Responsa for Bava Batra 281:8
אלא הא דתניא ילדה זכר ונקבה הזכר נוטל ששה דינרין והנקבה נוטלת שני דינרין במאי
'[if] she gave birth to a male and a female, the male receives six [gold] <i>denarii</i><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A gold denar = 25 zuz. ');"><sup>27</sup></span> and the female receives two [gold] denarii'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Making a total of two hundred zuz. In an ordinary case, in view of the principle enunciated in our Mishnah, a daughter should receive the greater share [According to R. Gershom this Baraitha is not quoted as an argument, but for the purpose of obtaining information on its interpretation.] ');"><sup>28</sup></span> — R. Ashi replied: I interpreted<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'I said'. ');"><sup>29</sup></span> this reported tradition,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Baraitha cited. ');"><sup>30</sup></span>
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.