Bekhorot

— It is possible to adopt the remedy of Rab Judah. For Rab Judah said: One may maim a first-born before it is born.1 But2 here also it is possible to cause a blemish from the beginning?3 — Who knows which animal will come out [the tenth]?4 And should you say that he brings it out as tenth,5 [Scripture says]: He shall not search whether it be good or bad.6 And should you say that it is possible to cause a blemish in the whole herd [of animals],7 — the Temple may be speedily rebuilt and we shall require an animal for a sacrifice and there will be none. But does this not also apply to a first-born,8 that the Temple may speedily be rebuilt and we shall require an animal for sacrifice and there will be none? — It is possible [in the latter case] to use plain [non first-born] animals. There too [in the case of the tithing of animals] it is possible to sacrifice animals bought?9 — Since he causes a blemish in the entire herd [of animals],10 and blemishes which disqualify consecrated animals are frequent, for even a cataract disqualifies, animals for sacrifice are not easy to obtain. 11 IT APPLIES TO HULLIN ONLY BUT NOT TO CONSECRATED ANIMALS. But is it not obvious that the law of tithing animals does not apply to consecrated animals, seeing that they are not his?12 — This statement refers to sacrifices of a minor grade13 and is in accordance with the opinion of R. Jose the Galilean who said: Sacrifices of a minor grade are considered the property of the owners. For it has been taught: And commit a trespass against the Lord,14 this includes sacrifices of a minor grade,15 which are considered the owner's property. These are the words of R. Jose the Galilean. You might therefore think that they should be tithed. [The Mishnah] consequently informs us [that it is not so].16 And why not say that this is so?17 — The Divine Law says: [The tenth] shall be holy,18 implying but not what is already holy.19 Now the reason of this20 is because the Divine Law says: ‘Shall be holy’, but otherwise the holiness of an animal set aside for tithe would have applied to consecrated animals.21 But if a major grade of holiness is not superimposed on a minor grade is there any question of a minor grade being superimposed on a minor grade? (What is referred to?22 — As we have learnt: Neither objects dedicated for sacrifices nor offerings for Temple repair may be changed from one holiness to the other.23 But it is permitted to dedicate [for Temple repair] the value [one receives for obliging somebody] in connection with dedicated sacrifices,24 or we may declare [the benefit received for obliging somebody] as devoted [for the altar])!25 — You might have said that there26 [the reason is that] every animal is not designated for a burnt-offering,27 but here, since every animal must be tithed, therefore although he dedicated it for a peace-offering, he does not exempt it from the prohibition applying to an animal tithed. And what would be the practical difference?28 That he is liable of transgressing on their account [the negative precepts of]: ‘It shall not be sold’, and ‘It shall not be redeemed’.29 [The text therefore: ‘Shall be holy’] intimates that this is not so. IT ALSO APPLIES BOTH TO LARGE CATTLE AND SHEEP BUT THEY CANNOT BE TITHED ONE FOR THE OTHER; TO LAMBS AND GOATS etc. And why should not [we derive a rule that] the new animals [born after Elul] and the old born [before Elul] be tithed one for the other a minori [thus]: If lambs and goats which are treated as diverse kinds in regard to one another are tithed one for the other, does it not stand to reason that new and old animals which are not treated as diverse kinds in regard to one another should be tithed one for the other? Scripture however, states: Thou shalt truly tithe.30 Scripture speaks of two kinds of tithes, one the tithing of animals and the other the tithing of grain, and it compares the case of an animal tithed with that of the tithing of grain; just as in the case of the tithing of grain it is forbidden to tithe the new for the old31 so in the case of the tithing of animals it is also forbidden to tithe the new for the old. If this be the fact,32 the same should apply to the case of lambs and goats? Why not say that we compare the tithing of animals to the tithing of grain so that, just as in the case of the tithing of grain you must not tithe one kind of grain for the other, so in the case of the tithing of animals you must not tithe one kind [of animal] for the other? — The Divine Law includes [all by stating] flock’.33 If this be so,34 then [include] also new and old [animals]?35 — Scripture says: ‘Thou shalt truly tithe’?36 And why do you see fit?37 — Said Rab: Scripture says: ‘year by year’, [intimating], I [Scripture] have compared the tithing of animals with the tithing of grain in respect of the year,38 but not with reference to any other matter [e.g., one kind of animal for another]. We have learnt elsewhere: We must not separate [terumah from] one kind of grain for another, and if one does so separate, his terumah is no terumah.39 Whence is this proved? R. Ammi reported in the name of R. Jannai, (another version is: R. Ammi reported in the name of R. Simeon b. Lakish): [Scripture says]: All the best of the oil and all the best of the wine and of the wheat.40 The Torah thus said: Give the best for this and the best for that. 41 animal, v. supra 3b. Therefore a first-born is holy because we do not entertain a fear lest one might be led to commit an offence, seeing that he could, if he wished, eliminate all sanctity from the animal at the outset. Why therefore should not the law of tithing animals apply even nowadays? animals blemished. them. the Lord’ and ‘against his neighbour’. oath but which he afterwards admits to be in his possession, he pays the principal and the fine of one-fifth, for he has committed a trespass not only ‘against the Lord’ but also ‘against his neighbour’, since the owners partake of the offering. shall not be sold, It shall not be redeemed’. higher grade than the latter. The same applies to objects dedicated for Temple repair, which cannot be changed into objects dedicated for the altar. particular priest who is the son of the Israelite's daughter. dedication and cannot be altered for offering up on the altar. tithe last year's grain for this year's and this year's grain for the coming year's. respect to tithing. goats with the tithing of grain, thus forbidding the tithing of one for the other in small cattle? have heaved the best thereof (Num. XVIII, 30).