Bekhorot 56

Chapter 56

א מתני' נמי דיקא ר' מאיר אומר הואיל ונשחט שלא על פי מומחה אסור שמע מינה קנסא קא קניס רבי מאיר שמע מינה
1 I can prove it from our<big><b>MISHNAH:</b></big> <span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the controversy refers to bodily blemishes.');"><sup>1</sup></span> R'MEIR SAYS: SINCE IT WAS NOT SLAUGHTERED ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTIONS OF AN EXPERT IT IS FORBIDDEN.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Now, since R. Meir adduces as the reason for prohibiting that we penalize the Israelite because he did not show the blemished firstling to the expert before its killing, therefore if the difference of opinion applied also to the case of withered spots in the eye, then surely he would have given a more effective reason why he forbids, i.e., that the eye is liable to vary. Consequently, the controversy relates to bodily blemishes, and according to R. Meir we forbid in these cases on account of the case of withered spots in the eye, punishing him for not showing it to the expert.');"><sup>2</sup></span> Deduce from here that R'Meir does indeed penalize him. This stands proved.
ב איבעיא להו מפני המשתנין וכולהו משתני או דלמא איכא דמשתני ואיכא דלא משתני
2 The question was raised: Does [the statement above] 'on account of those blemishes that change', imply that all [the withered spots in the eye] change, or that some change and others do not change?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And yet in the case of bodily blemishes we forbid, on account of withered spots in the eye.');"><sup>3</sup></span> What is the practical difference?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even in cases where the spots do not change, since we cannot be sure which change and which do not, the animals are forbidden in all cases if they are not examined previous to their killing!');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ג למאי נפקא מינה לאכחושי סהדי אי אמרת כולהו משתני שקרי נינהו ואי אמרת איכא דמשתני ואיכא דלא משתני סמכינן עלייהו מאי
3 - Whether we should declare the witnesses false or not.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If he killed a firstling without previously consulting an expert, a permanent blemish being discovered now, and witnesses declare that the spots in the eye did not change and that they were the same when the animal was alive.');"><sup>5</sup></span> If you say that in all cases withered spots in the eye change, then they are false.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And it is forbidden unanimously.');"><sup>6</sup></span> But if you say that there are some that change and other do not, we rely on them. What is the ruling? - Come and hear. For Rabbah B'Bar Hana reported in the name of R'Johanan: R'Josiah of Usha told me: 'Come and I will show you withered spots in the eye that change'.
ד ת"ש דאמר רבה בר בר חנה שח לי רבי יאשיה דמן אושא בא ואראך בדוקין שהן משתנים מדקאמר ליה בא ואראך מכלל דאיכא דמשתני ואיכא דלא משתני:
4 Now, since he said to him 'Come and I will show you', this implies that there are some that change and others which do not change. IF ONE WHO WAS NOT AN EXPERT SEES THE FIRSTLING AND IT WAS SLAUGHTERED BY HIS INSTRUCTIONS, IN SUCH A CASE IT SHALL BE BURIED. May we say that the Mishnah states anonymously that the ruling is in accordance with R'Meir?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For although after its killing it is discovered to possess a permanent blemish, nevertheless it is buried, which is according to the view of R. Meir, who punishes the Israelite in such circumstances.');"><sup>7</sup></span> - Perhaps it refers to a case of withered spots in the eye, and thus it will be according to the view of all the authorities concerned.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And spots in the eye are liable to change, and therefore the Mishnah says it shall be buried.');"><sup>8</sup></span>
ה מי שאינו מומחה וראה את הבכור ונשחט על פיו הרי זה יקבר וישלם מביתו: לימא תנן סתמא כר' מאיר דלמא בדוקין שבעין ודברי הכל:
5 AND HE SHALL MAKE REPARATION OUT OF HIS OWN ESTATE. A Tanna taught: When he pays [the priest], he pays a quarter [of the loss] for [a firstling of] small cattle and a half for [a firstling of] large cattle.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He gives a half because it is money of doubtful ownership, as one might say that the Israelite made the priest suffer a complete loss, for had an expert seen the animal when it was alive, he might have permitted it, whereas now it has to be buried. On the other hand, perhaps there was no permanent blemish and an expert would not have permitted it, and also it may be that the firstling would have died without a blemish appearing on it at all.');"><sup>9</sup></span> What is the reason [for this disparity in reparation]?
