Bekhorot 4

מאי לאו אעובר

Now, does this<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The statement that we punish him because he is not permitted to sell to a heathen.');">¹</span>

לא אבהמה

not refer to the case of an embryo?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., where an Israelite gives a pregnant animal to a heathen to look after, both sharing the offspring while the animal itself belongs to the Israelite, the words 'although it is not permitted' referring to the embryo. We punish him by making him give the value of the embryo to the Priest. Hence we can deduce that one is forbidden to sell an embryo to a heathen.');">²</span>

והא דמיו קתני

- No, it refers to the animal.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The words 'although it is not permitted' refer to the animal, but an embryo is allowed to be sold to a heathen. uhns');">³</span>

תני

But it does not say 'damaw' ['its value']?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The masculine ending of the Hebrew word , proves that it refers to the embryo. vnvc');">⁴</span>

דמיה

- Read 'dameha'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' With a feminine ending referring to (animal) , which is a feminine noun.');">⁵</span>

והא נותן כל דמיו לכהן קתני ואי בהמה כהן מאי עבידתיה

But does it not say 'and he gives its whole value to the Priest'?

הכא במאי עסקינן כגון דיהיב ליה בהמה מעברתא לפטומה דמיגו דקנסינן ליה אבהמה קנסינן ליה אעובר

Now if [the words 'its value'] refer to the animal, what has the priest to do with it?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Priest having no claim on the animal itself, only on its first-born.');">⁶</span>

אמר רב אשי ת"ש

- [No.]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' We cannot deduce from here the prohibition to sell an embryo to a heathen.');">⁷</span>

רבי יהודה מתיר בשבורה מפני שאינה יכולה להתרפאות

We are dealing here with a case where e.g. , [an Israelite] gave him a pregnant animal to fatten;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Israelite and the heathen share the offspring and any increase in the animal's value after it is sold.');">⁸</span>

הא יכולה להתרפאות אסר והא עובר נמי כיכול להתרפאות דמי

since we punish him for [selling the] animal [to a gentile,] we also punish him for [selling] an embryo.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But elsewhere, R. Judah may hold that an embryo may be sold to a gentile, just as he allows the selling of a maimed animal.');">⁹</span>

שמע מינה

Said R'Ashi, Come and hear: R'Judah permits the selling of a maimed [animal].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supra p. 2, n. 8.');">¹⁰</span>

ואיכא דמתני לה אמתני'

because it cannot be cured.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To enable it to do work on the Sabbath.');">¹¹</span>

והמוכר לו אע"פ שאינו רשאי

But if it could be cured, i would be forbidden.

לימא מתני' דלא כרבי יהודה דתנן

Now, is not an embryo also like [an animal] which can be cured?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For in time, after its birth, it will be fit for work.');">¹²</span>

רבי יהודה מתיר בשבורה

Deduce, therefore, from this [that it is forbidden to sell an embryo to a heathen according to R'Judah].

אפילו תימא רבי יהודה שבורה לאו היינו אורחיה עובר היינו אורחיה:

Some there are who referred [R'Judah's ruling on an embryo] to our Mishnah:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And do not, in the first place, propound a query which they subsequently attempt to solve from the MISHNAH:');">¹³</span>

ת"ש רבי יהודה אומר

AND WHO SELLS [AN EMBRYO] TO HIM [A HEATHEN] ALTHOUGH HE IS NOT PERMITTED.

המקבל בהמה מן העובד כוכבים וילדה מעלין אותו בשויו ונותן חצי דמיו לכהן

May we say that the Mishnah is not in agreement with R'Judah?

והנותן לו בקבלה אע"פ שאינו רשאי קונסין אותו עד עשרה בדמיו ונותן כל דמיו לכהן

For we have learnt: R'Judah permits the selling of a maimed [animal]!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And an embryo may be compared with a maimed animal since in both cases the animals are unable to work, and therefore R. Judah will hold that an embryo may be sold to a heathen, contrary to the ruling of our MISHNAH:');">¹⁴</span>

מאי לאו אעובר

- You can even say [that the Mishnah] agrees with R'Judah.

לא אבהמה

For the case of a maimed [animal] is not a frequent occurrence<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As it is an unusual occurrence, R. Judah permits its selling, and we do not fear lest one will sell in other circumstances also.');">¹⁵</span>

והא דמיו קתני

whereas the case of an embryo is a frequent occurrence.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If we therefore permit in this case, one may come to sell in other cases also.');">¹⁶</span>

תני

Come and hear: R'Judah Says: if one received an animal from a heathen to look after and it gave birth [to a firstling], we settle [with the gentile partner] for what it is worth and half of its value is given to the priest.

