Ki Seitzei 21:17 · unit 5

TT #55 · 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 52b.

Sefaria — Bechoros 52b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
לָתֵת לוֹ – הַבְּכוֹרָה חוֹזֶרֶת בַּיּוֹבֵל, דְּמַתָּנָה הִיא, דַּאֲמַר קְרָא לָתֵת לוֹ פִּי שְׁנַיִם, מַתָּנָה קַרְיֵיהּ רַחֲמָנָא.

English: “To give him” — the firstborn’s portion returns in the Jubilee, because it is called a gift; the verse says “to give him a double portion,” and the Merciful One called it a gift.

On the daf / in context: Because the double portion is analogized to a gift, the ordinary Jubilee return rules apply to it in the manner explained by the Rishonim (the firstborn does not permanently lose the status, but the land itself is redistributed).

Type of Learning

Comparison of bechorah to a gift (mattenah).

What Is Learned

The firstborn’s double portion is treated as a gift and therefore returns (in the relevant sense) in the Jubilee year.