## Mishnah Bekhorot Chapter 2

###### Mishnah Bekhorot 2:1
[Mishnah Bekhorot 2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/2:1)

הַלּוֹקֵחַ עֻבַּר פָּרָתוֹ שֶׁל נָכְרִי, וְהַמּוֹכֵר לוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי, הַמִּשְׁתַּתֵּף לוֹ, וְהַמְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ, וְהַנּוֹתֵן לוֹ בְקַבָּלָה, פָּטוּר מִן הַבְּכוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ג), בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲבָל לֹא בַאֲחֵרִים. כֹּהֲנִים וּלְוִיִּם חַיָּבִין. לֹא נִפְטְרוּ מִבְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה טְהוֹרָה, (וְלֹא נִפְטְרוּ) אֶלָּא מִפִּדְיוֹן הַבֵּן וּמִפֶּטֶר חֲמוֹר:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to **one who purchases the fetus of a cow** that **belongs to a gentile; one who sells** the fetus of his cow **to** a gentile, **even though one is not permitted** to sell a large animal to a gentile; **one who enters into a partnership with** a gentile with regard to a cow or its fetus; **one who receives** a cow **from** a gentile to tend to it in exchange for partnership in its offspring; **and one who gives** his cow to a gentile **in receivership,** so that the gentile owns a share of the cow’s offspring; in all of these cases, one is **exempt from** the obligation of redeeming **the firstborn** offspring, **as it is stated:** “I sanctified to Me all the firstborn **in Israel,** both man and animal” (Numbers 3:13), indicating that the mitzva is incumbent upon the Jewish people, **but not upon others.** If the firstborn belongs even partially to a gentile, the sanctity of firstborn does not apply to it. The mishna continues: **The priests and the Levites are obligated** in the mitzva, i.e., their animals have firstborn sanctity, **as they were not exempted from** the mitzva of the male **firstborn of a kosher animal; rather,** they were exempted only **from redemption of the** firstborn **son and from** the redemption of **the firstborn donkey.**


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 2:2
[Mishnah Bekhorot 2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/2:2)

כָּל הַקֳּדָשִׁים שֶׁקָּדַם מוּם קָבוּעַ לְהֶקְדֵּשָׁן, וְנִפְדּוּ, חַיָּבִים בַּבְּכוֹרָה וּבַמַּתָּנוֹת, וְיוֹצְאִין לְחֻלִּין לִגָּזֵז וּלְהֵעָבֵד, וּוְלָדָן וַחֲלָבָן מֻתָּר לְאַחַר פִּדְיוֹנָן, וְהַשּׁוֹחֲטָן בַּחוּץ פָּטוּר, וְאֵין עוֹשִׂים תְּמוּרָה, וְאִם מֵתוּ יִפָּדוּ, חוּץ מִן הַבְּכוֹר וּמִן הַמַּעֲשֵׂר:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**All sacrificial** animals in **which a permanent blemish preceded their consecration** do not assume inherent sanctity and only their value is consecrated, **and** once **they were redeemed,** they **are obligated in** the mitzva of **a firstborn,** i.e., their offspring are subject to being counted a firstborn, **and in the** priestly **gifts** of the foreleg, the jaw, and the maw, **and they can emerge** from their sacred status and assume complete **non-sacred** status in order **to be shorn and to be utilized for labor.** And **their offspring and their milk are permitted after their redemption.** **And one who slaughters them outside** the Temple courtyard is **exempt** from *karet*, **and** those animals **do not render** an animal that was **a substitute** for them consecrated. **And if** these animals **died** before they were redeemed, **they may be redeemed** and fed to dogs, and they do not require burial, **except for the firstborn and the** animal **tithe.** With regard to these two types of offerings, even if they were blemished before they became consecrated they assume inherent sanctity, like other offerings that were consecrated and subsequently became blemished.