דמיה

Or if [an Israelite] giv animal] to him to look after, although he is not permitted to do so, we punish him [by making him, redeem the animal] even up to ten times its value and he gives its whole value to the Priest.

והא נותן כל דמיו לכהן קתני ואי בהמה כהן מאי עבידתיה

Now, does this not refer to the case of an embryo? - No, it refers to the animal.

הכא במאי עסקינן כגון דיהיב בהמה מעברתא לפטומה דמיגו דקנסינן ליה אבהמה קנסינן ליה אעובר

But does it not say 'damaw'?

אמר רב אשי ת"ש

['its value'? ] - Read 'dameha'.

ר' יהודה מתיר בשבורה מפני שאינה יכולה להתרפאות

But does it not say 'and he gives its whole value to the Priest'?

הא יכולה להתרפאות אסור והאי נמי כיכול להתרפאות דמי

Now if [the words 'its value'] refer to the animal, what has the Priest to do with it? - We are dealing here with a case where e.g. , an Israelite gave him a pregnant animal to fatten, and since we punish him for [selling] the animal [to a gentile,] we also punish him for [selling] an embryo.

שמע מינה

Said R'Ashi, Come and hear: R'Judah permits the selling of a maimed [animal] because it cannot be cured.

איבעיא להו

But if it could be cured it would be forbidden.

מכר בהמה לעובריה מאי

And an embryo is on a par with an animal that can be cured.

תיבעי לר' יהודה תיבעי לרבנן

Deduce therefore from this [that according to R'Judah it is not allowed to sell an embryo to a heathen].

תיבעי לרבי יהודה

The following query was put forward: If one sold an animal for its [future] offspring [to a gentile,]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The animal itself, however, he does not sell.');">¹⁷</span>

עד כאן לא קא שרי ר' יהודה אלא בשבורה דלא אתיא לאיחלופי אבל שלמה דאתיא לאיחלופי אסר

what is the ruling?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Should we punish him by forcing him to redeem the animal for having broken the rule prohibiting the selling of large cattle to a gentile?');">¹⁸</span>

או דלמא ומה שבורה דפסקה מיניה וכל שכן שלמה דלא פסקה מיניה

You can put this question to R'Judah and you can put this query to the Rabbis.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who differ from R. Judah with reference to a maimed animal.');">¹⁹</span>

תיבעי לרבנן

You can put the query to R'Judah thus: are we to say that R'Judah only permits the case of a maimed [animal]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supra p. 4, n. 22.');">²⁰</span>

עד כאן לא קאסרי רבנן אלא בשבורה דפסקה מיניה אבל שלמה דלא פסקה מיניה שרו

because he [the Israelite] will not come to confuse it with another animal and sell it [to a heathen], but in the case of a whole animal,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As in our query, he may think that it is permissible to sell to a gentile a whole animal, since here, too, we allow him to sell an animal for its future offspring.');">²¹</span>

או דלמא ומה שבורה דלא אתיא לאיחלופי אסרי וכל שכן שלמה דאתיא לאיחלופי

where he may confuse it with another, [he will say that] it is forbidden, or are we to say that perhaps, if in the case of a maimed [animal] where he severs all connection with it,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Israelite leaving nothing for himself after selling.');">²²</span>

וטעמא דרבנן משום הכי הוא

[it is allowed,] how much more so in the case of a whole animal where he has not severed all connection with it?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the animal itself belongs to the Israelite and is not yet pregnant, and when the offspring is born, it will be in the possession of the heathen.');">²³</span>

והתניא אמרו לו לרבי יהודה

You can put this query to the Rabbis, thus: are we to say that the Rabbis only prohibit in the case of a maimed [animal] because he severs all connection with it,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The selling her is complete and, therefore, there is the fear that one might sell also a whole animal to a heathen.');">²⁴</span>

והלא מרביעין עליה ויולדת

but in the case of a whole animal, where he does not sever his connection from the animal, it is permissible; or are we perhaps to say that if in the case of a maimed [animal], where he will not come to confuse it [with another animal], they forbid [the selling to a heathen,] how much more so in the case of a whole animal, is there the fear [of confusion.]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For another animal, where the selling is complete and the Israelite has no share in the animal, unlike the circumstances in our query, where the animal still belongs to the Israelite and there is as yet no offspring.');">²⁵</span>

אלמא משום עובריה הוא

But is the reason of the Rabbis because of what [is stated] here?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that the above query naturally arises.');">²⁶</span>

הכי קא"ל

Has it not been taught: They, [the Rabbis,] said to R'Judah:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In arguing why they forbid the selling of a sheburah to a heathen.');">²⁷</span>

טעמא דידן משום דאתיא לאיחלופי בבהמה

Is it not possible to couple [an animal with a broken foot] so that it gives birth?

