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The limit is imposed by the OSM API itself, and it's a matter of how much data is already mapped in the area you're requesting -- a max of 50,000 nodes according the API docs. Of course data density varies wildly across the planet, so you can expect to fetch a lot more acreage in rural areas than in urban ones. But there's no way to know if a particular bounding box call will succeed without trying it out.

Editing software could be generally aware of high and low density locales and advise accordingly. And it could subdivide a large request into smaller ones. But the JOSM developers prefer to offer a closer-to-the-API experience.

[0] https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/API_v0.6#Retrieving_map_...

As a beginner use the editor built in on the website instead (called ID). JOSM is a great power user tool, but this article's recommendation to use it for your first edit is misguided.

It's actually OK compared to your typical GIS desktop app, but naturally not the thing to recommend a beginner.

Sorry you're having such a frustrating first experience. I'd recommend trying just 1-3 city blocks max