Bava Basra 123b

בבא בתרא קכ״ג ע״ב

Bava Batra 123b

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Topic

יוכבד completes the seventy, יוסף's descendants defeat עשו's, and what a בכור takes a double share of (priestly gifts, sacrificial animals, natural growth of the estate).

Overview

This amud begins by finishing a challenge to the count of seventy people who went down to מצרים. The answer is that יוכבד is the seventieth: she was conceived on the way and born in מצרים. Then רבי חלבו asks why יעקב wanted to leave לבן only after יוסף was born. The answer is that only יוסף's descendants can defeat עשו's descendants. Two challenges follow, from דוד and from men of שמעון who struck עמלק. Each is answered by showing that leaders from מנשה, a son of יוסף, were involved. The גמרא then turns to a ברייתא about the בכור's double share: priestly gifts, sacrificial animals, and growth of the estate after the father's death. It explains each item in turn. On the last item, it begins explaining why the ברייתא lists both a rented cow and a grazing cow, and that explanation continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (17)

1. ChallengeThe את before בנימין would break the count of seventy
2. Resolutionיוכבד is the seventieth person
3. QuestionWhy did יעקב want to leave only after יוסף was born?
4. ResponseOnly יוסף's descendants defeat עשו's
5. ChallengeBut דוד defeated עמלק
6. Resolutionדוד's army was led by men of מנשה
7. ChallengeBut men of שמעון struck עמלק
8. Resolutionישעי came from מנשה
9. StatementA ברייתא lists what the בכור takes a double share of
10. StatementWhich kind of growth counts for the double share
11. ChallengeHow can the בכור get a double share of the priestly gifts?
12. ResolutionGifts not yet separated count as already separated
13. ChallengeSacrificial animals don't belong to the father
14. ResolutionLighter offerings count as the owner's property
15. StatementThe ברייתא's case of a rented or grazing cow
16. ChallengeWhy mention the grazing cow at all?
17. ResolutionThe rented cow is like the grazing cow