Today’s daf TB Baba Batra 141 debates is a better to have boys or girls? The Mishna seems to intimate that girls are more preferable than boys. “The mishna teaches: With regard to one who says: If my wife gives birth to a male the offspring shall receive one hundred dinars, if she in fact gave birth to a male, the offspring receives one hundred dinars. If he says: If my wife gives birth to a female the offspring shall receive two hundred dinars, if she in fact gave birth to a female, the offspring receives two hundred dinars.” (Sefaria.org translation)

On the other hand Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said the boys are preferable over girls. “Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: With regard to anyone who does not leave behind a son to inherit from him, the Holy One, Blessed be He, is filled with wrath upon him, as it is stated: “If a man dies, and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass [veha’avartem] to his daughter” (Numbers 27:8). The term ha’avara means nothing other than wrath, as it is stated: “That day is a day of wrath [evra]” (Zephaniah 1:15).” (Sefaria.org translation) Many Rishonim take the sting out of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai statement by limiting it to a person who doesn’t try to have a son at all. If he tries and God blesses him with daughters, God can’t possibly be angry at the man.

The Gemara resolves the above contradiction between the Mishna and Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai by concluding that the father’s preference for boys and girls are different. “The Gemara resolves the contradiction: With regard to the matter of inheritance, for him a son is preferable to a daughter, as a son bears his name and retains his ancestral heritage within his father’s tribe, but with regard to the matter of providing for his offspring’s comfort, for him his daughter is preferable to his son, as a son is more capable of coping for himself and the daughter needs more support.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Shmuel teaches that having a daughter first is a good omen for the boys. “And Shmuel said: Here we are dealing with a mother who is giving birth for the first time, and this is in accordance with the statement of Rav Ḥisda, as Rav Ḥisda says: If one gives birth to a daughter first, it is a good sign for sons. There are those who say that this is because she raises her brothers, i.e., helps in their upbringing, and there are those who say that this is because the evil eye does not have dominion over the father” (Sefaria.org translation)

There are two possible interpretations of what the evil eye means. It could mean when a family has lots of boys, neighbors look at his good fortune and become jealous of him. Or it could prevent jealousy within the family. If a baby girl is the firstborn, according to the Torah she does not receive the second portion like a firstborn son. Now all the sons will inherit equally and no one will be jealous of his brother for receiving a double portion.

When Judy and I were having children, we didn’t care whether the baby was a boy or a girl as long as the baby was healthy. After my first son was born, we hoped for a girl. Before each brother was born we thought if it’s a girl great and if it’s a boy we have plenty of clothes for him. In the end God blessed us with four wonderful boys. We also now have awesome daughters-in-law.