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 2:3
[Mishnah Bekhorot 2:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/2:3)

כֹּל שֶׁקָּדַם הֶקְדֵּשָׁן אֶת מוּמָן, אוֹ מוּם עוֹבֵר לְהֶקְדֵּשָׁן, וּלְאַחַר מִכָּאן נוֹלָד לָהֶם מוּם קָבוּעַ (וְנִפְדּוּ), פְּטוּרִין מִן הַבְּכוֹרָה וּמִן הַמַּתָּנוֹת, וְאֵינָן יוֹצְאִין לְחֻלִּין לִגָּזֵז וּלְהֵעָבֵד, וּוְלָדָן וַחֲלָבָן אָסוּר לְאַחַר פִּדְיוֹנָן, וְהַשּׁוֹחֲטָן בַּחוּץ חַיָּב, וְעוֹשִׂין תְּמוּרָה, וְאִם מֵתוּ יִקָּבֵרוּ:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And all** sacrificial animals **whose consecration preceded their blemish, or** who had **a temporary blemish** prior **to their consecration and afterward developed a permanent blemish and they were redeemed, they are exempt from,** i.e., their offspring are not counted, **a firstborn, and from the gifts** of the foreleg, the jaw, and the maw, **and they do not** completely **emerge** from their sacred status and assume **non-sacred** status in order **to be shorn and to be utilized for labor.** And **their offspring,** which were conceived prior to redemption, **and their milk, are prohibited after their redemption. And one who slaughters them outside** the Temple courtyard is **liable** to receive *karet*, **and** those animals **render** an animal that was **a substitute** for them consecrated. **And if** these animals **died** before they were redeemed, they may not be redeemed and fed to dogs; rather, **they must be buried.**


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 2:4
[Mishnah Bekhorot 2:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/2:4)

הַמְקַבֵּל צֹאן בַּרְזֶל מִן הַנָּכְרִי, וְלָדוֹת פְּטוּרִין, וּוַלְדֵי וְלָדוֹת חַיָּבִין. הֶעֱמִיד וְלָדוֹת תַּחַת אִמּוֹתֵיהֶם, וַלְדֵי וְלָדוֹת פְטוּרִין, וּוַלְדֵי וַלְדֵי וְלָדוֹת חַיָּבִין. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, אֲפִלּוּ עַד עֲשָׂרָה דוֹרוֹת, פְּטוּרִין, שֶׁאַחֲרָיוּתָן לַנָּכְרִי:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to **one who receives** animals as part of **a guaranteed investment from a gentile,** i.e., the Jew receives the animals to raise them and commits to pay a fixed price at a later date even if they die or their value decreases, and the offspring born in the interim are divided between the gentile and the Jew, **their** direct **offspring are exempt** from the mitzva of the firstborn if they give birth to a male, but **the offspring of their** direct **offspring are obligated** in the mitzva of the firstborn if they gave birth to a male. If the Jew **established their offspring in place of their mothers** for collection in case the mothers die, **the offspring of** their direct **offspring are exempt and the offspring of the offspring of** their direct **offspring are obligated. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Even until ten** generations, the offspring are **exempt, as they** all serve **as a guarantee for the gentile,** because if he does not receive the fixed payment for the animal, he will collect his debt from any offspring born to it or its offspring.


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 2:5
[Mishnah Bekhorot 2:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/2:5)

רָחֵל שֶׁיָּלְדָה כְּמִין עֵז, וְעֵז שֶׁיָּלְדָה כְּמִין רָחֵל, פָּטוּר מִן הַבְּכוֹרָה. וְאִם יֵשׁ בּוֹ מִקְצָת סִימָנִין, חַיָּב:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**A ewe that gave birth to a goat of sorts and a goat that gave birth to a ewe of sorts are exempt** from the mitzva of the **firstborn. And if** the offspring **has some of the characteristics** of its mother, it is **obligated** in the mitzva of firstborn.


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 2:6
[Mishnah Bekhorot 2:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/2:6)

רָחֵל שֶׁלֹּא בִכְּרָה וְיָלְדָה שְׁנֵי זְכָרִים וְיָצְאוּ שְׁנֵי רָאשֵׁיהֶן כְּאֶחָד, רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר, שְׁנֵיהֶן לַכֹּהֵן. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יג), הַזְּכָרִים לַה'. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, אִי אֶפְשָׁר, אֶלָּא אֶחָד לוֹ וְאֶחָד לַכֹּהֵן. רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, הַכֹּהֵן בּוֹרֵר לוֹ אֶת הַיָפֶה. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, מְשַׁמְּנִים בֵּינֵיהֶן, וְהַשֵּׁנִי יִרְעֶה עַד שֶׁיִּסְתָּאֵב. וְחַיָּב בַּמַּתָּנוֹת. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי פּוֹטֵר. מֵת אֶחָד מֵהֶן, רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, יַחֲלוֹקוּ. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, הַמּוֹצִיא מֵחֲבֵרוֹ עָלָיו הָרְאָיָה. זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה, אֵין כָּאן לַכֹּהֵן כְּלוּם:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
In the case of **a ewe that had not** previously **given birth, and it gave birth to two males and both their heads emerged as one, Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: Both of them** are given **to the priest, as it is stated** in the plural: “Every firstborn that you have of animals, **the males shall be to the Lord”** (Exodus 13:12). **And the Rabbis say:** It is **impossible** for two events **to coincide precisely,** i.e., their births were not at precisely the same time. **Rather,** one preceded the other, and therefore **one** of the males is given **to** the owner **and one to the priest.** **Rabbi Tarfon says: The priest chooses the better** of the two. **Rabbi Akiva says: They assess** the value of the lambs **between them** and the priest takes the leaner of the two, as will be explained in the Gemara. **And** with regard to **the second** lamb that remains in the possession of the owner, since he may not partake of it due to its uncertain status as a firstborn, it **must graze until it becomes blemished,** at which point he may slaughter and eat it. **And** when he slaughters the animal he is **obligated to** have **the gifts** of the priesthood taken from it, i.e., the gifts that one is required to give a priest from a non-sacred animal: The foreleg, the jaw, and the maw. **And Rabbi Yosei deems** him **exempt** from giving those gifts. If **one of** the two born together **died, Rabbi Tarfon says:** The priest and the owner **divide** the remaining lamb. **Rabbi Akiva says:** Since there is uncertainty to whom it belongs, it remains in the possession of the owner, as **the burden of proof rests upon the claimant.** If **a male and a female** offspring were born together, everyone agrees that **the priest has nothing here.**


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 2:7
[Mishnah Bekhorot 2:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/2:7)

שְׁתֵּי רְחֵלוֹת שֶׁלֹּא בִכְּרוּ, וְיָלְדוּ שְׁנֵי זְכָרִים, נוֹתֵן שְׁנֵיהֶם לַכֹּהֵן. זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה, הַזָּכָר לַכֹּהֵן. שְׁנֵי זְכָרִים וּנְקֵבָה, אֶחָד לוֹ וְאֶחָד לַכֹּהֵן. רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, הַכֹּהֵן בּוֹרֵר לוֹ אֶת הַיָּפֶה. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, מְשַׁמְּנִים בֵּינֵיהֶן, וְהַשֵּׁנִי יִרְעֶה עַד שֶׁיִּסְתָּאֵב. וְחַיָּב בַּמַּתָּנוֹת. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי פּוֹטֵר. מֵת אֶחָד מֵהֶן, רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, יַחֲלוֹקוּ. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, הַמּוֹצִיא מֵחֲבֵרוֹ עָלָיו הָרְאָיָה. שְׁתֵּי נְקֵבוֹת וְזָכָר, אוֹ שְׁנֵי זְכָרִים וּשְׁתֵּי נְקֵבוֹת, אֵין כָּאן לַכֹּהֵן כְּלוּם:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
If **one’s two ewes had not** previously **given birth and they gave birth to two males, both of them** are given **to the priest,** as each is its mother’s firstborn. If one gave birth to **a male and** the other to **a female, the male** is given **to the priest,** as it is its mother’s firstborn. If they gave birth to **two males and a female, one** of the males is kept **by him and one** is given **to the priest. Rabbi Tarfon says: The priest chooses the better** of the two. **Rabbi Akiva says: They assess** the value of the lambs **between them,** and the priest takes the leaner of the two. **And the second** lamb must **graze until it becomes blemished,** at which point the owner may slaughter and eat it. **And** when the owner slaughters the animal, he is **obligated to** have **gifts** of the priesthood, i.e., the foreleg, the jaw, and the maw, taken from it. **Rabbi Yosei deems** him **exempt** from giving the gifts. If **one of** the two born together **died, Rabbi Tarfon says:** The priest and the owner **divide** the value of the remaining lamb. **Rabbi Akiva says:** Since there is uncertainty to whom it belongs, it remains in the possession of the owner, as **the burden of proof rests upon the claimant.** If they gave birth to **two females and a male or** to **two males and two females, the priest has nothing here,** as perhaps both ewes gave birth to females first.


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 2:8
[Mishnah Bekhorot 2:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/2:8)

אַחַת בִּכְּרָה וְאַחַת שֶׁלֹּא בִכְּרָה וְיָלְדוּ שְׁנֵי זְכָרִים, אֶחָד לוֹ וְאֶחָד לַכֹּהֵן. רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, הַכֹּהֵן בּוֹרֵר לוֹ אֶת הַיָּפֶה. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, מְשַׁמְּנִין בֵּינֵיהֶן, וְהַשֵּׁנִי יִרְעֶה עַד שֶׁיִּסְתָּאֵב. וְחַיָּב בַּמַּתָּנוֹת. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי פּוֹטֵר, שֶׁהָיָה רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, כֹּל שֶׁחֲלִיפָיו בְּיַד כֹּהֵן, פָּטוּר מִן הַמַתָּנוֹת. רַבִּי מֵאִיר מְחַיֵּב. מֵת אֶחָד מֵהֶן, רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, יַחֲלוֹקוּ. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, הַמּוֹצִיא מֵחֲבֵרוֹ עָלָיו הָרְאָיָה. זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה, אֵין כָּאן לַכֹּהֵן כְּלוּם:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
If **one** of his ewes **had** previously **given birth and one had not** previously **given birth, and they gave birth to two males, one** of the males is kept **by him and one** is given **to the priest. Rabbi Tarfon says: The priest chooses the better** of the two. **Rabbi Akiva says: They assess** the value of the lambs **between them** and the priest takes the leaner of the two. **And the second** lamb must **graze until it becomes blemished,** at which point he may slaughter and eat it. **And** when he slaughters the animal he **is obligated to** have **gifts** of the priesthood taken from it. **Rabbi Yosei deems** him **exempt** him from giving those gifts, **as Rabbi Yosei says:** With regard to **any** animal **whose replacements are in the possession of a priest,** its owner **is exempt from** the mitzva of giving **the** priestly **gifts. And Rabbi Meir deems** him **obligated** to give the gifts. If **one of** the animals **died, Rabbi Tarfon says:** The priest and the owner **divide** the value of the remaining lamb. **Rabbi Akiva says:** Since there is uncertainty to whom it belongs, it remains in the possession of the owner, as **the burden of proof rests upon the claimant.** If **a male and a female** offspring were born together, everyone agrees that **the priest has nothing here,** as perhaps the one that had already given birth bore the male, and the one that had not given birth bore the female, in which case neither of the animals would have firstborn status.


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 2:9
[Mishnah Bekhorot 2:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/2:9)

יוֹצֵא דֹּפֶן וְהַבָּא אַחֲרָיו, רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, שְׁנֵיהֶם יִרְעוּ עַד שֶׁיִּסְתָּאֲבוּ וְיֵאָכְלוּ בְמוּמָן לַבְּעָלִים. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, שְׁנֵיהֶן אֵינָן בְּכוֹר, הָרִאשׁוֹן מִשּׁוּם שֶׁאֵינוֹ פֶטֶר רֶחֶם, וְהַשֵּׁנִי מִשּׁוּם שֶׁקִּדְּמוֹ אַחֵר:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to an animal **born by caesarean section and** the offspring **that follows it,** since there is uncertainty whether each is a firstborn, neither is given to the priest. **Rabbi Tarfon says: Both of them must graze until they become unfit, and they may be eaten in their blemished** state **by their owner. Rabbi Akiva says: Neither of them is firstborn; the first because it is not** the one **that opens the womb** (see Exodus 13:12), as this animal did not itself open the womb, **and the second because** the **other** one **preceded it.**