Study Bava Batra folio 54A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
דשדא ליפתא בי פילי דארעא דגר – לא הוי חזקה. מאי טעמא? בעידנא דשדא – לא הוי שבחא, השתא דקא שבח – ממילא קא שבח.
who threw turnip seeds in the crevices [filei] of the land of a convert who died without heirs, it is not sufficient to take possession. What is the reason for this? As at the time that he threw the seeds there was no enhancement to the value of the field. Now that the turnips have grown and the value of the field is enhanced, it is enhanced by itself.
אמר שמואל: האי מאן דפשח דיקלא; אדעתא דדיקלא – קני, אדעתא דחיותא – לא קני. היכי דמי? שקל מהאי גיסא ומהאי גיסא – אדעתא דדיקלא. כולא מחד גיסא – אדעתא דחיותא.
The Talmud records a series of rulings with regard to taking possession of land. Shmuel says: With regard to this one who cuts the branches of a palm tree, if he had in mind the acquisition of the palm tree, he has acquired it; but if he had in mind the benefit of the animals, to feed his animals the branches, he has not acquired it. The Talmud asks: What are the circumstances in which it can be known what he had in mind? The Talmud answers: If he took branches from this side and from that side, he had in mind the acquisition of the palm tree, as this assists the growth of the tree; but if the branches that he took were all from one side, he had in mind the benefit of the animals.
ואמר שמואל: האי מאן דזכי זיכיא; אדעתא דארעא – קני, אדעתא דציבי – לא קני. היכי דמי? שקל רברבי וזוטרי – אדעתא דארעא, שקל רברבי ושבק זוטרי – אדעתא דציבי.
And Shmuel says with regard to this one who clears [dezakkei zikheya] a field of trees, if he had in mind the improvement of the field, to prepare it for plowing, he has acquired it; but if he had in mind the collection of the wood, he has not acquired it. The Talmud asks: What are the circumstances in which it can be known what he had in mind? The Talmud answers: If he took large and small pieces of wood, he had in mind the improvement of the field; however, if he took the large pieces of wood but left the small ones, he had in mind the collection of the wood.
Text data via Sefaria: William Davidson Edition - English and William Davidson Edition - Vocalized Aramaic, CC-BY-NC; edition provenance: Koren. Display terminology has been modernized for readability.