Bava Batra 226

למאי הלכתא אמר רב ששת לקדם

[In respect] to what Law?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Surely daughters inherit from their mother where there are no sons; and since their mother is heiress to her brothers (where there are no living brothers), they also, who are her heiresses, should, in such a case, be entitled to the inheritance of their uncles! ');">¹</span> — R. Shesheth said: In respect of precedence,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'to precede'. i.e., where there are brothers and sisters, the former are to be the heirs of their uncles, not the latter. ');">²</span> [as] R. Samuel b. R. Isaac recited before R. Huna: [Since it is said], and he shall possess it,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXVII, 11. [H] referring to 'inheritance' mentioned in verse 8. ');">³</span> the inheritance [mentioned] second<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the second or any of those following in order of succession. ');">⁴</span>

תני רב שמואל בר רב יצחק קמיה דרב הונא וירש מקיש ירושה שניה לירושה ראשונה מה ירושה ראשונה בן קודם לבת אף ירושה שניה בן קודם לבת

is to be compared to the one [mentioned] first;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The inheritance from a father. ');">⁵</span> as [in the case of] the inheritance [mentioned] first, a son takes precedence over a daughter so, [in the case of] inheritance [mentioned] second,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Or any of the cases of inheritance mentioned. ');">⁶</span> a son takes precedence over a daughter.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The order of precedence is consequently as follows: Son, daughter, brother, sister, brother's son, brother's daughter. If, however, one brother of the deceased has a son and another brother has a daughter, the nephew and niece inherit equally the respective shares of their fathers, the brothers of the deceased. ');">⁷</span> Rabbah b. Hanina recited [a Baraitha] before R. Nahman:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V Sanh. 34b. ');">⁸</span>

תני רבה בר חנינא קמיה דרב נחמן (דברים כא, טז) והיה ביום הנחילו את בניו ביום אתה מפיל נחלות ואי אתה מפיל נחלות בלילה א"ל אביי אלא מעתה דשכיב ביממא הוא דירתי ליה בניה מאן דשכיב בליליא לא ירתי ליה בניה

[Since it is written], Then it shall be, in the day that he causeth his sons to inherit,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXI, 16. ');">⁹</span> an inheritance<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit.. 'inheritances ');">¹⁰</span> may be divided<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'thou causest to fall'. ');">¹¹</span> in the daytime but not at night.

דלמא דין נחלות קא אמרת דתניא (במדבר כז, יא) והיתה לבני ישראל לחוקת משפט אורעה כל הפרשה כולה להיות דין

Abaye said unto him: 'If that is the case,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'but from now', Abaye assumed Rabbah to interpret the Baraitha in the sense that a distribution of shares of an inheritance takes place only when death occurred in the daytime. ');">¹²</span> would children be heirs only to him who died in the daytime, but not to him who died at night?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Surely, this is impossible. ');">¹³</span> [You mean], perhaps, [the administration of] the law[s] of inheritance;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That lawsuits relating to matters of inheritance must be dealt with by the court in the daytime only; as is the case with other civil lawsuits. Cf. Jer. XXI, 12, Execute justice in the morning. ');">¹⁴</span> as it was taught: [With the Biblical announcement] And it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXVII, 11. ');">¹⁵</span>

וכדרב יהודה דאמר רב יהודה שלשה שנכנסו לבקר את החולה רצו כותבין רצו עושין דין שנים כותבין ואין עושין דין ואמר רב חסדא לא שנו אלא ביום

the whole section<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXVII, 1-11 dealing with the laws of inheritance. ');">¹⁶</span> has been proclaimed to be [of a] judicial [character].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And not of a private nature which is the concern of individuals, judicial proceedings, therefore, with respect to an inheritance must conform to the procedure relating to other civil law cases. ');">¹⁷</span> And [this, in fact is] in accordance with Rab Judah who said: Three [persons] who came to visit<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., they did not come at the express bidding of the testator to act as witnesses. for in that case they would become unqualified to act as judges (Rashb.); p. 470 n. 4. ');">¹⁸</span> a sick man may, if they wish, [either] write down [his instructions. with reference to the disposal of his estate<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And thus act as his witnesses. ');">¹⁹</span> or], if they prefer it, give judgment.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'execute judgment'. A quorum of three is the minimum required for a laycourt of law. By forming themselves into a court, they legally confirm the instructions of the testator, and by issuing their verdict prevent the heirs from any further litigation. ');">²⁰</span> Two [persons] may write down [the testator's instructions] but may not give judgment.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Two, being less than the quorum required for the constitution of a court of law, can only act as witnesses. ');">²¹</span> And R. Hisda commented: This applies only<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'they have not taught but'. ');">²²</span> to daytime;