Bava Basra 127b

בבא בתרא קכ״ז ע״ב

Bava Batra 127b

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Topic

Believing a father about his בכור (רבי יהודה vs. the רבנן on 'יכיר'), and believing a man who calls someone his son or his slave

Overview

This amud opens with the end of שמואל's ruling and asks why he blended two opinions instead of picking one; the answer is that he was unsure whether the הלכה follows רבי יהודה or the רבנן. The גמרא then quotes the ברייתא on 'יכיר': רבי יהודה says a father is believed to name his בכור, and even to say a son is a בן גרושה or בן חלוצה, while the חכמים say he is not believed. The גמרא asks why the רבנן need the word 'יכיר', and explains that it covers a case where nobody knows who the בכור is. It is needed for property the father gets later, or, for רבי מאיר, property that comes while he is a גוסס, since he could not give that as a gift. A ברייתא about a father going against what people assume about the בכור is split between רבי יהודה and the רבנן. רבי יוחנן then teaches when a man is believed after calling someone 'my son' or 'my slave', and the rule flips at the tax house. A ברייתא challenges him, and רב נחמן בר יצחק answers that it is about someone publicly known as 'a slave worth a hundred'. Finally, רבי אבא sends a case about a disputed slave, and its ruling continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (21)

1. StatementThe closing words of שמואל's answer
2. ChallengeWhy didn't שמואל pick one side?
3. Resolutionשמואל was unsure which view is the הלכה
4. QuestionWhat is this מחלוקת?
5. ResponseThe ברייתא on 'יכיר': a father identifies his firstborn
6. Responseרבי יהודה and the חכמים argue over a father's believability
7. ChallengeWhy do the רבנן need the word 'יכיר'?
8. Resolution'יכיר' is for when nobody knows who the בכור is
9. ChallengeWhat does the father's word accomplish? He could just give a gift
10. ResolutionThe verse is needed for property the father gets later
11. ChallengeFor רבי מאיר, why is the verse needed?
12. ResolutionProperty that came while the father was dying
13. StatementA father's word against what people assume about the firstborn
14. ResolutionThe two halves of the ברייתא follow different opinions
15. StatementSaying 'my son' and then 'my slave,' or the other way around
16. StatementAt the tax house the rule is reversed
17. ChallengeA ברייתא says 'slave' then 'son' is not believed
18. ResolutionThe ברייתא is about a slave everyone calls 'a slave worth a hundred'
19. QuestionWhat does 'bordering a hundred' mean?
20. ResponseA slave worth a hundred זוזים
21. Statementרבי אבא's case: 'You stole my slave' and 'You sold him to me'