Si uno posee un pozo dentro de la casa de su vecino (de modo que debe atravesar la casa para llegar al pozo), ingresa en un momento en que los hombres no pueden ingresar, [es decir, durante el día, para que no restrinja su vecino a levantarse por la noche], y se va cuando los hombres no se van a ir. Y él no trae a su animal para que lo beba de su pozo; pero se llena (de su pozo) y lo da de beber afuera. Y éste se cierra con llave para sí mismo [para que el dueño de la casa no robe agua de su pozo], y ese se cierra con llave para sí mismo [a la entrada del pozo, para que el otro (el dueño del pozo) No podrá sacar agua sin el conocimiento del dueño de la casa y no irá a su casa a menos que él esté allí. (Esto, para prevenir la infidelidad).]
Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Batra
בשעה שבני אדם נכנסים – during the daytime and not to trouble him to get up at night.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Batra
Introduction
The mishnah which we will learn today deals with a person who owns a cistern behind another person’s property and hence requires a passage through the other’s property to get to his cistern or garden. The mishnah provides rules to both the property owner and the cistern owner to ensure that the latter receives access without trespassing on the former.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Bava Batra
זה עושה לו פותחת – so that the owner of the house will not steal from his cistern, and the owner of the house makes another lock on the same door that opens to the well, so that he cannot come to draw water without the knowledge of the owner. And, he will not ever come into the house of the owner of the house other than if the owner of the house is at home, and they established this because of the suspicions of his wife.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Bava Batra
If he had a cistern behind his fellow’s house, he may go in and out only at the time when others are accustomed to go in and out. And he may not bring in his cattle and let them drink from his cistern, rather he must draw water and let them drink outside. He and the owner of the house should each make themselves a lock. This mishnah discusses the case where a person owns a cistern that exists behind another person’s property. In such a case the person is allowed to enter the other’s property in order to reach his cistern, but he must do so at the time when people customarily draw water from their cisterns. He is further restricted from bringing his cattle or other animals onto the other’s property. Rather he must draw the water and carry it outside. Finally, the mishnah demands that each of them make a lock. The cistern owner should make a lock for the cover of the cistern so that the house owner doesn’t steal any water. The house owner should make a lock on his door so that the cistern owner doesn’t enter when he is not allowed to.
