Bekhorot

he holds with the view of R. Simeon, who said: Offspring brought forth by means of the caesarean section is a genuine offspring,1 and not with the opinion of R. Johanan.2 With respect to an animal too young to sacrifice, he agrees with the view of R. Simeon b. Judah.3 As regards an ‘orphan’, he assumes e.g., that the hide is still intact and R. Joshua follows the opinion he expressed elsewhere: EVEN IF THE MOTHER HAS BEEN KILLED BUT THE HIDE IS STILL INTACT, IT IS NOT AN ORPHANED ANIMAL. R. Ishmael b. Sathriel of Arkath Libnah4 testified before Rabbi: In our place we strip the hide from the dead [dam] and put it on the living [offspring].5 Said Rabbi: The reason of our Mishnah is now revealed.6 [He further testified]: The lettuces In our place have six hundred thousand peelings [of small leaves] around their core.7 Once a certain cedar tree fell in our place and sixteen wagons alongside each other passed its width.8 Once the egg of a Bar Yokani9 fell and its contents swamped sixteen cities and destroyed three hundred cedar trees. But does it actually throw the egg?10 is it not written: The wing of the ostrich beateth joyously?11 — The egg [which it smashed] was a rotten one.12 MISHNAH. THERE ARE THREE PERIODS13 FOR THE TITHE OF CATTLE.14 IN THE PERAS15 OF PASSOVER, IN THE PERAS OF PENTECOST AND IN THE PERAS OF TABERNACLES. THESE ARE THE WORDS OF R. AKIBA. BEN AZZAI SAYS: ON THE TWENTY-NINTH OF ADAR, ON THE FIRST OF SIWAN AND ON THE TWENTY-NINTH OF AB. R. ELEAZAR AND R. SIMEON SAY: ON THE FIRST OF NISAN, ON THE FIRST OF SIWAN AND ON THE TWENTY-NINTH OF ELUL. AND WHY DID THEY SAY THE TWENTY-NINTH OF ELUL AND NOT THE FIRST OF TISHRI?16 BECAUSE IT IS A HOLY DAY AND YOU CANNOT TITHE ON A HOLY DAY.17 CONSEQUENTLY THE RABBIS FIXED IT EARLIER, FOR THE TWENTY-NINTH OF ELUL. R. MEIR SAYS: THE FIRST OF ELUL IS THE NEW YEAR FOR THE TITHE OF CATTLE.18 BEN AZZAI SAYS: THOSE BORN IN ELUL ARE TITHED BY THEMSELVES.19 ALL THOSE BORN FROM THE FIRST OF TISHRI UNTIL THE TWENTY-NINTH OF ELUL COMBINE [TO ENTER INTO ONE SHED].20 FIVE LAMBS BORN BEFORE ROSH HASHANAH21 AND FIVE BORN AFTER ROSH HASHANAH DO NOT COMBINE. BUT FIVE LAMBS BORN BEFORE THE PERIOD [OF TITHING] AND FIVE AFTER THE PERIOD [OF TITHING] DO COMBINE [TO ENTER ONE SHED FOR TITHING]. IF SO, WHY DID THEY SPEAK OF THREE PERIODS FOR THE TITHE OF CATTLE?22 [IT IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF INFORMING US THAT] UNTIL THE ARRIVAL OF THE [TITHING] PERIOD IT IS PERMITTED TO SELL AND KILL [THE ANIMALS],23 BUT WHEN THE PERIOD HAS ARRIVED HE MUST NOT KILL, THOUGH IF HE KILLED, HE IS NOT CULPABLE. GEMARA. What reason is there for these three periods? — Said Rabbah b. Shila: Corresponding [to the three periods when animals give birth]; [some give birth] early [in the season],24 [some] late [in the season]25 and [some in] the summer.26 And why [are the lambs] tithed in these particular times?27 — Said R. Tanhum son of R. Hiyya a man of Kefar Acco:28 47b. comparing them with a first-born which is only hallowed when born from the womb (Rashi). orphan is therefore because since the hide is of assistance to the offspring, it is as if the mother were alive. ‘A he-goat etc.’. (it goes up) tkgnk (above) tyj,b (it comes down). It carries its large egg, ascends aloft and then comes down to lay it gently in its nest on the ground without smashing it. to these intervals, one may eat or sell the animals directly even without tithing. new for the old. is the first of Tishri or the first of Elul. Tishri is the New Year for the purpose of tithing. fixed in the Peras of Passover, those born late, in the Peras of Pentecost, and those born in the summer, in the Peras of Tabernacles. Another explanation given by Rashi and R. Gershom is: that those born in summer, the period given is the Peras of Pentecost and those which are born late are assigned for tithing purposes to the Peras of Tabernacles,