Julian Ungar-Sargon

  • Home
  • Theological Essays
  • Healing Essays
  • Podcast
  • Poetry
  • Daf Ditty
  • Deep Dive Ditty
  • Videos
  • Publications
  • Military Service
  • Dominican University
  • Home
  • Theological Essays
  • Healing Essays
  • Podcast
  • Poetry
  • Daf Ditty
  • Deep Dive Ditty
  • Videos
  • Publications
  • Military Service
  • Dominican University
Julian Ungar-Sargon copy 3.jpg

Daf Ditty

A wide-ranging commentary on the daily page of Talmud.

Bava Batra 141: מִצְוָה לָזוּן אֶת הַבָּנוֹת

jyungar November 13, 2024

For the source text click/tap here: Bava Batra 141

To download, click/tap here: PDF

The Gemara asks: Is this to say that for him a daughter is preferable to a son? But this seems to contradict what Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: With regard to anyone who does not leave behind a son to inherit from him, the Holy One, Blessed be He, is filled with wrath upon him, as it is stated:

“If a man dies, and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass [veha’avartem] to his daughter” (Numbers 27:8). The term ha’avara means nothing other than wrath.

Citing Reb Yehudah’s interpretation of Gen 24:1:

“And Abraham was old, well stricken in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham with everything [bakkol]”

Rabbi Meir says: The blessing was that he did not have a daughter.

Rabbi Yehuda says: The blessing was that he had a daughter, and her name was Bakkol. Evidently, Rabbi Yehuda understands the birth of a daughter to be a blessing.

We explore the midrashim regarding Avraham.

Tags56th
  • Daf Ditty
  • Older
  • Newer

Julian Ungar-Sargon

This is Julian Ungar-Sargon's personal website. It contains poems, essays, and podcasts for the spiritual seeker and interdisciplinary aficionado.​