Bekhorot 21

Chapter 21

א בהשג יד כתיב

1 That [verse] refers to the amount of one's means.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A man who says 'I vow my own value' or according to Rabbenu Gershom, the value of a specified persona Scripture informs us here that we do not accept the valuation if his means are less than one shekel. But as regards the redemption of the first-born of an ass, redemption may be with whatever value, however small.');">1

ב אמר רב נחמן הלכה כדברי חכמים וכמה אמר רב יוסף אפי' פטרוזא בר דנקא אמר רבא אף אנן נמי תנינא גדול וקטן

2 Said R'Nahman: The halachah is according to the teachings of the Sages.2 And how much [must be the value of the lamb]? - Said R'Joseph: Even a puny lamb worth no more than a dank,a.3 Said Raba: We have learnt this too: [The lamb for redemption can either be] large or small, without a blemish or blemished. Is this not evident?4 - You might have assumed that to that extent [i.e., that of a puny lamb etc.] it is not an adequate redemptions or indeed [which would be better], a puny lamb is not [an adequate redemption at all].5 [R'Joseph consequently] informs us [that it is an adequate redemption]. R'Judah the Prince had a first-birth of an ass.

ג פשיטא מהו דתימא כולי האי לא אי נמי פטרוזא לא קמ"ל

3 He sent it to R'Tarfon.6 He asked him, 'How much am I required to give the Priest'? He replied to him 'Behold the Rabbis said: The liberal person redeems with a sela' [four zuz], the stingy person redeems with a shekel [two zuz], an average person redeems with a rigia. Said Raba: The law [requires redemption] with a rigia.

ד רבי יהודה נשיאה הוה ליה פטר חמור שדריה לקמיה דרבי טרפון אמר ליה כמה בעינא למיתב לכהן אמר ליה הרי אמרו עין יפה בסלע עין רעה בשקל בינונית ברגיא

4 And how much is this? Three zuz, less than one and more than the other.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One zuz less than a sela' which is the redemption of a liberal person and one more zuz than that of a stingy person, i.e., three zuz. Lit., 'running this way and running that way'.');">7 Does not this ruling contradict the above?8 There is no difficulty.9

ה אמר רבא הלכתא ברגיא וכמה תלתא זוזי רגיל הכא ורגיל הכא

5 [We are dealing] here with the case when one comes to seek advice and the case there is where he redeems of his own accord.10 R'Isaac reported in the name of Resh Lakish: If one possesses a first-birth o an ass and he has not a lamb with which to redeem it, he redeems it for its equivalent value. According to whose opinion is this? Shall I say it is according to R'Judah?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This questioner quotes the view of R. Judah, which was mentioned above in the first instance, although it is not the final conclusion, namely, that only with a lamb can it be redeemed but not with any other object.');">11

ו קשיא הלכתא אהלכתא לא קשיא כאן בבא לימלך כאן בעושה מעצמו

6 Did he not say that the Torah was particular that the redemption must be with a sheep? You must then say it is according to the view of R'Simeon.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who does not mention when giving his reason for the view he holds that the Torah was particular that the redemption must be with a sheep, thus implying that the first-birth of an ass may also be redeemed with its equivalent value.');">12

ז אמר רבי יצחק אמר ריש לקיש מי שיש לו פטר חמור ואין לו שה לפדותו פודהו בשויו למאן אילימא לרבי יהודה הא אמר הקפידה עליו תורה בשה אלא לרבי שמעון

7 R'Ahah stated it thus. Rabina found a difficulty: [In a difference between] R'Judah and R'Simeon, the law is according to R'Judah; moreover, the Tanna [of our Mishnah]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Stated above, that the Israelite sets aside a lamb in order to release the first-birth of an ass from the prohibitions attaching to it, which is the opinion of R. Judah.');">13 states the law anonymously in the sense of R'Judah; and still you declare the halachah is according to R'Simeon? But [rather say] that [R'Isaac's statement] accords even with the opinion of R'Judah. For let not [the redemption of the first-birth of an ass] be more stringent than other consecrated objects.14 Moreover the Torah did not propose [by the law of redeeming] with a lamb to make it severe for him,15

ח רב אחא מתני הכי רבינא קשיא ליה רבי יהודה ורבי שמעון הלכה כרבי יהודה

8 but, on the contrary, to make it easier for him.16 R'Nehemiah the son of R'Joseph redeemed the first-birth of an ass with boiled herbs of its equivalent value. R'Shizbi reported in the name of R'Huna: If one redeems the ass of his neighbor, it is a valid redemption.