ו תנא כשהוא משלם משלם רביע לדקה ומחצה לגסה מאי טעמא אמר רב פפא זה הפסד מרובה וזה הפסד מועט
6 In one case the loss is great, whereas in the other it is small. If this be a fact, let him pay [the priest] in proportion to the loss?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In one case a half of its larger value and in the other also, half of its smaller value.');"><sup>10</sup></span> - R'Huna B'Manoah reported in the name of R'Aha B'Ika: They inflicted on him only [a quarter of the loss] because of the trouble of raising small cattle.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The firstling saved the priest considerable trouble as small cattle can only be raised on untilled land. Moreover, if the Israelite had shown it to another, he might not have permitted it and then the priest would have had to attend to it until it became blemished; hence the reparation is only a quarter. Another explanation why he only receives a quarter of its value is because he transgressed the prohibition enacted against raising small cattle in the Holy Land (v. B.K. 79b) , and we are therefore dealing here with a case where it was the firstling of a priest's animal and the priest was raising small cattle.');"><sup>11</sup></span> <big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>IF A JUDGE IN GIVING JUDGMENT HAS DECLARED INNOCENT A PERSON WHO WAS REALLY LIABLE OR MADE LIABLE A PERSON WHO WAS REALLY INNOCENT, DECLARED DEFILED A THING WHICH WAS LEVITICALLY CLEAN OR DECLARED CLEAN A THING WHICH WAS REALLY DEFILED, HIS DECISION STANDS BUT HE HAS TO MAKE REPARATION OUT OF HIS OWN ESTATE. IF, HOWEVER, THE JUDGE WAS AN EXPERT FOR THE BETH DIN,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Court of Law. Another version is: An expert for the public.');"><sup>12</sup></span>
ז אי הכי לפום פסידא לישלם אמר רב הונא בר מנוח משמיה דרב אחא בר איקא משום גזירת מגדלי בהמה דקה נגעו בה:
7 HE IS ABSOLVED FROM MAKING REPARATION. <big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>May we say, the anonymous statement of the Mishnah is in accordance with R'Meir who is prepared to adjudicate liability for damage done indirectly?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. B.K. 100a. And here the judge by his words caused a damage.');"><sup>13</sup></span> - R'Ela reported in the name of Rab: [We suppose that] he personally executed the judgment by his own hand.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Taking the money from one and giving it to the other party of the suit.');"><sup>14</sup></span>
ח <strong><big>מתני'</big></strong> דן את הדין זיכה את החייב וחייב את הזכאי טימא את הטהור וטיהר את הטמא מה שעשה עשוי וישלם מביתו ואם היה מומחה לב"ד פטור מלשלם:
8 Now, this is quite intelligible where the judge made liable a person really innocent, [the explanation being] e.g. , where he personally executed the judgment by his own hand; but where he declared innocent the person who was really liable, how are we to understand it? For if you say it means where he said to him: 'You are innocent', he does not personally execute the judgment by his own hand! - Said Rabina: The case deals here where e.g. [the creditor] had a pledge and [the judge] took it from him.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And exempted the debtor from any liability.');"><sup>15</sup></span>
ט <strong><big>גמ'</big></strong> לימא תנן סתמא כר' מאיר דדאין דינא דגרמי א"ר אילעא אמר רב כגון שנשא ונתן ביד
9 The case also where he declared defiled a thing which was really clean, [can be explained], where he touched clean things with a [dead] reptile;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In order that his decision might stand and that there should be no doubt in the matter.');"><sup>16</sup></span> and the case where he declared clean a thing which was really defiled, [can be explained] where he mixed them with his fruits.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He took defiled fruits and declared them clean and then proceeded to mix them with fruit belonging to another, thus doing something direct in causing the damage.');"><sup>17</sup></span> <big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>IT HAPPENED ONCE THAT A COW'S WOMB WAS TAKEN AWAY AND R'TARFON GAVE IT TO THE DOGS TO EAT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., he caused it to be given to the dogs, having declared the animal trefah.');"><sup>18</sup></span>
