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Bechoros 37a

בכורות ל״ז ע״א

Bekhorot 37a

Learn Bechoros 37a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Bechoros 37a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Who may permit a בכור or dissolve a נדר; refunds for forbidden food sold by mistake; and the start of the פרק on blemishes of a בכור

Overview

The גמרא finishes רב חייא בר עמרם's rulings. Three regular people may permit a בכור where there is no expert, against רבי יוסי, and three may dissolve a נדר where there is no חכם, against רבי יהודה. It explains who counts as a real חכם and what the other judges need to know. רב rules that the הלכה is not like רבי יוסי. The גמרא tries to use this to prove the earlier ruling came from שמואל, but that proof is pushed away. A new משנה teaches what happens when a seller sells a בכור never shown to an expert, or meat that turns out to be טרפה. A ברייתא adds טבל and יין נסך, and רבי שמעון בן אלעזר says the seller may deduct for foods the buyer enjoyed. The גמרא explains that the seller really lost value in each case. The פרק כל פסולי המוקדשין then closes. A new פרק opens with ear blemishes that permit a בכור, and the גמרא begins deriving which blemishes count from the כלל ופרט וכלל in the פסוק. Its question about hidden blemishes continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

לְאַפּוֹקֵי מִדְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי,

to exclude the view of Rabbi Yosei.

שְׁלֹשָׁה מְפִירִין אֶת הַנֶּדֶר

Three may dissolve a vow

בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁאֵין חָכָם

in a place where there is no Sage,

לְאַפּוֹקֵי מִדְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה,

to exclude the view of Rabbi Yehuda,

The steps (28)

  1. StatementTwo rulings, each rejecting a different תנא
  2. ProofThe ברייתא showing רבי יהודה's opinion
  3. QuestionWho counts as a real Sage?
  4. Responseרב נחמן: someone like me
  5. QuestionCan the other two judges be anyone at all?
  6. Responseרבינא: they must be able to understand
  7. Statementרב: the הלכה is not like רבי יוסי
  8. ChallengeIsn't this obvious?
  9. ResolutionHis reasoning might have been followed
  10. ProofSo the earlier ruling came from שמואל
  11. RejectionMaybe only one ruling was really said
  12. StatementA firstborn sold without being shown to an expert
  13. StatementA cow sold and then found to be a טרפה
  14. StatementA ברייתא: forbidden meat, produce, or wine
  15. StatementDisgusting foods get a full refund, enjoyable foods get a partial refund
  16. ChallengeWhy can the seller charge for a בכור he could never use?
  17. ResolutionThe בכור had a blemish and could have been permitted
  18. ResolutionThe seller also lost value with טבל and יין נסך
  19. ProofThe source for רבן שמעון בן גמליאל on mixed forbidden wine
  20. ConclusionHadran — Closing the פרק כל פסולי המוקדשין
  21. StatementNew פרק: ear blemishes that allow slaughtering a firstborn
  22. ChallengeWhy do these blemishes count if the פסוק only says lame and blind?
  23. ResolutionThe verse also says 'if there be any blemish'
  24. ChallengeA general followed by a detail limits to the detail
  25. ResolutionA second general makes it general-detail-general
  26. ChallengeWhy not also require that it stops the animal from working?
  27. Resolution'Any' is a word that widens
  28. ChallengeThen hidden blemishes should count too