(Mishnah): If he spat at him and the spit reached him.

Where did the spit reach? It reached his body, or his clothes (in either case he is liable; this is not a question).

Question: Rather, [we ask] if he spat and the spit did not reach him, what is the law?

Inference (R. Yosi): This teaches that one who embarrasses verbally is exempt. (We ask only about one who spat. We explained this like SEDEI YEHOSHUA.)

(R. Avahu in front of R. Yochanan - Beraisa): If one said 'you killed my ox or cut my saplings', and the other says 'I do not know', he is liable.

Objection (R. Yochanan): From where and in front of whom did you learn this?! Did you teach this to ignoramuses?!

Correction (R. Avahu): I erred. [The ones who taught this] said [that if witnesses say] 'we testify that Ploni killed Almoni's ox', and Almoni says 'I do not know', Ploni is liable. (We explained this like HA'GAON RAV C. KANIEVSKY, SHLITA, citing the STEIPLER.)