Bechoros 53b

בכורות נ״ג ע״ב

Bekhorot 53b

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Topic

Why מעשר בהמה is not separated nowadays, why מוקדשין are exempt, which animals may be tithed together, and the source that תרומה cannot be separated across kinds

Overview

The amud opens by explaining why we still deal with a בכור nowadays but no longer separate מעשר בהמה. With a בכור, following רב יהודה, the owner may put a מום on it before it is born, so no unblemished holy animal exists to be misused. That fix does not work for מעשר. You cannot know which animal will come out tenth. You may not arrange the order, because of לא יבקר. Blemishing the whole herd would also leave no fit animals for קרבנות when the בית המקדש is rebuilt, and even buying animals would not help, since everyone would blemish their herds. Next, the גמרא explains the משנה's rule that מוקדשין are not tithed. It refers to קדשים קלים, which רבי יוסי הגלילי holds belong to the owner, and the פסוק יהיה קדש excludes any animal that is already holy. The גמרא then shows why this needed to be taught: without it, the strict rules of מעשר (no redeeming, no selling) might have applied. Then it shows why sheep and goats are tithed together (the word צאן) while animals from different years are not: a היקש to מעשר דגן, which רבא limits to the year using שנה שנה. Finally, it brings the source that תרומה may not be separated from one kind of produce for another: 'give the best (חלב) of this, and the best of that.'

Opening lines

The steps (33)

1. ResolutionWith a firstborn, the problem can be avoided by רב יהודה's method
2. ChallengeThen do the same for the tithe animal
3. ResolutionNo one knows which animal will be tenth
4. RejectionYou may not arrange which animal comes out tenth
5. RejectionBlemishing the whole herd would leave nothing for the rebuilt Temple
6. ChallengeThe same worry should apply to blemishing a firstborn
7. ResolutionOrdinary animals will still be available
8. ChallengeWhy not just buy animals for the rebuilt Temple?
9. ResolutionUnblemished animals would become too rare
10. ChallengeWhy does the משנה need to exclude מוקדשין?
11. ResolutionThe משנה means קדשים קלים, following רבי יוסי הגלילי
12. ProofThe ברייתא where רבי יוסי הגלילי says this
13. ResolutionSo the משנה is teaching something new
14. ChallengeMaybe קדשים קלים really should be tithed
15. Resolutionיהיה קדש: only something not yet holy can become מעשר
16. ChallengeWhy would we need a פסוק for this at all?
17. QuestionWhat is the source for that rule?
18. ResponseThe משנה in תמורה: holiness cannot be switched
19. Resolutionמעשר is different because every animal is ready for it
20. QuestionWhat practical difference would it make?
21. ResponseThe difference: no redeeming and no selling
22. StatementThe משנה: herd and flock are tithed separately, but sheep and goats together
23. ChallengeA logical argument that new and old animals should be tithed together
24. RejectionThe verse compares animal tithe to grain tithe, so new and old cannot join
25. ChallengeThen the comparison should also stop sheep and goats from joining
26. ResolutionThe word צאן includes both sheep and goats
27. ChallengeThen צאן should also join new and old animals
28. ResolutionThe verse עשר תעשר keeps new and old apart
29. ChallengeWhy apply the comparison to years but not to species?
30. Resolutionרבא: the verse limits the comparison to the matter of the year
31. StatementA משנה: no separating תרומה from one kind for another kind
32. QuestionWhere does this rule come from?
33. ResponseThe source: 'the best of this and the best of that'