## Bekhorot Daf 24b

###### Bekhorot 24b:1
[Bekhorot 24b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/24b:1)

אַחַאי בְּרִיבִּי: רָאָה חֲזִיר שֶׁכָּרוּךְ אַחַר רָחֵל, מַהוּ? מַאי קָמִיבַּעְיָא לֵיהּ? אִילֵּימָא לִבְכוֹרָה, וְקָמִיבַּעְיָא לֵיהּ אִי הִלְכְתָא כְּרַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אִי הִלְכְתָא כְּרַבָּנַן, תִּיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ טָלֶה!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
by **Aḥai the Distinguished [*beribbi*]:** If **one saw** an animal with the appearance of **a pig that** was **trailing after a ewe, what is** the *halakha*? The Gemara asks: **What is the dilemma he is raising? If we say** he is inquiring **with regard to** the **firstborn** status of the future offspring, **and he is** therefore essentially **asking if the *halakha* is in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel or if the *halakha* is in accordance with** the opinion of **the Rabbis,** then **let the dilemma be raised** with respect to the more common case of **a lamb,** rather than the irregular case of a pig-like animal.


###### Bekhorot 24b:2
[Bekhorot 24b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/24b:2)

כִּי קָמִיבַּעְיָא לֵיהּ, לִבְכוֹרָה וְאַלִּיבָּא דְּרַבָּנַן, לַאֲכִילָה וְאַלִּיבָּא דְּרַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: Actually, **when** Aḥai the Distinguished **raised the dilemma** it was with respect to the ramifications of each opinion: He inquired **with regard to** the future offspring’s **firstborn** status, **and** this aspect of the dilemma was raised under the assumption that the *halakha* is **in accordance with** the opinion **of the Rabbis.** He also inquired **with regard to** whether or not the pig-like animal is permitted for **consumption, and** this aspect of the dilemma was raised under the assumption that the *halakha* is **in accordance with** the opinion **of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel.**


###### Bekhorot 24b:3
[Bekhorot 24b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/24b:3)

לִבְכוֹרָה, וַאֲפִילּוּ לְרַבָּנַן דְאָמְרִי מְרַחֲמָא, כִּי מְרַחֲמָא דְּמִינַהּ, דְּלָא מִינַהּ — לָא, אוֹ דִלְמָא דְּלָא מִינַהּ נָמֵי מְרַחֲמָא?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara elaborates: He inquired **with regard to** the offspring’s **firstborn** status, **and** this question applies **even according to** the opinion of **the Rabbis, who say** that an animal might **be merciful** toward other young animals. The Gemara explains the dilemma: One can say that **when** an animal **is merciful** this applies only toward an animal **that** is of **its** own **species,** but to a young animal **that is not** of **its** own **species** a mother animal certainly does **not** show mercy. Therefore, the fact that it nursed proves that it is its offspring. **Or perhaps** an animal might **also be merciful** toward an offspring **that is not** of **its** own **species.** If it is merciful only to its own species, the ewe is exempt from having its future offspring counted a firstborn; if its mercy extends to other species then it is not exempt.


###### Bekhorot 24b:4
[Bekhorot 24b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/24b:4)

לַאֲכִילָה, וַאֲפִילּוּ לְרַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל — אִם תִּמְצָא לוֹמַר סָבַר: יוֹלֶדֶת מְרַחֲמָא דְּמִינַהּ, דְּלָאו מִינַהּ — לָא; אוֹ דִלְמָא: דְּלָאו מִינַהּ נָמֵי מְרַחֲמָא? תֵּיקוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
And Aḥai the Distinguished also inquired **with regard to** whether the pig-like animal is permitted for **consumption, and** this question applies **even according to** the opinion of **Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel: If you say** he **holds** that **an animal that has given birth** might **be merciful** and nurse another mother’s offspring, perhaps that is so only with regard to an animal **that** is of **its** own **species,** but to an animal **that is not** of **its** own **species** it is **not** merciful, which means the pig-like animal is kosher. **Or perhaps** a mother might **also be merciful** toward an offspring **that is not** of **its** own **species,** in which case the pig-like animal might not be kosher and therefore may not be eaten. After explaining the dilemma of Aḥai the Distinguished, the Gemara concludes: The dilemma **shall stand** unresolved.


