Gemara Clarity

Bechoros 52b

בכורות נ״ב ע״ב

Bekhorot 52b

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

Open Bechoros 52b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Which property transfers return in יובל: the בכור, a husband who inherits his wife, a יבם, and a gift

Overview

The amud opens by finishing the previous משנה's limits on the בכור's double portion. He gets no double share in growth that happens by itself, and none in the grandfather's estate, which counts as ראוי. A new משנה then lists transfers that do not return in יובל: the בכור's share, a husband who inherits his wife, and a יבם. רבי מאיר adds a gift to the list, and the חכמים say a gift is like a sale. רבי אלעזר says all of them return, and רבי יוחנן בן ברוקה says the husband returns his wife's land and deducts money. The גמרא explains each view by sorting the cases into 'gift' or 'inheritance,' using ״לָתֶת לוֹ פִּי שְׁנַיִם״ and the extra word ״תָּשׁוּבוּ״. Next comes רבי יוחנן's rule that brothers who divide an estate are like buyers. רב הושעיא challenges it, and the גמרא debates whether 'returning' means the בכור loses his share for nothing. Finally, the גמרא explains that רבי יוחנן בן ברוקה is talking about a family graveyard, returned to avoid פגם משפחה, minus the value of the wife's grave. The chapter יש בכור then closes.

Opening lines

לְאֵיתוֹיֵי שְׁבָחָא דְּמִמֵּילָא:

To include an enhancement that comes by itself:

חֲפוּרָה וַהֲווֹ שׁוּבְלֵי,

unripe grain that became full ears,

שַׁלְפּוּפֵי וַהֲווֹ תַּמְרֵי.

date blossoms that became dates.

וְלֹא בָּרָאוּי כְּבַמּוּחְזָק,

And 'not in what is due as in what is held,'

The steps (29)

  1. ResponseThe repeated rule about growth includes growth that happens by itself
  2. ResponseThe repeated rule about due property includes the grandfather's estate
  3. StatementNew משנה: inheritances that do not return in יובל
  4. StatementDispute about whether a gift returns in יובל
  5. Statementרבי אלעזר: all of these return in יובל
  6. Statementרבי יוחנן בן ברוקה: the husband returns his wife's land and deducts its value
  7. QuestionWhy does רבי מאיר say these cases do not return?
  8. ResponseOnly a sale returns; gifts and inheritances do not
  9. ResponseThe firstborn's double portion is called a gift
  10. ResponseHusband and יבם count as heirs
  11. QuestionWhy do the חכמים treat a gift like a sale?
  12. ResponseThe extra word 'you shall return' includes a gift
  13. ResponseFor the חכמים, all the listed cases are inheritance
  14. ResponseThe חכמים read the בכור's extra share as inheritance
  15. StatementQuoting רבי אלעזר: all these lands return
  16. Responseרבי אלעזר agrees a gift returns and treats every case as a gift
  17. ResponseWhy the firstborn's share counts as a gift for רבי אלעזר
  18. ResponseThe husband and the יבם also return
  19. Statementרבי יוחנן: brothers who divided an estate are like buyers
  20. Challengeרב הושעיא challenges from the בכור in the משנה
  21. Resolutionרבי אלעזר explains 'They do not return'
  22. Challengeרב ששת questions the implication
  23. Resolutionרב חמא: there is such a view
  24. QuestionWhat does רבי יוחנן בן ברוקה hold?
  25. ResponseThe case of the family graveyard
  26. ProofA family can bury a relative in a grave he sold
  27. QuestionWhat does 'he deducts from the money' mean?
  28. ResponseHe subtracts the cost of his wife's grave
  29. ConclusionHadran — Closing פרק יש בכור