Wenn einer seinen Nachbarn (mit Feldern) von drei Seiten umgeben hat und den ersten, den zweiten und den dritten eingezäunt hat, ist er (der Nachbar) nicht verpflichtet (die Zaunkosten zu teilen), [denn er (der erste) hat es getan nützt ihm überhaupt nichts, sein Land ist noch offen. Aber wenn er (der erste) die vierte Seite eingezäunt hat, in welchem Fall er ihm definitiv zugute kommt, ist er (der Nachbar) verpflichtet, nominell die Hälfte der Kosten für Schilf (dh eines Schilfzauns) zu zahlen, aber nicht die Hälfte seine (die Kosten des Ersten. Denn er (der Nachbar) kann zu ihm sagen: Für mich ist eine Schilftrennwand ausreichend, und ich möchte nicht die Kosten eines Steinzauns.] R. Yossi sagt: Wenn er (der Erste) Aufgestanden und eingezäunt die vierte (Seite), alles wird ihm (dem Nachbarn) auferlegt [das heißt die Hälfte der tatsächlichen Zaunkosten. Und dies ist der Unterschied zwischen der ersten Tanna und R. Yossi. Die Halacha entspricht R. Yossi. Und es versteht sich von selbst, dass, wenn der Umzingelte die vierte Seite umzäunt, was deutlich macht, dass er die Umzäunung seines Nachbarn bevorzugt, ihm alles auferlegt wird und er die Hälfte der Kosten seines Nachbarn bezahlt.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Batra
אין מחייבין אותו – for it doesn’t benefit him at all, for his land is still open. But, if he (i.e., the other partner) fenced in the fourth side, for now, it absolutely benefits him, we require him to pay one-half the cost of the purchase at the cheapest rate. But not half of his outlay, for he says to him: For me it is enough for me with a partition of reeds, and I don’t need an outlay of a stone fence.”
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English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Batra
Introduction
Mishnah three discusses a person who builds a fence partially around another person’s property and wishes that person to share in the costs of the fence.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Batra
מגלגלין עליו את הכל – one-half of his outlay according to what he fenced in. And there is the difference between the first Tanna/teacher and Rabbi Yosi. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yosi. And we don’t have to say if he himself is the one who fenced in the fourth side, for he revealed his intention that he is pleased with what his fellow fenced in that we make him bear the expenses for the fencing in of everything, and he pays his fellow half of his outlays.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Batra
If a man’s land surrounded his fellow’s land on three sides, and he fenced it on the first and the second and the third sides, they do not obligate him [to share in the costs]. Rabbi Yose says: “If he rose a built a fence on the fourth side, they obligate him to share in all of the costs.” In the scenario discussed in this mishnah Reuven owns three fields which surround Shimon’s fields on three of its four sides. If Reuven were to fence in all three of his fields he would have built a fence around three sides of Shimon’s fields. Since this fence does not totally surround Shimon’s field, Reuven cannot claim that Shimon benefited from the field and should therefore share in the costs. Rabbi Yose adds that if Shimon were to fence in four sides, he would thereby show that he wished to have his field fenced in. In that case he is obligated to share in the costs of all of the fences, since he now benefits from them all.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Batra
Questions for Further Thought: • If Reuven owns fields surrounding all four sides of Shimon’s field and he puts a fence around all of them, will Shimon have to share in the costs?
