Bechoros 51a

בכורות נ״א ע״א

Bekhorot 51a

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Topic

Payments that require real coins, and what a בכור may be redeemed with (רבי vs. the רבנן)

Overview

This amud opens with the end of a story about חנן בישא. He owed half a זוז for a slap, but had only a damaged coin, so he slapped the man again and handed it over. The גמרא then explains why the משנה lists the payments of the אונס and the מוציא שם רע in the שקל הקודש: the Torah does not say 'שקלים' for them, so the משנה teaches that these cases are learned from one another. A ברייתא adds that שקלים, מעשר שני and the ראיון money must all be paid in real coins, and the גמרא gives a source for each. A new משנה rules that a בכור may not be redeemed with slaves, שטרות, land or הקדשות. It adds that a written IOU does not redeem the son, and that lost פדיון money must be paid again. The גמרא explains that רבי allows everything except שטרות, because he reads the פסוק as ריבוי ומיעוט. The רבנן read it as כלל ופרט וכלל, which excludes land, slaves and שטרות. רבינא challenges רבי's method from the case of the מרצע. מרימר answers that a verse with two general terms first follows תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל, while the רבנן follow the rule of מערבא. The amud ends with the גמרא asking why the משנה needs to exclude הקדשות, and the answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (28)

1. StatementEnd of the story: the damaged coin and the second slap
2. StatementThe גמרא quotes the משנה about slave, rapist and seducer payments
3. ChallengeWhy repeat this, since the first clause already taught it?
4. ResolutionNeeded for the rapist and defamer, whose verses do not say 'shekels'
5. StatementThe משנה's exception: except for the shekels
6. StatementA ברייתא adds tithe and festival-appearance money
7. ProofSource that שקלים must be real coins
8. ProofSource that מעשר שני must be redeemed with coins
9. ProofSource that the ראיון money must be real coins
10. StatementNew משנה: what a בכור cannot be redeemed with
11. StatementA written promise to pay does not redeem the son
12. StatementMoney set aside for פדיון that got lost
13. StatementOur משנה does not follow רבי
14. QuestionWhat is רבי's reason?
15. Responseרבי reads the verse as include, exclude, include
16. ResponseInclude-exclude-include brings in everything except notes
17. StatementThe רבנן read the verse as general, specific, general
18. ResponseThe rule of a general statement, a detail, and a general statement, applied to redemption
19. ResponseWhat the רבנן exclude: land, slaves, and documents
20. Challengeרבינא asks: doesn't רבי use general statements and details?
21. ProofThe baraita about the awl
22. ProofThe earlier analysis: רבי uses general statements and details
23. Resolutionרבי Usually Uses Generalizations and Details, but Not Here
24. ProofThe Fish Verse: 'In the Water' Written Twice
25. ResponseThe רבנן Follow the Rule From ארץ ישראל
26. StatementQuoting the משנה: Not With Consecrated Items
27. ChallengeIsn't That Obvious?
28. ResolutionThe Answer Begins: 'Say...'