Vayechi 48:22 · unit 1

Parashas Vayechi · Passuk 48:22

The Complete Passuk

וַאֲנִ֞י נָתַ֧תִּי לְךָ֛ שְׁכֶ֥ם אַחַ֖ד עַל־אַחֶ֑יךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר לָקַ֙חְתִּי֙ מִיַּ֣ד הָאֱמֹרִ֔י בְּחַרְבִּ֖י וּבְקַשְׁתִּֽי׃

Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Bava Basra 123a.

TT lemma: שכם אחד.

Sefaria — Bava Basra 123a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
מִכָּאן דְּחֶלְקוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף פִּי שְׁנַיִם כְּאֶחָד הָיָה וְלֹא פִּי שְׁנַיִם בְּכָל הַנְּכָסִים.

English: From here [we learn] that Yosef’s portion was a double portion relative to one [brother], and not a double portion of the entire estate.

On the daf / in context: The Gemara discusses the nature of the bechorah that was transferred from Reuven to Yosef. The verse “one portion above thy brethren” establishes that Yosef received a double share relative to a single ordinary share, not twice the whole of the remaining property.

Type of Learning

Halachic derivation from the verse — the language “one portion above” defines the measure of the first-born’s double share.

What Is Learned

The bechor receives a double portion calculated as two ordinary shares, not as half of the entire estate. Yaakov’s gift of Shechem to Yosef illustrates this principle.