Bechoros 13a

בכורות י״ג ע״א

Bekhorot 13a

Learn Bechoros 13a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Redeeming a פטר חמור, the משנה's list of which מצוה comes first, and how ownership of an animal passes between a Jew and a נכרי for בכורה

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a question about when you redeem a פטר חמור: right away, or after thirty days. רב ששת says the thirty days is only when delay becomes a sin. רמי בר חמא's ברייתא does not fit that answer, so רבא says the two ברייתות follow רבי אליעזר, who compares the donkey to a firstborn son, and the רבנן, who do not. The משנה then teaches that an owner who will not redeem the donkey breaks its neck. It lists cases where one מצוה comes first: פדיה before עריפה, יעידה before פדיה, יבום before חליצה (later reversed), and the owner's own redemption of הקדש before anyone else's. The פרק ends, and a new משנה teaches that any share a נכרי has in an animal exempts its firstborn from בכורה, while כהנים and לוים are still obligated. The גמרא explains why the מסכת began with the donkey. Then it brings רבי אושעיא's rule that money alone transfers an animal between a Jew and a נכרי. אביי shows from 'מיד עמיתך' that buying from a גוי is done with money. The גמרא then begins the same analysis for a גוי buying from a Jew, and that discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (39)

1. Resolutionרב ששת: thirty days is only when you start transgressing
2. Challengeרמי בר חמא: a ברייתא sounds like you should wait thirty days
3. ResolutionNo, the מצוה is to redeem it during the thirty days
4. ChallengeThen the ברייתא should have said 'or he transgresses'
5. Resolutionרבא: the two ברייתות follow two different views
6. Statementמשנה: if he won't redeem it, he breaks its neck, but redeeming comes first
7. StatementDesignating a maidservant comes before redeeming her
8. Statementיבום versus חליצה, and how the order changed
9. StatementThe owner gets first right to redeem his consecrated animal
10. ConclusionHadran — Closing the chapter of one who buys the fetus of a donkey
11. StatementNew chapter: shared ownership with a non-Jew exempts from firstborn
12. StatementPriests and Levites must give the firstborn of a kosher animal
13. ChallengeWhy did the tractate start with the donkey instead of the cow?
14. ResolutionFirst answer: the donkey is dear to the תנא
15. ResolutionSecond answer: the donkey's laws are few, so finish them first
16. StatementBuying from a gentile with money alone
17. QuestionWhat does "according to their laws" mean?
18. ResponseFirst try: a gentile's body can be bought with money, so surely his property can
19. ChallengeIf the slave comparison works, a document and חזקה should work too
20. ChallengeA Jew buying from a Jew shows the comparison fails
21. Responseאביי: 'their laws' means the laws the Torah set in 'או קנה מיד עמיתך'
22. ChallengeMaybe you cannot buy from a גוי at all
23. ResolutionA קל וחומר: if you can buy the person, surely you can buy his property
24. ChallengeMaybe a גוי's property needs both methods
25. ResolutionThe person needs one act, so his property can't need two
26. ChallengeMaybe either method works with a גוי
27. ResolutionIt must be like 'your fellow': one set method
28. ResolutionBuying from a Jew takes one method, so buying from a non-Jew does too
29. StatementA non-Jew who pays money for a Jew's animal acquires it
30. QuestionWhat does 'according to their laws' mean?
31. ResponseFirst suggestion: learn it from how a non-Jew buys a Jewish person
32. RejectionRejected: a Jew buying from a Jew proves otherwise
33. Responseאביי: the Torah's own rule, from 'וכי תמכרו ממכר לעמיתך'
34. ChallengeMaybe a non-Jew cannot buy at all?
35. ResolutionIf a non-Jew can buy a Jew's body, surely he can buy his property
36. ChallengeMaybe a non-Jew needs both acts
37. ResolutionA קל וחומר rules out needing two acts
38. ChallengeMaybe a non-Jew can use either act
39. ResolutionIt must be like 'your fellow'