## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 217

###### Sifrei Devarim 217:1
[Sifrei Devarim 217:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/217:1)

(דברים כא יז) **כִּי אֶת הַבְּכֹר בֶּן הַשְּׂנוּאָה יַכִּיר** – יַכִּירֶנּוּ לַאֲחֵרִים, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנֶּאֱמָן אָדָם לוֹמַר ׳זֶה בְּנִי בְּכוֹר׳. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁנֶּאֱמָן אָדָם לוֹמַר ׳זֶה בְּנִי בְּכוֹר׳, כָּךְ נֶאֱמָן לוֹמַר ׳זֶה בֶּן גְּרוּשָׁה וְזֶה בֶּן חֲלוּצָה׳, וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: אֵינוֹ נֶאֱמָן.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
(Devarim 21:17) "But the first-born, the son of the hated one, shall he recognize": He shall cause him to be recognized by others — whence R. Yehudah ruled: A man is believed to say: This is my first-born son. And just as he is believed to say: This is my first-born son, he is believed to say: This is the son of a *chalutzah* (a woman taken in levirate marriage); this is the son of a divorcée. The sages say: He is not believed.


###### Sifrei Devarim 217:2
[Sifrei Devarim 217:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/217:2)

**לָתֶת לוֹ פִּי שְׁנַיִם** – פִּי שְׁנַיִם בּוֹ. אוֹ פִּי שְׁנַיִם בְּכָל הַנְּכָסִים? הֲרֵי אַתָּה דָן: הוֹאִיל וְנוֹחֵל עִם אֶחָד וְנוֹחֵל עִם חֲמִשָּׁה, מַה מָּצִינוּ כְּשֶׁנּוֹחֵל עִם אֶחָד – פִּי שְׁנַיִם בּוֹ, אַף כְּשֶׁנּוֹחֵל עִם חֲמִשָּׁה – פִּי שְׁנַיִם בְּאֶחָד מֵהֶם.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"to give him a double portion": A double portion of what each brother receives? Or a double portion of the entire property? You reason thus: Just as he inherits with one brother, and he inherits with five, then just as when he inherits with one he inherits a double portion of one, so, when he inherits with five, he inherits a double portion of one.


###### Sifrei Devarim 217:3
[Sifrei Devarim 217:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/217:3)

אוֹ כַּלֵּךְ לְדֶרֶךְ זוֹ: הוֹאִיל וְנוֹחֵל עִם אֶחָד וְנוֹחֵל עִם חֲמִשָּׁה, מַה מָּצִינוּ כְּשֶׁנּוֹחֵל עִם אֶחָד – פִּי שְׁנַיִם בְּכָל הַנְּכָסִים, אַף כְּשֶׁנּוֹחֵל עִם חֲמִשָּׁה – פִּי שְׁנַיִם בְּכָל הַנְּכָסִים! תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״וְהָיָה בְּיוֹם הַנְחִילוֹ אֶת בָּנָיו״, רִבָּה נַחֲלָה לַבָּנִים.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
Or, go in this direction: Since he inherits with one and he inherits with five, then just as when he inherits with one, he inherits a double portion of all the property, so, when he inherits with five, he inherits a double portion of all the property. It is, therefore, written "then it shall be on the day that he causes his *sons* to inherit." "inheritance to *sons*" (and *not* "inheritance of property") is repeated.


###### Sifrei Devarim 217:4
[Sifrei Devarim 217:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/217:4)

אַחַר שֶׁלָּמַדְנוּ שֶׁרִבָּה נַחֲלָה לַבָּנִים, הָא אֵין עָלֶיךָ לָדוּן אֶלָּא כַּדִּין הָרִאשׁוֹן: הוֹאִיל וְנוֹחֵל עִם אֶחָד וְנוֹחֵל עִם חֲמִשָּׁה, מַה מָּצִינוּ כְּשֶׁנּוֹחֵל עִם אֶחָד – פִּי שְׁנַיִם בּוֹ אַף כְּשֶׁנּוֹחֵל עִם חֲמִשָּׁה – פִּי שְׁנַיִם בְּאֶחָד מֵהֶם. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (בראשית מח כב): ״וַאֲנִי נָתַתִּי לְךָ שְׁכֶם אַחַד עַל אַחֶיךָ״, וְאוֹמֵר (דברי הימים א ה א-ב): ״וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן בְּכוֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי הוּא הַבְּכוֹר״ וְאוֹמֵר: ״כִּי יְהוּדָה גָּבַר בְּאֶחָיו וּלְנָגִיד מִמֶּנּוּ, וְהַבְּכוֹרָה לְיוֹסֵף״.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
After we learn that inheritance to *sons* is to be emphasized, we perforce must follow the first approach, viz.: Since he inherits with one (son) and he inherits with five, then just as when he inherits with one, he receives a double portion of *one*, so, when he inherits with five, he receives a double portion of one. And it is written (I Chronicles 5:1) "And the sons of Reuven, the first-born of Israel (i.e., Jacob). For he was the *bechor*, but when he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph." And it is written (*Ibid*. 2) "For Judah prevailed over his brothers (to inherit the kingship) and the ruler was to come from him, and the *bechorah* (the status of first-born) was given to Joseph." And it is written (Bereshith 48:22) "And I (Jacob) have given to you (Joseph) an additional portion over your brothers."


###### Sifrei Devarim 217:5
[Sifrei Devarim 217:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/217:5)

הוֹאִיל וּמָצִינוּ שֶׁהַבְּכוֹרָה לְיוֹסֵף וּבְכוֹרָה לְדוֹרוֹת, מַה בְּכוֹרָה הָאֲמוּרָה לְיוֹסֵף – פִּי שְׁנַיִם בּוֹ, אַף בְּכוֹרָה הָאֲמוּרָה לְדוֹרוֹת – פִּי שְׁנַיִם בְּאֶחָד מֵהֶם.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
Since we find that the *bechorah* went to Joseph, and the *bechorah* is for all generations, then just as we find that the *bechorah* for Joseph was a double portion of one (son), so, the *bechorah* for all generations is a double portion of one.


###### Sifrei Devarim 217:6
[Sifrei Devarim 217:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/217:6)

**בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִמָּצֵא לוֹ**, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאֵין הַבְּכוֹר נוֹטֵל בָּרָאוּי כְּבַמּוּחְזָק.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"a double portion" in all *that is found* with him": We are hereby taught the *bechor* does not take a double portion of what is anticipated as he does of what is on hand.


###### Sifrei Devarim 217:7
[Sifrei Devarim 217:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/217:7)

**כִּי הוּא רֵאשִׁית אוֹנוֹ** – וְלֹא רֵאשִׁית אוֹנָהּ שֶׁל אִשָּׁה.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"for he is the first of *his* (the father's) strength": and (the criterion for *bechorah* is) not the first of *her* (the mother's) strength.


###### Sifrei Devarim 217:8
[Sifrei Devarim 217:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/217:8)

**לוֹ מִשְׁפַּט הַבְּכֹרָה** – מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהַבְּכוֹרָה יוֹצְאָה בְדַיָּנִים.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"his is the *judgment* of the *bechorah*": We are hereby taught that the double portion of the *bechorah* can (if necessary) be appropriated by the courts.