Bechoros 18b

בכורות י״ח ע״ב

Bekhorot 18b

Learn Bechoros 18b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Doubtful firstborn animals: the priestly gifts, dividing a surviving animal, and cases of two ewes giving birth

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a discussion of רבי יוסי, who exempts a ספק בכור from the priestly gifts because its replacement is already with the כהן. The גמרא explains why רבי אלעזר still needed to say that this is רבי יוסי's real reason. Next, רב פפא rules that everyone, even רבי מאיר, exempts a ספק מעשר from the gifts. The גמרא challenges this twice and shows why his statement was still needed. The גמרא then turns to the case where one of two possible firstborns died. רבי טרפון says the כהן and the owner divide the survivor, and רבי אמי explains that רבי טרפון retracted his earlier view. רבי חייא gives two parables, a shepherd and a homeowner, and רבא explains that everyone accepts both rules. They argue only when the animals are in the owner's courtyard and the shepherd is a כהן: does the owner give the כהן a share for the sake of the מצוה? A new משנה then lays out cases of two ewes giving birth together. The גמרא begins explaining why each case had to be taught, and that explanation continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (29)

1. ChallengeQuoting רבי יוסי's words to show רבי אלעזר's point is obvious
2. ResolutionMaybe רבי יוסי was only arguing on רבי מאיר's terms
3. Statementרב פפא: everyone agrees a ספק מעשר is exempt
4. ChallengeIsn't it obvious that רבי מאיר agrees?
5. ResolutionWe might have thought רבי מאיר's reason is to keep the gifts remembered
6. ChallengeThe משנה's wording seems to rule out that suggestion
7. ResolutionWhy רב פפא still needed to teach his ruling
8. StatementThe משנה: one twin died, רבי טרפון says divide
9. ChallengeWhy divide? רבי טרפון's own logic should decide
10. Resolutionרבי טרפון changed his mind
11. StatementThe משנה: רבי עקיבא's rule on the burden of proof
12. Statementרבי חייא's shepherd parable for רבי טרפון
13. StatementThe parable for רבי עקיבא's view
14. ChallengeSo what are they arguing about?
15. ResolutionEveryone agrees to both parables
16. ResolutionThe real case: owner's courtyard, כהן as shepherd
17. Resolutionרבי טרפון: the owner gives the כהן a share in his courtyard
18. Conclusionרבי עקיבא: the owner gives nothing when it might cost him
19. StatementTwo first-time ewes: the simple cases
20. StatementTwo males and a female: one to the owner, one to the priest
21. StatementMust the owner give the priestly gifts from the second male?
22. StatementIf one of the males died
23. StatementCases where the priest gets nothing
24. StatementOne ewe gave birth before, one did not: two males
25. Statementרבי יוסי explains why the gifts are exempt
26. StatementOne male died: the same argument again
27. StatementA male and a female: the priest gets nothing
28. StatementWhy the first case alone was not enough
29. StatementWhy the second case alone was not enough