Pisqa’ 2161
1
“So when the day comes to bequeath to his sons” (Dt.21:16).
Bequests are distributed by day,
but they are not distributed by night.
“That which is to be his” (Dt.21:16)—
is to be his, teaches that the son takes,
as his inheritance from his father’s estate,
both its anticipated income and its current holdings.2
2
“He is unable to transfer the right of the First-born” (Dt.21:16)—
this teaches that the father has
no right to transfer the status of the First-born
[to another son by a different wife].
Is it possible to say that,
while the father has no right to transfer the status of the First-born,
if he does so, it is done?
The Teaching states:
“He is unable to transfer the right of the First-born” (Dt.21:16)—
thus, if the father does transfer this status,
it is not [effectively] done.
“To the son of the favored wife” (Dt.21:16)—
as soon as the First-born’s head
and most of his body emerge alive,
he exempts any brother born after him
[even of a different mother]
from [exercising the right of] the First-born.
“Instead of to the son of the rejected wife, the rightful First-born” (Dt.21:16)—
even though the First-born son belongs to the rejected wife,
[his father cannot transfer First-born status to his son by a favored wife].