Talking Talmud

A beraita (Tosefta) presents the idea of enhancement to the property that takes place after the death of the father - for which the first-born does not get the double-portion. But that's a point that needs refinement. It may depend who made those improvements. Plus, the question of who pays the father's debt - that is, as a double portion, or not? Also, more on the first-born not taking a double-p...

On the double-portion for the first-born. And the various ways that can play out. Plus, going back to the biblical treatment of the double portions. Also, a good deal of commentary on the story of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel. And also the story of the 70 persons of Jacob's family who went down to to Egypt, and the concern that counting out the family members totals 69. How to find the 70th?

How DID the divide the land of Israel in the time of Joshua? Was it divided according to tribe? Or per capita? (We recommend googling for a map) Also, a new mishnah! On how a son and a daughter both inherit according to the laws of inheritance, and the differences between the way they inherit, including from each parent. But the mishnah is formulated in a difficult way, and the Amoraim work hard t...

A side-step away from the laws of inheritance, to address the nature of the 15th of Av and also Yom Kippur. Which of course leads back to the daughters of Tzlofchad and the matter of marrying only within their own tribe. Plus, events that are attributed to taking place on Tu B'Av -- and a review of the story of Beitar. Also, 7 people whose lives overlapped and thereby cover the entirety of Jewish...

Starting with some aggadah - a miracle that was done for the daughters of Tzlofchad that parallels the miracle done for Yocheved: bearing children "older," but really older. And the Gemara does the math for us -- and explains the miracle of her returned youth in detail. Also, shifting focus back to the daughters of Tzlofchad and the order of their names in the Torah -- once for their age order and...

More Tzlofchad, his inheritance (including a double portion), and his daughters. Plus, Shimon HaShikmoni weighs in to say that Moses always knew the daughters were going to inherit from their father, and the real underlying question was whether they were going to inherit the double portion. Also, a long list of the positive attributes of the daughters of Tzlofchad, and why the sages may have spent...

Presenting several of the six questions on how the land was divided when the Children of Israel came to the land of Israel -- from Rav Pappa to Abaye. Also, as an interruption to those six cases, an interlude that pays attention to the righteous conduct of Yehoshua (Joshua) and Kalev (Caleb) who inherited the portions of the land of the other spies (who spoke ill of the land). Plus, an example of...

Beginning with a new mishnah on the previous daf! On the daughters of Tzlofchad and their inheritance of their father's portion of the land of Israel. The Gemara shifts the discussion to be about Tzlofchad's double portion -- and whether the daughters would inherit that double portion as well. Also, a deeper dive into the way the land of Israel was apportioned to those of the Children of Israel wh...

More on inheritance - with a harsh pronouncement: a man who dies without sons is reflecting God's wrath. Plus, the story of R. Yochanan, who focused on the inheritance in students, because he himself had lost 10 sons. As well as R. Yehoshua ben Levi's special effort to pay a shiva visit/ condolence call to those who died without sons. Also, the hierarchy or priority of heirs, and how that is passe...

A new mishnah! On the order of inheritance, including the portion each receives (or doesn't) -- prioritizing sons over daughters, not surprisingly (and the descendants of the relative who takes priority takes priority over other relatives). The textual support or this rationale is a careful inference from the biblical text. Plus, a key historical question about whether the 10 Tribes that were exil...

When can the respective parties renege on a formal act of acquisition (kinyan)? Of course, it's a machloket -- whether they can walk it back for as long as they're sitting together or whether they must still be talking about the transaction (regardless of whether they are still sitting together). Also, a woman bequeaths to her son, but doesn't inherit from her -- but this case seems redundant in t...

How a husband has the right to inherit from his wife. Plus, identifying the players of the biblical genealogies of yesterday's daf. Also, a discussion of whether the time of death has implications for the inheritance (spoiler: it doesn't). Plus, a visit to an ill person -- by 3 or 2 people, who can either make a court for him, or simply witness a will.

