Chapter: The Object of the Bequest

A bequest is valid even when the testator is unable to deliver the item, such as a runaway slave or a bird in flight.¹ It is likewise valid for something not yet in existence—like the offspring of his animal or the fruit of his tree—whether in perpetuity or for a set period. If none of it materializes, the bequest is null.

It is also permissible to bequeath a dog—for hunting or similar purposes—and oil that has become ritually impure. The testator may allot up to one-third of either, even if the estate is substantial, provided the heirs do not authorize more.

A bequest expressed in vague terms, such as “a slave” or “a sheep,” is valid; the beneficiary receives whatever item the customary usage of the term includes.