Ki Seitzei 21:15 · unit 12

TT #41 · Parashas Ki Seitzei · First aliya · Passuk 21:15

The Complete Passuk

כִּֽי־תִהְיֶ֨יןָ לְאִ֜ישׁ שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֗ים הָאַחַ֤ת אֲהוּבָה֙ וְהָאַחַ֣ת שְׂנוּאָ֔ה וְיָֽלְדוּ־ל֣וֹ בָנִ֔ים הָאֲהוּבָ֖ה וְהַשְּׂנוּאָ֑ה וְהָיָ֛ה הַבֵּ֥ן הַבְּכֹ֖ר לַשְּׂנִיאָֽה׃

If a man has two wives, the one beloved and the one hated, and they bear him sons, the beloved and the hated, and the firstborn son is the hated one’s—

Chabad.org — 21:15

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Bava Basra 126b.

Sefaria — Bava Basra 126b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְהָיָה הַבֵּן – אָמַר רַבִּי אַמֵּי, טֻמְטוּם שֶׁנִּקְרַע וְנִמְצָא זָכָר אֵינוֹ נוֹטֵל פִּי שְׁנַיִם, דַּאֲמַר קְרָא וְהָיָה הַבֵּן הַבְּכוֹר לַשְּׂנוּאָה עַד שֶׁיְּהֵא בֵּן מִשְּׁעַת הֲוָיָה.

English: “And the son shall be” — Rabbi Ammi said: a tumtum who is later opened and found to be male does not take a double portion, for the verse says “and the firstborn son shall be to the hated one” — he must be a son from the moment of existence (birth).

On the daf / in context: Parallel to the earlier ruling that such a child does not reduce others’ shares, he himself also does not receive the double portion, because he was not known as a “ben” at the critical moment.

Type of Learning

Derash requiring known male status from the time of birth for receiving the bechorah.

What Is Learned

A tumtum later revealed to be male does not himself receive the double portion of the firstborn.