Gemara Clarity

Bechoros 59a

בכורות נ״ט ע״א

Bekhorot 59a

Learn Bechoros 59a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Bechoros 59a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

How מעשר בהמה can be separated without exact counting, and the search for the source of רבא's rule that the tenth animal becomes holy on its own

Overview

This amud opens in the middle of a proof supporting רבי יוסי ברבי יהודה, who holds that an animal separated as מעשר בהמה without proper counting is still valid. The chain runs like this. תרומה can be separated by estimate and by thought. The Torah calls מעשר 'תרומה', so the same is true of מעשר. A היקש then carries the rule over to מעשר בהמה. Next, רבא rules that the tenth animal becomes holy by itself (עשירי מאליו הוא קדוש), even if it is never named or taken out of the pen. The גמרא searches for רבא's source and tries four ברייתות. The first three are rejected, because in each case something else could explain the ruling: the animal was called 'holy', it left the pen or was pointed at, or the flock was exempted by מנין הראוי. The fourth ברייתא says outright that a tenth left in the pen is מעשר. But it clashes with another ברייתא that calls the mistakenly named ninth animal חולין. A תנא before רב ששת resolves the clash by assigning one ברייתא to רבי שמעון בן יהודה, and his words continue on the next amud.

Opening lines

אַף תְּרוּמַת מַעֲשֵׂר נִטֶּלֶת

So too, terumah of the tithe is taken

בְּאוֹמֶד וּבְמַחְשָׁבָה,

by estimate and by thought.

וּמַעֲשֵׂר קַרְיֵיהּ רַחֲמָנָא תְּרוּמָה,

And the Merciful One calls tithe 'terumah',

דִּכְתִיב: ״כִּי אֶת מַעְשַׂר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

as it is written: 'For the tithe of the children of Israel'

The steps (13)

  1. Proofמעשר is called תרומה, so it can also be separated by estimate and thought
  2. ConclusionAnimal tithe is linked to grain tithe, so it too can be separated without counting
  3. Statementרבא rules that the tenth animal is holy by itself
  4. QuestionWhere does רבא learn this?
  5. ResponseFirst suggestion: a ברייתא that the tenth is holy even if not called עשירי
  6. RejectionRejection: maybe he called it 'holy' instead
  7. ProofSecond suggestion: the ninth was mistakenly called tenth
  8. RejectionRejection: there the tenth came out or was pointed at
  9. ProofA third attempt: the tenth animal died in the pen
  10. RejectionThe exemption may come from a fit count
  11. ProofA fourth attempt: the tenth stayed in the pen
  12. ChallengeAnother ברייתא says the ninth is not holy
  13. ResolutionA תנא identifies the author as רבי שמעון בן יהודה