Ki Seitzei 21:17 · unit 13

TT #63 · 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 Bechoros 52a.

Sefaria — Bechoros 52a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
לוֹ מִשְׁפַּט הַבְּכוֹרָה – אֵין הַבְּכוֹר נוֹטֵל פִּי שְׁנַיִם בְּנִכְסֵי הָאֵם, דַּאֲמַר קְרָא לוֹ מִשְׁפַּט הַבְּכוֹרָה, מִשְׁפַּט הַבְּכוֹרָה לְאִישׁ וְלֹא לְאִשָּׁה.

English: “His is the right of the firstborn” — the firstborn does not take a double portion in the mother’s property, for Scripture says “his is the right of the firstborn”: the right of the firstborn belongs to a man and not to a woman.

On the daf / in context: The double portion is limited to the father’s estate. Assets that belonged to the mother are divided equally.

Type of Learning

Mi’ut from “lo mishpat ha-bechorah.”

What Is Learned

The firstborn’s double portion applies only to the father’s property, never to the mother’s.