Bechoros 57a

בכורות נ״ז ע״א

Bekhorot 57a

Learn Bechoros 57a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

ברירה in brothers' division, and which animals enter the pen for מעשר בהמה

Overview

The amud opens by showing that רבי יוחנן is consistent. Brothers who divide an inheritance are like buyers (אין ברירה), so they return land to each other at יובל, just as they are exempt from מעשר בהמה. The גמרא explains why both rulings were needed. It then challenges the יש ברירה view with a ברייתא about partners who split lambs and a dog, and רב אשי answers that the dog was worth a bit more than one lamb. A new משנה lists five animals that do not enter the pen for מעשר: כלאים, טרפה, יוצא דופן, מחוסר זמן and יתום. The גמרא learns these exclusions from a פסוק about קרבנות and carries them over to מעשר through the גזירה שוה of תחת תחת. It explains why animals involved in עריות or עבודה זרה are still tithed: their disqualification works like a מום, and a מום does not disqualify מעשר. It also explains the dispute about טומטום and אנדרוגינוס. Finally, a ברייתא gives a shorter list of exclusions, and the גמרא begins to explain that opinion, continuing on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (25)

1. Proofרבי יוחנן is consistent: brothers who divided are buyers
2. StatementWhy both rulings are needed: the animal ruling alone is not enough
3. ConclusionWhy both rulings are needed: the land ruling alone is not enough
4. ChallengeA ברייתא about partners who split lambs and a dog
5. ChallengeIf יש ברירה, why are all ten lambs forbidden?
6. Resolutionרב אשי: The Dog Is Worth a Bit More Than One Lamb
7. Statementמשנה: Which Animals Are Left Out of the Tithe Pen
8. StatementDefining an Orphan, and רבי יהושע's Disagreement
9. QuestionWhere Do These Exclusions Come From?
10. ResponseEach Exclusion Learned From a Verse About Offerings
11. ResponseLinking Tithe and Offerings Through the Word "Under"
12. QuestionWhat does the word 'all' add?
13. ResponseA ברייתא: animals unfit for the מזבח are still tithed
14. Statementרבי שמעון: טומטום and אנדרוגינוס are not tithed
15. ChallengeEither way, our תנא seems inconsistent
16. ResolutionHe does learn the גזירה שוה, but the תורה treats these animals as blemished
17. ProofTwo פסוקים prove that 'corruption' means עריות and עבודה זרה
18. ResolutionThe rule: sin disqualifies only where a blemish disqualifies
19. StatementSorting each animal on the list into sexual sin or idol worship
20. ResolutionWhy the תנא includes טומטום and אנדרוגינוס
21. ResolutionWhy רבי שמעון בן יהודה leaves out טומטום and אנדרוגינוס
22. StatementA ברייתא: all animals are tithed except crossbreeds and a טרפה
23. Statementרבי עקיבא adds three more excluded animals
24. ChallengeEither way, the first opinion seems inconsistent
25. ResolutionAnswer begins: he does learn the גזירה שוה, but יוצא דופן is different