Bava Batra 131 - November 3, 2 Cheshvan

Today's daf is sponsored by Aviva Appleman in loving memory of Florence Appleman on her first yahrzeit yesterday. "May her neshama have an aliya." Rava asks if Rabbi Yochanan ben Broka's allowance for the father to favor one child over the others is only when one says so on one's deathbed or even when healthy. Rav Meshashia answers from a braita where Rabbi Natan the Babylonian questions Rabbi Yehuda haNasi about the fact that the Mishna Ketubot 52b, in discussing the commitment in the ketuba to the wife's male children, seems to follow Rabbi Yochanan ben Broka's position. As the case related to a healthy person, it is clear Rabbi Yochanan Ben Broka also held his opinion for a healthy person. There is a further discussion between Abaye and Rav Pappa regarding the content of the braita and the question of why Rabbi Yehuda haNasi specifically answered the way he did and didn't suggest a different answer. If one writes that one is selling all of his possessions to his wife, or his oldest son, or his youngest son, or some random person, is it understood literally, that he is giving them all the possessions instead of giving to all his sons, or is it assumed that the man intended only to appoint them as an executor of his will and wrote it in that manner so that the recipients of the will would respect the executor?