Bechoros Daf 11 בכורות דַף 11

Reish Lakish says that if one has a פטר חמור but has no שה with which to redeem it, פודהו בשויו – he redeems it for its value with anything. The Gemara initially says that this cannot accord with Rebbe Yehudah, who says that a פטר חמור is forbidden in benefit based on the fact that הקפידה עליו תורה בשה – the Torah insisted that it be redeemed specifically with a sheep (and nothing else). However, Ravina asks that the halachah follows Rebbe Yehudah in his arguments against Rebbe Shimon, and the anonymous Mishnah on Daf 9b follows Rebbe Yehudah. How, then, could Reish Lakish issue a ruling that does not accord with Rebbe Yehudah? Therefore, the Gemara concludes that even Rebbe Yehudah agrees that a פטר חמור can be redeemed for its value with anything, because לא יהא חמור מן ההקדש – it should not be more stringent than hekdesh, which can be redeemed for its value with anything. ולא אמרה תורה בשה להחמיר עליו אלא להקל עליו – The Torah did not say to redeem it with a שה to be stringent with him; rather, it was to be lenient with him (by allowing פדיון with a שה of lesser value).

Rav Huna says: הפודה פטר חמור של חבירו פדיונו פדוי – if one redeems  his friend’s firstborn donkey, it is redeemed. The Gemara asks: פדיונו לפודה – Does [the donkey] which he redeemed belong to the redeemer, או דלמא פדיונו לבעלים – or perhaps [the donkey] which he redeemed belongs to the original owner? According to Rebbe Shimon’s opinion, that the פטר חמור was always permitted in benefit, it is obvious that ממונא דבעלים הוא – it is the owner’s property, and one cannot acquire it by redeeming it. The question is according to Rebbe Yehudah’s opinion, that it is forbidden in benefit before being redeemed. Is a פטר חמור similar to hekdesh, where the redeemed item belongs to whoever redeems it? Or do we say, כיון דקני להו בביני וביני – since [the owner] owned it for difference in value between it and the שה, it is not like hekdesh, and the owner would keep the donkey? A Baraisa obligates כפל – double payment for stealing a פטר חמור. Since stealing hekdesh does not obligate כפל, this proves that a פטר חמור is not like hekdesh, and the redeemed donkey belongs to the original owner.

Rebbe Chanina said that if one purchased smoothed piles of טבל from an idolator, מעשרן והן שלו – he tithes them and they are his, i.e., he may sell the terumah to a Kohen. He must separate terumah (etc.), because אין קנין לעובד כוכבים בארץ ישראל להפקיע מיד מעשר – an idolator does not have land ownership in Eretz Yisroel for removing it from maaser obligations. Still, they belong to him, because he can tell the Kohen: קאתינא מכח גברא דלא מצית [אישתעויי] דינא בהדיה – I come from the strength of a person with whom you could not litigate (an עכו"ם). However, the Gemara eventually proves that תרומה גדולה separated from an עכו"ם’s produce is given to a Kohen. In contrast, תרומת מעשר taken from an עכו"ם’s produce need not be given to a Kohen: the Torah commands Leviim to take terumas maaser "כי תקחו מאת בני ישראל" – when you take from the Children of Yisroel, which teaches: טבלים שאתה לוקח מבני ישראל אתה מפריש מהן תרומת מעשר ונותנה לכהן – only from tevel which you take from בני ישראל, you must separate terumas maaser and give it to the Kohen, but terumas maaser taken from an עכו"ם’s produce belongs to the maaser’s owner.