Gemara Clarity

Bava Basra 117a

בבא בתרא קי״ז ע״א

Bava Batra 117a

Learn Bava Basra 117a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

How ארץ ישראל was divided: was it given to יוצאי מצרים (those who left Egypt) or to באי הארץ (those who actually entered the land)?

Overview

The גמרא opens by noting that our משנה follows the view that ארץ ישראל was divided among יוצאי מצרים, the people who left Egypt. It then brings a ברייתא that records a debate on this question. רבי יאשיה says the land went to those who left Egypt. He reads the other פסוק, 'לָאֵלֶּה', as 'כָּאֵלֶּה', meaning only adults like those counted, so young children are left out. רבי יונתן says the land went to באי הארץ, the people who entered it. He explains the 'fathers' פסוק as describing an unusual inheritance in which 'the dead inherit from the living.' רבי gives a parable about two brothers who are כהנים: they collect shares by the number of their sons, then bring everything back to their father and split it equally. The ברייתא then introduces a third opinion, from רבי שמעון בן אלעזר, and his words continue on the next amud.

Opening lines

גְּמָ׳

Gemara

תְּנַן כְּמַאן דְּאָמַר

We learned in accordance with the one who says

לְיוֹצְאֵי מִצְרַיִם נִתְחַלְּקָה הָאָרֶץ –

the land was divided among those who left Egypt

דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי יֹאשִׁיָּה אוֹמֵר:

As it is taught: Rabbi Yoshiya says:

The steps (10)

  1. StatementOur משנה follows the view that the land went to those who left Egypt
  2. ProofRabbi Yoshiya: the land was divided among those who left Egypt
  3. ChallengeRabbi Yoshiya faces the other verse
  4. Resolution'To these' means 'like these,' excluding young children
  5. StatementRabbi Yonatan: the land was divided among those who entered it
  6. ChallengeRabbi Yonatan faces the 'fathers' verse
  7. ResolutionAn unusual inheritance: the dead inherit from the living
  8. Statementרבי's parable: two brothers who are kohanim
  9. StatementCollect by sons, then redivide equally between the brothers
  10. StatementA third opinion begins