Ki Seitzei 21:15 · unit 14

TT #43 · 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 Sifrei Devarim.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
הַבֵּן הַבְּכוֹר לַשְּׂנוּאָה – הַכָּתוּב מְבַשֵּׂרְךָ שֶׁבֶּן הַבְּכוֹר לַשְּׂנוּאָה.

English: “The firstborn son to the hated one” — Scripture informs you that the firstborn son will be the hated wife’s.

On the daf / in context: The language is read as a prediction: the child born of the forbidden or undesired union will turn out to be the firstborn, and the father will be unable to prefer the son of the beloved wife. This continues the theme that following the yetzer hara leads to unwanted consequences.

Type of Learning

Derash on the predictive force of “ve-haya.”

What Is Learned

The Torah predicts that the firstborn will be the son of the hated wife; the father may not transfer the double portion to the son of the beloved wife.