Bechoros Daf 47

The Daf discusses a person who had children while he was a non-Jew and then converted. Rebbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish disagree whether those earlier children count when determining the Bechor after Geirus. The same basic Machlokes applies to Pru U’Rvu – whether children born before Geirus count toward fulfilling the Mitzvah.

The Gemara also discusses a woman who gave birth before becoming Jewish and then had another son after Geirus. The question is whether the earlier birth already opened the womb, or whether Geirus creates a new beginning so that the later child can be considered Peter Rechem for Pidyon HaBen.

A major principle is that Pidyon HaBen depends on Peter Rechem and therefore the mother’s status is crucial. A son of a Leviyah can be exempt from Pidyon HaBen even when his father is a Yisrael. The Daf distinguishes between a Kohenes and a Leviyah following certain forbidden relationships: a Kohenes can lose her Kehunah status, while a Leviyah retains her Levi status.

The Daf gives a fascinating case of a Kohen who marries a Grushah. The father remains a Kohen, but their son can be a Chalal and therefore require Pidyon HaBen. Since the father himself is a Kohen, he can be entitled to the Pidyon money. If the father dies, whether the son must redeem himself can depend on whether the father died before or after the Pidyon obligation took effect.

The Gemara returns to a child whose father is uncertain because his mother remarried without waiting the required three months. He can definitely require Pidyon HaBen because he is his mother’s firstborn, but he cannot simply demand a double inheritance from either possible father’s family, since each can tell him to prove that he belongs to them.

Finally, the Daf discusses Harsha’ah – whether uncertain heirs can authorize one another to pursue the inheritance claim. An important distinction is whether the true heir was originally known and only later became confused, or whether his identity was uncertain from the very beginning.

Iliui mishmas Imi morosi Ruth bas Harav Menachem Mendel