One who says, “That man, my firstborn son, shall not take a double share,” [or] “That man, my son, shall not inherit with his brothers,” —- has not said anything, because he has stipulated [contrary] to what is written in the Torah.  One who appor-tions his estate to his sons orally, increasing [the share of] one and decreasing [the share of] one, or making the firstborn equal to them, his words are upheld. But if he said [that it was to be] by inheritance, he has not said anything. [If] he wrote —- whether in the beginning, the middle, or the end —- [that it was to be] a gift, his words are upheld.  One who says, “That man shall inherit me,” in a case in which there is a daughter, [or] “My daughter shall inherit me,” in a case in which there is a son, he has not said anything, because he has stipulated [contrary] to what is written in the Torah. R' Yochanan ben Ber-okah says: If he said [this] about one who is eligible for the inheritance, his words are upheld; and [if] about one who is not eli-gible for the inheritance, his words are not upheld.  One who signs over his property to another and sets aside his sons, what he did is done, but the Sages are not pleased with him. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: If his sons did not conduct themselves properly, he is remembered for good.

One who says, “This is my son,” is believed. [If he said,] “This is my brother,” he is not believed, but he must share his portion with him. [If] he died, the possessions return to their place. [If] possessions fell to him from another source, his brothers in-herit with him.  [If] one died, and a will was found tied to his thigh, it is void. [If] he granted title to someone else with it, whether from the heirs or not, his words are upheld.

One who signs over his property to his sons must write: from today and after death; [these are] the words of R' Yehudah. R' Yose says: He need not.  [If] one signs over his possessions to his son to [take effect] after his death, the father cannot sell [them], because they are signed over to the son; and the son cannot sell [them], because they are in the possession of the fa-ther. [If] the father [went and] sold [them], they are sold until his death. [If] the son [went and] sold [them], the buyer has no share in them until the father dies. The father may detach [produce] and give to eat to whomever he wishes, and what [pro-duce] he leaves over detached [from the field] belongs to the heirs.  [If] he leaves older and younger sons, the older ones are not supported at the expense of the younger ones, nor are the younger ones fed at the expense of the older ones; rather they divide equally.  [If] the older ones married, the younger ones may marry. If the younger ones said, “We will marry just as you married,” we do not listen to them. Rather, whatever their father gave them, he gave.

[If] he leaves older and younger daughters, the older ones are not supported at the expense of the younger ones, nor are the younger ones fed at the expense of the older ones; rather they divide equally.  [If[ the older ones married, the younger ones may marry. If the younger ones said, “We will marry just as you married,” we do not listen to them.  This is the strin-gency of daughters over sons: that the daughters are fed at the expense of the sons but they are not fed at the expense of the daughters.