Bava Batra 156 – Disagreement About the Laws of a Seriously Ill Person

Someone who is seriously ill has the same laws as a healthy person, and his sickbed will is invalid. Instead, he must gift his possessions in a regular way, that is, with money, a document, or an act of ownership for land, and with pulling to oneself for movables – this is the opinion of Rabbi Elazar. Rabbi Elazar disputes the principle discussed on the previous twenty pages that a seriously ill person can effect the transfer of his property.

Rabbi Eliezer says that if a seriously ill person gave his possessions away orally on Sabbath, his words are upheld since, on Sabbath, he may not write. Rabbi Eliezer is a third opinion. Rabbi Yehoshua says that if he can distribute his possessions orally on Sabbath, then all the more so he can do it on weekdays. Rabbi Yehoshua agrees with the previous twenty pages.

Art: The Use of Tears - The Love-Sick Maid by Richard Parkes Bonington