Bava Batra

Once a certain man said to his friend, 'My estate [shall be] yours and after you [it shall pass over] to X'. The first [was one] entitled to be his heir.  [When] the first died, the second came to claim [the estate]. R. 'Ilish proposed in the presence of Raba to give his decision  that the second also is entitled to receive the bequest.  [Raba, however], said to him, 'Such decisions are given by arbitration judges,  [is] not [the case exactly] the same as [that] which [was] sent [by] R. Aha son of 'Awya?'  As he  became embarrassed, [Raba] applied to him the Scriptural text. I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time. MISHNAH. IF A PERSON GIVES HIS ESTATE, IN WRITING, TO STRANGERS, AND LEAVES OUT HIS CHILDREN, HIS ARRANGEMENTS ARE LEGALLY VALID,  BUT THE SPIRIT OF THE SAGES FINDS NO DELIGHT IN HIM.  R. SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAID: IF HIS CHILDREN DID NOT CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A PROPER MANNER HE WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR GOOD. GEMARA. The question was raised whether the Rabbis  were in disagreement with [the view of] R. Simeon b. Gamaliel  or not. — Come and hear, Joseph b. Joezer,  had a son who did not conduct himself in a proper manner. He had a loft [full] of denarii  and he consecrated it [for the Temple]. He, [the son], went away and married the daughter of King Jannai's  wreath-maker. [On the occasion when] his wife gave birth to a son he bought for her a fish. Opening it he found therein a pearl. 'Do not take it to the king', she said to him, 'for they will take it away from you for a small sum of money.  Go take it rather  to the Treasurers [of the Temple], but do not you suggest its price, since the making of an offer to the Most High  is [as binding] as [actual] delivery in ordinary transactions.  But let them fix the price'. On being brought [to the Temple]  it was valued at thirteen lofts of denarii.  'Seven [of them]', they said to him, 'are available, [but the remaining] six are not available'.  He said to them, 'Give me the seven; and the six  are, [hereby]. consecrated to the Temple'.  Thereupon it was recorded,  'Joseph b. Joezer brought in one, but his son brought to six others say, [the record read as follows]: 'Joseph b. Joezer brought in one, but his son took away seven'. Now, since the expression used [in the record  was], 'he  brought in', it may be inferred that [in their opinion] he  acted rightly.  On the contrary! Since the expression used  was, 'he took out', it may be inferred that he did not act rightly.  But [the fact is that] from this [record] nothing may be inferred. What, then, is the answer to the enquiry?  — Come and hear: Samuel said to Rab Judah. 'Shinena'.  Keep away from  transfers  of inheritance even [if they be] from a bad son to a good son, much more [when they are] from a son to a daughter'. Our Rabbis taught: Once it happened with a certain person whose sons did not conduct themselves in a proper manner [that] he took the definite step of assigning his estate, in writing,  to Jonathan b. Uzziel. What did Jonathan b. Uzziel do? — He sold a third,  consecrated a third, and returned a third to his  sons. [Thereupon], Shammai came upon him with his staff and bag.  He  said to him, 'Shammai! If you can take back what I have sold and what I have consecrated, you can [also] take back what I have returned;