Bava Basra 116b

בבא בתרא קט״ז ע״ב

Bava Batra 116b

Learn Bava Basra 116b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Bava Basra 116b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Who inherits first: the grandfather (אבי האב) or the brother of the deceased? Then the opening of the משנה about the three portions taken by בנות צלפחד.

Overview

The amud opens with a short answer explaining why a sharp sage missed a point in the משנה: his quick mind made him skip careful study. Then רמי בר חמא asks a question. If עשו dies, who inherits first: his grandfather אברהם or his brother יעקב? רבא tries to answer from the משנה, 'the father comes before all his descendants.' The גמרא explains that רמי בר חמא read that line as covering only a father's own children, not his grandchildren. It then proves from the משנה's rule, 'whoever comes first in inheritance, his descendants come first,' that יעקב takes the place of יצחק. So the brother inherits before the grandfather. Finally, a new משנה begins: בנות צלפחד received three portions of land. These were their father's own portion as one who left מצרים, his share in his father חפר's estate, and the extra share he got as a בכור.

Opening lines

The steps (7)

1. ResolutionWhy a sharp sage missed the point
2. QuestionGrandfather or brother: who inherits first?
3. Responseרבא answers from the משנה
4. ChallengeWhy did רמי בר חמא ask at all?
5. ResolutionOnly his own children, not his grandchildren
6. ProofProof that the brother comes before the grandfather
7. Statementבנות צלפחד took three portions