Bechoros Daf 26 בכורות דַף 26

Rebbe Yannai asked: צמר שנתלש מעולה תמימה מהו – if wool became detached from an unblemished olah, what is the halachah? The Gemara explains that there is no question about the wool of a חטאת or אשם which became detached, דכיון דלכפרה אתו לא משהו להו – for since [these korbanos] come for atonement, they will not delay sacrificing them to obtain more wool, and there is no need to prohibit the detached wool. On the other hand, the wool of a bechor or מעשר בהמה which became detached is certainly forbidden (according to the Rabbonon of our Mishnah), because since they are not for atonement, we are concerned he will delay sacrificing them to obtain more wool. The question is specific to an olah: כיון דעיקר לאו לכפרה אתי – since it does not primarily come for atonement (but as a voluntary korban), perhaps he would delay sacrificing it (and the wool should be forbidden). Or, perhaps we say that since an olah also atones for the violation of an עשה, one would therefore not delay sacrificing it.

The fourth Perek begins: עד כמה ישראל חייבין ליטפל בבכור – until when are Yisroelim obligated to care for a bechor animal before giving it to a Kohen? בדקה  – For small [livestock], thirty days, ובגסה  – and for large [livestock], fifty days. Rebbe Yose says that small livestock requires three months. These time periods are darshened in a Baraisa: "בכור בניך תתן לי כן תעשה...לצאנך" – the firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me; so shall you do…for your flocks. Just as a human bechor is redeemed after thirty days, a bechor of sheep is given to the Kohen after thirty days. Regarding "שורך" – your cow, the superfluous word "תעשה" – you shall do teaches: הוסיף לך הכתוב עשייה אחרת בשורך – the passuk added another “doing” with your cow. Since the length of this additional care is not defined, לא מסרך הכתוב אלא לחכמים – the passuk gave you over to the Sages, who defined the time requirement for a גסה as fifty days. Rebbe Yose says a דקה requires three months, מפני שטפולה מרובה – because the trouble of caring for it is great. A Baraisa explains: מפני ששיניה דקות – because its teeth are thin, and it cannot eat grass, and it needs its mother.

The Mishnah continued that if a Kohen tells the owner, during the prescribed care period, "תנהו לי" – Give it to me, the owner may not give it to him. However, if it was a בעל מום, and the Kohen asks for it to eat it immediately, he may give it to him. Similarly, during the time of the Beis Hamikdash, the Kohen may be given an unblemished bechor to sacrifice right away. Rav Sheishess explains why it may not be given to the Kohen in the first case: מפני שנראה ככהן המסייע בבית הגרנות – because it appears like a Kohen who assists in the granary (with threshing, etc.) in order to receive the owner’s terumah. Here, too, he appears to agree to care for the bechor until it develops a מום so the owner will give it to him, and not another Kohen. A Baraisa teaches: if Kohanim, Leviim, and poor people assist in the shepherd’s home, the granary, or the slaughterhouse, אין נותנין להם תרומה ומעשר בשכרן – we do not give them terumah or maaser as their reward. [The first and third case only pertain to a Kohen, who receives bechoros, and זרוע לחיים וקיבה, respectively.] If one did so, חיללו – they have profaned the terumah, etc.