Talking Talmud

Bekhorot 19: Questionable First-borns

2 mishnayot to close out chapter 2! Two ewes bear 2 male lambs -- both are first-born. One male, one female - the kohen gets the male. But with twins, what goes to the ko

Bekhorot 18: Twin Lambs, Seen Narrowly

More on the case of the male twins whose heads emerged simultaneously -- where Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiva disagree. Also, delving in deeper, in terms of assessing the l

Bekhorot 17: True Simultaneity (or Not)

If a ewe gives birth to animal that looks like a goat, or vice versa, but also looks a little like its mother... Rabbi Meir says it is subject to the laws of first-born,

Bekhorot 16: Sin-offerings and Partnerships

The 5 sin-offerings that are left to die that are left to die (if they cannot be offered on the altar). How we know this, and how it works -- including the verse that tea

Bekhorot 15: A Gazelle, a Hart, and the Limits of Permission

More on the consecration vs. blemish and their implications for practice, in terms of order: where is all this derived? From the different animals mentioned in the Torah,

Bekhorot 14: Private Altars

A new mishnah! Consecrated animals that acquire a blemish -- so they cannot be used for a regular sacrifice, what happens when they're then used for other things -- which

Bekhorot 13: Yevamot and Avodah Zarah - Revisited

Summary/description to follow after shabbat/chag, with apologies.

Bekhorot 12: Redemption Lambs and Other Animals

Two mishnayot! First - How you cannot redeem the first-born donkey (a list of the animals that don't work for this redemption). Who's opinion is represented in the mishna

Bekhorot 11: Two Zuzim

Our first story in the tractate! Meaning, an actual case and discussion between the sages. On how much a person pays to redeem an animal from the kohanim, whether generou

Bekhorot 10: Food Impurity and Shechitah Practice

A debate between Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Meir, as to whether a first-born donkey is permitted for benefit. Whether the animal is decapitated is a relevant element to the d

Bekhorot 9: A Lamb for the First-Born Donkey

A new mishnah! When two donkeys are born at the same time, and it's not clear which one should be offered as a first-born (or a male and female and not clear which was bo

Bekhorot 8: Dolphins, Mermaids, and Greek Philosophy

Non-kosher fish "spawn" their offspring and nurse, where kosher fish lay eggs - with the exception of a bat, which lays eggs and also nurses, with many more factors to ch

Bekhorot 7: Can Kosher and Non-Kosher Animals Mate?

When an impure animal appears to be born to a pure animal, the animal can be consumed if and only if its head and more resembles the kosher mother. But can a kosher anima

Bekhorot 6: Milk from Meat

When the progeny of an animal doesn't quite resemble the mother animal, but has some similar traits, will it require the first-born status? Note the complicating factors

Bekhorot 5: Wilderness Accounting

Rabbi Yochanan came to Rabbi Elazar in a dream, and it was a harbinger for a good day. And the sanctification of the first-borns would not end, because of his own learnin

Bekhorot 4: Wilderness First-borns

A new mishnah! Establishing additional exemptions for the first-born donkey offerings. The initial exemptions took place in the wilderness, and exempted the Levites, beca

Bekhorot 3: Blemishes and Their Discontents

If one sold a first-born, and had to buy it back, the question is whether that's buying it back for 10x the value of the animal specifically, or just some random large am

Bekhorot 2: Beginning with Donkeys

A new tractate, taking the first-born animals as its major focus: including human first-born sons, first male domesticated animals, and first-born donkeys, commemorating

Hullin 142: The Reward of Long Life in the World-to-Come

A new mishnah! The last one, to be sure. Taking the mother bird for the fledglings or eggs -- you take the mother bird for the sake of the purification of the person reco

Hullin 141: Acquiring the Mother Bird

New mishnayot! 1 - If you send away the mother bird, and she comes back (even several times), you still have to send her away, if you want the eggs. Plus, when a positive