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ืคืจืง ื“ืณ

Mishnayos Bechoros Perek 4 Mishnah 1

ื‘ื›ื•ืจื•ืช ืคืจืง ื“ืณ ืžืฉื ื” ืืณ

1
Until when must an Israelite tend to and raise a firstborn animal before giving it to the priest? With regard to a small animal, e.g., a sheep or goat, it is thirty days, and with regard to a large animal, e.g., cattle, it is fifty days. Rabbi Yosei says: With regard to a small animal, it is three months. If the priest said to the owner within that period: Give it to me, that owner may not give it to him. And if it is a blemished firstborn and the priest said to him: Give it to me so I may eat it, it is permitted for the owner to give it to him. And at the time that the Temple is standing, if it is unblemished and the priest said to him: Give it to me and I will sacrifice it, it is permitted for the owner to give it to him. The firstborn animal is eaten year by year, i.e., within its first year, whether it is blemished or whether it is unblemished, as it is stated: โ€œYou shall eat it before the Lord your God year by yearโ€ (Deuteronomy 15:20).
ืขึทื“ ื›ึผึทืžึผึธื” ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตืœ ื—ึทื™ึผึธื‘ึดื™ื ืœึฐื”ึดื˜ึผึทืคึผึตืœ ื‘ึผึทื‘ึผึฐื›ื•ึนืจ. ื‘ึผึดื‘ึฐื”ึตืžึธื” ื“ึทืงึผึธื”, ืขึทื“ ืฉืึฐืœืฉืึดื™ื ื™ื•ึนื. ื•ึผื‘ึทื’ึผึทืกึผึธื”, ื—ึฒืžึดืฉึผืึดื™ื ื™ื•ึนื. ืจึทื‘ึผึดื™ ื™ื•ึนืกึตื™ ืื•ึนืžึตืจ, ื‘ึผึทื“ึผึทืงึผึธื” ืฉืึฐืœืฉืึธื” ื—ึณื“ึธืฉืึดื™ื. ืึธืžึทืจ ืœื•ึน ื”ึทื›ึผึนื”ึตืŸ ื‘ึผึฐืชื•ึนืšึฐ ื–ึฐืžึทืŸ ื–ึถื” ืชึผึฐื ึตื”ื•ึผ ืœึดื™, ื”ึฒืจึตื™ ื–ึถื” ืœึนื ื™ึดืชึผึฐื ื•ึน ืœื•ึน. ืึดื ื”ึธื™ึธื” ื‘ึทืขึทืœ ืžื•ึผื, ืึธืžึทืจ ืœื•ึน ืชึผึถืŸ ืœึดื™ ืฉืึถืื•ึนื›ึฐืœึถื ึผื•ึผ, ืžึปืชึผึธืจ. ื•ึผื‘ึดืฉืึฐืขึทืช ื”ึทืžึผึดืงึฐื“ึผึธืฉื, ืึดื ื”ึธื™ึธื” ืชึธืžึดื™ื, ืึธืžึทืจ ืœื•ึน ืชึผึถืŸ ืœึดื™ ืฉืึถืึทืงึฐืจึดื™ื‘ึถื ึผื•ึผ, ืžึปืชึผึธืจ. ื”ึทื‘ึผึฐื›ื•ึนืจ ื ึถืึฑื›ึธืœ ืฉืึธื ึธื” ื‘ึฐืฉืึธื ึธื” ื‘ึผึตื™ืŸ ืชึผึธืžึดื™ื ื‘ึผึตื™ืŸ ื‘ึผึทืขึทืœ ืžื•ึผื, ืฉืึถื ึผึถืึฑืžึทืจ (ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื˜ื•), ืœึดืคึฐื ึตื™ ื”' ืึฑืœึนื”ึถื™ืšึธ ืชึนืื›ึฐืœึถื ึผื•ึผ ืฉืึธื ึธื” ื‘ึฐืฉืึธื ึธื”:
ืืณ
ื‘ืจื˜ื ื•ืจื

ืขื“ ื›ืžื”. ืœื”ื˜ืคืœ ื‘ื‘ื›ื•ืจ โ€“ to be engaged with its (i.e., the firstlingโ€™s) raising prior to giving it to the Kohen.

