Ki Seitzei 21:15 · unit 4

TT #33 · 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 / Sifrei.

Sefaria — Bava Basra

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְיָלְדוּ – יוֹצֵא דֹּפֶן אֵינוֹ בְּכוֹר לַנַּחֲלָה, מַאי טַעְמָא? וְיָלְדוּ כְּתִיב.

English: “And they bear” — a child born by caesarean section is not a firstborn for inheritance. Why? Because it is written “and they bear” (ordinary birth).

On the daf / in context: The verb “ve-yaledu” implies a normal birth process. A yotzei dofen (caesarean birth) therefore does not receive the double portion of the firstborn for inheritance purposes, though other firstborn rules may differ.

Type of Learning

Derash on the ordinary force of “ve-yaledu.”

What Is Learned

A child born by caesarean section is not considered the firstborn for the purpose of the double inheritance portion.