Gemara Clarity

Bechoros 9a

בכורות ט׳ ע״א

Bekhorot 9a

Learn Bechoros 9a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Bechoros 9a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The end of the story of רבי יהושע בן חנניה and the elders of Athens, the משנה about פטר חמור with twin births, and the גמרא's proof that this משנה does not follow רבי יוסי הגלילי.

Overview

The amud opens with the end of a story. רבי יהושע בן חנניה brings the captured elders of Athens before the emperor and proves they are the real elders by throwing their home soil on them. He then defeats them with water from a spot in the sea that swallows everything. Next, a new משנה teaches how much a donkey owner gives the כהן for פטר חמור when there are twin births and it is unclear which baby came out first. The rule is that only a male who is certainly a firstborn obligates a lamb. When it is in doubt, the owner sets a lamb aside but keeps it, because the כהן cannot prove his claim. The משנה also teaches that the redemption lamb has no holiness and can be any sheep or goat. The גמרא then asks whether the משנה could follow רבי יוסי הגלילי, who holds that two births can happen at exactly the same moment. אביי tries to fit the משנה to him, but a ברייתא shows רבי יוסי הגלילי applies his rule to donkeys too. So אביי is refuted, and the משנה follows the חכמים.

Opening lines

כִּי מָטֵי לְבֵי בְלִיעֵי,

When they reached the House of the Swallowed,

מְלָא כּוּזָא דְּמַיָּא מִבֵּי בְלִיעֵי.

he filled a small jug of water from the House of the Swallowed.

כַּד אֲתוֹ, אוֹקְמִינְהוּ קַמֵּי קֵיסָר.

When they arrived, he stood them before the emperor.

חֲזָנְהוּ דַּהֲווֹ מְעַנִּי,

He saw that they were suffering,

The steps (23)

  1. StatementCollecting water from the swallowing place
  2. StatementThe emperor doubts these are the real elders
  3. StatementTheir home soil brings back their arrogance
  4. StatementThe impossible task: fill the vessel
  5. ConclusionThe elders wear themselves out and are defeated
  6. StatementOne donkey gives birth to twins
  7. StatementTwo donkeys each have a male
  8. StatementCases where one male is surely firstborn
  9. StatementCases where the כהן gets nothing
  10. StatementOne experienced donkey and one first-time donkey give birth
  11. StatementThe verse for redeeming with a lamb and the laws of that lamb
  12. QuestionThe גמרא asks who taught the משנה
  13. Responseרבי ירמיה: the משנה does not follow רבי יוסי הגלילי
  14. Rejectionאביי: even רבי יוסי הגלילי could agree here
  15. ChallengeWhy not learn donkeys from kosher animals?
  16. ResolutionThe Torah limited the rule to kosher animals
  17. QuestionSecond version: maybe the משנה does not follow רבי יוסי הגלילי
  18. Rejectionאביי: the משנה can still follow רבי יוסי הגלילי
  19. ChallengeWhy doesn't the משנה mention both heads coming out together?
  20. ChallengeA ברייתא: רבי יוסי הגלילי gives both donkeys to the כהן
  21. ChallengeBut that verse is about animals with built-in holiness
  22. ResolutionThe plural word 'males' teaches a general rule
  23. Conclusionאביי is firmly refuted