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.
English: “The first of his strength” — one who comes after stillbirths is the firstborn for inheritance, for the verse says “the first of his strength”: one over whom the 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 non-viable births receives the double portion. Only a prior fully formed child for whom the father grieves bars a later son from firstborn status.
Type of Learning
Derash defining “reishis ono” by the father’s emotional investment.
What Is Learned
A son born after stillbirths is the firstborn for inheritance purposes.