Chullin 3

מתני׳ <big><strong>הכל</strong></big> שוחטין ושחיטתן כשרה חוץ מחרש שוטה וקטן שמא יקלקלו את שחיטתן

<big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>ALL MAY SLAUGHTER,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. an animal or a bird according to the Jewish ritual.');">¹</span>

וכולן ששחטו ואחרים רואין אותן שחיטתן כשרה:

AND THEIR SLAUGHTERING IS VALID, EXCEPT A DEAF - MUTE, AN IMBECILE OR A MINOR, LEST THEY INVALIDATE THEIR SLAUGHTERING; AND IF ANY OF THESE SLAUGHTERED WHILE OTHERS WERE STANDING OVER THEM, THEIR SLAUGHTERING IS VALID.

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> הכל שוחטין לכתחלה ושחיטתן כשרה דיעבד

STANDING OVER THEM, THEIR SLAUGHTERING IS VALID.

אמר ליה רב אחא בריה דרבא לרב אשי

<big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>The expression ALL MAY SLAUGHTER [implies a right] in the first instance, yet the expression AND THEIR SLAUGHTERING IS VALID [implies merely a sanction] after the act!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The expressions are apparently contradictory, for whereas in the former a direct permission is granted, in the latter it is only after the act that the slaughtering is considered valid. This contradiction is not attempted to be answered until p. 3 infra; meanwhile R. Aha questions the soundness of the implications.');">²</span>

וכל הכל לכתחלה הוא

- R'Aha the son of Raba said to R'Ashi: Is it correct that the expression 'ALL MAY.'

אלא מעתה הכל ממירין אחד האנשים ואחד הנשים ה"נ דלכתחלה הוא

[implies a right] in the first instance?

והא כתיב

If so, [consider the Mishnah]: 'All may change.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. a consecrated beast for a common beast. Cf. Tem. 2a.');">³</span>

(ויקרא כז, י) לא יחליפנו ולא ימיר אותו טוב ברע או רע בטוב

whether man or woman'; is that also a right in the first instance?

התם כדקתני טעמא

Is it not written: He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXVII, 10.');">⁴</span>

לא שהאדם רשאי להמיר אלא שאם המיר מומר וסופג את הארבעים

- No,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The expression used, generally implying a right in the first instance, is in this particular case expressly limited.');">⁵</span>

אלא הכל מעריכין ונערכין נודרין ונידרין הכי נמי דלכתחלה

for there the Mishnah goes on to explain: 'Not that a person is allowed to change, but only that, if he has changed, the change is effective and he receives forty stripes'.

והא כתיב

Then, [consider this Mishnah]: 'All may vow another's valuation and their valuation may be vowed by others, and they may vow another's worth and their worth may be vowed by others';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. 'Arak. 2a. The reference is to Lev. XXVII, which deals with the law of one who vows to offer to the sanctuary the value of any human being, which may include himself. The difference between 'valuation' and 'worth' is that the former term is applied to vows in the formula of lrg which the word - 'valuation' - is used. The amount in cases of valuation is fixed by the Torah.');">⁶</span>

(דברים כג, כג) וכי תחדל לנדור לא יהיה בך חטא וכתיב

is that also a right i the first instance?

(קהלת ה, ד) טוב אשר לא תדור משתדור ולא תשלם

Is it not written: And if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXIII, 23. This verse implies that it is sinful, or at least not praiseworthy, to vow, as the quotation from Eccl. V, 4, as explained by the Baraitha, clearly shows.');">⁷</span>

ותניא

And it is further written: Better it is that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Eccl. ibid.');">⁸</span>

טוב מזה ומזה שאינו נודר כל עיקר דברי רבי מאיר

And it has been taught: Better than both<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. one who vows and pays and one who vows and does not pay.');">⁹</span>

ר' יהודה אומר

is he who does not vow at all; this is the opinion of R'Meir.

טוב מזה ומזה נודר ומשלם

R'Judah says Better than both<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. one who vows and does not pay and who does not vow at all.');">¹⁰</span>

ואפי' רבי יהודה לא קאמר אלא באומר הרי זו אבל

is he who vows and pays. Now, even R'Judah refers only to the case of one who says.' Behold, let this be a sacrifice',