Bava Batra 229

איתיביה רבי יוחנן לרבי יהודה בן שמעון האשה את בנה והאשה את בעלה ואחי האם מנחילין ולא נוחלין אמר ליה משנתנו איני יודע מי שנאה

R. Johanan pointed out to R. Judah son of R. Simeon [the following objection: Have we not learnt]. A WOMAN [TRANSMITS HER ESTATE TO] HER SONS AND [TO] HER HUSBAND [BUT DOES NOT INHERIT FROM THEM]; AND MOTHER'S BROTHERS TRANSMIT [THEIR ESTATES TO THEIR NEPHEWS] BUT DO NOT INHERIT [FROM] THEM?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which clearly shows that a woman cannot be heir to her son. ');">¹</span> — He replied to him: As to our Mishnah, I do not know who is its author!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is unreliable. ');">²</span> But why did he not say<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'and let him say'. ');">³</span> to him [that] it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Our Mishnah, ');">⁴</span>

ולימא ליה רבי זכריה בן הקצב היא דלא דריש מטות

[may represent the views of] R. Zechariah b. Hakkazzab who does not expound, tribes?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supra 111a. ');">⁵</span> — Our Mishnah cannot be upheld as [representing the views of] R. Zechariah h. Hakkazzab, for it teaches, AND SISTERS'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Some read, 'a sister's'. ');">⁶</span> SONS. And a Tanna taught<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supra 113a. ');">⁷</span> [that this implies] sisters'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Some read, 'a sister's'. ');">⁶</span>

לא מיתוקמא מתניתין כרבי זכריה בן הקצב דקתני ובני אחות ותנא בני אחות ולא בנות אחות ואמרינן למאי הלכתא ואמר רב ששת לקדם

sons [only], but not sisters'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Some read, 'a sister's'. ');">⁶</span> daughters; and the question was asked,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supra 113b. ');">⁸</span> 'In respect to what law?' And R. Shesheth answered, 'In respect of precedence'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If there are nephews and nieces, the former, not the latter, are the heirs of their uncles. ');">⁹</span> Now, if it were assumed that our Mishnah was [a representation of the views of] R. Zechariah b. Hakkazzab. [it could rightly have been objected]: Surely, he said, 'Both a son and a daughter [have] equal [rights] in [the inheritance of] a mother's estate'!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the children of a sister become heirs to their uncles, through their mother's right of inheritance, nephews and nieces (i.e., the sons and daughters of the uncles' sister) should have equal rights in their uncles' estates just as they have them in the case of their mother's estate. Our Mishnah which gives nephews precedence over nieces cannot, therefore, represent the views of R. Zechariah. ');">¹⁰</span>

ואי סלקא דעתך מתני' רבי זכריה בן הקצב היא הא אמר אחד הבן ואחד הבת שוין בנכסי האם

[As to] the Tanna of our [Mishnah], how are his views to be reconciled?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'from whatever (be) your opinion'. i.e., whatever view be adopted there is a difficulty. ');">¹¹</span> If he expounds, tribes, a woman also should he heir to her son;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As has been deduced from tribes, supra 114b, end. ');">¹²</span> if he does not, whence does he [deduce the law] that a son takes precedence over a daughter in [inheriting] his mother's property?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This law also has been deduced, (supra 111a, end), from the expression tribes, ');">¹³</span> — He does, in fact,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'always'. ');">¹⁴</span>

ותנא דידן ממ"נ אי דריש מטות אשה נמי תירש את בנה אי לא דריש מטות בן דקודם לבת בנכסי האם מנא ליה

expound, tribes,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence his view that a son takes precedence (V. n. 3, supra). ');">¹⁵</span> but here,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The proposed deduction from the expression, tribes, that a mother is heir to her son, ');">¹⁶</span> [the case] is different, for Scripture says, And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXXVI, 8, and this verse deals with a daughter who is heir to her mother, as explained, supra 111a. ');">¹⁷</span> [from which it is to he inferred that] she may inherit from,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] yoresheth, is the expression used in the Biblical verse. ');">¹⁸</span>

