Ki Seitzei 21:16 · unit 1

TT #44 · Parashas Ki Seitzei · First aliya · Passuk 21:16

The Complete Passuk

וְהָיָ֗ה בְּיוֹם֙ הַנְחִיל֣וֹ אֶת־בָּנָ֔יו אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־יִהְיֶ֖ה ל֑וֹ לֹ֣א יוּכַ֗ל לְבַכֵּר֙ אֶת־בֶּן־הָ֣אֲהוּבָ֔ה עַל־פְּנֵ֥י בֶן־הַשְּׂנוּאָ֖ה הַבְּכֹֽר׃

Then it shall be, on the day he causes his sons to inherit that which he has, that he may not make the son of the beloved the firstborn before the son of the hated, the firstborn.

Chabad.org — 21:16

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Bava Basra 113b.

Sefaria — Bava Basra 113b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
בְּיוֹם הַנְחִילוֹ – מְלַמֵּד שֶׁדִּין הַנְּחָלוֹת בַּיּוֹם וְלֹא בַּלַּיְלָה.

English: “On the day he causes them to inherit” — this teaches that the law of inheritances is by day and not by night.

On the daf / in context: Inheritance distribution is treated like a judicial act. If the father assigns the portions by day the assignment stands as a completed judgment; if by night the matter must still be confirmed before a court.

Type of Learning

Derash on the word “be-yom.”

What Is Learned

The formal assignment of inheritance portions is performed by day, not by night.