Gemara Clarity

Bava Basra 123a

בבא בתרא קכ״ג ע״א

Bava Batra 123a

Learn Bava Basra 123a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Bava Basra 123a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The בכור's double portion, why the בכורה went to יוסף, and the count of יעקב's family

Overview

This amud opens in the middle of a ברייתא about how big the בכור's double portion (פי שנים) is. Logic alone could argue either for 'double what one brother gets' or for 'double the whole estate.' A פסוק settles it: the בכור gets double what one brother gets. The ברייתא backs this up with פסוקים about ראובן's בכורה passing to יוסף, who received two full shares through אפרים and מנשה. The גמרא then explains why each extra פסוק was needed. Next, רבי חלבו asks why יעקב gave the בכורה specifically to יוסף. The answer, from רבי יונתן, is that it belonged to רחל's line: לאה won it through tearful prayer, and רחל earned it back through her modesty in giving her secret signs to לאה. The amud ends with a question about why יעקב's family is counted as seventy but the list of names shows only sixty-nine, and that discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

חֶלְקוֹ עִם אֶחָד,

His portion with one brother,

וְחֶלְקוֹ עִם חֲמִשָּׁה;

and his portion with five brothers;

מָה חֶלְקוֹ עִם אֶחָד –

just as his portion with one brother

פִּי שְׁנַיִם כְּאֶחָד,

is double what one brother gets,

The steps (40)

  1. ProofLogic says: double what one brother gets
  2. RejectionThe same logic can argue: double the whole estate
  3. ProofA פסוק decides: double what one brother gets
  4. ProofMore proof from the פסוקים about ראובן and יוסף
  5. ProofThe same word for יוסף and for all generations
  6. Proofיעקב gives יוסף one portion above his brothers
  7. ChallengeDid יעקב really fight with a sword and bow?
  8. ResolutionSword means prayer, bow means pleading
  9. QuestionWhy did the ברייתא need more proofs?
  10. ResponseThe first פסוק may teach רבי יוחנן בן ברוקא's rule
  11. ResponseAn exact word match: 'and the birthright was יוסף's'
  12. ResponseProving that יוסף's share was double
  13. ChallengeMaybe the extra portion was just a palm tree
  14. Resolutionאפרים and מנשה count like ראובן and שמעון
  15. QuestionWhy did יעקב move the בכורה from ראובן to יוסף?
  16. ChallengeThe reason for taking it from ראובן is written in the פסוק
  17. ResolutionThe real question: why יוסף in particular
  18. ResponseThe משל of the orphan who repays the homeowner
  19. ChallengeWould יוסף get nothing without ראובן's sin?
  20. Responseרבי יונתן's reason: the בכורה belonged to רחל and was returned to her
  21. QuestionWhat does it mean that לאה got ahead through prayer?
  22. Challenge'Soft eyes' can't be an insult, since the תורה avoids insulting even an animal
  23. Resolutionרבי אלעזר: her gifts were long-lasting
  24. Resolutionרב: her eyes really were weak, and that is praise
  25. Resolutionלאה cried over marrying עשו until her eyelashes fell out
  26. QuestionLinking לאה's crying to the פסוק 'Leah was hated'
  27. ChallengeRejecting the plain meaning of 'hated'
  28. Resolutionלאה hated עשו's deeds, so God opened her womb
  29. QuestionWhat was רחל's modesty?
  30. Challengeיעקב was not really her father's brother
  31. Resolutionיעקב and רחל's private conversation
  32. Resolutionיעקב: I am his brother in trickery
  33. Challengeרחל asks: may the righteous use trickery?
  34. ResolutionWith a crooked person, one may be clever; יעקב gives signs
  35. Statementרחל gives the signs to לאה
  36. Challenge'In the morning, behold it was Leah' seems strange
  37. ResolutionBecause of the signs, יעקב did not know until morning
  38. ChallengeSeventy in the total, sixty-nine in the list
  39. ResolutionA twin sister was born with דינה
  40. ChallengeThen בנימין would also need a twin