## Bekhorot Daf 31a

###### Bekhorot 31a:1
[Bekhorot 31a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/31a:1)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: וְכוּלָּן שֶׁחָזְרוּ בָּהֶן אֵין מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתָן עוֹלָמִית, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: חָזְרוּ בְּמַטְמוֹנִיּוֹת — אֵין מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתָן, בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא — מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to an *am ha’aretz* who accepts upon himself the stringent practices of a *ḥaver*, **the Sages taught** in a *baraita*: **And** with regard to **all of them, when they retract** and return to being *amei ha’aretz*, **they are never accepted** as *ḥaverim*; this is **the statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yehuda says:** If **they retracted in private,** while in public they continue to act as *ḥaverim*, **they are not accepted,** but if they retract **in public [*befarheseya*], they are accepted,** as they can be trusted.


###### Bekhorot 31a:2
[Bekhorot 31a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/31a:2)

אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: אִם עָשׂוּ דִּבְרֵיהֶן בְּמַטְמוֹנִיּוֹת — מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתָן, בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא — אֵין מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**There are** those **who say** another version of this discussion: If **they performed their actions** as *ḥaverim* even **in private,** when they initially accepted the status of *ḥaverim*, then **they are accepted** when they wish to return to that status. Conversely, if they performed their actions as *ḥaverim* only **in public, they are not accepted.**


###### Bekhorot 31a:3
[Bekhorot 31a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/31a:3)

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קׇרְחָה אוֹמְרִים: בֵּין כָּךְ וּבֵין כָּךְ מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתָן, מִשּׁוּם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״שׁוּבוּ בָּנִים שׁוֹבָבִים״. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק אִישׁ כְּפַר עַכּוֹ אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: הֲלָכָה כְּאוֹתוֹ הַזּוּג.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa say: Both** in **this** case **and** in **that** case **they are accepted, as it is stated: “Return, you backsliding children;** I will heal your backslidings” (Jeremiah 3:22). **Rabbi Yitzḥak of the village of Akko says** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan says: The *halakha*** is **in accordance with** the opinion of **that pair,** Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa, i.e., those who return are accepted in both cases.


###### Bekhorot 31a:4
[Bekhorot 31a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/31a:4)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן, בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים: חָבֵר וְנַעֲשָׂה גַּבַּאי — דּוֹחִין אוֹתוֹ מֵחֲבֵירָתוֹ, פֵּירַשׁ — אֵין מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתוֹ. חָזְרוּ לוֹמַר: פֵּירַשׁ — הֲרֵי הוּא כְּכׇל אָדָם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught** in a *baraita*: **Initially,** the Sages **would say** with regard to one who is **a *ḥaver* and became** a tax **collector** that **he is rejected from his** status as **a *ḥaver*.** Even if he later **resigns** from his position as a tax collector, **he is not accepted.** In later generations **they went back to saying** that if **he resigns** from his position as a tax collector **he is like any other person** and may be accepted once again as a *ḥaver*.


###### Bekhorot 31a:5
[Bekhorot 31a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/31a:5)

רַב הוּנָא בַּר חִיָּיא אִיצְטְרִיכָא לֵיהּ שַׁעְתָּא, הֲוָה עָיֵיל גַּבֵּיהּ רַבָּה וְרַב יוֹסֵף וְאַרְבַּע מְאָה זוּגֵא דְּרַבָּנַן. שְׁמַע דְּאָתוּ, קְטַיר לְהוּ אַרְבַּע מְאָה תַּכְתָּקֵי. לְסוֹף שְׁמַעוּ דְּנַעֲשָׂה גַּבַּאי, שְׁלַחוּ לֵיהּ: זִיל לַחֲשִׁיבוּתֵיהּ, זִיל לְקַדְמוּתֵיהּ. שְׁלַח לְהוּ: הֲדַרִי בִּי. רַב יוֹסֵף לָא אֲזַל, רַבָּה אֲזַל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates that one **time** the Sages **needed Rav Huna bar Ḥiyya** for a certain matter. **Rabba and Rav Yosef and four hundred pairs of Sages ascended to his** home. When **he heard that they were coming,** he **tied** for **them four hundred chairs [*takhtekei*]** to sit on. **Eventually** the Sages **heard that he had become** a tax **collector. They sent him** the following message: **Go to your** important position as a tax collector, and **go to your former** status, as we no longer need you. **He sent to them** the following message: **I have repented** and am no longer a tax collector. **Rav Yosef did not go** to him, but **Rabba went** to him.


