Chullin 273:1
בקדושה ומכירה והנך נפישין
sacred,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The firstling and the first of the fleece have not to be consecrated, the former because it is sacred from the womb and the latter because it has no sanctity whatsoever, whereas the cattle tithe must be consecrated with the rod.');"><sup>1</sup></span>
אתיא גיזה גיזה כתיב הכא (דברים יח, ד) ראשית גז צאנך תתן לו וכתיב התם (איוב לא, כ) ומגז כבשי יתחמם מה להלן כבשים
and it is written there: And if he were not warned with the fleece of my sheep;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job XXXI, 20.');"><sup>5</sup></span>
אלא מעתה נוצה של עזים ליחייב
nor shear!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' These verbs stated at the head of the sentence imply that the prohibition is general and not restricted to the specific objects mentioned in the verse. It follows then that it is forbidden to shear 'the fleece' (i.e., the hair) of an ox; consequently by analogy with the firstling 'the fleece' of an ox should also be subject to the law of the first of the fleece.');"><sup>8</sup></span>
בעינן גיזה וליכא
- Scripture says: 'Thou shalt give him', and not for his sack.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XVIII, 4. It must be given to the priest for his use, i.e., for clothing; the fleece of an ox, however, is not usually made into clothing but used for making sacks.');"><sup>9</sup></span>
מאן שמעת ליה האי סברא ר' יוסי הא מודי ר' יוסי במידי דאורחיה
If so, then goats' hair should also be subject to this law, should it not?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since goats' hair is suitable to be made into cloth.');"><sup>10</sup></span>
אלא כדאמר ר' יהושע בן לוי
- It is necessary that it be shorn, which is not the case [with goats' hair].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The common practice is to pluck the hair off the goats and not to shear it. zzd');"><sup>11</sup></span>
(דברים יח, ה) לעמוד לשרת דבר הראוי לשירות
But whom, have you heard, holding this view?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the words of the Torah must be given their strictest meaning, so that the word 'fleece' from root to shear, implies only what is shorn.');"><sup>12</sup></span>
דבר הראוי לשירות
And R'Jose agrees that what is the general practice [is included]!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And since goats' hair is generally plucked, what is plucked is deemed to be its 'fleece' and therefore should be subject to the law of the first of the fleece!');"><sup>14</sup></span>
כבשים שצמרן קשה פטורים מראשית הגז שנאמר ומגז כבשי יתחמם
indicates something serviceable for ministering, so here too, it must be something serviceable for ministering.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the fleece referred to in the preceding verse 4 must be such as could be used for the priestly robes of service, and the blue wool in the priestly garments was of sheep's wool and not of goats' hair.');"><sup>17</sup></span>
הגוזז את העזים פטור ושוטף את הרחלים חייב
Sheep with hard wool are exempt from the law of the first of the fleece, since it is written: And if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Job. XXXI, 20. Hence only soft wool which gives warmth is subject to the law of the first of the fleece, but not hard wool; this rule is established by reason of the analogy through the expression 'fleece'.');"><sup>19</sup></span>
לא קשיא הא רבנן והא ר' יוסי
One [Baraitha] teaches: If a man shears the [hair of] goats or washes the sheep [and plucks their wool] he i exempt from the first of the fleece.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The usual practice is to shear the wool of the sheep, and to pluck the hair of the goats after they have been washed in water so that the hair should come away more easily. Any person who acts contrary to these practices is exempt from giving the first of the fleece.');"><sup>20</sup></span>
(ויקרא יט, ט) לקט קצירך ולא לקט קיטוף
There is, however, no difficulty; for one [Baraitha] sets forth R'Jose's view,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first Baraitha represents the view of R. Jose who applies the strictest meanings to the terms of Scripture.');"><sup>21</sup></span>
א"ל רב אחא בריה דרבא לרב אשי
R'Aha the son of Raba said to R'Ashi: R'Jose nevertheless agrees that what is the general practice [is included].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And with many vegetables, e.g., onions and garlic, plucking is the normal method of 'ingathering', and renders the field subject to the law of 'the corner'.');"><sup>25</sup></span>
(ויקרא יט, ט) לקצור תולש מנין
The text therefore states: When thou reapest.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXIII, 22. This as well as the 'preceding expression 'to reap' is redundant in the verse and serves to include every manner of 'harvesting' which is the usual practice with regard to the particular plants.');"><sup>27</sup></span>
(ויקרא כג, כב) בקוצרך
If rows of onions are planted among vegetables, R'Jose says: 'The corner' must be left in each [row].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of all vegetables only onions and garlic are subject to the law of 'the corner'. Here, since the other vegetables separate the rows of onions from each other, each row, maintains R. Jose, is deemed a separate field and therefore each is subject to the law of 'the corner'. It is clear, however, that that which is usually plucked, as onions, is subject to the law of the corners. itm');"><sup>29</sup></span>
פאה מכל אחד ואחד וחכמים אומרים
Now Beth Shammai's view is clear, for [we see that] two sheep are also referred to as zon,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' , 'flock'; in the verse quoted by him in the Mishnah; Isa. VII, 21.');"><sup>30</sup></span>
אמר קרא (שמואל א כה, יח) עשויות שעושות ב' מצות ראשית הגז ומתנות
Then according to your suggestion [it ca also be asked:] Is not one [sheep] subject to the priestly dues? - Rather, said R'Ashi, the verse says: 'Five sheep ready dressed', that is, they bid their owner to be ready, addressing him, 'Up, perform the commandment'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This can only refer to the law of the first of the fleece for which, as is apparent from the verse, there must be a minimum of five sheep; for the law of the firstling and the priestly dues apply even to a single sheep.');"><sup>33</sup></span>
אימא
It was taught: R'Ishmael son of R'Jose says in the name of his father,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So according to Rashi, Alfasi and MSS. In cur. edd. 'In the school of R. Ishmael b. R. Jose it was said in the name of his father'. itm');"><sup>34</sup></span>
ולטעמיך מתנות חדא מי לא מיחייבא
views been based on words from the Torah and Beribbi's<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A title of honour applied to scholars of eminence; here applied to R. Jose. V. supra p. 52, and J.E. III, p. 52.');"><sup>37</sup></span>
אלא אמר רב אשי
view on words from the prophets, we should nevertheless have had to adopt Beribbi's view,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since it is assumed for the present that Beribbi's view is in the nature of a compromise, i.e., not so many as five as Beth Hillel would have it; nor so few as two as Beth Shammai, but four.');"><sup>38</sup></span>
עשויות שמעשות את בעליהן ואומרות לו
how much more now that their views are based on words from the Prophets and Beribbi's view on words of the Torah! But has not a Master said,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Pes. 21a; Naz. 53a; B.K. 116a.');"><sup>39</sup></span>
קום עשה מצוה
A compromise of a third [independent opinion] is no true compromise?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And cannot be accepted as the final decision. Here Beribbi's view is not a true compromise, for it does not adopt any of the arguments of the conflicting Rabbis, but constitutes a third independent opinion opposed in its entirety to each of the other opinions.');"><sup>40</sup></span>