard the graves in the middle as though we had removed them, so that there are not fewer than four cubits between each group of three graves.

And we raised a difficulty concerning it:

In what way did you establish

the Mishna?

As following Rabbi Shimon!

But consider the latter clause: “

He examines from it onward

twenty cubits.”

Who is

the tanna of the latter clause?

If it is Rabbi Shimon,

then

there are twenty-two.

According to him, it is not sufficient to examine twenty cubits; he must examine twenty-two cubits: eight cubits for each cave, since according to Rabbi Shimon the length of the cave is eight cubits, and an additional six cubits for the courtyard.

If it is the Rabbis,

who hold that the length of the cave is only six cubits,

there are eighteen.

He need examine only eighteen cubits: six for each cave and six for the courtyard!

And we answer:

Actually, it is the Rabbis.

And it is a case where he examined diagonally,

so that he examines the first cave, adjacent to the graves, diagonally. The diagonal of a rectangle measuring four by six is eight cubits.

And we challenge this:

And since this one is examined diagonally,

just as he must examine the first cave diagonally,

this one too is examined diagonally.

He should likewise examine the second cave diagonally. If so, again

there are twenty-two!?

And we answer:

We say that one is examined diagonally; we do not say that two are examined diagonally.

He must examine only one cave diagonally; but they did not impose upon him to examine the second cave diagonally as well, since he found nothing in the first cave. Rather, he examines it in a straight line. It follows that altogether he examines twenty cubits.