Commentary for Bava Kamma 3:2

הַשּׁוֹפֵךְ מַיִם בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים, וְהֻזַּק בָּהֶן אַחֵר, חַיָּב בְּנִזְקוֹ. הַמַּצְנִיעַ אֶת הַקּוֹץ, וְאֶת הַזְּכוּכִית, וְהַגּוֹדֵר אֶת גְּדֵרוֹ בְּקוֹצִים, וְגָדֵר שֶׁנָּפַל לִרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים, וְהֻזְּקוּ בָהֶן אֲחֵרִים, חַיָּב בְּנִזְקָן:

If one spills water into the public domain, and another is injured by it, he is liable for his injury. [Even if he is permitted to do so, as in the rainy season, when it is permitted to spill water into the public domain, still, if another were injured by it, he is liable for his injury.] If one secretes thorns or glass [in the public domain], or if one studs his fence with thorns [so that they project into the public domain (but if he keeps them within his domain and another is injured by them, he is not liable, for men are not wont to rub themselves against walls)], or if his fence fell into the public domain and others were injured by it, he is liable.

Rambam on Mishnah Bava Kamma

If someone pours water in the public doman and it damages another......

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Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Kamma

השופך מים ברה"ר – even though that he is operating with permission, such as during the rainy season where it is permitted to pour water in the public domain, even so, if someone else suffered damage from them, he is liable for his damages.

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English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Kamma

The second mishnah lists some common ways in which a person might put a damaging object into the public domain.

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Rambam on Mishnah Bava Kamma

What that it says if someone hid thorns or glass or made a fence out of thorns and someone is damaged by them, he's obligated

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Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Kamma

המצניע את הקוץ וכו' – and such as when he hit them in the public domain , and similarly, someone makes his fence out of thorns and they blossomed in the public domain. But if he squeezed them in within his own [property] and someone else was caused damage by them, he is exempt [from liability], for it is not the manner of people to rub one’s self against a wall.

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English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Kamma

In section 2 we learn that even though he may have tried to keep them out of people’s way, if they are harmful materials he is responsible for subsequent damages. One might want to consider the implications these mishnayot have on modern ecological problems. The sages considered the public domain to belong to everyone and as such no one was allowed to place there potentially dangerous material.

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Rambam on Mishnah Bava Kamma

Because it's an established principle that it's not the way of people to rub against walls.

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English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Kamma

Questions for Further Thought:
• What is the difference between the cases in clause 2 of the first mishnah and clause 1 of the second mishnah?
• Rabbi Judah distinguishes between deliberate and inadvertent breaking of the jug. Evidently the sage(s) who taught the clause preceding Rabbi Judah did not make such a distinction. According to them one would be obligated even if the jug broke accidentally. What is the logic behind this opinion?
• The first clause of mishnah one says that when one stumbles on a jug left in the public domain he is not obligated. What might the law be if he broke it with intent? Would he still be exempt or would he be obligated?

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