Gemara Clarity

Bechoros 52a

בכורות נ״ב ע״א

Bekhorot 52a

Learn Bechoros 52a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Who cannot collect from שבח or ראוי (the בכור, the כתובה, daughters' מזונות, and the יבם), the sources for each, and the dispute between אביי and רבא about the יבם.

Overview

This amud finishes the משנה. The משנה says that a wife collecting her כתובה, daughters collecting their מזונות, and a יבם all share the בכור's limit: none of them takes from the שבח (value that grew after the death) or from ראוי (money owed to the dead man but not yet collected). The גמרא gives verses for the בכור's limits. "ולו משפט הבכורה" teaches that there is no double portion from a mother's estate. "בכל אשר ימצא לו" teaches that there is no double portion of שבח or ראוי. The גמרא then challenges the כתובה rule with שמואל's ruling that a בעל חוב does collect from שבח. רבי אבא answers that this is one of the special leniencies of the כתובה. The daughters' מזונות follow the same rule, because a תנאי כתובה is treated like the כתובה itself. The יבם is excluded because the Torah calls him a בכור. אביי and רבא then disagree about growth between the יבום and the division of the estate: אביי says the יבם takes it, and רבא says he does not. The amud ends by quoting the משנה's summary line, "וכולם אין נוטלין בשבח," and the discussion of that line continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְלֹא הָאִשָּׁה בִּכְתוּבָּתָהּ,

And not the woman for her marriage contract,

וְלֹא הַבָּנוֹת בִּמְזוֹנוֹתֵיהֶן,

and not the daughters for their sustenance,

וְלֹא אֶת הַיָּבָם,

and not the yavam,

וְכוּלָּם אֵין נוֹטְלִין בַּשֶּׁבַח

and all of them do not take from the enhancement

The steps (15)

  1. StatementEnd of the משנה: others who also cannot take from enhancement or money due
  2. QuestionThe גמרא asks for the reason
  3. ResponseThe verse limits the double portion to a father's estate
  4. StatementOne verse for both limits: no enhancement and no money due
  5. ChallengeChallenge: a creditor does collect from enhancement
  6. ResolutionAnswer: a special leniency of the marriage contract
  7. QuestionWhy daughters' support does not include growth
  8. ResponseA condition of the כתובה is like the כתובה
  9. QuestionWhy the יבם does not take growth
  10. ResponseThe Torah calls the יבם a בכור
  11. Statementאביי: only growth before the יבום is excluded
  12. Proofאביי's source: once he marries, he has 'stood up' for his brother
  13. Statementרבא: even growth after the יבום is excluded
  14. Proofרבא's reason: the יבם is just like a בכור
  15. StatementThe next line of the משנה: none of them take growth