1.  TREATISE CALLED LIT.  Chap.  I, or THE FIRST GATE. (20)(Heb. Baba Qama.)

Damages to be made good by those responsible for them.

M.  There are four principal causes of damage to life and property.  I. The Ox. 2.  The Uncovered Pit. 3.  The Man who sets fire to anything. 4.  The Fire which starts of its own accord through neglect.

Whenever damage is done in any of these four ways the one that is responsible for it must make the loss good.

G.  The Rabbis teach that there are many specific forms of the above four kinds of injuries, i.e., the ox can do an injury with his horns, his teeth, or his feet.

Accident through falling over a jug or barrel.

M.  If anyone places a jug on a public road and another person stumbles over it and breaks it, the latter is not liable for the breakage.  But if he is injured by the fall, the owner of the barrel is liable for the damage.

G.  The Mishnah uses “jug” in the first clause and “barrel” in the second.  Rabbi Papa said that the same thing is meant in both cases.

On breaking a jug full of water on a public road.

M.  If a jug full of water breaks on a public road and its contents cause a person to slip, or if in any way one is injured by the pieces, he who carries the jug is liable for any injury.  Rabbi Jehuda, however, says he is only liable if he breaks it intentionally.

2.  TREATISE CALLED THE MIDDLE CHAPTER (Heb. Baba Metsia). 2nd in order.

G.  It was Elijah’s custom to frequent the Rabbi’s council chamber.  On one occasion, being later than usual, Rabbi asked him to explain his delay.  Elijah answered as follows:  “It is my business to wake up Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob one after the other, to wash each one’s hand, and to wait until each one has said his prayers and returned to rest.”  “But,” said Rabbi, “why don’t they all rise at the same time?” “Because,” was Elijah’s reply, “if they all three prayed at once, their united prayers would precipitate the advent of the Messiah before its appointed time.”  “Then,” said Rabbi, “have we amongst us such praying people?” Elijah said there were, mentioning Rabbi Khizah and his sons.  Rabbi then proclaimed a fast, which Rabbi Khizah and his sons came to observe.  When repeating the 18 benedictions (21) they were about to say “Thou restorest life to the dead” when the world was convulsed and it was asked in Heaven who revealed to them the secret.  Elijah was then beaten sixty times with a rod of fire.  He afterwards came down like a fiery bear and scattered the congregation.

3.  TREATISE CALLED THE LAST CHAPTER (Baba Bathra).  No. 3 in order.

G.  The members of the Great Synagogue who wrote the Book of Ezekiel, the Books of the twelve minor prophets, the Book of Daniel, and the Book of Ezra (22).

4.  TREATISE CALLED SANHEDRIN.  NO. 4 in order. [It treats at length of the institution of the municipal and provincial courts called Sanhedrin from a Greek word, and also of the great Sanhedrin, or Bethdin, at Jerusalem.]