Bava Metzia

until it sees the front of the house,  for it is written, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house.  R. Johanan said: Even a courtyard establishes liability to tithes, for it is written, that they may eat at thy gates and be filled.  But according to R. Johanan, is it not written, out of mine house? — He can answer you: [It teaches that] the court yard must be similar to the house [in order to impose liability]: just as a house is guarded, so also must the courtyard be guarded.  But R. Jannai! Is it not written, 'in thy gates'? — That is required [to shew] that it must be brought into [the house] through the gates, but not over the roof or through [back] enclosures, when no liability is established. R. Hanina of Be-Hozae  raised an objection: As thine own person: as the person of the employer, so the person of the employee; just as thou thyself mayest eat [thereof] and art exempt [from tithes], so also the employee may eat, and is exempt. This thus implies that a purchaser is liable:  and does it not mean even in the field?  — R. Papa said: This refers to a fig tree growing in a garden, but with its branches inclining to the court-yard,  or, to the house, on the view that [it must see the front of] the house. If so, even the [first] owner should be liable!  — The owner's eyes are upon the [whole] fig-tree, whereas the buyer has eyes only for his purchase.  But is a purchaser at all liable by Biblical law? Has it not been taught: Why were the bazaars of Beth Hini  destroyed? Because they based their actions upon Scripture.  They used to say,