Bava Batra 239:1

אפשר בת מאה ושלשים שנה וקרא לה בת דאמר ר' חמא בר חנינא זו יוכבד שהורתה בדרך ונולדה בין החומות דכתיב (במדבר כו, נט) אשר ילדה אותה ללוי במצרים

how could she be called 'daughter'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And not 'woman'. ');">¹</span> when she was a hundred and thirty years old; for R. Hama b. Hanina said:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. infra 123b. ');">²</span> It was Jochebed who was conceived on the way<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which Jacob and his family made from Canaan to Egypt. Gen. XLVI, Iff. ');">³</span> and born between the walls [of Egypt] for so it is written, Who was born<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is superfluous since the fact that Jochebed was Levi's daughter is already stated before in the same verse. ');">⁴</span>

לידתה במצרים והורתה שלא במצרים ואמאי קרו לה בת אמר רב יהודה בר זבידא מלמד שנולדו בה סימני נערות נתעדן הבשר נתפשטו הקמטין וחזר היופי למקומו

to Levi in Egypt,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXVI, 59. ');">⁵</span> [which implies that] her birth was in Egypt but her conception was not in Egypt.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since Jochebed was, accordingly, born just when Jacob entered Egypt she must have been a hundred and thirty years old when Moses was born. The whole period the Israelites spent in Egypt was two hundred and ten years. Moses was eighty years old at the Exodus. Deduct eighty from two hundred and ten and there is a remainder of one hundred and thirty. ');">⁶</span> Why, then, was she called, 'daughter'? — R. Judah b. Zebida said: This teaches that marks of youth reappeared on her. The flesh [of her body] was again smooth, the wrinkles [of old age] were straightened out and [her] beauty returned.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A similar rejuvenation has taken place in the case of Zelophehad's daughters ');">⁷</span> [Instead of],<i> and he took</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. II, I. ');">⁸</span>

ויקח ויחזור מיבעי ליה אמר רב יהודה בר זבידא מלמד שעשה לה מעשה לקוחין הושיבה באפריון ואהרן ומרים משוררים לפניה ומלאכי שרת אומרים (תהלים קיג, ט) אם הבנים שמחה

it should have read, 'and he took <i>again'</i>!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since this was Amram's second marriage, having married Jochebed once before and begat Aaron Miriam; when Pharaoh had issued his decree against the male children (Ex. I, 22) Amram had left his wife whom he did not remarry until he received a prophetic message through Miriam (cf. Sotah 12b). ');">⁹</span> — R. Judah b. Zebida said: [This] teaches that he arranged for her a ceremonial of [a first] marriage; placing her in a [bridal] litter while Aaron and Miriam sang in her honour, and ministering angels recited: The joyful mother of the children.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CXIII. 9. ');">¹⁰</span> Further on,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where their marriages are reported. ');">¹¹</span> Scripture enumerates them<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Zelophehad's daughters. ');">¹²</span>

להלן מנאן הכתוב דרך גדולתן וכאן דרך חכמתן מסייעא ליה לרבי אמי דא"ר אמי בישיבה הלך אחר חכמה במסיבה הלך אחר זקנה א"ר אשי והוא דמפליג בחכמה והוא דמפליג בזקנה

according to their age<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Num. XXXVI, II. ');">¹³</span> and here<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXVII, I, dealing with their right of inheritance. ');">¹⁴</span> according to their wisdom, — this [is evidence] in support of R. Ammi. For R. Ammi said: At a session,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In connection with matters of law or study. ');">¹⁵</span> priority is to be given to<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'go after'. ');">¹⁶</span>

תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל בנות צלפחד שקולות היו שנאמר ותהיינה הויה אחת לכולן

wisdom; at a festive gathering.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heb. mesibah [H] a banqueting party reclining on couches round the room or round the tables. ');">¹⁷</span> age takes precedence.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXXVI, II, speaking of marriages, enumerates Zelophehad's daughters according to age, the elder ones being given priority of place as is done at festive assemblies. In Num. XXVII, I, however, where a question of law is discussed, the enumeration is according to their wisdom, those possessing more wisdom being given priority of place as is done at law, or similar sessions. ');">¹⁸</span> R. Ashi said: This,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That wisdom is the determining factor at sittings of law or study. ');">¹⁹</span> [only] when one is distinguished in wisdom; and that,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That age takes precedence at festive gatherings. ');">²⁰</span>

אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל בנות צלפחד הותרו להנשא לכל השבטים שנאמר (במדבר לו, ו) לטוב בעיניהם תהיינה לנשים אלא מה אני מקיים (במדבר לו, ו) אך למשפחת מטה אביהם תהיינה לנשים עצה טובה השיאן הכתוב שלא ינשאו אלא להגון להן

[only] when one is distinguished in old age. The school of R. Ishmael taught: The daughters of Zelophehad were [all] alike,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And, for this reason, some are enumerated before the others in Num. XXXVI, II, while in Num. XXVII, I the others are enumerated first. No support may consequently be found in these verses for R. Ammi's opinion. ');">²¹</span> for it is said, and they were<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXXVI. II. Heb. [H] ');">²²</span> [implying], 'all of them possessed the same status'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] 'existence', 'status'. [H] is taken as the root of [H] and of [H]. ');">²³</span>

