Study Bava Kamma folio 53A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
and both this and that refer to where it fell into the pit itself, but nevertheless if it fell backward, he is exempt.
The Talmud notes: Rav conforms to his line of reasoning, as Rav says: Damage classified as Pit for which the Torah obligates him to pay is referring specifically to damage caused by the pit’s lethal fumes, such as if an animal suffocates inside it, but not to damage caused by the impact of hitting
And Shmuel says: If the ox fell into the pit, whether it fell forward or whether it fell backward, he is liable.
The Talmud notes: Shmuel conforms to his line of reasoning, as Shmuel says: With regard to damage classified as Pit, the Torah holds one liable for damage caused by its lethal fumes, and all the more so for damage resulting from the impact of the fall. The Talmud asks: But according to Shmuel, what
The rabbis raised an objection to the opinion of Rav from a baraita: With regard to an animal that fell into a pit, whether it fell in forward or whether it fell in backward, he is liable. This constitutes a conclusive refutation of Rav.