Bechoros 16b

בכורות ט״ז ע״ב

Bekhorot 16b

Learn Bechoros 16b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

צאן ברזל from a נכרי and בכורה: who owns the animals, יד גוי באמצע, and how many generations of young are exempt

Overview

This עמוד finishes a משנה about a Jew who took sheep from a נכרי as צאן ברזל. In this deal the Jew raises the animals and guarantees their value to the owner. The young are exempt from בכורה because the נכרי can collect from them. רבן שמעון בן גמליאל extends the exemption even to ten generations. The משנה then teaches that a ewe that gives birth to a goat-like animal, or a goat that gives birth to a ewe-like animal, is exempt. The גמרא asks whether a צאן ברזל animal still belongs to its original owner, and it points to a contradiction with a משנה in בבא מציעא that calls such a deal ריבית. אביי answers by splitting the two cases according to who carries the risk. רבא rejects that answer and explains that the Jew owns the animals, but the exemption still applies because the נכרי can seize them (יד גוי באמצע). Finally, רב הונא and רב יהודה argue over how many generations are exempt. The גמרא defends רב יהודה against a challenge from the משנה and begins a challenge against רב הונא that continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (18)

1. StatementThe young are exempt, but the grandchildren are obligated
2. StatementWhen the young are set up as the guarantee, the exemption goes one generation further
3. Statementרבן שמעון בן גמליאל: even ten generations are exempt
4. StatementA ewe that gives birth to a goat-like animal
5. QuestionDoes the צאן ברזל animal still belong to the original owner?
6. ChallengeContradiction: צאן ברזל from a Jew counts as ריבית
7. Resolutionאביי splits the two cases by who carries the risk
8. Challengeרבא: that is not called a guaranteed deal, and the משנה gives no such detail
9. Challengeרבא: the משנה should have made the distinction inside the Jewish case
10. Resolutionרבא: both משניות are the same case, with no risk on the owner
11. ResolutionWhy the offspring are still exempt: the hand of a נכרי is in the middle
12. StatementThe next line of the משנה: offspring set in place of their mothers
13. Statementרב הונא and רב יהודה argue over how many generations are exempt
14. ChallengeThe משנה's wording seems to refute רב יהודה
15. Resolutionרב יהודה: the משנה means 'even if he set them up'
16. ResolutionWhy setting them up changes nothing
17. ChallengeQuoting רבן שמעון בן גמליאל: even ten generations are exempt
18. ChallengeThe quote fits רב יהודה, who says the תנא קמא goes into generations