Audio by Dr. Michael Sokolow

The principal categories of damage are four: the ox, the Pit, the `spoliator` [mab`eh] and the fire. The aspects of the ox are [in some respects] not [of such low order of gravity] as those of the `spoliator`; nor are [in other respects] those of the `spoliator` [of such low order of gravity] as those of the ox; nor are the aspects of either of them, in which there is life, [of such low order of gravity] as those of the fire which is not endowed with life; nor are the aspects of any of these, the habit of which is to be mobile and do damage, [of such low orders of gravity] as those of the Pit of which it is not the habit to move about and do damage. The feature common to them all is that they are in the habit of doing damage; and that they have to be under your control so that whenever any one [of them] does damage the offender is liable to indemnify with the best of his estate.

 קמא 1.1
ארבעה אבות נזיקין-- השור, והבור, והמבעה, וההבער׃ לא הרי השור כהרי המבעה, ולא הרי המבעה כהרי השור; ולא זה וזה, שיש בהן רוח חיים, כהרי האש, שאין בו רוח חיים; ולא זה וזה, שדרכן לילך ולהזיק, כהרי הבור שאין דרכו לילך ולהזיק׃ הצד השווה שבהן-- שדרכן להזיק, ושמירתן עליך; וכשהזיק, חב המזיק לשלם תשלומי נזק במיטב הארץ

Whenever I am under an obligation of controlling [anything in my possession], I am considered to have perpetrated any damage that may result. When I am to blame for a part of the damage I am liable to compensate for the damage as if I had perpetrated the whole of the damage. 
The [damaged] property must be of a kind to which the Law of sacrilege has no application. The [damaged] property should belong to persons who are under [the jurisdiction of] the Law. The property should be owned. The place [of the damage] is immaterial, with the exception of premises owned by the defendant or premises owned [jointly] By the plaintiff and the defendant. Whenever damage has occurred, the offender is liable to indemnify with the best of his estate.

 קמא 1.2
כל שחבתי בשמירתו, הכשרתי את נזקו; הכשרתי במקצת נזקו, חבתי בתשלומי נזקו כהכשר כל נזקו׃ נכסים שאין בהן מעילה, נכסים שהן של בני ברית, נכסים המיוחדים, ובכל מקום חוץ מרשות המיוחדת למזיק, ורשות הניזק והמזיק-- כשהזיק, חב המזיק לשלם תשלומי נזק במיטב הארץ

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