Bechoros 51b

בכורות נ״א ע״ב

Bekhorot 51b

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Topic

Finishing פדיון הבן (שטר, returning the money, lost money, death after thirty days) and the בכור's double share

Overview

This amud finishes the laws of פדיון הבן and then begins the laws of the בכור's inheritance. First, the גמרא explains the משנה about a father who writes the כהן a debt note. עולא says that by Torah law the son is redeemed, but the רבנן made a גזירה so people would not think you can redeem with a שטר. רב נחמן shows that a ברייתא saying otherwise is a minority view, and the הלכה is that the son is not redeemed. Next, the כהן may give the money back as a gift. רבי טרפון did this and was praised, but רבי חנינא ruled that a father who gave the money expecting it back did not redeem his son. For money that was set aside and lost, ריש לקיש and רבי יונתן offer גזירות שוות, but רב פפא says the source is the משנה's own verse. He moves their teachings to the case of a son who died after thirty days, where the father, or his heirs, must still pay. Finally, a new משנה teaches that the בכור takes a double share only of his father's property, and only of what the father actually held.

Opening lines

The steps (24)

1. ConclusionConsecrated items are not redeemed with these things either
2. StatementQuoting the משנה about writing a debt note to the כהן
3. Statementעולא: By Torah law the son is redeemed
4. QuestionThen why is the son not redeemed?
5. ResponseA rabbinic decree so people won't think you can redeem with a document
6. StatementA ברייתא: the son is redeemed once the father pays
7. Rejectionרב נחמן: That ברייתא is a minority opinion
8. ConclusionThe הלכה: the son is not redeemed
9. StatementQuoting the משנה: the כהן may return the money as a gift
10. ProofThe משנה already teaches a ברייתא's rulings
11. Statementרבי טרפון would take the money and give it back
12. ChallengeOnly this one הלכה?
13. ResolutionHe kept even this הלכה
14. Statementרבי חנינא and the father who hinted for his money back
15. QuestionLost redemption money: where do we learn the father must still pay?
16. Responseריש לקיש: learned from ערכין through the word 'ערך'
17. Responseרבי יונתן: learned from the עולת ראייה through the word 'ריקם'
18. Challengeרב פפא: Why bring a verse when the משנה already has one?
19. ResponseThe source is the משנה's own verse
20. Resolutionריש לקיש's teaching belongs on the first clause
21. QuestionSon died after thirty days: what is the source that the father still pays?
22. Responseריש לקיש: Learned from ערכין
23. Responseרב דימי: Heirs are obligated, like with עולת ראייה
24. StatementNew משנה: The firstborn's double share and its limits