###### Bekhorot 31a:6
[Bekhorot 31a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/31a:6)

רַב יוֹסֵף אָמַר: תְּנֵינָא, פֵּירַשׁ — אֵין מְקַבְּלִין אוֹתוֹ; רַבָּה אָמַר: תְּנֵינָא, חָזְרוּ לוֹמַר: פֵּירַשׁ — הֲרֵי הוּא כְּכׇל אָדָם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Yosef said** in explanation of why he did not go: **We learn** in a *baraita* that even if such an individual **resigns** from his position as a tax collector **he is not accepted. Rabba said: We learn** in the *baraita* that in later generations **they went back to saying** that if **he resigns** from his position as a tax collector **he is like any other person** and may be accepted once again as a *ḥaver*.


###### Bekhorot 31a:7
[Bekhorot 31a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/31a:7)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: כׇּל הַבְּכוֹרוֹת אָדָם רוֹאֶה, חוּץ מִשֶּׁל עַצְמוֹ, וְרוֹאֶה אֶת קֳדָשָׁיו, וְאֶת מַעְשְׂרוֹתָיו, וְנִשְׁאָל עַל טׇהֳרוֹתָיו.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught** in a *baraita*: **A person may inspect all firstborns** for blemishes **except for his own** firstborns, as he has a vested interest. **And** despite his vested interest in these cases, one may **inspect his own sanctified animals** that he consecrated for the Temple, to determine whether they have blemishes and may be redeemed; **and** he may inspect **his** animal **tithes** to decide whether they are fit for sacrifice in the Temple; **and** one **may ask** himself **with regard to his ritually pure** foods, i.e., he may decide for himself whether or not they have become impure, and he is not suspected of claiming that impure food is actually pure.


###### Bekhorot 31a:8
[Bekhorot 31a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/31a:8)

אָמַר מָר: כׇּל הַבְּכוֹרוֹת אָדָם רוֹאֶה חוּץ מִשֶּׁל עַצְמוֹ. בְּמַאי עָסְקִינַן? אִילֵימָא בְּחַד — מִי מְהֵימַן? אֶלָּא בִּתְלָתָא, וּמִי חֲשִׁידִי? וְהָתְנַן: מֵיאֲנָה אוֹ שֶׁחָלְצָה בְּפָנָיו — יִשָּׂאֶנָּה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא בֵּית דִּין!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara analyzes the *baraita*. **The Master said: A person may inspect all firstborns except for his own** firstborns. **What are we dealing with** here? **If we say** that we are dealing with a case **of one** person examining a blemish, **is he trusted** by himself to deem any firstborn animal permitted for slaughter? The mishna on 36b states that only three people may permit a firstborn animal to be slaughtered. **Rather,** it must be dealing with one **of three** who jointly decide the status of the firstborn animal. **And is he suspect** in such a case? **But didn’t we learn** in a mishna (*Yevamot* 25b): A judge before whom a woman **performed refusal** when she was a minor, by declaring that she did not desire the husband chosen for her by her family, **or before whom she performed *ḥalitza*, may marry her,because** he was only one member of **the court,** and therefore there is no suspicion of conflict of interest?


###### Bekhorot 31a:9
[Bekhorot 31a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/31a:9)

לְעוֹלָם בְּחַד, וְכִדְאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בְּיָחִיד מוּמְחֶה, הָכָא נָמֵי בְּיָחִיד מוּמְחֶה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **Actually,** we are dealing with a case **of a single** judge, **and** this is **as Rav Ḥisda says** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan says** with regard to a different matter: Vows may be dissolved even **by a single expert,** and a three-member court is not always necessary. **Here too,** we are dealing **with a single expert** who deems the firstborn animal permitted. A single expert may rule with regard to the firstborn animals belonging to others, but not his own animals, due to his vested interest.


###### Bekhorot 31a:10
[Bekhorot 31a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/31a:10)

וְרוֹאֶה אֶת קֳדָשָׁיו, דְּאִי בָּעֵי מִיתְּשִׁיל עֲלַיְיהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara analyzes the last section of the *baraita*. **And** despite his vested interest, one may **inspect his own sanctified animals.** Why is it permitted for him to inspect them? The reason is **that if he wants** to avoid giving the animal to the Temple, he can **issue a request** from a halakhic authority to annul his oath. Consequently, he does not truly have a vested interest.


###### Bekhorot 31a:11
[Bekhorot 31a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/31a:11)

וּמַעְשְׂרוֹתָיו, דְּאִי בָּעֵי שָׁדֵי בֵּיהּ מוּמָא בְּכוּלֵּיהּ עֶדְרֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *baraita* also teaches: **And** he may rule with regard to **his** own animal **tithes** to decide whether they are fit to be sacrificed in the Temple. The Gemara explains that the reason is **that if he wants** to avoid bringing the animals as offerings, he can **inflict a blemish upon his entire herd** before separating the tithe, which would render them all unfit for sacrifice in the Temple.


###### Bekhorot 31a:12
[Bekhorot 31a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/31a:12)

וְנִשְׁאָל עַל טׇהֳרוֹתָיו, דְּהָא חֲזוּ לֵיהּ בִּימֵי טוּמְאָתוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Finally, the *baraita* states: **And** one **may ask** himself **with regard to his ritually pure** foods, i.e., he may decide for himself whether or not they have become impure, and he is not suspected of claiming that impure food is actually pure. The Gemara explains that his vested interested in this case is not so great, **as** the food **is fit for him** to eat **in his days of impurity.**


###### Bekhorot 31a:13
[Bekhorot 31a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/31a:13)

**הֲדַרַן עֲלָךְ עַד כַּמָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל חַיָּיבִין.**


###### Bekhorot 31a:14
[Bekhorot 31a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/31a:14)

מַתְנִי׳ **כָּל פְּסוּלֵי הַמּוּקְדָּשִׁין**, הֲנָאָתָן לַהֶקְדֵּשׁ, נִמְכָּרִין בָּאִיטְלִיז, וְנִשְׁחָטִין בָּאִיטְלִיז, וְנִשְׁקָלִין בְּלִיטְרָא,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** With regard to **all disqualified consecrated** animals that were disqualified for sacrifice due to blemishes and were redeemed, all **benefit** accrued from **their** sale belongs **to the Temple** treasury. In order to ensure that the Temple treasury will not suffer a loss, these animals **are sold in the butchers’ market [*ba’itliz*] and slaughtered in the butchers’ market,** where the demand is great and the price is consequently higher. **And** their meat **is weighed** and sold **by the *litra*,** in the manner that non-sacred meat is sold.


###### Bekhorot 31a:15
[Bekhorot 31a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/31a:15)

חוּץ מִן הַבְּכוֹר וְהַמַּעֲשֵׂר, שֶׁהֲנָיָיתָן לַבְּעָלִים. פְּסוּלֵי הַמּוּקְדָּשִׁין — הֲנָיָיתָן לַהֶקְדֵּשׁ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
This is the *halakha* with regard to all consecrated animals **except for the firstborn** offering **and** an animal **tithe** offering. When these become blemished and their slaughter is permitted, they are sold and slaughtered only in the owner’s house and are not weighed; rather, they are sold by estimate. The reason is **that** all **benefit** accrued from **their** sale belongs **to the owner,** i.e., the priest in the case of the firstborn and the owner in the case of the animal tithe offering. It is not permitted to treat disqualified consecrated animals as one treats non-sacred animals merely to guarantee that the owner will receive the optimal price. This is in contrast to **disqualified consecrated** animals, where all **benefit** accrued from **their** sale belongs **to the Temple** treasury, and therefore the animal is sold in the market to ensure that the optimal price is received.


###### Bekhorot 31a:16
[Bekhorot 31a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/31a:16)

וְשׁוֹקְלִין מָנָה כְּנֶגֶד מָנָה בַּבְּכוֹר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** although the meat of the firstborn is not weighed and sold by the *litra*, nevertheless, if one has non-sacred meat weighing one hundred dinars, **one may weigh one portion** of non-sacred meat **against one portion** of the meat **of the firstborn,** because that is unlike the manner in which non-sacred meat is weighed.