Ki Seitzei 21:17 · unit 10

TT #60 · Parashas Ki Seitzei · First aliya · Passuk 21:17

The Complete Passuk

כִּי֩ אֶת־הַבְּכֹ֨ר בֶּן־הַשְּׂנוּאָ֜ה יַכִּ֗יר לָ֤תֶת לוֹ֙ פִּ֣י שְׁנַ֔יִם בְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יִמָּצֵ֖א ל֑וֹ כִּי־הוּא֙ רֵאשִׁ֣ית אֹנ֔וֹ ל֖וֹ מִשְׁפַּ֥ט הַבְּכֹרָֽה׃

But he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that is found with him; for he is the first of his strength, the right of the firstborn is his.

Chabad.org — 21:17

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Niddah 23b / Bava Basra.

Sefaria — Niddah 23b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
רֵאשִׁית אוֹנוֹ – הַבָּא אַחַר נְפָלִים הֲוֵי בְּכוֹר לַנַּחֲלָה, דַּאֲמַר קְרָא רֵאשִׁית אוֹנוֹ, מִי שֶׁלִּבּוֹ דָּוֶה עָלָיו, יָצָא נֵפֶל שֶׁאֵין לִבּוֹ דָּוֶה עָלָיו.

English: “The first of his strength” — one born after stillbirths is still the firstborn for inheritance, for the verse says “the first of his strength”: one over whom the father’s heart grieves. This excludes a stillborn, over whom the heart does not grieve in the same way.

On the daf / in context: A viable child born after miscarriages or stillbirths is the firstborn for inheritance. Only a child who was a full “reishis ono” (one the father mourns) bars a later son from the status.

Type of Learning

Derash defining what counts as “reishis ono.”

What Is Learned

A son born after stillbirths is the firstborn for inheritance; only a prior viable child prevents the later son from receiving the double portion.