Covering the Pit Properly and What Counts as Falling In

Another interpretation: "he shall cover it" - as is fitting for it. From here they said: if he covered it fittingly he is exempt; if not fittingly he is liable. If he covered it and another uncovered it, the one who uncovered it is liable. Partners who covered the pit - if one of them uncovered it, the one who uncovered it is liable. If it became uncovered and one of them knew of it, the one who knew of it is liable and the one who did not know of it is exempt. "And there falls into it an ox or a donkey" - an ox, and not an ox with its gear; a donkey, and not a donkey with its gear. For it would have followed by logic: if in a place where one is not liable for the animal one is liable for the gear, here where one is liable for the animal is it not right that one be liable for the gear? Therefore the verse teaches, "and there falls into it an ox or a donkey" - an ox, and not an ox with its gear; a donkey, and not a donkey with its gear. "And there falls into it an ox" - in the manner of its walking. From here they said: if it fell forward from the sound of the digging, he is liable; backward from the sound of the digging, he is exempt. But concerning the pit itself, whether forward or backward, he is liable.