Chullin 44
ומה בני יונה שלא הוכשרו בגדולים הוכשרו בקטנים תורים שהוכשרו בגדולים אינו דין שהוכשרו בקטנים
If pigeons which are disqualified for sacrifice when fully grown are nevertheless qualified when small, turtle doves which are qualified when fully grown should surely be qualified when small! It is, therefore, written: 'turtle doves', to indicate that only the fully grown are qualified for sacrifice, but not the small.
(ויקרא א, יד) תורים גדולים ולא קטנים
For [without the Biblical direction] I would have argued by an a fortiori argument thus: If turtle doves which are disqualified for sacrifice when small are nevertheless qualified when fully grown, pigeons which are qualified for sacrifice when small should surely be qualified when fully grown! It is, therefore, written, young pigeons, to indicate that only the small are qualified for sacrifice, but not the fully grown.
בני יונה קטנים ולא גדולים
Where is this indicated in the verse? - Raba explained: Because Scripture should not have omitted to state at least once [the expression], 'Of young turtle doves or of pigeons'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The fact that 'young' always precedes 'pigeons' establishes the proposition that pigeons are qualified for sacrifice only when small.');"><sup>1</sup></span>
שיכול והלא דין הוא
But I will now say that pigeons, inasmuch as in the Divine Law they are always preceded by the epithet 'young', are qualified for sacrifice only when small, and not when fully grown; whereas turtle doves [I submit] may be offered either when fully grown or even when small! - [Turtle doves must be placed under conditions] similar to pigeons; thus, just as pigeons are qualified [for sacrifice] only when small and not when fully grown, so turtle doves are qualified [for sacrifice] only when fully grown and not when small.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The conditions are that in each kind there shall obtain a qualifying as well as a disqualifying age. in');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ומה תורים שלא הוכשרו בקטנים הוכשרו בגדולים בני יונה שהוכשרו בקטנים אינו דין שהוכשרו בגדולים
Our Rabbis taught: One might conclude that all turtle doves [that are not small] and all pigeons [that are not fully grown] are qualified for sacrifice; it is, therefore, written: Of the turtle doves,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. I, 14. 'Of', Hebrew has a partitive significance.');"><sup>3</sup></span>
אמר רבא
Hence, there is excluded [from either kind] those whose neck feathers begin to glisten.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At this stage turtle doves would be regarded as too small, and pigeons as already fully grown.');"><sup>4</sup></span>
דומיא דבני יונה מה בני יונה קטנים אין גדולים לא אף תורים גדולים אין קטנים לא
Jacob Karha learnt: When do pigeons first become qualified?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It surely cannot be that as soon as they are hatched they are fit to be sacrificed! ugkgh');"><sup>7</sup></span>
תני יעקב קרחה
R'Zera put the following question: What is the law if a man said: 'Behold, I undertake to offer for a burnt-offering either [a pair] of turtle doves or [a pair] of pigeons', and he brought a pair of each kind, both pairs, however, being at the stage when the neck feathers were beginning to glisten?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The translation here is based upon the interpretation of Maharam, q.v.');"><sup>11</sup></span>
מאימתי בני יונה כשרים
If this stage is a period of doubt,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., whether a bird at this period is to be regarded as small or fully grown. If the former, then he has fulfilled his obligation by offering the pair of pigeons; and if the latter, by offering the pair of turtle doves. Therefore, by offering a pair of each kind he certainly fulfils his obligation.');"><sup>12</sup></span>
משיעלעו
then in this case he at all events fulfils his obligation; but if it is a distinct intermedi stage,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'a (special) species'. I.e., a period in which the bird is neither regarded as small nor fully grown.');"><sup>13</sup></span>
אימת
from either kind those whose neck feathers begin to glisten? ' Now if you say that it is an intermediate stage, it is well.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To say that the verse expressly excludes this intermediate stage in each kind.');"><sup>15</sup></span>
אמר אביי
But if you say that it is a period of doubt, [it will be asked]: Surely a verse cannot serve to exclude condition of doubt!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Divine Law could not have been in doubt as to the exact stages in the development of birds.');"><sup>16</sup></span>