Bekhorot

He can also take one from those born in Elul1 and the rest are exempt in any case, for if the first of Elul is the New Year [for cattle tithe], [the animals] of Elul and Tishri combine [to enter one shed] and those of Ab are exempt,2 and if the first of Tishri is the New Year, the animals of Ab and Elul combine and those of Tishri are exempt.3 You will perhaps argue against this that [those five of Tishri] should be combined with those born in a subsequent tithing period.4 The Divine Law however refers to a sure tenth5 and not to a doubtful tenth.6 But is not this obvious?7 — You might have said that we ought to enact a prohibition lest he should come to take from these.8 [Raba] therefore informs us [that we have no such fear of this].9 MISHNAH. HOW DO WE TITHE ANIMALS? WE BRING THEM TO A SHED AND MAKE FOR THEM A SMALL OPENING SO THAT TWO SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME. AND WE COUNT [WITH THE ROD],10 ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE. AND HE MARKS EVERY TENTH LAMB THAT GOES OUT AND SAYS: THIS IS [THE TITHE]’. IF HE FAILED TO MARK IT, DID NOT COUNT THEM [THE LAMBS] WITH A ROD, OR IF HE COUNTED THEM WHILE THEY WERE CROUCHING OR STANDING, THEY ARE STILL CONSIDERED TITHED. IF HE HAD ONE HUNDRED [LAMBS] AND HE TOOK TEN11 OR IF HE HAD TEN AND HE TOOK ONE,12 THIS IS NOT [VALID] TITHE.13 BUT R. JOSE B. JUDAH SAYS: THIS IS [VALID] TITHE. IF ONE [OF THE LAMBS] ALREADY COUNTED14 LEAPED AMONG THE FLOCK [IN THE SHED]15 THEY ARE ALL EXEMPT.16 IF ONE OF THEM THAT WAS MARKED AS TITHE LEAPED AMONG THE FLOCK [IN THE SHED],17 THEY ALL GO TO PASTURE UNTIL THEY BECOME UNFIT FOR SACRIFICE,18 AND THE OWNERS MAY EAT THEM IN THEIR UNFIT STATE.19 GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught: How does he tithe animals? He brings them into a shed and makes for them a small opening so that two may not go out at the same time. He also places their mothers outside [the shed] while the offspring are inside, so that [the mothers] low and [the offspring] go out to meet their mothers. But let him bring them out himself? — Scripture Says: Shall pass,20 intimating that he must not cause them to pass. But let him throw them some green herb [outside]21 so as to induce them to go out? — Said R. Huna: This was prohibited22 on account of an animal bought or orphaned.23 Our Rabbis taught, Scripture says: Even of whatsoever passeth under the rod:20 this excludes a trefah which is unable [physically] to pass under the rod.24 It is a duty to count them with the rod. If, however, he did not count them with the rod, or if he counted them while they were crouching or standing, whence do we infer that the tithing is valid? The text states: The tenth shall be holy,20 in any case.25 I have here mentioned only that the tenth animal is holy when he calls it the tenth. Whence is it derived that it is holy even if he did not call it the tenth? Scripture says: ‘It shall be holy’, intimating that [it is holy] in any case. You might think that if he had a hundred [lambs] and he took ten [at the same time as the tithe], or if he had ten lambs and he took one [as the tithe], they are redeemed? The text states: ‘The tenth’, and this is not the tenth.26 But R. Jose son of R. Judah says: Such is [valid] tithe. What is the reason of R. Jose son of R. Judah? He agrees with Abba Eleazar b. Gomel.27 For it was taught: Abba Eleazar b. Gomel Says: [Scripture says]: And this your heave-offering shall be reckoned unto you as though it were the corn of the threshing-floor.28 Scripture speaks of two kinds of terumah,29 one that of terumah gedolah30 and the other the terumah of the tithe.31 Just as terumah gedolah may be set apart for the priest by estimating [without measuring the quantity]32 and by [merely] mentally planning [the separation],33 crouching position or standing, when be is able mentally to fix upon one from those born in Elul as tithe. combined to enter the shed. Consequently, those of Tishri have already been redeemed and the law of tithing does not apply to where there is a doubt, Year and therefore there are only five of the previous year, a number insufficient for tithing. Again, he cannot take one lamb as a tenth from those born in Tishri for those born in Ab and Elul, in case Tishri is the New Year and therefore there are only five lambs, a number to which tithing cannot apply. example, if he takes one of the animals born in Ab as the tithe for the others. If Elul is the New Year, it will be found that these cannot combine for tithing and consequently the one taken is not the tithe, and if therefore he eats this as the tithe he will be eating hullin in the Temple. The same applies if he took one lamb from those born in Tishri. counting takes place, thus avoiding taking from the others (R. Gershom). ten in the shed when counting commenced, and as we are in doubt which is the redeemed lamb among the flock, all are exempt. thus be eating a consecrated animal without the Temple wall. reminder that an animal bought and not born to him, or one whose mother died during or soon after confinement, is exempt from tithing; whereas if some other plan were adopted of inducing the young to go out, orphans and animals bought might enter the shed and thus cause the rest to be exempted. this is compared to the terumah which the Israelite gives to the priest from the threshing-floor, v. Glos. s.v. Terumah. grain. priest may also be held to refer to the terumah given by the Israelite to the priest. terumah, after which he can immediately eat what is on the other side.