Bava Batra 58 - August 22, 18 Av
Rabbi Bena'a measured burial caves to mark the locations of the graves for reasons of ritual purity. What happened when he reached Avraham's and Adam's graves? What was he allowed to see and what was he not allowed to see? A story is told of an amgosh (a Persian priest or magician) who entered the graves of others to take things or remove bodies from the caves. In a separate story about Rabbi Bena'a, he was imprisoned by non-Jewish authorities but later released due to his great intelligence and appointed as a judge. As a judge, he critiqued some signs hung at the entrance to their city, and they incorporated his edits into the signs. The Mishna discusses various items that may or may not create a chazaka (presumptive right) depending on various factors, including sizes - such as a gutter, the spout of a gutter, a ladder, and windows.