When interpreting a verse from genealogies in the Book of Chronicles becomes an essential point to the laws of inheritance -- when the son, Yair, had cities (read: land) that his father Seguv seems not to have had. So the inference is that Yair inherited from his mother. Also, the Gemara goes back to the cases of a woman who inherits from her father and has to marry within the same tribe... which...

With many topics on this daf… the case of a son and a daughter inheriting their mother's estate, with the debate over the son's precedence. With a lot of discussion about who agrees with whom. Note the 2 Rav Huna's. Plus, the cloak of Rabbi Yehuda Nesia - which brings us back to the son/daughter inheritance question. Also, the question of a woman inheriting from her husband (she doesn't), even tho...

A discourse on the families in the Torah -- including the children of Aaron, with regard to establishing the laws of inheritance. Also, back to halakhah - where sons inherit their father's estate, and the debate over whether daughters should be inheriting in the same measure as sons, and how the daughters of Tzlofchad prove to the contrary.

A person's son is considered to be his primary son, and not even the deceased's father, but the father may precede the deceased's daughter. Which raises the question whether the father should take precedence over the son too. Plus the question of the paternal uncle. Also, delving into the biblical text establishing these ties of kinship - including establishing the father's side of the family as "...

A new chapter! With an introduction to the basis of the laws of inheritance. Including the rules of the first-born, and referring to the daughters of Tzlofchad. The first mishnah gives the list of who inherits and bequeaths to each other, who inherits but doesn't bequeath, doesn't inherit, but does bequeath, and neither. The Gemara wants to address the order of these cases -- including the fact th...

A case of a debtor coming to collect a deceased father's debt from one of two brothers who had divided their father's estate: is the brother who covered the debt left high and dry or do they redistribute the entirety of the estate? Also, what do judges do when they are in the process of appraising and distributing property for orphans, and they disagree about the appraisal? Plus, what happens when...

A new mishnah! On the sale of a field with demarcations of the property, where the buyer can hold the seller to those specifications, with a one-sixth margin of error (give or take, which is the bulk of the discussion). Plus, whether one-sixth exactly should be treated as more or less than one-sixth, which are respectively defined with halakhic conclusions. Also, the case of brothers who drew lots...

A new mishnah! (from 104) With a case of contradictory measurements (specific and approximate), which is a complication for an effective sale - the one nullifies the other. Plus, a story that took place in the Galil - with the rental of a place for the year, 1 gold dinar per month. But then the year was declared a leap year - with an extra month. Should that be paid for as an independent month or...

Interactions between buyer and seller - when a seller gives the buyer and advantage, for the portion of land being sold. In whose favor are the adjustments for the buyer or seller? It seems the seller wins out - in that he cannot be compelled to sell.... or so it would seem. Based on the costs of the land. Plus, the amount of land that is a minimum for the sowing of the given measure of seed could...

Beginning a new chapter - with a new mishnah. Namely, if one sells a field that has crevices or rocks of 10 handbreadths of depth or height, respectively - those areas are not included in the amount of land sold (a minimum of which is to plant a basic minimum of seed). And another new mishnah too, with specifics of a contract and their implications brought to practice.

More on the spacing of found buried bodies - and when the presumption is that you have found an ancient burial ground, based on the spacing (depending on the dispute with regard to burial details). Also, a dispute between the sages and R. Shimon in the mishnah vs. that of both sides in the baraita. Plus, the contrast to a burial ground and a vineyard, in terms of proximity.

Beginning with a mishnah on 100 -- about the structure of catacombs: family burial places carved into the recesses of a wall, and the specifics of the dimensions required for them. The Gemara delves into the spacing of niches for burial coming off chambers, including what direction to place the body. Also, the question of coming across a buried body - or two, and how to ascertain whether they are...

More on the definitions of a thoroughfare -- specifically, a private path. Is it measured in cubits or by use? Note: "Dayanei Golah" - the judges of the Diaspora, who weigh in on the width of a private path. With prooftexts for why a public thoroughfare is the width it is in comparison to other roads, likewise the king's road, and the cemetery road. Also, a ceremony that took place on the cemetery...