Bechoros 21b

בכורות כ״א ע״ב

Bekhorot 21b

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Topic

מחוסר זמן in מעשר, defining טינוף, buying an animal of unknown history from a Jew, and the lump of blood that must be buried.

Overview

The amud opens with a ברייתא showing that רבי שמעון lets a מחוסר זמן, an animal too young to be offered, enter the pen for מעשר, just like a בכור, which is holy at birth but offered later. The גמרא asks why מעשר is compared to בכור and not to ordinary קדשים. Each side has four similarities, so the גמרא concludes that רבי שמעון learns it from the גזירה שוה of 'העברה'. Next, the גמרא defines the טינוף discharge from the משנה: רבא calls it a murky discharge and שמואל calls it bubbles of blood. The 'חכם' who must examine it turns out to be an expert shepherd. רב חסדא asks how long an animal fetus takes to form, and the attempted answer from זעירי is pushed aside. The גמרא then asks about buying an animal from a Jew whose history is unknown. רב says its next calf is a sure בכור, שמואל says it is a doubtful בכור, and רבי יוחנן says it is surely חולין. A ברייתא supporting רבי יוחנן does not refute the others, because with a בכור it is the buyer's job to ask. Finally, a new משנה rules that a lump of blood from a large animal must be buried, and the גמרא asks why it must be buried if it gives off no טומאה.

Opening lines

The steps (25)

1. ProofA ברייתא shows רבי שמעון lets a too-young animal be tithed
2. ChallengeWhy compare to בכור and not to ordinary sacrifices?
3. Resolutionמעשר is more like בכור in four ways
4. RejectionOn the contrary, מעשר is more like ordinary sacrifices
5. Conclusionרבי שמעון learns it from the word 'pass'
6. QuestionWhat is a טינוף discharge?
7. Responseרבא: as shepherds say, a murky discharge
8. Responseשמואל: bubbles of blood
9. StatementThe discharge must be shown to a חכם
10. QuestionHow would a Torah scholar know?
11. Responseרב פפא: an experienced shepherd
12. StatementA human fetus takes forty days to form
13. QuestionHow long does it take in an animal?
14. ProofMaybe זעירי already answered this
15. Rejectionזעירי was talking about something else
16. QuestionWhat if you buy the animal from a Jew?
17. Responseרב: It is surely a בכור
18. Responseשמואל: It is a doubtful בכור
19. Responseרבי יוחנן: It is surely חולין
20. ProofA ברייתא that supports רבי יוחנן
21. ChallengeDoes this disprove רב and שמואל?
22. ResolutionSeller's job there, buyer's job here
23. StatementA large animal that expels a mass of blood
24. StatementThe lump of blood does not give off טומאה
25. ChallengeIf it gives off no טומאה, why must it be buried?