When רבי חיים מוולוז׳ין was eleven years old, a man came to his father to ask if he could help him solve a problem. “My father died and left me and my two brothers a large estate, which we have divided,” he said. “However, in one paragraph of his will he expressly stipulated that I, as his בכור, should receive half of his 17 horses; that my younger brother should receive a third; and my youngest brother a ninth. I have spoken with my brothers and we are at a loss as to how to comply with our father’s mandate. After all, half of 17 is eight and a half and we can’t split a horse in half. We have the same impossibility in regard to my brothers’ shares. We don’t know what to do.” The little ר׳ חיים heard the problem and immediately said that he could resolve it. “All you need to do,” he said, “is add one of your horses to the 17, so that the total will now be 18. Your half share will be 9 horses. Your younger brother’s one third share will be 6 horses. And your youngest brother’s one ninth share will be 2 horses. The 9, 6 and 2 total 17, leaving the one horse which you added to the estate and which you should take back after the division.”
05/10/2021