###### Bekhorot 24b:5
[Bekhorot 24b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/24b:5)

**מַתְנִי׳** רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן הַמְשׁוּלָּם אוֹמֵר: הַשּׁוֹחֵט אֶת הַבְּכוֹר, עוֹשֶׂה מָקוֹם בְּקוֹפִיץ מִיכָּן וּמִיכָּן, וְתוֹלֵשׁ אֶת הַשֵּׂעָר, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יְזִיזֶנּוּ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ, וְכֵן תּוֹלֵשׁ אֶת הַשֵּׂעָר לִרְאוֹת מְקוֹם מוּם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** **Rabbi Yosei ben HaMeshullam says:** Since it is prohibited by Torah law to shear a firstborn, as it states: “And you shall not shear the firstborn of your flock” (Deuteronomy 15:19), **one who is slaughtering a firstborn,** and must clear hair or wool from the area of the neck in order to facilitate proper slaughter, **clears space** by uprooting the hair **with a cleaver [*bekofitz*] from here and from there,** on either side of the neck, although he thereby **plucks** out **the hair.** He may clear space in this manner **provided that he does not move** the plucked hair **from its place;** it must remain intermingled with the rest of the hair so it will appear that he did not shear the animal. **And likewise, one plucks the hair** to enable one of the Sages **to examine the place of a blemish** and thereby determine whether it is permitted to slaughter the firstborn outside the Temple.


###### Bekhorot 24b:6
[Bekhorot 24b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/24b:6)

**גְּמָ׳** אָמַר רַב: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן הַמְשׁוּלָּם. בְּעוֹ מִינֵּיהּ מֵרַב הוּנָא: כְּנֶגְדּוֹ בְּיוֹם טוֹב מַהוּ? טַעְמָא דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן הַמְשׁוּלָּם מִשּׁוּם דְּקָסָבַר תּוֹלֵשׁ לָאו הַיְינוּ גּוֹזֵז, וּבְיוֹם טוֹב אָסוּר, דְּהָוֵה לֵיהּ עוֹקֵר דָּבָר מִגִּידּוּלוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** **Rav says:** The ***halakha*** is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Yosei ben HaMeshullam.** The Sages **raised a dilemma before Rav Huna: What is** the *halakha* in **the parallel** case of one who wishes to slaughter a non-sacred animal **on a Festival?** The resolution depends on **the reason** for the ruling **of Rabbi Yosei ben HaMeshullam:** Does he permit clearing hair with a cleaver **because he holds** that **plucking is not** the same as **shearing, and** as opposed to plucking the hair of a firstborn, **it is prohibited** to pluck hair **on the Festival, as this is** considered **uprooting an item from its** place of **growth?**


###### Bekhorot 24b:7
[Bekhorot 24b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/24b:7)

אוֹ דִלְמָא בְּעָלְמָא סָבַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן הַמְשׁוּלָּם תּוֹלֵשׁ הַיְינוּ גּוֹזֵז, וְהַיְינוּ טַעְמָא דִּשְׁרֵי, דְּהָוֵה לֵיהּ דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין מִתְכַּוֵּין, וּבְיוֹם טוֹב דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין מִתְכַּוֵּין מוּתָּר?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Or perhaps in general Rabbi Yosei ben HaMeshullam holds** that **plucking is** considered a form of **shearing. And this is the reason that it is permitted** to clear space with a cleaver in the case of the firstborn, **as it is an unintentional act,** i.e., an action performed for a permitted purpose from which a prohibited labor may inadvertently ensue, since he does not intend to pluck out the hair; **and on a Festival an unintentional act is permitted.**


###### Bekhorot 24b:8
[Bekhorot 24b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/24b:8)

אֲמַר לְהוּ: זִילוּ שַׁיְילוּהּ לְרַב חֲנַנְאֵל, אִי אָמַר הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן הַמְשׁוּלָּם, אֶיפְשׁוֹט לְכוּ. אֲתוֹ שַׁיְילוּהּ, אֲמַר לְהוּ: הָכִי אָמַר רַב: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן הַמְשׁוּלָּם. אֲתוֹ לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב הוּנָא, אֲמַר לְהוּ: כְּנֶגְדּוֹ בְּיוֹם טוֹב מוּתָּר. אִיתְּמַר נָמֵי, אָמַר רַב חֲנַנְיָה בַּר שֶׁלֶמְיָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב: כְּנֶגְדּוֹ בְּיוֹם טוֹב

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rav Huna **said to them: Go** and **ask** Rav’s disciple, **Rav Ḥananel,** and **if** Rav in fact **said the *halakha* is in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Yosei ben HaMeshullam, I will explain to you** the resolution of your dilemma. **They went** and **asked** Rav Ḥananel, and **he said to them** that **this is what Rav says:** The ***halakha*** is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Yosei ben HaMeshullam. They came before Rav Huna,** and **he said to them:** In **the parallel** case of one who wishes to slaughter a non-sacred animal **on a Festival,** it is **permitted** to pluck the hair in order to facilitate proper slaughter. **It was also stated** that **Rav Ḥananya bar Shelamya says in the name of Rav:** In **the parallel** case of one who wishes to slaughter a non-sacred animal **on a Festival,**