Gemara Clarity

Bechoros 35b

בכורות ל״ה ע״ב

Bekhorot 35b

Learn Bechoros 35b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Bechoros 35b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Who may testify that a בכור's blemish was not made on purpose: shepherds, outsiders, owners and household members

Overview

The גמרא finishes explaining one reading of the משנה about who is believed to say that a בכור's blemish happened by itself. In that reading, a כהן working for a ישראל is believed. A ישראל working for a כהן is not believed, and a כהן testifying for another כהן is certainly not believed. It then asks why רבי מאיר is listed separately, and answers with the ברייתא of רבי יהושע בן קפוסאי, which requires two outsiders. In the same ברייתא, רבן שמעון בן גמליאל allows the כהן's son or daughter to testify, and רבי יוסי does not trust household members. רב קטינא requires two outsiders for a ספק בכור in a ישראל's house. רב נחמן proves that the ישראל owners themselves may testify, because only כהנים are suspected of making blemishes. The הלכה follows רבן שמעון בן גמליאל: a son and daughter may testify, but not a wife. Finally רב פפא asks how כהנים can judge at all according to רבי מאיר. The answer comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

מֵימָר אָמַר:

He says to himself:

לָא שָׁבֵיק צוּרְבָּא מֵרַבָּנַן

He will not pass over a Torah scholar

וְיָהֵיב לְדִידִי.

and give it to me.

״רוֹעֵי כֹהֲנִים״ וְהֵן יִשְׂרָאֵל —

'Shepherds of priests,' and they are Israelites:

The steps (24)

  1. StatementWhy a priest-shepherd working for an Israelite is believed
  2. StatementIsraelite shepherds working for a priest are not believed
  3. StatementA priest testifying for another priest is certainly not believed
  4. Statementרבן שמעון בן גמליאל: believed for another, not for himself
  5. Statementרבי מאיר: a suspected person may not judge or testify
  6. ChallengeUnder one reading, רבי מאיר adds something new
  7. ChallengeUnder the other reading, רבי מאיר seems to add nothing
  8. ResolutionThe real difference: the view of רבי יהושע בן קפוסאי
  9. StatementThe rest of the ברייתא: son, daughter, and household members
  10. QuestionWhose view is רב קטינא's rule about a doubtful בכור?
  11. ResponseIt follows רבי יהושע בן קפוסאי
  12. Statementרב נחמן: the owners themselves may testify
  13. ProofFirst proof: who could testify about מעשר according to רבי מאיר?
  14. Rejectionמעשר is different: the owner could blemish his whole flock
  15. ProofBetter proof: who could testify about a ספק בכור?
  16. ProofA משנה shows רבי מאיר allows a ספק בכור to be eaten
  17. ConclusionConclusion: only כהנים are suspected of making blemishes
  18. Statementרב נחמן and רבא disagree about the הלכה
  19. Challengeרבא seems to contradict himself
  20. ResolutionThe whole family was outside
  21. ChallengeThen why say it at all?
  22. ResolutionWe might have suspected the witness himself
  23. ConclusionFinal ruling: son and daughter yes, wife no
  24. ChallengeHow can priests judge according to רבי מאיר?