ื‘ื“ืงื” ืขื“ ืฉืœืฉื™ื ื™ื•ื ื•ื‘ื’ืกื” ืขื“ ื—ืžืฉื™ื โ€“ In the Gemara (Tractate Bekhorot 26b), we derive it, from what is written (Exodus 22:28): โ€œYou shall not put off the skimming of the first yield of your vats. You shall give Me the first-born among your sons,โ€ and adjacent to it (Exodus 22:29), โ€œYou shall do the same with your cattle and your flocks,โ€ and they show an incongruity/objection, โ€œyour bullโ€ which is mentioned earlier in Scripture to โ€œthe skimming of the first yield of your vatsโ€ which is early, and โ€œyour flocksโ€ which is later than the โ€œthe first-born among your sonsโ€ but โ€œthe skimming of the first yield of your vatsโ€ which are the first-fruits are offered at fifty days, that the grain is ripened on Passover and we donโ€™t bring the first-fruits until Atzeret/Shavuot, as it is written (Exodus 23:16): โ€œand the Feast of the Harvest, of the first fruits of your work, [of what you sow in the field], and just as you do for the โ€œskimming of the first yield of your vats, which you do not bring until the end of fifty days, so you do for your bulls that you do not bring it until fifty days, and in the manner that you act regarding the first-born of your sons, as it is written concerning it (Numbers 18:16): โ€œTake as their redemption price from the age of one month up,โ€ similarly you should do for your flock that you should not bring it until thirty days.

ื‘ื“ืงื” ืฉืœืฉื” ื—ื“ืฉื™ื โ€“ because its care-taking (i.e., of small cattle) is more troublesome (see Talmud Bekhorot 26b and Talmud Bava Metzia 69a), for its teeth are thin and it is not able to eat grass. And if it wonโ€™t be with its mother it will die. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yossi.

ืœื ื™ืชื ื• ืœื• โ€“ for since its care-taking is cast upon an Israelite for fifty days, and the Kohen said to him โ€œWithin this time [period], give it to me and I will pasture/tend it.โ€ It is similar to someone who rents it that he saves him from the trouble on the condition that he (i.e., the owner) will give it to him and not to another Kohen, and this is similar to a Kohen who helps/assists in the granary/threshing floor to thresh and to winnow in order that they will give him the heave-offerings/Terumot, and it is taught [in a Baraitha] that Kohanim and Levites who assist in the granary/threshing floor, they donโ€™t give them have-offerings and tithes. But if [the animal] had a blemish and he said to him: โ€œGive it to me and I will consume it, for since it was pointed out to him, e was not like the Kohen who assists in the granary.

ื‘ื™ืŸ ืชืžื™ื ื‘ื™ืŸ ื‘ืขืœ ืžื—ื โ€“ whether at the time of the Temple or whether at the present time, every year it is his, he is permitted to uphold it. And a firstling with a blemish, we derive that it is given to a Kohen, and he consumes it with its blemish for since it is written (Numbers 18:18): โ€œBut their meat shall be yours,โ€ is the plural language, whether it is pure firstling or whether it is a firstling with a blemish.

ืขื“ ื›ืžื”. ืœื”ื˜ืคืœ ื‘ื‘ื›ื•ืจ. ืœื”ืชืขืกืง ื‘ื’ื™ื“ื•ืœื• ืงื•ื“ื ืฉื™ืชื ื”ื• ืœื›ื”ืŸ:

ื‘ื“ืงื” ืขื“ ืฉืœืฉื™ื ื™ื•ื ื•ื‘ื’ืกื” ืขื“ ื—ืžืฉื™ื. ื‘ื’ืžืจื ื™ืœืคื™ื ืŸ ืœื” ืžื“ื›ืชื™ื‘ (ืฉืžื•ืช ื›ืดื‘:ื›ืดื—-ื›ืดื˜) ืžืœืืชืš ื•ื“ืžืขืš ืœื ืชืื—ืจ ื‘ื›ื•ืจ ื‘ื ื™ืš ืชืชืŸ ืœื™, ื•ืกืžื™ืš ืœื™ื” ื›ืŸ ืชืขืฉื” ืœืฉื•ืจืš ืœืฆืื ืš, ื•ืจืžื™ื ืŸ ืฉื•ืจืš ื”ืžื•ืงื“ื ื‘ืžืงืจื ืœืžืœืืชืš ื•ื“ืžืขืš ืฉื”ื•ื ืžื•ืงื“ื, ื•ืฆืื ืš ื”ืžืื•ื—ืจ ืœื‘ื›ื•ืจ ื‘ื ื™ืš ืฉื”ื•ื ืžืื•ื—ืจ, ื•ืžืœืืชืš ื•ื“ืžืขืš ืฉื”ื ื”ื‘ื™ื›ื•ืจื™ื ืงืจื‘ื™ื ืœื—ืžืฉื™ื ื™ื•ื, ืฉื”ืชื‘ื•ืื” ืžื‘ื•ืฉืœืช ื‘ืคืกื— ื•ืื™ืŸ ืžื‘ื™ืื™ืŸ ื‘ื›ื•ืจื™ื ืขื“ ืขืฆืจืช ื“ื›ืชื™ื‘ (ืฉื ื›ืดื’) ื•ื—ื’ ื”ืงืฆื™ืจ ื‘ื™ื›ื•ืจื™ ืžืขืฉื™ืš, ื•ื›ืžื• ืฉืืชื” ืขื•ืฉื” ืœืžืœืืชืš ื•ื“ืžืขืš ืฉืื™ื ืš ืžื‘ื™ืื ืืœื ืœืกื•ืฃ ื—ืžืฉื™ื ื™ื•ื, ื›ืŸ ืชืขืฉื” ืœืฉื•ืจืš ืฉืœื ืชื‘ื™ืื ื• ืขื“ ื—ืžืฉื™ื ื™ื•ื, ื•ื›ื“ืจืš ืฉืืชื” ืขื•ืฉื” ืœื‘ื›ื•ืจ ื‘ื ื™ืš ื“ื›ืชื™ื‘ ื‘ื™ื” (ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื™ืดื—:ื˜ืดื•-ื˜ืดื–) ื•ืคื“ื•ื™ื™ื• ืžื‘ืŸ ื—ื•ื“ืฉ ืชืคื“ื”, ื›ืŸ ืชืขืฉื” ืœืฆืื ืš ืฉืœื ืชื‘ื™ืื ื• ืขื“ ืฉืœืฉื™ื ื™ื•ื:

ื‘ื“ืงื” ืฉืœืฉื” ื—ื“ืฉื™ื. ืœืคื™ ืฉื˜ื™ืคื•ืœื” ืžืจื•ื‘ื”, ืฉืฉื™ื ื™ื” ื“ืงื•ืช ื•ืื™ื ื” ื™ื›ื•ืœื” ืœืื›ื•ืœ ืขืฉื‘, ื•ืื ืœื ืชื”ื™ื” ืขื ืืžื” ืชืžื•ืช. ื•ืื™ืŸ ื”ืœื›ื” ื›ืจื‘ื™ ื™ื•ืกื™:

ืœื ื™ืชื ื• ืœื•. ื“ื›ื™ื•ืŸ ื“ืขืœ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืจืžื™ื ืœื™ื˜ืคืœ ื‘ื• ื—ืžืฉื™ื ื™ื•ื ื•ืืžืจ ืœื• ื›ื”ืŸ ื‘ืชื•ืš ื–ืžืŸ ื–ื” ืชื ื”ื• ืœื™ ื•ืืจืขื ื•, ื“ื•ืžื” ื›ืžื™ ืฉืฉื•ื›ืจื•, ืฉื”ื•ื ืžืฆื™ืœื• ืžืŸ ื”ื˜ื•ืจื— ืขืœ ืžื ืช ืฉื™ืชื ื ื• ืœื• ื•ืœื ืœื›ื”ืŸ ืื—ืจ, ื•ื“ื•ืžื” ืœื›ื”ืŸ ื”ืžืกื™ื™ืข ื‘ื‘ื™ืช ื”ื’ืจื ื•ืช ืœื“ื•ืฉ ื•ืœื–ืจื•ืช ื›ื“ื™ ืฉื™ืชื ื• ืœื• ื”ืชืจื•ืžื•ืช, ื•ืชื ื™ื ื›ื”ื ื™ื ื•ืœื•ื™ื ื”ืžืกื™ื™ืขื™ื ื‘ื‘ื™ืช ื”ื’ืจื ื•ืช ืื™ืŸ ื ื•ืชื ื™ืŸ ืœื”ื ืชืจื•ืžื•ืช ื•ืžืขืฉืจื•ืช. ืื‘ืœ ืื ื”ื™ื” ื‘ืขืœ ืžื•ื ื•ืืžืจ ืœื• ืชืŸ ืœื™ ืฉืื•ื›ืœื ื•, ื”ื•ืื™ืœ ื•ื—ื–ื™ ืœื™ื” ืœื ื”ื•ื™ ื›ื›ื”ืŸ ื”ืžืกื™ื™ืข ื‘ื‘ื™ืช ื”ื’ืจื ื•ืช:

ื‘ื™ืŸ ืชืžื™ื ื‘ื™ืŸ ื‘ืขืœ ืžื•ื. ื‘ื™ืŸ ื‘ื–ืžืŸ ื”ืžืงื“ืฉ ื•ื‘ื™ืŸ ืขื›ืฉื™ื•, ื›ืœ ืฉื ื” ื“ื™ื“ื™ื” ืจืฉืื™ ืœืงื™ื™ืžื•. ื•ื‘ื›ื•ืจ ื‘ืขืœ ืžื•ื ื™ืœืคื™ื ืŸ ืฉื”ื•ื ื ื™ืชืŸ ืœื›ื”ืŸ ื•ืื•ื›ืœื• ื‘ืžื•ืžื• ืžื“ื›ืชื™ื‘ (ืฉื) ื•ื‘ืฉืจื ื™ื”ื™ื” ืœืš, ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืจื‘ื™ื, ืื—ื“ ื‘ื›ื•ืจ ืชื ื•ืื—ื“ ื‘ื›ื•ืจ ื‘ืขืœ ืžื•ื: