## Bekhorot Daf 58a

###### Bekhorot 58a:1
[Bekhorot 58a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:1)

כְּדֵי שֶׁתְּהֵא בְּהֵמָה מְצוּיָה לְעוֹלֵי רְגָלִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The reason is **so that animals will be** readily **available to** those **ascending** to Jerusalem **for the pilgrimage Festivals.** The animals are tithed shortly before each of the Festivals so that their owners will refrain from selling or killing them until those times, when they gather them together to set aside the animal tithe. As a result, there are plenty of non-sacred animals ready to be sold, for food or offerings, to those on their way to Jerusalem.


###### Bekhorot 58a:2
[Bekhorot 58a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:2)

וְאַף עַל גַּב דִּתְנַן: עַד שֶׁלֹּא הִגִּיעַ הַגּוֹרֶן מוּתָּר לִמְכּוֹר וְלִשְׁחוֹט — נִיחָא לֵיהּ דְּלִיתְעֲבִיד מִצְוָה בְּמָמוֹנֵיהּ, וַהֲדַר לִזְבּוֹן וְלֵיכוֹל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And even though we learned** in the mishna: **Until the** time designated for **gathering arrives,** it is **permitted to sell and slaughter** the animals, which means that there is no obligation to keep the animals until those dates and there is no concern that the owners will sell the animals before tithing them. This is because a person **prefers to perform a mitzva with his money,** by separating the animal tithe, **and** only **afterward sell or eat** those animals.


###### Bekhorot 58a:3
[Bekhorot 58a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:3)

וְאַמַּאי קָרֵי לֵיהּ ״גּוֹרֶן״? דְּטָבְלָה כְּגוֹרֶן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And why does** the *tanna* **call** the time designated for gathering animal tithe ***goren*,** which literally means threshing floor? The Gemara explains that it is due to the fact **that** the arrival of this time **renders** the halakhic status of new animals like that of **untithed produce** gathered **on a threshing floor,** as from the time that produce is gathered on the threshing floor one becomes obligated to tithe it. Likewise, from this stage onward it is prohibited to slaughter the new animals until they have been tithed.


###### Bekhorot 58a:4
[Bekhorot 58a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:4)

וְכַמָּה ״פְּרָס״? פֵּירֵשׁ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה: אֵין פְּרָס פָּחוֹת מֵחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The mishna states that according to Rabbi Akiva the times for tithing animals are adjacent to Passover, *Shavuot*, and *Sukkot*. The Gemara asks: **And how much is adjacent [*peras*]? Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, explained** that the term **adjacent** means **not less than fifteen days.**


###### Bekhorot 58a:5
[Bekhorot 58a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:5)

מַאי מַשְׁמַע? אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ: ״פְּרוֹס״ — פַּלְגָא. פַּלְגָא דְּמַאי? פַּלְגָא דְּהִלְכוֹת פֶּסַח, כִּי הָא דְּתַנְיָא: שׁוֹאֲלִין וְדוֹרְשִׁין בְּהִלְכוֹת פֶּסַח קוֹדֶם לְפֶסַח שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: שְׁתֵּי שַׁבָּתוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **From where** is this **inferred? Rabbi Abbahu said** that the term ***peros*** means **half.** The Gemara inquires: **Half of what?** The Gemara answers: **Half of** the time during which one must learn **the *halakhot* of Passover,** and this is **like that which is taught** in a *baraita*: **One asks** about **and teaches the *halakhot* of Passover** for **thirty days before Passover. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says:** One begins studying those *halakhot* **two weeks** before the Festival.


###### Bekhorot 58a:6
[Bekhorot 58a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:6)

בֶּן עַזַּאי אוֹמֵר: בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְתִשְׁעָה בַּאֲדָר, בְּאֶחָד בְּסִיוָן. בְּמַאי קָמִיפַּלְגִי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וּבֶן עַזַּאי? רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא סָבַר: אֲדָר הַסָּמוּךְ לְנִיסָן זִימְנִין מָלֵא וְזִימְנִין חָסֵר, זִימְנִין דְּמִיקְּלַע בְּיוֹם שְׁלֹשִׁים וְזִימְנִין דְּמִיקְּלַע בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְתִשְׁעָה, וּמִשּׁוּם הָכִי לָא קְבִיעַ לֵיהּ זְמַן. וּבֶן עַזַּאי סָבַר: אֲדָר הַסָּמוּךְ לְנִיסָן לְעוֹלָם חָסֵר, הִילְכָּךְ קְבִיעַ לֵיהּ זְמַן בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְתִשְׁעָה בַּאֲדָר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna states that **ben Azzai says** the times are **on the twenty-ninth of Adar, on the first of Sivan,** and on the twenty-ninth of Av. The Gemara asks: **With regard to what** principle **do Rabbi Akiva,** who says fifteen days before Passover, **and ben Azzai,** who refers to the twenty-ninth of Adar, **disagree?** The Gemara answers: **Rabbi Akiva holds** that the month of **Adar that** immediately **precedes Nisan is sometimes a full** month of thirty days **and sometimes a defective** month of only twenty-nine days. Therefore, **sometimes** the fifteenth day before Passover **occurs on the thirtieth** of Adar **and sometimes it occurs on the twenty-ninth** of Adar. **Due to that** reason Rabbi Akiva **does not fix a time** by date, but simply states fifteen days before Passover. **And ben Azzai holds** that the **Adar that** immediately **precedes Nisan is always defective. Therefore, he fixes a time** in the calendar that the animals must be tithed, which is **on the twenty-ninth of Adar.**


###### Bekhorot 58a:7
[Bekhorot 58a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:7)

בְּאֶחָד בְּסִיוָן — אַיְּידֵי דְּלָא נְפִישִׁי, אִי אָמְרַתְּ לִיקַדֵּים לִיעַשַּׂר — עַד דְּמָטֵי רֶגֶל שָׁלְמִי לְהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to the fact that ben Azzai does not require fifteen days before *Shavuot* but maintains that the animals must be tithed on **the first of Sivan,** the reason is that **since** there are **not** so **many** animals born between the previous time of tithing and this one, **if you say that** the owner **should tithe earlier,** then **before the pilgrimage Festival arrives** all the animals will already be gone, their sales having been **completed.** If so, there will be no animals remaining for those coming to Jerusalem for *Shavuot*.


###### Bekhorot 58a:8
[Bekhorot 58a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:8)

בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְתִשְׁעָה בְּאָב וְכוּ׳. בֶּן עַזַּאי לְטַעְמֵיהּ, דְּאָמַר: הָאֱלוּלִין מִתְעַשְּׂרִין בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The mishna teaches that ben Azzai says the last gathering time is **on the twenty-ninth of Av,** rather than fifteen days before *Sukkot*. The Gemara notes that **ben Azzai** conforms **to his** standard line of **reasoning, as he said: The** animals born **in Elul are tithed by themselves,** because it is uncertain whether the new year for animal tithes begins on the first of Tishrei or the first of Elul. Consequently, he sets the time for animal tithe before the beginning of Elul to avoid the possibility of tithing animals born in one year with animals born in the next year.


###### Bekhorot 58a:9
[Bekhorot 58a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:9)

וְלִיעַשְּׂרִינְהוּ בְּיוֹם שְׁלֹשִׁים! זִימְנִין דִּמְחַסְּרִין לֵיהּ לְאָב, וּבָעֵינַן לְמִיעְבַּד הֶכֵּירָא בְּחָדָשׁ וְיָשָׁן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges: **But** if so, **let** him require that **one tithe** the animals **on the thirtieth day** of Av, which is the last day before Elul begins. The Gemara explains: **Sometimes** the month **of Av is defective,** i.e., it has only twenty-nine days, and therefore the thirtieth day after the start of Av is the first day of Elul. **And we are required to implement a distinction between the new** animals born in Elul **and the old** animals born in Av, which is considered to be the previous year.


###### Bekhorot 58a:10
[Bekhorot 58a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:10)

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמְרִים: בְּאֶחָד בְּנִיסָן, בְּאֶחָד בְּסִיוָן וְכוּ׳. בְּאֶחָד בְּנִיסָן — כְּרַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, דְּאָמַר: שְׁתֵּי שַׁבָּתוֹת. בְּאֶחָד בְּסִיוָן — כְּדַאֲמַרַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches that **Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon say** that the times are **on the first of Nisan, on the first of Sivan,** and on the twenty-ninth of Elul. The Gemara explains with regard to the first date: **On the first of Nisan,** this is **in accordance with** the opinion **of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, who says** one begins studying and teaching the *halakhot* of Passover **two weeks** before the Festival. And Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon hold that the second time for animal tithe is **on the first of Sivan,** and this is **as we said** with regard to the opinion of ben Azzai, so that there will be enough animals born since the previous time.


###### Bekhorot 58a:11
[Bekhorot 58a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:11)

בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְתִשְׁעָה בֶּאֱלוּל — רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לְטַעְמַיְיהוּ, דְּאָמְרִי: בְּאֶחָד בְּתִשְׁרִי רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לְמַעְשַׂר בְּהֵמָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Finally, they hold that the third time for animal tithe is **on the twenty-ninth of Elul,** since **Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon** conform **to their** standard line of **reasoning, as they say: On the first of Tishrei** is the **new year for animal tithe.** All animals born prior to that date belong to the previous year for tithe and are tithed as a single unit, whereas those born after that date belong to the next year for tithe, and therefore there is a distinction drawn between the new animals and the old.


###### Bekhorot 58a:12
[Bekhorot 58a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:12)

וְלָמָה אָמְרוּ בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְתִשְׁעָה בֶּאֱלוּל, וְלֹא אָמְרוּ בְּאֶחָד בְּתִשְׁרִי? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא יוֹם טוֹב וְכוּ׳. וְתִיפּוֹק לֵיהּ, דְּבָעֵינַן לְמֶעְבַּד הֶכֵּירָא בְּחָדָשׁ וְיָשָׁן!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches: **And why did** Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon **say the twenty-ninth of Elul and** why **did they not say the first of Tishrei?** It is **due to** the fact **that** the first of Tishrei **is** the **festival** of Rosh HaShana and one cannot tithe on a Festival; consequently, they brought it earlier, to the twenty-ninth of Elul. The Gemara raises a difficulty: **But let** the mishna **derive it** from the fact **that we require a distinction between the new** animals born in Tishrei **and the old** animals born in Elul, which is considered to be the previous year.


###### Bekhorot 58a:13
[Bekhorot 58a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:13)

חֲדָא וְעוֹד קָאָמַר, חֲדָא — דְּבָעֵינַן לְמִיעְבַּד הֶכֵּירָא בְּחָדָשׁ וְיָשָׁן, וְעוֹד — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא יוֹם טוֹב, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְעַשֵּׂר בְּיוֹם טוֹב מִשּׁוּם סְקַרְתָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: The mishna **states one** reason **and** adds **another. One** reason is **that we require a distinction between the new** animals **and the old** animals. **And another** reason is **because it is** the **festival** of Rosh HaShana **and one cannot tithe on a Festival, due to the *sakreta*,** a lead-based red paint for marking every tenth animal, as explained on 58b. It is prohibited to apply paint on a Festival.


###### Bekhorot 58a:14
[Bekhorot 58a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:14)

רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: בְּאֶחָד בֶּאֱלוּל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לְמַעְשַׂר בְּהֵמָה. בֶּן עַזַּאי אוֹמֵר וְכוּ׳. תַּנְיָא, אָמַר בֶּן עַזַּאי: הוֹאִיל וְהַלָּלוּ אוֹמְרִים כָּךְ, וְהַלָּלוּ אוֹמְרִים כָּךְ — הָאֱלוּלִין מִתְעַשְּׂרִין לְעַצְמָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches that **Rabbi Meir says:** The beginning of **the new year for animal tithe is on the first of Elul. Ben Azzai says:** The animals born in Elul are tithed by themselves, due to the uncertainty as to whether the *halakha* is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Meir or in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon. The Gemara notes that **it is taught** in a *baraita* that **ben Azzai said: Since these** Rabbis, Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shimon, **say this,** that the first of Tishrei is the beginning of the new year for animal tithe, **and those,** i.e., Rabbi Meir, **say that** the first of Elul is the beginning of the new year for animal tithe, **the** animals born in **Elul are tithed by themselves.**


###### Bekhorot 58a:15
[Bekhorot 58a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:15)

וְלִיחְזֵי טַעְמֵיהּ דְּמַאן מִסְתַּבַּר! וְכִי תֵּימָא: לָא מָצֵי קָאֵי אַטַּעְמַיְיהוּ, וְהָתַנְיָא: בֶּן עַזַּאי אוֹמֵר: כׇּל חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל דּוֹמִין עָלַי כִּקְלִיפַּת הַשּׁוּם חוּץ מִן הַקֵּרֵחַ הַזֶּה!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara raises a difficulty: **But let** ben Azzai **see whose opinion** is more **reasonable,** and decide accordingly. **And if you would say** that **it is not possible** for him **to establish their reasoning,** that is difficult: **But it is taught** in a *baraita* that **ben Azzai says: All the Sages of Israel appear to me** to be as unimpressive in their intellect **as garlic peel, except for this bald** one, i.e., Rabbi Akiva.


###### Bekhorot 58a:16
[Bekhorot 58a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:16)

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה אֲמָרוּהָ, מִפִּי חַגַּי זְכַרְיָה וּמַלְאָכִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yoḥanan says** that ben Azzai was unable to establish their reasoning in this particular case, as **they said** their opinions **by tradition, from** a chain of transmission stretching back to **Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi,** the last of the prophets. Each Sage claimed his tradition concerning their ruling was the correct one. Since this dispute is based on tradition, it cannot be resolved by logical reasoning.


###### Bekhorot 58a:17
[Bekhorot 58a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:17)

תַּנְיָא: בְּאֵיזֶה צַד אָמַר בֶּן עַזַּאי הָאֱלוּלִים מִתְעַשְּׂרִין לְעַצְמָן? נוֹלְדוּ לוֹ חֲמִשָּׁה בְּאָב וַחֲמִשָּׁה בֶּאֱלוּל — אֵין מִצְטָרְפִין, חֲמִשָּׁה בֶּאֱלוּל וַחֲמִשָּׁה בְּתִשְׁרִי — אֵין מִצְטָרְפִין, חֲמִשָּׁה בְּתִשְׁרִי וַחֲמִשָּׁה בְּאָב מִצְטָרְפִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**It is taught** in a *baraita*: **In what manner** did **ben Azzai say** that animals born in **Elul are tithed by themselves?** For example, if **five** animals **were born in Av and five** were born **in Elul, they do not combine** to make ten animals that require tithing. Likewise, if **five** were born **in Elul and five in Tishrei, they do not combine.** But if **five** were born **in Tishrei and five** were born **in** the following **Av, they do combine.**


###### Bekhorot 58a:18
[Bekhorot 58a:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:18)

פְּשִׁיטָא! מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא, כִּי הֵיכִי דְּמַפְסְקִי שָׁנִים, מַפְסְקִי גֳּרָנוֹת, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: This is **obvious;** what is the novelty of the ruling of the *baraita*? The Gemara answers: This ruling is necessary **lest you say** that **just as years separate** between animals that may be tithed together, so too, the designated times for **gathering** and tithing the animals **separate** between those animals born before and after each one of them. If so, animals born in Tishrei and those born in the following Av would not combine. Therefore, the *baraita* **teaches us** that these designated times do not prevent animals born before and after them from being tithed together.


###### Bekhorot 58a:19
[Bekhorot 58a:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:19)

כְּדִתְנַן: חֲמִשָּׁה לִפְנֵי רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה לְאַחַר רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה — אֵין מִצְטָרְפִין, חֲמִשָּׁה לִפְנֵי הַגּוֹרֶן וַחֲמִשָּׁה לְאַחַר הַגּוֹרֶן — הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ מִצְטָרְפִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
This is **as we learned** in the mishna: If **five** were born **before Rosh HaShana and five after Rosh HaShana,** those animals **do not combine** to be tithed; if **five** were born **before** the time designated for **gathering and five after** the time designated for **gathering, those** animals **combine** to be tithed.


###### Bekhorot 58a:20
[Bekhorot 58a:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Bekhorot/r/58a:20)

אָמַר רָבָא: לְדִבְרֵי בֶּן עַזַּאי, נוֹלְדוּ לוֹ חֲמִשָּׁה בְּאָב וַחֲמִשָּׁה בֶּאֱלוּל וַחֲמִשָּׁה בְּתִשְׁרִי, כּוֹנְסָן לַדִּיר לְהִתְעַשֵּׂר,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava says: According to the statement of ben Azzai,** if **five** animals **were born in Av and five** animals were born **in Elul and five** animals were born **in Tishrei,** the owner **gathers them** all **in a pen to be tithed,**