Bava Batra 221

(במדבר לו, ח) וכל בת יורשת נחלה ממטות בני ישראל היאך בת יורשת שני מטות אלא זו שאביה משבט אחד ואמה משבט אחר ומתו וירשתן

[It is written.] And every daughter that possesseth an inheritance in the tribes<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.V.: in any tribe. The plural 'in tribes', [H] implies no less than two. ');">¹</span> of the children of Israel;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXXVI, 8. ');">²</span> how can a daughter inherit [from] two tribes?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.V.: in any tribe. The plural 'in tribes', [H] implies no less than two. ');">¹</span>

ואין לי אלא בת בן מנין אמרת קל וחומר ומה בת שהורע כחה בנכסי האב יפה כחה בנכסי האם בן שיפה כחו בנכסי האב אינו דין שיפה כחו בנכסי האם וממקום שבאת מה להלן בן קודם לבת אף כאן בן קודם לבת

— [Obviously] only when her father is from one tribe and her mother from another tribe, and both died, and she inherited [from] them. [From this] one may only [derive the law in respect of] a daughter. whence [may the law respecting] a son [he derived]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That a son also inherits from his mother. ');">³</span> — One may derive it by an inference from minor to major: If a daughter, whose claims upon her father's property are impaired,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since a son takes precedence over her. ');">⁴</span> has strong legal claims upon the property of her mother, should a son, whose claims upon the property of his father are strong, not justly have strong legal claims<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To be heir. ');">⁵</span>

ר' יוסי בר' יהודה ור"א בר' יוסי אמרו משום רבי זכריה בן הקצב אחד הבן ואחד הבת שוין בנכסי האם מאי טעמא דיו לבא מן הדין להיות כנדון

upon the property of his mother? And by the same argument:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'and from whence you came'. ');">⁶</span> As there,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the case of a father's inheritance. ');">⁷</span> a son takes precedence over a daughter, so here,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the case of the inheritance of a mother. ');">⁸</span>

ותנא קמא לא דריש דיו והא דיו דאורייתא הוא

a son takes precedence over a daughter. R. Jose son of R. Judah and R. Eleazar son of R. Jose said in the name of R. Zechariah h. Hakkazzab:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A proper noun, or ha-Kazzab 'the butcher'. ');">⁹</span> Both a son and a daughter [have] equal [rights] in [the inheritance of] a mother's estate.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They take equal shares. ');">¹⁰</span> What is the reason? — It is sufficient for [a law that is] derived by argument to he like [the law] from which it is derived.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the law that a son may be heir to his mother is derived from the law of a daughter's right to such an inheritance, it cannot be held to confer upon him, in such a case, any right of precedence over a daughter. ');">¹¹</span>

דתניא מדין קל וחומר כיצד (במדבר יב, יד) ויאמר ה' אל משה ואביה ירק ירק בפניה הלא תכלם שבעת ימים קל וחומר לשכינה ארבעה עשר

And does not the first Tanna<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who maintains that a son takes precedence over a daughter even in the case of a mother's inheritance. ');">¹²</span> expound. 'It is sufficient [etc.]'? Surely, [the exposition of] Dayyo<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] 'it is sufficient'. ');">¹³</span> is Pentateuchal! For it was taught:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' B.K. 25a, Zeb. 69b. ');">¹⁴</span>

אלא דיו לבא מן הדין להיות כנדון

'An example<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'how'. ');">¹⁵</span> of an inference from minor to major [is]. And the Lord said to Moses: 'If her father had but spit in her face, should she not hide in shame seven days?'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XII, 14. ');">¹⁶</span> [Would not one expect, by] inference from minor to major, [that in the case] of the divine presence, [she should hide in shame for] fourteen days?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If seven days is the period for a father (who is only a mortal), fourteen days, at least, (double), should be the period in the case of the divine presence. ');">¹⁷</span>

בעלמא דריש דיו ושאני הכא דאמר קרא ממטות מקיש מטה האם למטה האב מה מטה האב בן קודם לבת אף מטה האם בן קודם לבת

— But [it is held that] it is sufficient for [a law that is] derived by argument. to he like [the law] from which it is derived'!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence the rule of Dayyo is proved to he Pentateuchal; how then, can the first Tanna uphold a law which is contrary to this rule of Dayyo? ');">¹⁸</span> — Elsewhere he does expound Dayyo,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXXVI, 8. ');">¹⁹</span> hut here it is different, because Scripture says, in the tribes,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXXVI, 8. ');">¹⁹</span>