אלא את מ"ט שרית משום דאין יכולה להתרפאות כמאן דזבנה לשחיטה דמי

Consequently, the reason is on account of the [future] offspring?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' We may therefore solve from here our query by concluding that according to the Rabbis it is forbidden to sell an animal to a heathen for the sake of its future offspring, and according to R. Judah it is permissible.');">²⁸</span>

והלא מרביעין עליה ויולדת וכיון דמרביעין עליה ויולדת משהא לה

- This is what the Rabbis said [to R'Judah:] 'Our reason [why we forbid the selling of a maimed animal] is because he may come to confuse it with another [animal].

ואמר להו

But as for you, why do you permit a maimed [animal]?

לכשתלד דלא מקבלת זכר

[It is] because it cannot be cured, and therefore it is as if he had sold it to be slaughtered.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Therefore there can be no fear that one might substitute another animal which is not to be slaughtered and sell it to a gentile.');">²⁹</span>

תא שמע

But do we not couple it and it gives birth?

והנותן לו בקבלה ולא קתני אע"פ שאינו רשאי

And since we couple it and it gives birth, he will detain it.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the sake of its offspring, and one who sees it in the house of a heathen at the end of a year or two may come to the conclusion that it is permissible to sell an animal which is not for slaughter to a heathen.');">³⁰</span>

וליטעמיך המשתתף לו דלא קתני הכי נמי דרשאי

And thereupon he replied to them: 'When it gives birth,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' You will then inform me.');">³¹</span>

והא אמר אבוה דשמואל

for [in fact] it cannot take a male [for coupling purposes]'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because of the animal's disability.');">³²</span>

אסור לאדם שיעשה שותפות עם העובד כוכבים שמא יתחייב לו שבועה ונשבע לו בשם עבודת כוכבים שלו והתורה אמרה

Come and hear: OR AN ISRAELITE WHO GIVES [HIS ASS] TO HIM [A HEATHEN] TO LOOK AFTER'And it does not say 'although he is not permitted'!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Now here the animal was sold to the heathen for its offspring and therefore we can infer that it is permissible to sell an animal to a gentile for its future offspring.');">³³</span>

לא ישמע על פיך

- But, according to your argument, when it says: OR WHO FORMS A PARTNERSHIP WITH HIM, since it does not say [it is forbidden,] are we to infer that it is allowed?

אלא תנא מכירה והוא הדין לשותפות ה"נ

Has not the father of Samuel said: One must not form a partnership with a heathen lest he [the heathen] will be bound to take an oath to him and he will swear in the name of his idol and the Torah says: [And make no mention of the name of other gods.] neither let it be heard out of thy mouth?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXIII, 23. 'Out of thy mouth', caused by thy mouth, i.e., when you are responsible for the heathen's oath, which shows that it is not allowed.');">³⁴</span>

תנא מכירה והוא הדין לקבלנות

You must, therefore, admit that when [the Mishnah] lays down that selling [to a heathen] is forbidden<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The passage in the Mishnah ALTHOUGH HE IS NOT PERMITTED.');">³⁵</span>

ומאי שנא מכירה דנקט

the same ruling applies to a partnership [with a heathen].

דעיקר מכירה היא

Likewise here also when [the Mishnah] lays down that selling [is prohibited] the same ruling applies to kablanuth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where the heathen undertakes to take care of the Israelite's animal in return for its offspring.');">³⁶</span>

תא שמע רבי יהודה אומר

Why then does the Mishnah cite [the prohibition] specifically in connection with selling?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And not in connection with the other cases enumerated in the MISHNAH:');">³⁷</span>

המקבל בהמה מן העובד כוכבים וילדה מעלין אותו בשוויו ונותן חצי דמיו לכהן

- Because the main prohibition refers to the selling.

והנותן בקבלה אע"פ שאינו רשאי קונסין אותו עד עשרה בדמיו ונותן כל דמיו לכהן

Come and hear: R'Judah said: If one receives an animal from a heathen to look after and it gives birth [to a first-born] we settle [wit the gentile partner] for what it is worth and half of its value is given to the priest.

וחכמים אומרים

If again an Israelite gi an animal [to a heathen] to look after, although [he knows that] this is not permitted, we fine him even up to ten times its value and he gives its whole value to the Priest.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supra 2b.');">³⁸</span>

כל זמן שיד עובד כוכבים באמצע פטורה מן הבכורה

But the Sages say, so long a gentile has a share in it,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'has a hand in the middle'.');">³⁹</span> it is exempt from the law of the first-born.