Bava Batra 248:1

מספקא ליה אי הלכה כרבי מחבירו ולא מחביריו או הלכה כרבי מחבירו ואפילו מחביריו

[For] he<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Hiyya. ');">¹</span> was in doubt as to whether the <i>halachah</i> is in accordance [with the decision of] Rabbi [when it is in opposition to that] of his colleague,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. 'Er. 46b; Pes. 27a; Keth. 21a and 51a. ');">²</span>

אמר רב נחמן אמר רב אסור לעשות כדברי רבי קא סבר הלכה כרבי מחבירו ולא מחביריו

but not [when it is opposed to that] of his colleagues,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., where the majority is against him. The law, here, since Rabbi is opposed by the Sages, must, consequently, be decided against him. ');">³</span> or is the <i>halachah</i> in accordance [with] Rabbi [when in opposition to] his colleague and even [when he is opposed to] his colleagues.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence, the law must be decided according to Rabbi. As this point could not be determined, every judge is allowed to act either in accordance with the view of Rabbi or with that of the Sages. ');">⁴</span>

ורב נחמן דידיה אמר מותר לעשות כדברי רבי קא סבר הלכה כרבי מחבירו ואפילו מחביריו

R. Nahman said in the name of Rab, 'It is forbidden to act in accordance with the decision of Rabbi,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And here he is opposed by his colleagues, a majority. ');">⁵</span> for he holds the opinion [that] the <i>halachah</i> is in accordance [with] Rabbi, [when in opposition to] his colleague, but not [when he is opposed to] his colleagues.' R. Nahman in his own name,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'If his'. ');">⁶</span>

אמר רבא אסור לעשות כדברי רבי ואם עשה עשוי קא סבר מטין איתמר

however, said, 'It is permitted to act in accordance with the decision of Rabbi'; for he holds the opinion [that] the <i>halachah</i> is in accordance [with] Rabbi [when in opposition to] his colleague and even [when opposed to] his colleagues. Raba said, 'It is forbidden to act in accordance with the decision of Rabbi, but if one did act [accordingly], his action is legally valid;'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'is done'. ');">⁷</span>

תני רב נחמן בשאר ספרי דבי רב (דברים כא, יז) בכל אשר ימצא לו פרט לשבח שהשביחו יורשין לאחר מיתת אביהן אבל שבח ששבחו נכסים לאחר מיתת אביהן שקיל ומני רבי היא

for he is of the opinion [that at the college] it was said [that they were only] inclined<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' No definite decision on the view of the Rabbis has been arrived at at the college; only arguments in its favour were advanced. ');">⁸</span> [in favour of the opinion of the Rabbis].

תני רמי בר חמא בשאר ספרי דבי רב בכל אשר ימצא לו פרט לשבח ששבחו נכסים לאחר מיתת אביהן וכל שכן שבח שהשביחו יורשין לאחר מיתת אביהן דלא שקיל ומני רבנן היא

R. Nahman learned<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Or 'taught', v. next note. ');">⁹</span> in the 'other books of the School of Rab':<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] Halachic expositions and comments on Numbers and Deuteronomy. Sifra debe Rab [H] is another name for Torath Kohanim, [H] which is a similar work on Leviticus. [Friedmann, M., disputes there identifications as well as the authorship of Rab assigned to these Halachic Midrashim by Maimonides and others. Kaplan, J., The Redaction of the Talmud, 279, holds that Sifre debe Rab designates 'the Standard Book of Records of Rab's Academy' nad the 'other books of the School of Rab,' the smaller and more specialized collections containing among others contributions by R. Nahman and Rami b. Hama.] ');">¹⁰</span>

אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל אין בכור נוטל פי שנים במלוה למאן אילימא לרבנן השתא שבחא דאיתיה ברשותיה אמרי רבנן לא שקיל מלוה מבעיא

Of all that he hath,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXI, 17. ');">¹¹</span> excludes the appreciation [of an estate] which the heirs have produced after the death of their father; but [in] the [natural] appreciation of the estate [that accrued] after the death of their father he [does] take [a double portion]. And who is [the author of this statement]? — It is Rabbi.

אלא לרבי

Rami b. Hama learned in the 'other books of the School of Rab':<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] Halachic expositions and comments on Numbers and Deuteronomy. Sifra debe Rab [H] is another name for Torath Kohanim, [H] which is a similar work on Leviticus. [Friedmann, M., disputes there identifications as well as the authorship of Rab assigned to these Halachic Midrashim by Maimonides and others. Kaplan, J., The Redaction of the Talmud, 279, holds that Sifre debe Rab designates 'the Standard Book of Records of Rab's Academy' nad the 'other books of the School of Rab,' the smaller and more specialized collections containing among others contributions by R. Nahman and Rami b. Hama.] ');">¹⁰</span> Of all that he hath,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXI, 17. ');">¹¹</span>

ואלא הא דתניא ירשו שטר חוב בכור נוטל פי שנים בין במלוה בין ברבית מני לא רבי ולא רבנן

excludes<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The firstborn is not entitled to a double portion. ');">¹²</span> the [natural] appreciation of an estate [that accrued] after the death of their father, and much less is he [entitled] to take [a double portion in] the appreciation which the heirs produced after the death of their father. And who is [the author of this statement]? — The Rabbis.