רב ניתאי סבר למעבד עובדא כר' זכריה בן הקצב אמר ליה שמואל כמאן כזכריה אפס זכריה רבי טבלא עבד עובדא כרבי זכריה בן הקצב א"ל רב נחמן מאי האי א"ל דאמר רב חיננא בר שלמיא משמיה דרב הלכה כרבי זכריה בן הקצב אמר ליה זיל אהדר בך ואי לא מפיקנא לך רב חיננא בר שלמיא מאוניך

thus comparing the mother's tribe to the father's tribe: as [in the case of] the father's tribe a son takes precedence over a daughter, so [in the case of] the mother's tribe a son takes precedence over a daughter. R. Nittai intended to decide a case in accordance with [the view of] R. Zechariah b. Hakkazzab, [but] Samuel said to him: 'In accordance with whom? In accordance with Zechariah? Zechariah faileth!'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] (cf. Gen. XLVII, 16, 17). 'The law is contrary to the view of R. Zechariah.' ');">²⁰</span> R. Tabla decided a case in accordance with [the view of] R. Zechariah h. Hakkazzab. R. Nahman said to him: 'What is this?' — He replied unto him: '[I rely upon] that which R. Hinena b. Shelemia said in the name of Rab [that] the <i>halachah</i> is in accordance with [the view of] R. Zechariah h. Hakkazzab.' He said to him: 'Withdraw, or I shall pull R. Hinena b. Shelemia from your ears!'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He would be placed under the ban so that he would think no more of R. Hinena; cf. Sanh. 8a. ');">²¹</span>

רב הונא בר חייא סבר למעבד עובדא כרבי זכריה בן הקצב אמר ליה רב נחמן מאי האי אמר ליה דאמר רב הונא אמר רב הלכה כר' זכריה בן הקצב אמר ליה אשלח ליה איכסיף אמר ליה השתא כי נח נפשיה דרב הונא איתריסת לקבלי

R. Huna b. Hiyya intended to decide a case in accordance with [the view of] R. Zechariah h. Hakkazzab. R. Nahman said to him: 'What is this?' He replied: '[I rely upon] that which R. Huna said in the name of Rab [that] the <i>halachah</i> is in accordance with [the view of] Zechariah h. Hakkazzab. He said to him: 'I will send to him!'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To R. Huna, to ascertain whether he really held such an opinion. ');">²²</span> He grew embarrassed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Not being sure whether R. Huna still adhered to the same opinion. ');">²³</span> He said to him: 'Now, had R. Huna been dead, you would have continued to oppose me.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Now, however, that R. Huna is alive, this resistance must cease. R. Nahman, apparently, suspected R. Huna b. Hiyya of quoting R. Huna without due authorisation. ');">²⁴</span>

ואיהו כמאן סברה כי הא דרב ושמואל דאמרי תרוייהו אין הלכה כר' זכריה בן הקצב

And whose opinion did he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Nahman ');">²⁵</span> adopt? — That of Rab and Samuel both of whom said: The <i>halachah</i> is not in agreement with [the view of] R. Zechariah h. Hakkazzab. R. Jannai was [once] walking, leaning<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Jannai suffered from defective eyesight due to old age. ');">²⁶</span>

מיסתמיך ואזיל רבי ינאי אכתפא דרבי שמלאי שמעיה ואתי ר' יהודה נשיאה לאפייהו א"ל בר אינש דאתא לקיבלנא הוא יאי וגולתיה יאי כי מטא לגביה גששה אמר ליה דין שיעוריה כשק

upon the shoulder of R. Simlai his attendant,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] The [H] of many of the Rabbis was a disciple of the master and himself a scholar. ');">²⁷</span> and R. Judah the Prince<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Judah II. ');">²⁸</span> came to meet them. He<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The attendant. ');">²⁹</span>

בעא מיניה מנין לבן שקודם לבת בנכסי האם אמר ליה דכתיב מטות מקיש מטה האם למטה האב מה מטה האב בן קודם לבת אף מטה האם בן קודם לבת א"ל אי מה מטה האב בכור נוטל פי שנים אף מטה האם בכור נוטל פי שנים

said to him: The man who comes towards us is distinguished<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'beautiful'. ');">³⁰</span> and his cloak is distinguished.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'beautiful'. ');">³⁰</span> When he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Judah. ');">³¹</span> came nigh him [R. Jannai] touched it [and] said to him: This [cloak] — its [legal minimum] size [as regards Levitical uncleanness is but] that of<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'like'. ');">³²</span> sackcloth!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And therefore cannot be as distinguished as the attendant claimed it to be. Cheap, coarse material is not subject to the laws of Levitical uncleanness, unless its size is no less than four handbreadths by four, instead of three by three which is the legal minimum required in the case of finer materials. ');">³³</span> He<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Judah. ');">³¹</span> inquired of him: Whence [is it derived] that a son takes precedence over a daughter in [the inheritance of] a mother's estate? — He replied to him: From<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'for it is written'. ');">³⁴</span> tribes;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXXVI, 8. ');">³⁵</span> [where the plural indicates that] the mother's tribe is to be compared to the father's tribe: as [in the case of] the father's tribe,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., inheritance from a father. ');">³⁶</span> a son takes precedence over a daughter so [in the case of] the mother's tribe,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the inheritance of a mother's estate. ');">³⁷</span> a son takes precedence over a daughter. He<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 460, n. 12. ');">³⁸</span> said to him: If [so, let it be said that] as [in the case of] the father's tribe a firstborn takes a double portion, so [in the case of] the mother's tribe a firstborn shall take a double portion'!