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Bechoros 19a

בכורות י״ט ע״א

Bekhorot 19a

Learn Bechoros 19a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

יוצא דופן and the animal born after it: is a 'בכור לדבר אחד' a בכור? The ברייתא that defines a בכור from the פסוקים, and אביי's and רבינא's ways of reading it.

Overview

This amud opens with the last line of the previous discussion, which explains why two cases both had to be taught. Then a new משנה brings an animal born by יוצא דופן (caesarean birth) and the animal born naturally after it. רבי טרפון treats both as doubtful בכורות, and רבי עקיבא says neither is a בכור. The גמרא explains that they argue about a 'בכור לדבר אחד', an animal that is a firstborn in only one way. A ברייתא then defines a בכור from three words in the פסוקים: 'זכר', 'פטר רחם' and 'בכור'. Each word fills a gap left by the others. רב שרביא challenges the ברייתא, because its first half seems to say a 'בכור לדבר אחד' is a בכור and its second half seems to say it is not. אביי answers that it is not a בכור by reading the first half as being about the caesarean animal itself. רבינא answers that it is a בכור, and that the second half learns its lesson from the word 'בכור' being extra.

Opening lines

דְּהָךְ דְּלָא בִּיכְּרָה

that this one, of the mother that had not given birth before,

שְׁבִיחַ טְפֵי צְרִיכָא.

is better. So it was necessary.

מַתְנִי׳ יוֹצֵא דּוֹפֶן

Mishnah: An animal born through the side

וְהַבָּא אַחֲרָיו,

and the one that comes after it,

The steps (12)

  1. ConclusionWhy both cases had to be taught
  2. StatementCaesarean birth and the animal after it: רבי טרפון's view
  3. Statementרבי עקיבא: neither animal is a firstborn
  4. QuestionWhat is the root of the argument?
  5. ResponseA firstborn in only one way
  6. StatementA ברייתא introduces the method of general and specific
  7. StatementOnly a male is a firstborn
  8. StatementMale alone is not enough, so the verse adds 'opens the womb'
  9. Statement'Opens the womb' alone is not enough, so the verse adds 'firstborn'
  10. ChallengeThe two halves of the ברייתא seem to contradict each other
  11. Resolutionאביי: it is not a בכור, and the first part is about the caesarean animal itself
  12. Resolutionרבינא: it is a בכור, and the last part learns from the extra word