ט וסתם לן תנא כרבי יהודה ואת אמרת הלכה כרבי שמעון

י אלא אפי' תימא רבי יהודה לא יהא חמור מן ההקדש ולא אמרה תורה בשה להחמיר עליו אלא להקל עליו רב נחמן בריה דרב יוסף פריק ליה בשילקי בשויו

10 The question was raised: Is it a valid redemption as regards the person who redeems it,17 or does it mean that it is a valid redemption as regards the owner?18

יא אמר רב שיזבי אמר רב הונא הפודה פטר חמור של חבירו פדיונו פדוי איבעיא להו פדיונו לפודה או דלמא פדיונו לבעלים

11 According to the opinion of R'Simeon, there is no need to inquire, for, since he says that it is permitted to use the first-birth of an ass, it is the owner's money.19 The question does arise, however, according to the opinion of R'Judah who says that it is forbidden to use it. Does he compare it with a consecrated object concerning which the Divine Law says: And he shall give money and it shall be assured to him?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXVII, 19. The verse is given here in an abbreviated form, the full verse being Then he shall add a fifth part of the money and it shall be i,bu assured to him. V. Tosaf. on Shab. 128a, .');">20 Or, perhaps since the owner possesses the difference [between the value of the ass and a sheep], it is not compared with a consecrated object?21

יב אליבא דר"ש לא תיבעי לך כיון דאמר מותר בהנאה ממונא דבעלים הוא כי תיבעי אליבא דרבי יהודה דאמר אסור בהנאה

12 - Said R'Nahman: Come and hear: 'If one stole the first-birth of an ass belonging to his neighbor, he pays double to the owner, for although he does not possess [the rights of ownership] now, he will possess subsequently.'22 Now, whose opinion does this represent?

יג להקדש מדמי ליה ורחמנא אמר ונתן הכסף (ויקרא כז יט) וקם לו או דלמא כיון דקני להו בביני וביני לא דמי להקדש

13 Shall I say that it is the opinion of R'Simeon? Why has he no rights of ownership now? Then obviously, it must be the opinion of R'Judah.

יד אר"נ ת"ש הגונב פטר חמור של חבירו משלם תשלומי כפל לבעלים ואע"פ שאין לו עכשיו יש לו לאחר מכאן

14 Now if you were to assume that we compare it with a consecrated object, does not the Divine Law say: And it be stolen out of a man's house,23 implying, but not from the possession of the sanctuary?24

טו מני אילימא ר"ש אמאי אין לו עכשיו אלא פשיטא רבי יהודה

15 And there is nothing more to be said. IF ONE SHE-ASS HAD GIVEN BIRTH BEFORE AND ONE HAD NOT GIVEN BIRTH BEFORE etc. Our Rabbis taught. Under what circumstances did the Sages rule that IT ENTERS THE SHED TO BE TITHED?

טז ואי ס"ד להקדש מדמינן ליה (שמות כב, ו) וגונב מבית האיש אמר רחמנא ולא מבית הקדש ותו לא מידי:

16 You cannot say that it means where the lamb came into the possession of the priest, [and then it was returned to the Israelite],25 for we have learnt: An animal purchased, or which is given to him as a gift, is exempted from the law of the tithes of animals.26

יז אחת ביכרה ואחת שלא ביכרה [כו']: ת"ר כיצד אמרו נכנס לדיר להתעשר

17 This must refer then to the case of an Israelite who had ten uncertain first births of asses<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., where he had ten she-asses and each gave birth to a male and a female and there was a doubt whether the males were born before the females. Ten sheep are therefore set aside on their behalf to release them from the prohibitions attaching to the first-birth of asses and these are unconsecrated animals, to be tithed in the ordinary manner. The same principle also applies to two or three uncertain first-births, but the reason why it mentions ten uncertain first-births is to inform us that although in the latter case they are entitled to be tithed on their own account, we still set aside the ten lambs to be tithed among the others in the shed.');">27 in his house. He sets aside on their behalf ten lambs, [makes them enter the shed],28