מותיב רבה (ויקרא כב, ג) אמור אליהם לאותן העומדים על הר סיני לדורותיכם אלו דורות הבאים אם נאמר אבות למה נאמר בנים ואם נאמר בנים למה נאמר אבות מפני שיש באבות מה שאין בבנים ויש בבנים מה שאין באבות

Rab Judah said in the name of R. Samuel: The daughters of Zelophehad were given permission to he married to any of the tribes,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., to all the tribes'. Other heiresses could marry only members of their own tribe. ');">²⁴</span> for it is said, Let them be married to whom they think best.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXXVI, 6. ');">²⁵</span> How, then, may one explain [the text]. Only into the family of the tribe of their father shall they be married?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. Are not the two sections of the verse contradictory? ');">²⁶</span> — Scripture gave them good advice,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Not an instruction. ');">²⁷</span>

באבות הוא אומר (במדבר לו, ח) וכל בת יורשת נחלה והרבה מצות נצטוו בנים שלא נצטוו אבות הא מפני שיש באבות שאין בבנים ויש בבנים מה שאין באבות הוצרך לומר אבות הוצרך לומר בנים

[namely], that they should he married only to such as are worthy of them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This advice they carried out in marrying their uncles' sons. Ibid. II. ');">²⁸</span> Rabbah raised an objection: 'Say unto them,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXII, 3. ');">²⁹</span> [means] to those who stood on Mount Sinai; throughout your generations,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXII, 3. ');">²⁹</span> [refers] to the coming generations. If fathers were mentioned, why were sons [also] mentioned; and if sons were mentioned, why should fathers be mentioned? — Because some [precepts] which apply to the fathers<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'which is in the fathers'. ');">³⁰</span>

קתני מיהת באבות הוא אומר וכל בת יורשת נחלה הוא מותיב לה והוא מפרק לה לבר מבנות צלפחד

are inapplicable to the sons,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'which is not in the sons'. ');">³¹</span> and some which apply to the sons are inapplicable to the fathers. In [the case of] the fathers it is said: And every daughter that possesseth an inheritance;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXXVI, 8. This law applied only to the fathers, i.e., the men who came out of Egypt, and not to their sons, i.e., the coming generations. ');">³²</span> while many precepts were given<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'commanded'. ');">³³</span> to the sons<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Such as are, e.g., applicable to Palestine only. ');">³⁴</span>

אמר מר באבות הוא אומר וכל בת יורשת נחלה באבות אין בבנים לא מאי משמע אמר רבא אמר קרא (במדבר לו, ו) זה הדבר דבר זה לא יהא נוהג אלא בדור זה

and not to the fathers.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'which the fathers were not commanded', being, as they were, in the wilderness. ');">³⁵</span> Since, [therefore.] certain precepts apply to the fathers and not to the sons while others apply to the sons and not to the fathers, it was necessary to specify the fathers and it was [also] necessary to specify the sons.' At all events, it was taught, 'In the case of the fathers it is said: And every daughter that possesseth an inheritance'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. n. 6, supra. This shows that the prohibition for all heiress to marry one of another tribe was given to the generation of the fathers, i.e., to that of the daughters of Zelophehad. how, then, could it be said that they were allowed to marry any one from any tribe. ');">³⁶</span> — He raised the objection and he [also] replied to it: 'With the exception' [he said] 'of the daughters of Zelophehad'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They were exempt from the prohibition, because in their Case, Scripture (Num. XXXVI, 6) distinctly stated, Let them be married to whom they think best. ');">³⁷</span> The Master said: 'In the case of the fathers it is said: <i>And every daughter that possesseth an inheritance</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XXXVI, 8. ');">³⁸</span>

אמר ליה רבה זוטי לרב אשי אלא מעתה (ויקרא יז, ב) זה הדבר דשחוטי חוץ הכי נמי דלא יהא נוהג אלא בדור זה שאני התם דכתיב (ויקרא יז, ז) לדורותם

[etc.]' What evidence is there that this applied 'to the fathers and not to the sons'? — Raba said: Scripture states: <i>This is the thing</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 6. ');">³⁹</span> [which implies], '<i>this</i> thing shall he applicable only to <i>this</i> generation'. Rabbah Zuti said to R. Ashi: If this is the case,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'but from now'. ');">⁴⁰</span> does <i>This is the thing</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XVII, 2. ');">⁴¹</span> [said in connection] with [animals] slaughtered outside [the Temple], also [imply] that [that Jaw] was to apply to that generation only?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Surely this is impossible; for it is known that the law of prohibition of the slaughtering of consecrated animals outside the temple was in force so long as the Temple was in existence. ');">⁴²</span> — There, [the case is] different, for it is written, <i>throughout their generations</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XVII, 7: This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations. This text, consequently, modifies the implication of This, in v. 2 earlier; and this is the reason why the law remained in force for later generations. ');">⁴³</span>