An interview and study on the Rabbis and gender with Professor Gwynn Kessler of Swarthmore College
ואשמה הנפש ההוא למה נאמר לפי שהוא אומר איש או אשה אין לי אלא איש או אשה טו"א מנין תלמוד לומר ואשמה הנפש ההוא: הנפש ההיא הכל במשמע האנשים והנשים והגרים במשמע.
When a man or woman shall commit any sin that people (adam) commit, to do a trespass against the Lord, and if that person (ha‐nefesh ha‐hee) is guilty (Numbers 5:6).
"[A]nd that soul shall be guilty": Why is this stated? (i.e., it seems redundant.) "a man or a woman" would seem to indicate specifically these. Whence would I derive (the same for) one whose sex is unknown or a hermaphrodite? From "and that soul shall be guilty" — All are included, even proselytes and servants.
(6) Speak to the Israelites: When a man or woman commits any wrong toward a person, thus committing an act of betrayal against God, and that person (ha-nefesh) realizes their guilt, (7) they shall confess the wrong that they have done. One shall make restitution in the principal amount and add one-fifth to it, giving it to him whom they wronged.
(א) מִי שֶׁמֵּת וְהִנִּיחַ בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת, בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַנְּכָסִים מְרֻבִּים, הַבָּנִים יִירְשׁוּ וְהַבָּנוֹת יִזּוֹנוּ. נְכָסִים מֻעָטִין, הַבָּנוֹת יִזּוֹנוּ וְהַבָּנִים יִשְׁאֲלוּ עַל הַפְּתָחִים. אַדְמוֹן אוֹמֵר, בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֲנִי זָכָר הִפְסַדְתִּי. אָמַר רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, רוֹאֶה אֲנִי אֶת דִּבְרֵי אַדְמוֹן:
(ב) הִנִּיחַ בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת וְטֻמְטוּם, בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַנְּכָסִים מְרֻבִּים, הַזְּכָרִים דּוֹחִין אוֹתוֹ אֵצֶל נְקֵבוֹת. נְכָסִים מֻעָטִין, הַנְּקֵבוֹת דּוֹחוֹת אוֹתוֹ אֵצֶל זְכָרִים. הָאוֹמֵר אִם תֵּלֵד אִשְׁתִּי זָכָר יִטֹּל מָנֶה, יָלְדָה זָכָר, נוֹטֵל מָנֶה. נְקֵבָה מָאתַיִם, יָלְדָה נְקֵבָה, נוֹטֶלֶת מָאתָיִם. אִם זָכָר מָנֶה אִם נְקֵבָה מָאתַיִם, וְיָלְדָה זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה, זָכָר נוֹטֵל מָנֶה וְהַנְּקֵבָה נוֹטֶלֶת מָאתָיִם. יָלְדָה טֻמְטוּם, אֵינוֹ נוֹטֵל. אִם אָמַר כָּל מַה שֶּׁתֵּלֵד אִשְׁתִּי יִטֹּל, הֲרֵי זֶה יִטֹּל. וְאִם אֵין שָׁם יוֹרֵשׁ אֶלָּא הוּא, יוֹרֵשׁ אֶת הַכֹּל:
1. If a man died and left sons and daughters, and the property was great, the sons inherit and the daughters receive maintenance. But if the property was small the daughters receive maintenance and the sons go begging at people’s doors. Admon says: “The son may say, ‘Must I suffer a loss because I am a male.’” Rabban Gamaliel says: “I approve of Admon’s opinion.”
2. If a man left sons and daughters and tumtum, if the property was great the males may push them onto the females; if the property was small the females may thrust them onto the males. If a man said, “If my wife shall bear a male he shall be given 100 zuz,” and she had a male, he receives 100 zuz. [If he said, “If my wife shall bear a] female she shall be given 200 zuz,” and she had a female, she receives 200 zuz. [If he said, “If may wife shall bear a] male he shall be given 100 zuz and if a female 200 zuz,” and she had a male and a female, the male receives 100 zuz and the female 200 zuz. If she had tumtum [v’androginos], they do not take. But if he said, “Whatsoever my wife shall bear shall be given [such an amount],” they receive. If there were no other heirs but them, they inherit everything.
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