י בשלמא חייב את הזכאי כגון שנשא ונתן ביד אלא זיכה את החייב היכי דמי אי דאמר ליה פטור אתה והא לא נשא ונתן ביד אמר רבינא כגון שהיה לו משכון ונטלו הימנו:
10 THE MATTER CAME BEFORE THE SAGES AT JABNEH AND THEY PERMITTED THE ANIMAL [FOR] THEODOS THE PHYSICIAN HAD SAID: NO COW NOR SOW LEAVES ALEXANDRIA OF EGYPT BEFORE ITS WOMB IS CUT OUT IN ORDER THAT IT MAY NOT BREED.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For their cows and sows were highly rated, and therefore, to prevent them breeding elsewhere and thus compel buyers to come to Alexandria, they used to cut out the womb, and the animal did not suffer a fatal injury on account of this. We see, therefore, that the animal does not become trefah where the womb is absent.');"><sup>19</sup></span> SAID R'TARFON: 'YOUR ASS IS GONE, TARFON'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In order to make reparation for the cow which he had mistakenly made trefah.');"><sup>20</sup></span> SAID R'AKIBA TO HIM: YOU ARE ABSOLVED, FOR YOU ARE AN EXPERT AND WHOEVER IS AN EXPERT FOR THE BETH DIN IS ABSOLVED FROM REPARATION. <big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>And why does not [R'Akiba] infer this<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Absolving R. Tarfon from reparation.');"><sup>21</sup></span> from the fact that he had erred in a matter where the Mishnah is explicit, and one who errs in a matter where the Mishnah is explicit can reconsider his decision?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And therefore even if R. Tarfon were not an expert, he should be absolved, for there exists an explicit Mishnah in Hul. (54a) stating that an absent womb in an animal does not render the animal trefah. In this case therefore, if the cow were in existence, R. Tarfon could have permitted it, and consequently the person who gave it to the dogs to eat is himself responsible for the loss, v. supra n. 1.');"><sup>22</sup></span>
יא טימא את הטהור דאגע בהו שרץ טיהר את הטמא שעירבן עם פירותיו:
11 - He gave him one reason and then another: One reason for absolving is because you gave a wrong decision against an explicit law in the<big><b>MISHNAH:</b></big>
יב <big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> ומעשה בפרה שניטלה האם שלה והאכילה רבי טרפון לכלבים ובא מעשה לפני חכמים ביבנה והתירוה
12 And another is that even if your mistake was made against the common practice,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'weighing of opinion', in a case concerning which there are opposing views among Tannaim or Amoraim no definite ruling existing, but there being an established practice.');"><sup>23</sup></span>
יג ואמר תודוס הרופא אין פרה וחזירה יוצאה מאלכסנדריא של מצרים שאין חותכין האם שלה בשביל שלא תלד
13 you are an expert for the Beth din, and whoever is an expert for the Beth din is absolved from reparation. <big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>IF ONE TAKES PAYMENT FOR SEEING THE FIRSTLINGS, THEY MUST NOT BE SLAUGHTERED BY HIS INSTRUCTIONS,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As we apprehend that he might be influenced to permit this by the hope of pecuniary gain.');"><sup>24</sup></span>
יד אמר רבי טרפון הלכה חמורך טרפון אמר לו ר' עקיבא ר' טרפון אתה מומחה לב"ד וכל המומחה לב"ד פטור מלשלם:
14 UNLESS HE WAS AN EXPERT
טו <big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> ותיפוק ליה דטעה בדבר משנה וטעה בדבר משנה חוזר
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טז חדא ועוד קאמר חדא דטעה בדבר משנה חוזר ועוד א"נ בשיקול הדעת טעיתה מומחה לב"ד אתה וכל המומחה לב"ד פטור מלשלם:
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יז <big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> הנוטל שכר להיות רואה את הבכורות אין שוחטין על פיו אא"כ היה מומחה
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