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Bava Basra 141b

בבא בתרא קמ״א ע״ב

Bava Batra 141b

Learn Bava Basra 141b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Whether a gift to an unborn baby (עובר) works: רב הונא's rule, רב נחמן's challenge from our משנה, and the failed attempts to find an author for that משנה

Overview

The גמרא brings a ברייתא about a man who promises a מנה to whoever tells him whether his wife had a boy or a girl. It asks why the messenger is paid when twins are born, answers that the man also mentioned twins, and explains that his conditions leave out only a נפל. Next comes a real case: a man gave his property to the baby his wife was carrying. רב הונא rules that a gift to an עובר does not take effect. רב נחמן challenges him from our משנה, where an unborn boy does receive a מנה, and רב הונא answers that he does not know who taught that משנה. The גמרא then asks why רב הונא did not name an author for the משנה, and suggests רבי מאיר, רבי יוסי, רבי יוחנן בן ברוקה, and a combination of the last two. Each suggestion is rejected, because none of these תנאים clearly allows a gift to a receiver who is not yet born. Finally, the גמרא tries to read the משנה as being about a reward for a messenger, or about a baby who was already born. Both readings are rejected from the wording at the end of the משנה.

Opening lines

דְּתַנְיָא: ״הַמְבַשְּׂרֵנִי בַּמֶּה

As it is taught: 'Whoever informs me with what'

נִפְטַר רַחְמָהּ שֶׁל אִשְׁתִּי;

my wife's womb has opened;

אִם זָכָר – יִטּוֹל מָנֶה״,

if it is a male, he shall take a maneh,'

יָלְדָה זָכָר – נוֹטֵל מָנֶה.

if she gave birth to a male, he takes a maneh.

The steps (20)

  1. ProofThe ברייתא of the man who rewards the one who brings him news of the birth
  2. ChallengeThe man never mentioned twins
  3. ResolutionHe also mentioned twins
  4. QuestionThen what is left out?
  5. ResponseA baby that is not viable is left out
  6. StatementA gift to an unborn baby does not take effect
  7. Challengeרב נחמן challenges רב הונא from our משנה
  8. Resolutionרב הונא: I do not know whose view our משנה follows
  9. ChallengeWhy not say the משנה follows רבי מאיר?
  10. Rejectionרבי מאיר only spoke about giving to someone who exists
  11. ChallengeWhy not say the משנה follows רבי יוסי?
  12. RejectionInheritance is different from a gift
  13. ChallengeWhy not say the משנה follows רבי יוחנן בן ברוקה?
  14. Rejectionרבי יוחנן בן ברוקה spoke only about someone already born
  15. ChallengeCombine רבי יוחנן בן ברוקה with רבי יוסי
  16. RejectionNo proof he agrees with רבי יוסי
  17. ChallengeMaybe the משנה is about a reward for good news
  18. RejectionThe end of the משנה talks about an heir
  19. ChallengeMaybe the baby was already born
  20. RejectionThe משנה's future wording rules this out