לעולם לרבנן ואצטריך סלקא דעתך אמינא מלוה כיון דנקיט שטרא כמאן דגביא דמיא קא משמע לן

Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel: A firstborn son does not take a double portion in a loan.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Due to the father; even though the heirs hold a bond of indebtedness against the borrower. ');">¹³</span> [According] to whom [was this statement required]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., whose view has Samuel adopted? ');">¹⁴</span>

שלחו מתם בכור נוטל פי שנים במלוה אבל לא ברבית

If it is suggested, [according] to the Rabbis, [it may be retorted] if the Rabbis maintain that an appreciation which accrues to his possession<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Such, e.g., as undeveloped dates, supra 124a, where the dates are in his possession. Rashb. preserves a better reading: 'If the Rabbis maintain that a natural appreciation,' likewise with reference to undeveloped dates. ');">¹⁵</span> [the firstborn] takes no [double portion], is there any need [to state that he takes no double portion in] a loan?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where the money is not in his possession. Or, where the increase is not natural. ');">¹⁶</span>

למאן אילימא לרבנן השתא שבחא דאיתיה ברשותיה אמרי רבנן דלא שקיל מלוה מבעיא

— But [the statement was required according] to Rabbi. Who, then, was the author of] what has been taught. 'If they inherited a bond of indebtedness, the firstborn takes a double portion both in the loan and in the interest'? Neither Rabbi nor the Rabbis!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because, as has been assumed, even Rabbi agrees that the firstborns does not take a double portion in a loan. ');">¹⁷</span> This statement<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of Samuel. ');">¹⁸</span>

אלא לרבי ולרבי ברבית לא והתניא רבי אומר בכור נוטל פי שנים בין במלוה בין ברבית

may, indeed, be required [according] to [the view of] the Rabbis,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' While the statement about the inheritance of a bond of indebtedness agrees with the view of Rabbi. ');">¹⁹</span> [for] it might have been assumed [that, in the matter of] a loan, since he is in possession<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'holds'. ');">²⁰</span>

לעולם רבנן היא ומלוה כמאן דגביא דמיא

of the bond, [the debt] is regarded as collected, hence [the law] had to be stated.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'made us hear'. ');">²¹</span> [A message] was sent from Palestine:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'from there'. ');">²²</span>

אמר ליה רב אחא בר רב לרבינא איקלע אמימר לאתרין ודריש בכור נוטל פי שנים במלוה אבל לא ברבית א"ל נהרדעי לטעמייהו

a firstborn takes a double portion in a loan, but not in [its] interest.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though the interest is mentioned in the note. ');">²³</span> [According] to whom [is this law]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., in accordance with whose view was it possible to enunciate such a law? ');">²⁴</span>

דאמר רבה גבו קרקע יש לו גבו מעות אין לו ורב נחמן אמר גבו מעות יש לו גבו קרקע אין לו

If it is suggested [that it is according] to the Rabbis, [it may be retorted:] If the Rabbis maintain that [in] an appreciation which accrues to his possession [the firstborn is] not to take [a double portion], is there any question as to [whether he takes a double portion in] a loan?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Surely, he does not. How, then, could it be said that he does take a double portion? ');">²⁵</span> — But [the statement is according] to Rabbi. [Does] not [the firstborn, however, according] to Rabbi [take a double portion] in the interest [also]? Surely it was taught: Rabbi said: A firstborn takes a double portion both in a loan and in [its] interest! — This is really [in accordance with] the Rabbis, but a loan [is regarded] as collected.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence the right of the firstborn to take a double portion. ');">²⁶</span>

אמר ליה אביי לרבה לדידך קשיא לרב נחמן קשיא לדידך קשיא

R. Aha b. Rab said to Rabina: Amemar [once] happened to come to our place, and gave the following exposition: A firstborn takes a double portion in a loan but not in [its] interest. He said to him: The [scholars] of Nehardea follow their [own] view;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Amemar, who was of Nehardea, holds the same view as R. Nahman, who was also of Nehardea, that a debt is regarded as being in the possession of the creditor. ');">²⁷</span> for R. Nahman said:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is the order adopted by Rashb. ');">²⁸</span> [If] land was collected [for the debt, the firstborn] has no [double portion],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because the bequest was money and not land. ');">²⁹</span> [if] money was collected he has [it],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. u. 1, supra. ');">³⁰</span> but Rabbah said: [If] money was collected he has no [double portion],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since a loan is made to be spent, the money that is collected for the debt is not the original that was lent, but other money which was never in the creditor's possession. ');">³¹</span> [if] land was collected, he has.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lands are regarded as pledged to the creditor and, consequently, as being in his possession. ');">³²</span> Abaye said to Rabbah: Following<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'according to'. ');">³³</span> you there is a difficulty; following<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'according to'. ');">³³</span> R. Nahman there is a difficulty. Following you there is [this] difficulty: