Bechoros 60b

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Bekhorot 60b

Learn Bechoros 60b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

מעשר בהמה: mistakes in counting, and two animals that leave the pen together

Overview

The גמרא discusses מעשר בהמה when the owner counts wrong. A ברייתא learns from the פסוק that an animal mistakenly called 'tenth' becomes holy, but only if it is right next to the real tenth (the ninth or the eleventh). Another ברייתא says only one mistaken animal can become holy. The גמרא explains that this follows רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון, who treats a mistake like a תמורה and holds that a second תמורה does not work. רבא then rules on two animals leaving the pen together: depending on what the owner calls them, a holy animal ends up mixed with another animal. רב כהנא and רב אשי debate whether animals that leave at the same time both become holy, even though the name 'tenth' was never taken away. They test this against the משנה's 'זה הכלל' and a ברייתא, and the discussion leads to רבי's view that calling the tenth 'eleventh' does not remove its name when the owner has many animals. Finally, three ברייתות give different rulings for two mixed animals: graze, be sacrificed, or die. The 'graze' ruling is assigned to the רבנן, and the other two are explained on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (27)

1. StatementQuoting the משנה: the mixed-up count
2. QuestionThe ברייתא asks for the source
3. ResponseThe verse is the source
4. QuestionMaybe even the eighth and twelfth are included?
5. ResponseOnly animals right next to the tenth
6. ChallengeA ברייתא says only one mistaken animal becomes holy
7. ResolutionThe 'unique' ברייתא follows רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון
8. ResolutionWhy only one mistaken animal: a mistake works like substitution
9. StatementTwo animals come out as the ninth and both are called 'ninth'
10. StatementTwo animals come out as the ninth and both are called 'tenth'
11. StatementTwo animals leave together as the tenth
12. QuestionWhy do we need this extra case?
13. ResponseBoth become holy even though 'tenth' was not removed
14. Challengeרב אשי challenges from the rule in the משנה
15. ResolutionThe rule only applies one after the other
16. ChallengeThe one-after-the-other case is already written outright
17. ResolutionThe extra words add the case where the owner said nothing
18. ProofProof from a ברייתא that two animals leaving together are both holy
19. Rejectionרב אשי reads the ברייתא as a case where the name was taken away
20. ChallengeBut the ברייתא says neither went first
21. Resolution'Did not go first' means it went back in
22. ChallengeThis reading does not seem to fit רבי
23. Resolutionרבי's rule applies only when there are many animals
24. StatementThe ברייתא where רבי states his view
25. Resolutionרבא explains רבי: the owner has many animals
26. ChallengeThree different rulings on two animals that came out together
27. ResolutionThe 'graze' ruling follows the רבנן