Study Bava Batra folio 81B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
מאי טעמא דרבי מאיר באילן אחד, ומאי טעמא דרבנן בשני אילנות? אמר לו: דבר שהראשונים לא אמרו בו טעם, תשאלני בבית המדרש כדי לביישני?
What is the rationale of R' Meir that in the case of one tree, an individual is obligated to bring first fruits but does not recite the passage, and what is the rationale of the Rabbis that in the case of two trees, an individual is obligated to bring the first fruits but does not recite the passage? If one owns the ground and is obligated to bring the first fruits to the Temple, he should also recite the passage of thanks. If he does not own the ground and therefore is not obligated to recite the passage, why does he bring the first fruits to the Temple? R' Elazar said to R' Shimon ben Elyakim: Do you ask me publicly, in the study hall, about a matter for which the early rabbis did not give a reason, in order to embarrass me? In other words, I do not know the reason, as not even the early rabbis explained this matter.
אמר רבה: מאי קושיא? דלמא רבי מאיר באילן אחד ספוקי מספקא ליה, ורבנן בשני אילנות ספוקי מספקא להו!
Rabba said: What is the difficulty? Perhaps R' Meir is uncertain, in the case of an individual who purchases one tree, whether or not the buyer owns the ground, and the Rabbis are uncertain, in the case of an individual who purchases two trees, whether or not the buyer owns the ground. Due to this uncertainty, the owner of the tree must bring the first fruits to the Temple, as he might be obligated in this mitzva. He does not recite the passage of thanks because it is not definitely established that he is obligated to bring the fruits.