Commentary for Bava Batra 259:11

ההוא מיבעי ליה לכדתניא אבא חנן אמר משום רבי אליעזר

should inherit all his estate, his instruction is legally valid, for R. Johanan said: IF [A PERSON] SAID [IT]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gave instructions as to whom he desired to be his heir. ');">²⁰</span> CONCERNING ONE WHO IS ENTITLED TO BE HIS [IMMEDIATE] HEIR, HIS INSTRUCTIONS ARE LEGALLY VALID. R. Judah said in the name of Samuel: The <i>halachah</i> is in agreement with [the view of] R. Johanan b. Beroka. And so said Raba: The <i>halachah</i> is in agreement with [the view of] R. Johanan b. Beroka. Raba said: What is the reason [for the opinion] of R. Johanan b. Beroka? — Scripture said: Then it shall be, in the day that he causeth his sons to inherit<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXI, 16. ');">²¹</span> [from which it is to be inferred that] the Torah gave authority to a father to cause anyone<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of his sons; or, according to the first interpretation (supra note 1), any one of his legal heirs. ');">²²</span> whom he desires to inherit [his estate]. Abaye said to him: This [law,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That a father may transmit all his estate to any one of his sons (or heirs). ');">²³</span> surely, could be] deduced from, He may not make [the son of the beloved] the firstborn!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. Which shows that it is only the birthright that a father may not transfer to another son. The other shares of his estate, however, he may, consequently, assign to whomsoever he pleases. ');">²⁴</span> — That [text] is required for [the purpose of another inference], as it was taught: Abba Hanan said in the name of R. Eliezer:

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