Responsa for Bava Batra 281:1
אלא לאביי מאי ניזון כבת ולטעמיך לרבא מאי יורש כבן אלא ראוי לירש ואין לו ה"נ ראוי לזון ואין לו:
according to Abaye. however,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who asserted that a tumtum receives nothing. ');"><sup>1</sup></span> what [is meant by], 'he receives maintenance like a daughter'? — Granted your argument is right [how will you explain], according to Raba, what [is the meaning of] 'he inherits like a son'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the estate is small, 'inheriting like a son' really signifies 'receiving nothing'. How then, could the expression of inheriting be used? ');"><sup>2</sup></span> But, [you must explain it as meaning that] 'he is entitled to inherit but [actually] receives nothing', so here<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., according to Abaye. ');"><sup>3</sup></span> [it may be explained as] 'entitled to maintenance but [in fact] receives nothing'.
Teshuvot Maharam
A. Since B has been prevented, by death, from fulfilling his promise, he never became obligated to pay the 20*In some sources (Pr. 50, L. 355) the reading is “marks.” The discrepancy arose because of the similarity of the two Hebrew letters of Khaf and Beth, which stand for 20 and 2 respectively. The Cremona source and the Mord., however, used the word Esrim, 20, specifically. marks to A. Consequently his heirs owe nothing to A.
This question was also sent to R. Meir by his father, R. Baruch, who was one of the judges in this case.
SOURCES: Cr. 31; Pr. 50; Pr. 939; L. 355; Mord. B.M. 247; cf. Jacob Weil, Responsa 105; ibid. 142.
Teshuvot Maharam
A. Since B has been prevented, by death, from fulfilling his promise, he never became obligated to pay the 20*In some sources (Pr. 50, L. 355) the reading is “marks.” The discrepancy arose because of the similarity of the two Hebrew letters of Khaf and Beth, which stand for 20 and 2 respectively. The Cremona source and the Mord., however, used the word Esrim, 20, specifically. marks to A. Consequently his heirs owe nothing to A.
This question was also sent to R. Meir by his father, R. Baruch, who was one of the judges in this case.
SOURCES: Cr. 31; Pr. 50; Pr. 939; L. 355; Mord. B.M. 247; cf. Jacob Weil, Responsa 105; ibid. 142.