לעולם דריש מטות ושאני הכא דאמר קרא (במדבר לו, ח) וכל בת יורשת נחלה יורשת ואינה מורשת:

but not transmit<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] Moresheth. ');">¹⁹</span> to [her mother].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And as a daughter does not transmit her estate to her mother, so also a son; hence the law in our Mishnah that a mother is not heir to her son. ');">²⁰</span> <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. THE ORDER OF SUCCESSION<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'inheritances'. ');">²¹</span> IS AS FOLLOWS: IF A MAN DIE, AND HAVE NO SON, THEN YE SHALL CAUSE HIS INHERITANCE TO PASS UNTO HIS DAUGHTER.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXVII, 8. ');">²²</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> סדר נחלות כך הוא (במדבר כז, ח) איש כי ימות ובן אין לו והעברתם את נחלתו לבתו בן קודם לבת כל יוצאי יריכו של בן קודמין לבת בת קודמת לאחין יוצאי יריכה של בת קודמין לאחין אחין קודמין לאחי האב יוצאי יריכן של אחין קודמין לאחי האב

A SON TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER A DAUGHTER. ALL LINEAL DESCENDANTS<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'those who came out of his loins'. ');">²³</span> OF A SON<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' His sons, grandsons, or any male descendants of these, no matter how many generations removed from the deceased. ');">²⁴</span> TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER A DAUGHTER.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the deceased. ');">²⁵</span> A DAUGHTER TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER THE BROTHERS.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' (V. previous note) and also over his father, ');">²⁶</span>

זה הכלל כל הקודם בנחלה יוצאי יריכו קודמין והאב קודם לכל יוצאי יריכו:

LINEAL DESCENDANTS<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'those who came out of her loins'. ');">²⁷</span> OF A DAUGHTER [ALSO] TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER THE BROTHERS. BROTHERS TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER THE BROTHERS OF THE FATHER.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the deceased. ');">²⁵</span> LINEAL DESCENDANTS<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. previous note and n. 13. ');">²⁸</span> OF BROTHERS [ALSO] TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER THE BROTHERS OF THE FATHER.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'those who came out of her loins'. ');">²⁷</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> תנו רבנן בן אין לי אלא בן בן הבן או בת הבן או בן בת הבן מנין תלמוד לומר אין לו עיין עליו

THIS IS THE GENERAL RULE: THE LINEAL DESCENDANTS OF ANY ONE WITH A PRIORITY TO SUCCESSION<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If he predeceased them. ');">²⁹</span> TAKE PRECEDENCE. A FATHER TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER ALL HIS DESCENDANTS.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the brothers and sisters of his deceased son, and their descendants. He has, however, no claim at all if his deceased son is survived by his own sons or daughters or any of their lineal descendants. ');">³⁰</span> <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. Our Rabbis taught: [It is written,] son,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXVII. 8. ');">³¹</span> [from which] one only learns that<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'I only have'. ');">³²</span>

בת אין לי אלא בת בת הבת ובן הבת ובת בן הבת מנין ת"ל אין לו עיין עליו

a son [has a prior claim to heirship]; whence [may it he deduced that] a son of the son, or a daughter<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where there is no son, a son of the son, or a son of the daughter of the son,' ');">³³</span> of the son, or a son of the daughter of the son [has the same rights]? — It is expressly stated, En lo<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. [H]. ');">³⁴</span> [which is taken to imply], 'hold an enquiry<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] or [H] 'examine', 'search', 'investigate'. 'Aleph ([H]) and 'Ayin ([H]) are interchangeable. ');">³⁵</span> concerning him'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The deceased; i.e., inquire whether he has been survived by descendants or any descendants of his descendants who might claim to succeed to his estate. ');">³⁶</span> [It is written] daughter,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. ');">³⁷</span> [from which] one only learns that<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'I only have'. ');">³²</span> a daughter [is next in succession to a son]; whence [may it he deduced that] a daughter of the daughter. and the son of a daughter and a daughter of the son of the daughter [have also the same rights]? — It is expressly stated, En lo<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. [H]. ');">³⁴</span> [which is taken to imply], 'hold an enquiry<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] or [H] 'examine', 'search', 'investigate'. 'Aleph ([H]) and 'Ayin ([H]) are interchangeable. ');">³⁵</span> concerning him'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The deceased; i.e., inquire whether he has been survived by descendants or any descendants of his descendants who might claim to succeed to his estate. ');">³⁶</span>