יח אי אתה יכול לומר בבא ליד כהן שהרי שנינו הלקוח ושניתן לו במתנה פטור ממעשר בהמה אלא בישראל שהיו לו עשרה ספק פטרי חמורים בתוך ביתו שמפריש עליהן עשרה שיין ומעשרן והן שלו

18 tithes them, and they are his. [This] supports the opinion of R'Nahman. For R'Nahman reported in the name of Rabbah the son of Abbuha: If an Israelite had ten uncertain first-births of asses, he sets aside on their behalf ten lambs, tithes them and they are his.

יט מסייע ליה לר"נ דאמר רב נחמן אמר רבה בר אבוה ישראל שהיו לו עשרה ספק פטרי חמורים מפריש עליהן עשרה שיין ומעשרן והן שלו

19 R'Nahman further reported in the name of Rabbah the son of Abbuha: If an Israelite has ten asses, distinctly first-births, in his house, which fell to him [as an inheritan from his maternal grandfather, a priest, to whom this inheritance had fallen from his maternal grandfather, an Israelite,29 he sets aside30

כ ואמר רב נחמן אמר רבה בר אבוה ישראל שהיו לו עשרה פטרי חמורים ודאין בתוך ביתו שנפלו מבית אבי אמו כהן ואותו אבי אמו כהן נפלו לו מבית אבי אמו ישראל

20 ten lambs, tithes them and they are his.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The present Israelite does exactly what the priest would have been required to do. As the priest who inherited from the Israelite would have been required to set aside the lambs on behalf of the first-births of the asses, since they were born in the possession of the Israelite, the present Israelite does the same. And just as the priest would have kept the lambs for himself, being a priest, so the Israelite who inherited from the priest retains these for himself, for it is as if the priest had bequeathed the lambs to him.');">31 R'Nahman [further] reported in the name of Rabbah the son of Abbuha: If an Israelite who possessed tebel32

כא מפריש עליהן עשרה שיין ומעשרן והן שלו

כב ואמר רב נחמן אמר רבה בר אבוה ישראל שהיו לו טבלים ממורחין בתוך ביתו שנפלו מבית אבי אמו כהן ואותו אבי אמו כהן נפלו לו מבית אבי אמו ישראל מעשרן והן שלו

22 evenly piled up; in his house, which fell to him [as an inheritance] from his maternal grandfathers a priest, to whom it had fallen from his maternal grandfather33 an Israelite, he tithes it and it is his.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He must give the tithe because it belonged to an Israelite and still belongs to an Israelite. But it is retained by him, since it came to him from a priest and therefore he sells the priestly gift to a priest and the tithes to a Levite.');">34

כג וצריכא דאי אשמועינן קמייתא משום דקא מפריש וקאי

23 And it was necessary [to teach both cases].

כד אבל הכא מתנות שלא הורמו כמי שלא הורמו דמיין אימא לא

כה ואי אשמועינן הכא דאפשר לעשורי מיניה וביה דהא מנח אבל התם כיון דשה מעלמא בעי אתויי ומפריש וקאי אימא לא צריכא

25 For had R'Nahman taught only the first case, [I might have assumed that the reason was] because it was already set aside.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The lambs and the asses belong to different species and nothing special is required to be done; therefore it is as if the asses and the lambs had fallen to him from his maternal grandfather, a priest, already separated.');">35

כו אמר רבי שמואל בר נתן אמר רבי חנינא הלוקח טבלים

26 But, here, in the second case, since gifts for the prie which have not yet been taken [by the priest] are not considered as having been given, I might have said it is not so.36 And if he had only taught the second case, [I might have assumed that the reason why the tithes are his] is because it is possible to tithe tebel as it is, for it lies [in one place],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' With the parts to be separated, and therefore it is considered as if it had been already separated and tithed and in the priest's possession, before it fell to the Israelite.');">37 but in the other case, since the lamb comes from another place, we do not say that it is as if it were already set aside,38 and therefore I might have said that it was not [as stated]. It was therefore necessary [to state both cases]. R'Samuel B'Nathan reported in the name of R'Hanina: If one who buys untithed grain

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