Bava Kamma 41

אלא בשנתכוון להרוג את הבהמה והרג את האדם לעכו"ם והרג ישראל לנפלים והרג של קיימה פטור. מה מקיים ר' עקיבה ובעל השור נקי נקי מדמי עבד. ולית ליה לרבי עקיבה נקי מחצי כופר. אם כופר יושת עליו במועד הכתוב מדבר. ולית ליה לר' ליעזר נקי מדמי עבד נאמר כאן השור יסקל ונאמר להלן השור יסקל מה שור שנאמר להלן במועד הכתוב מדבר אף השור יסקל שנאמר כאן במועד הכתוב מדבר. ולית כתיב סקול יסקל השור אמר מוטב ילמד השור יסקל משור יסקל ואל ילמד שור יסקל מסקול יסקל השור. א"ר יסא מיליה שמעית מן דרבי שמואל בר רב יצחק הכא ולית אני ידע מה הוא. אמר ליה רבי זעירא דלמא דא היא בתחילה אינו מדבר אלא בתם

There they taught: Shimon the Righteous was of the remnants of the Men of the Great Assembly. He used to say ‘the world rests on three things – on the Torah on the Service and on Acts of Loving-kindness.’ The three of them are found in one verse (Isaiah 51:16) “And I placed My words into your mouth…” refers to Torah, “…and with the shadow of My hand I covered you…” refers to acts of loving-kindness, to teach you that anyone who is occupied with Torah and acts of loving-kindness merits to sit in the shadow of the Holy One. This is what is written “How precious is Your kindness, O God, and the sons of man will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.” (Psalms 36:8) “…to plant the heavens and to found the earth…” (Isaiah 51:16) this refers to the sacrifices “…and to say to Zion [that] you are My people,” (ibid.) this refers to Israel. R’ Chanina bar Pappa said: I went over all of the Scripture and did not find that Israel was called Zion except here “…and to say to Zion [that] you are My people.” Mishna. The dues collectors who entered the house and the [thieves] (collectors) who returned the vessels are trustworthy to say that they did not touch anything, and in Jerusalem they are trustworthy regarding holy vessels. And at the time of the festivals even regarding priestly offerings. Gemara. The dues collectors who entered into a house – it is impure. If there is a non-Jew with them they are trustworthy to say ‘we went in but touched nothing.’ Give this two explanations. They are trustworthy to say ‘we entered but touched nothing’ when there are witnesses and they know this. And in Jerusalem they are trustworthy regarding holy vessels even when there are witnesses which they know about. Another explanation – they are trustworthy to say ‘we entered but touched nothing’ therefore we need the other teaching when there are witnesses they know about. And in Jerusalem they are trustworthy even on holy vessels even though there are witnesses that they know about. R’ Yehoshua ben Levi said: “The built-up Jerusalem is like a city that was joined (chubra) together within itself.” (Psalms 122:3) A city which makes all of Israel friends (chaverim – also a term for those who are trustworthy regarding tithes and matters of ritual purity). If so, let this be true during the rest of the year. R’ Zeira said: only at the time “There ascended the tribes…” (Psalms 122:4)