Vayeishev 38:28 · unit 2

TT #51 · Parashas Vayeishev · Passuk 38:28

The Complete Passuk

וַיְהִ֥י בְלִדְתָּ֖הּ וַיִּתֶּן־יָ֑ד וַתִּקַּ֣ח הַמְיַלֶּ֗דֶת וַתִּקְשֹׁ֨ר עַל־יָד֤וֹ שָׁנִי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר זֶ֖ה יָצָ֥א רִאשֹׁנָֽה׃

While she was in labor, one of them put out a hand, and the midwife tied a crimson thread on that hand, to signify: This one came out first.

Torah Temimah points to Yerushalmi Bava Basra 3:1.

זֶה יָצָא רִאשׁוֹנָה — מִכָּאן שֶׁהַחַיָּה נֶאֱמֶנֶת לְהָעִיד עַל הַבְּכוֹר שֶׁהוּא בְּכוֹר.

“This one came out first” — from here [we learn] that the midwife is believed to testify that a firstborn is a firstborn.

On the daf / in context: The verse establishes the midwife’s testimony as reliable evidence of which child was born first.

Derash on the verse (Bavli sugya) — not a formal named middah of the 13. A delivery narrative authorizes a witness category.

A midwife is believed to testify about which child is the bechor.