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Bava Basra 110a

בבא בתרא ק״י ע״א

Bava Batra 110a

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Topic

פנחס's descent from יוסף and יתרו, checking a bride's brothers, the story of יהונתן the priest of מיכה's idol and his later תשובה, and the source that sons inherit their father before daughters

Overview

The גמרא finishes explaining how פנחס came from both יוסף and יתרו. One of his mother's parents came from each family, and the plural wording 'daughters of פוטיאל' supports this. רבא then learns from the extra words 'sister of נחשון' that a man should check a woman's brothers before marrying her, because most sons take after their mother's brothers. Next the גמרא tells the story of יהונתן, a descendant of משה who served as a priest for מיכה's idol. The men of דן rebuke him with words that echo פסוקים about משה. He answers with a family saying that it is better to work even for עבודה זרה than to depend on others. The גמרא says he misread that saying: it really meant humble work that feels beneath you, as רב told רב כהנא. Later דוד put יהונתן over the treasuries, and the פסוק calls him שבואל because he returned to God with all his heart. Finally the גמרא returns to the משנה and asks for the source that sons inherit their father ahead of daughters. רב פפא challenges the proof, and אביי begins a reply that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

אֶלָּא אִי אֲבוּהּ דְּאִמֵּיהּ מִיּוֹסֵף –

Rather: if his mother's father was from Yosef,

אִמַּהּ דְּאִמֵּיהּ מִיִּתְרוֹ;

his mother's mother was from Yisro;

אִי אֲבוּהּ דְּאִמֵּיהּ מִיִּתְרוֹ –

if his mother's father was from Yisro,

אִמַּהּ דְּאִמֵּיהּ מִיּוֹסֵף.

his mother's mother was from Yosef.

The steps (16)

  1. Resolutionפנחס's mother came from both families
  2. ProofThe plural wording of the פסוק supports this
  3. StatementCheck a woman's brothers before marrying her
  4. ProofWhy the brothers matter
  5. StatementThe פסוק about the visit of שבט דן
  6. ChallengeAren't you a descendant of משה?
  7. Resolutionיהונתן's family tradition
  8. Rejectionיהונתן misread his family saying
  9. Proofרב's advice to רב כהנא shows the real meaning
  10. Statementדוד puts יהונתן in charge of the treasuries
  11. ChallengeBut his name was יהונתן, not שבואל
  12. Resolutionשבואל means he returned to God
  13. QuestionWhere do we learn that sons inherit their father?
  14. ResponseThe verse gives the daughter the inheritance only when there is no son
  15. Challengeרב פפא: maybe neither inherits when there is a son and a daughter
  16. Resolutionאביי begins his reply