בכורות ה׳:ב׳ - ה׳:ג׳

לא ימנה ישראל עם הכהן – to eat with him in an association from the meat of a firstling with a blemish, for they not numbered regarding the firstling other than in an association that is entirely Kohanim [alone], as it is written (Numbers 18:18): “But their meat shall be yours: it shall be yours like the breast of elevation offering and like the right thigh,” for just as the breast and the thigh are for the Kohanim [only], and not for the Israelite, even the firstling, whether pure or with a blemish, are for the Kohanim [only] and not for the Israelite.

ובית הלל מתירין ואפילו נכרי – as it is written (Deuteronomy 12:15): “[The impure and the pure alike may partake of it,] as of the gazelle and the deer,” just as the gazelle and the deer, even a heathen [may partake of it], even to the firstling also. And Scripture [teaches] as it is written (Numbers 18:18): “But their meat shall be yours:…like the breast of elevation offering and like the right thigh,” and it is speaking specifically about the pure firstling.

שאחזו דם – a sick [animal] who is danger from excess blood [letting].

אין מקיזין לו דם – and even in a place where he does not make in it a blemish. For since a person is pressed (see Tractate Pesahim 11a) when his money is at stake, if you permitted him in a place where he does not make a blemish, he would come to make it in a place where one makes in it a blemish.

ובלבד שלא יעשה בו מום – that he will not tear apart the top of his ear or the top of its lips in the place where it is not able to return and be healed, the Rabbis hold all the more so that if you did not permit him in a place where there is no blemish, he will come to make it even in a place where it has a blemish.

לא ישחוט עליו – for since and he placed in it [a blemish] until another blemish befalls it.

יקיז – [he should draw blood] even in the place where he makes a blemish in it, even he needs to let blood from the same limb and not leave it until it dies. But even though he made a blemish with his hands, he should slaughter it. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Shimon.

הצורם (he who makes a slit) – he mutilates/disqualifies. And we are speaking of a Kohen, who slits the ear of the firstling in order that it will be unconsecrated in his hand.

הרי זה לא ישחט עולמית – and even if another blemish befell it, because of a fine, because he transgressed and placed a blemish on Holy Things. For a person who places a blemish on Holy Things is flogged forty times (i.e., minus one), and even if he made a blemish upon a blemish. As it is written (Leviticus 22:21): “there must be no defect in it,” it reads, “will not be in it,” that he will not place in it a defect. For it could have been written, “a defect,” but it is written, "כל מום"/”there must be no defect,” to include even a defect that he did not place upon it.

כשיולד לו מום אחר ישחט עליו – and even on the same defect itself. If it person who placed the defect on it died, his son slaughters it after him on that defect, but the Rabbis fined him (i.e., the original person who placed he defect on the animal) but the Rabbis did not fine his son. And such is the Halakha.

ושערו מדולדל – that it was never sheared.

קסדור (quaestor) – appointed by the king.

מה טיבו של זה- that he left it to be wounded/damaged so much.

פגיון – a knife that has two mouths is called a dagger.

והתירוהו – even though that the heathen intended to place upon it a blemish. Since that it was without the knowledge of an Israelite/Jew that he did it, he didn’t intend to do something beneficial to a Jew.

ראה שהתירוהו והלך וצרם באזני בכורות אחרים – in order to do something beneficial to a Jew, it was done as if the Jew had said to him that he should do it and it is prohibited.

היו תינוקות משחקות – and it is necessary to inform us about a heathen quaestor and young children. For if it had taught [only] the quaestor, I might think that it was a heathen that was permitted for one cannot make a decree for perhaps he comes to hand it over to you and to learn how to make a blemish in Holy Things, for we do not care that it is the habit of heathens for it is their custom in forbidden thigs, but a minor, if he permitted him, he would come to hand it over to you, I would say no. But if we taught only regarding young children, I would think that it was a young child that the Rabbis permitted, for one that is appropriate would not come to state also that an adult who cast upon it a blemish would be permitted, for a minor and an adult are not confused/interchangeable, but an adult heathen who comes to switch with an adult Israelite, I would say no. Both are necessary.

כל שהוא לדעתו אסור – to include an indirect effect. As for example, that he would cause the animal to walk in a place where there is iron in order that it would trip upon it and a blemish would befall it.

ושלא לדעתו מותר – to include that if the Israelite/Jew was making a statement incidentally (i.e., in ignorance of its legal bearing), and states in the presence of the heathen that this firstling if a blemish befell it, that is that we consume it. And the heathen heard and placed upon it a blemish, it is permitted.