## Mishnah Bekhorot Chapter 6

###### Mishnah Bekhorot 6:1
[Mishnah Bekhorot 6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/6:1)

עַל אֵלּוּ מוּמִין שׁוֹחֲטִין אֶת הַבְּכוֹר, נִפְגְּמָה אָזְנוֹ מִן הַסְּחוּס, אֲבָל לֹא מִן הָעוֹר, נִסְדְּקָה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא חָסְרָה, נִקְּבָה מְלֹא כַרְשִׁינָה, אוֹ שֶׁיָּבָשָׁה. אֵיזוֹ הִיא יְבֵשָׁה, כֹּל שֶׁתִּנָּקֵב וְאֵינָהּ מוֹצִיאָה טִפַּת דָּם. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן מְשֻׁלָּם אוֹמֵר, יְבֵשָׁה, שֶׁתְּהֵא נִפְרָכֶת:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**For these blemishes, one may slaughter the firstborn** animal outside the Temple: If the firstborn’s **ear was damaged** and lacking **from the cartilage [*haḥasḥus*], but not** if **the skin** was damaged; and likewise, if the ear **was split, although it is not lacking;** or if the ear **was pierced** with a hole **the size of a bitter vetch,** which is a type of legume; **or** if it was an ear **that** is **desiccated. What is a desiccated** ear that is considered a blemish? It is **any** ear **that** if **it is pierced it does not discharge a drop of blood. Rabbi Yosei ben HaMeshullam says: Desiccated** means that the ear is so dry **that it will crumble** if one touches it.


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

רִיס שֶׁל עַיִן שֶׁנִּקַּב, שֶׁנִּפְגַּם, שֶׁנִּסְדַּק, הֲרֵי בְעֵינָיו דַּק, תְּבַלּוּל, חִלָּזוֹן נָחָשׁ, וְעֵנָב. וְאֵיזֶהוּ תְּבַלּוּל, לָבָן הַפוֹסֵק בַּסִּירָא וְנִכְנָס בַּשָּׁחוֹר. בַּשָּׁחוֹר וְנִכְנָס בַּלָּבָן, אֵינוֹ מוּם, שֶׁאֵין מוּמִים בַּלָּבָן:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
For these blemishes of the eye, one may slaughter the firstborn animal outside the Temple: **The eyelid that was pierced,** an eyelid **that was damaged** and is lacking, or an eyelid **that was split;** and likewise, one may slaughter a firstborn animal outside the Temple **if** there was **in his eye a cataract, a *tevallul*,** or a growth in the shape of **a snail, a snake,** or **a berry** that covers the pupil. **What is a *tevallul*?** It is **a white** thread **that bisects the iris and enters the black** pupil. If it is **a black** thread that bisects the iris and **enters the white** of the eye it **is not a blemish.**


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 6:3
[Mishnah Bekhorot 6:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/6:3)

חֲוַרְוָד וְהַמַּיִם הַקְּבוּעִים. אֵיזֶהוּ חֲוַרְוָד הַקָּבוּעַ, כֹּל שֶׁשָּׁהָה שְׁמוֹנִים יוֹם. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן אַנְטִיגְנוֹס אוֹמֵר, בּוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ שְׁלשָׁה פְעָמִים בְּתוֹךְ שְׁמוֹנִים יוֹם. וְאֵלּוּ הֵם מַיִם הַקְּבוּעִים, אָכַל לַח וְיָבֵשׁ שֶׁל גְּשָׁמִים, לַח וְיָבֵשׁ שֶׁל שְׁלָחִים. אָכַל הַיָּבֵשׁ וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָכַל הַלַּח, אֵינוֹ מוּם, עַד שֶׁיֹּאכַל הַיָּבֵשׁ אַחַר הַלַּח:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Pale spots** on the eye **and tears** streaming from the eye **that are constant** are blemishes that enable the slaughter of the firstborn. **Which are the pale spots that are constant?** They are **any** spots **that persisted** for **eighty days. Rabbi Ḥananya ben Antigonus said: One examines it three times within eighty days.** Only if the spots are found during all three examinations are they considered constant. **And these are the constant tears,** i.e., this is how it is known whether the blemish is temporary or permanent: In a case where the animal **ate,** for medicinal purposes, **moist** fodder **and dry** fodder **from** a field watered exclusively with **rain,** or if the animal ate **moist** fodder **and dry** fodder **from** an **irrigated** field, **or** even if the animal did not eat them together but **ate the dry** fodder **and thereafter** ate **the moist** fodder, and the condition of constant tears was not healed, **it is not a blemish.** It is not a blemish **unless** the animal **eats the moist** fodder **and thereafter** eats **the dry** fodder and is not thereby healed.


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 6:4
[Mishnah Bekhorot 6:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/6:4)

חָטְמוֹ שֶׁנִּקַּב, שֶׁנִּפְגַּם, שֶׁנִּסְדַּק, שְׂפָתוֹ שֶׁנִּקְּבָה, שֶׁנִּפְגְּמָה, שֶׁנִּסְדְּקָה, חִטָּיו הַחִיצוֹנוֹת שֶׁנִּפְגְּמוּ אוֹ שֶׁנִּגְמְמוּ, וְהַפְנִימִיּוֹת שֶׁנֶּעֱקָרוּ. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן אַנְטִיגְנוֹס אוֹמֵר, אֵין בּוֹדְקִין מִן הַמַּתְאִימוֹת וְלִפְנִים, אַף לֹא אֶת הַמַתְאִימוֹת:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
For these additional blemishes, one may slaughter a firstborn animal outside the Temple: **Its nose that was pierced, or that was damaged** and is lacking, **or that was split.** Likewise, **its lip that was pierced,** or **that was damaged,** or **that was split** is considered a blemish. The mishna lists additional blemishes that permit the slaughter of the firstborn: **The external gums that were damaged** and lacking **or that were scratched,** and likewise, **the internal** gums **that were extracted. Rabbi Ḥanina ben Antigonus says: One does not examine from the double teeth,** i.e., the large molars that appear like two teeth, **and inward, and** one does **not** examine **even the** place of the **double teeth** themselves. This is because even if they were extracted, it is a concealed blemish, and it does not permit the slaughter of the firstborn.


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 6:5
[Mishnah Bekhorot 6:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/6:5)

נִפְגַּם הַזּוֹבָן, אוֹ עֶרְיָה שֶׁל נְקֵבָּה בַּמֻּקְדָּשִׁים, נִפְגַּם הַזָּנָב מִן הָעֶצֶם, אֲבָל לֹא מִן הַפֶּרֶק, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה רֹאשׁ הַזָּנָב מַפְצִיל עֶצֶם, אוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ (בָּשָׂר) בֵּין חֻלְיָא לְחֻלְיָא מְלֹא אֶצְבַּע:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The mishna details additional blemishes that enable the slaughter of firstborn animals: If **the pouch [*hazoven*]** in which the genitals of the firstborn are concealed, or if **the genitalia of a female sacrificial** animal, **were damaged** and lacking; if **the tail was damaged from the tailbone, but not** if it was damaged **from the joint,** i.e., one of the joints between the vertebrae, because it heals; **or** in a case **where the end of the tail is split,** i.e., **the skin and the flesh were removed and the bone remained** exposed; **or** in a case **where there is a full fingerbreadth of flesh between one joint and another joint;** these are all blemishes.


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

אֵין לוֹ בֵיצִים, (אוֹ) אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא בֵּיצָה אֶחָת. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר, אִם יֵשׁ לוֹ שְׁנֵי כִיסִין, יֵשׁ לוֹ שְׁתֵּי בֵיצִים. אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא כִיס אֶחָד, אֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא בֵיצָה אֶחָת. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, מוֹשִׁיבוֹ עַל עַכּוּזוֹ וּמְמַעֵךְ, אִם יֵשׁ שָׁם בֵּיצָה, סוֹפָהּ לָצֵאת. מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁמִּעֵךְ וְלֹא יָצָאת, וְנִשְׁחַט וְנִמְצֵאת דְּבוּקָה בַּכְּסָלִים, וְהִתִּיר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וְאָסַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן נוּרִי:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The firstborn animal may be slaughtered if **it has no testicles or** if **it has only one testicle. Rabbi Yishmael says: If** the animal **has two** scrotal **sacs,** it can be assumed that **it has two testicles;** if the animal **does not have two** scrotal **sacs,** it can be assumed that **it has only one testicle. Rabbi Akiva says:** The matter can be ascertained: **One seats** the animal **on its rump and mashes** the sac; **if there is a testicle, ultimately** it is going **to emerge.** There was **an incident where one mashed** the sac **and** the testicle **did not emerge.** Then, the animal **was slaughtered and** the testicle **was discovered attached to the loins. And Rabbi Akiva permitted** the consumption of its flesh, as the testicle had not previously emerged, **and Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Nuri prohibited** its consumption.


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 6:7
[Mishnah Bekhorot 6:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/6:7)

בַּעַל חָמֵשׁ רַגְלַיִם, אוֹ שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא שָׁלשׁ, וְשֶׁרַגְלָיו קְלוּטוֹת כְּשֶׁל חֲמוֹר, וְהַשָּׁחוּל, וְהַכָּסוּל. אֵיזֶהוּ שָׁחוּל, שֶׁנִּשְׁמְטָה יְרֵכוֹ. וְכָסוּל, שֶׁאַחַת מִיַּרְכוֹתָיו גְּבוֹהָה:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
An animal **with five legs, or** one **that has only three, or** one **whose** hooves on its **legs were closed like** those **of a donkey** and not split, **or the *shaḥul*, or the *kasul*** may be slaughtered. **What is a *shaḥul*?** It is an animal with **a thighbone that was dislocated. And** what is **a *kasul*?** It is an animal whose build is asymmetrical in **that one of its thighs is higher** than the other.


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 6:8
[Mishnah Bekhorot 6:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/6:8)

נִשְׁבַּר עֶצֶם יָדוֹ, וְעֶצֶם רַגְלוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִכָּר. מוּמִין אֵלּוּ מָנָה אִילָא בְיַבְנֶה, וְהוֹדוּ לוֹ חֲכָמִים. וְעוֹד שְׁלשָׁה הוֹסִיף. אָמְרוּ לוֹ, לֹא שָׁמַעְנוּ אֶת אֵלּוּ. אֵת שֶׁגַּלְגַּל עֵינוֹ עָגוֹל כְּשֶׁל אָדָם, וּפִיו דּוֹמֶה לְשֶׁל חֲזִיר, וְשֶׁנִּטַּל רֹב הַמְדַבֵּר שֶׁל לְשׁוֹנוֹ. וּבֵית דִּין שֶׁל אַחֲרֵיהֶן אָמְרוּ, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ מוּמִין:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Additional blemishes that permit the slaughter of the firstborn include those where **the bone of its foreleg or the bone of its hind leg was broken, even though it is not conspicuous.** With regard to **these blemishes** listed in this chapter, **Ila,** who was expert in blemishes of the firstborn, **enumerated** them **in Yavne, and the Sages deferred to his** expertise. **And** Ila **added three additional** blemishes, and the Sages **said to him: We did not hear** about **those.** Ila added: An animal **whose eye is round like** that **of a person, or whose mouth is similar to** that **of a pig, or where most of** the segment of **its tongue** corresponding to the segment that facilitates **speech** in the tongue of a person **was removed. The court that followed them said** with regard to each of those three blemishes: **That is a blemish** that enables the slaughter of the firstborn.


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 6:9
[Mishnah Bekhorot 6:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/6:9)

מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהַלְּחִי הַתַּחְתּוֹן עוֹדֵף עַל הָעֶלְיוֹן, וְשָׁלַח רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל לַחֲכָמִים וְאָמְרוּ, הֲרֵי זֶה מוּם. אֹזֶן הַגְּדִי שֶׁהָיְתָה כְפוּלָה, אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים, בִּזְמַן שֶׁהִיא עֶצֶם אֶחָד, מוּם. וְאִם אֵינָהּ עֶצֶם אֶחָד, אֵינָהּ מוּם. רַבִּי חֲנַנְיָא בֶן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, זְנַב הַגְּדִי שֶׁהִיא דוֹמָה לְשֶׁל חֲזִיר, וְשֶׁאֵין בָּהּ שָׁלשׁ חֻלְיוֹת, הֲרֵי זֶה מוּם:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** there was **an incident where the lower jaw** of the firstborn **protruded beyond the upper** jaw, **and Rabban Gamliel asked the Sages** for a ruling, **and they said: That is a blemish** that enables the slaughter of the firstborn. With regard to **the ear of the kid** that **was doubled** and appeared like two ears, **the Sages said: When** the additional ear **is one bone,** i.e., it has its own cartilage, it is **a blemish; when it does not have** its own **bone it is not a blemish. Rabbi Ḥananya ben Gamliel says:** In the case of **the tail of a kid that is similar to** that **of a pig or** one that is so short **that it does not have three joints, that is a blemish.**


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 6:10
[Mishnah Bekhorot 6:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/6:10)

רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן אַנְטִיגְנוֹס אוֹמֵר, אֶת שֶׁיַּבֶּלֶת בְּעֵינוֹ, וְשֶׁנִּפְגַּם עֶצֶם יָדוֹ, וְעֶצֶם רַגְלוֹ, וְשֶׁנִּפְסַק עַצְמוֹ שֶׁבְּפִיו. עֵינוֹ אַחַת גְּדוֹלָה וְאַחַת קְטַנָּה, אָזְנוֹ אַחַת גְּדוֹלָה וְאַחַת קְטַנָּה, בְּמַרְאֶה אֲבָל לֹא בְמִדָּה. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, אַחַת מִבֵּיצָיו גְּדוֹלָה כִּשְׁתַּיִם בַּחֲבֶרְתָּהּ, וְלֹא הוֹדוּ לוֹ חֲכָמִים:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Ḥanina ben Antigonus says** that these are blemished animals: One **that has a wart in its eyes; and** one **where the bone of its foreleg or hind leg was damaged; and** one **where the bone of its mouth,** i.e., its jaw, **was dislocated;** and an animal with **one of its eyes large and one small,** or **one of its ears large and one small** where the difference in size is detectable **by sight, but not** if it is detectable only **by being measured. Rabbi Yehuda says:** An animal is blemished if with regard to **its two testicles, one is as large as two of the other, but the Rabbis did not agree with his** opinion.


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 6:11
[Mishnah Bekhorot 6:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/6:11)

זְנַב הָעֶגֶל שֶׁאֵינָהּ מַגַּעַת לָעַרְקוֹב, אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים, כָּל מַרְבִּית הָעֲגָלִים כֵּן, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהֵן מַגְדִּילִין הֵם נִמְתָּחוֹת. לְאֵיזֶה עַרְקוֹב אָמְרוּ, רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן אַנְטִיגְנוֹס אוֹמֵר, לָעַרְקוֹב שֶׁבְּאֶמְצַע הַיָּרֵךְ. עַל אֵלּוּ מוּמִין שׁוֹחֲטִין אֶת הַבְּכוֹר, וּפְסוּלֵי הַמֻּקְדָּשִׁין נִפְדִּין עֲלֵיהֶן:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
In the case of **the tail of a calf that does not reach the leg joint [*la’arkov*], the Sages said:** It is a blemish, because **all growth of calves** is in **this** manner:**As long as they grow,** their tails **are extended** beneath the leg joint. **Which is the leg joint** about **which** the Sages **spoke? Rabbi Ḥanina ben Antigonus says:** They are referring **to** the **leg joint that is in the middle of the thigh.** **For these blemishes** enumerated in the previous *mishnayot*, **one slaughters the firstborn** outside the Temple **and disqualified consecrated** animals **may be redeemed on their account.**


###### Mishnah Bekhorot 6:12
[Mishnah Bekhorot 6:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Mishnah%20Bekhorot/r/6:12)

אֵלּוּ שֶׁאֵין שׁוֹחֲטִין עֲלֵיהֶן לֹא בַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְלֹא בַמְּדִינָה, חֲוַרְוָד וְהַמַּיִם שֶׁאֵינָם קְבוּעִין, וְחִטָּיו הַפְּנִימִיּוֹת שֶׁנִּפְגְּמוּ, (אֲבָל לֹא) שֶׁנֶּעֶקְרוּ, וּבַעַל גָּרָב, וּבַעַל יַבֶּלֶת, וּבַעַל חֲזָזִית, וְזָקֵן, וְחוֹלֶה, וּמְזֻהָם, וְשֶׁנֶּעֶבְדָה בוֹ עֲבֵרָה, וְשֶׁהֵמִית אֶת הָאָדָם (עַל פִּי עֵד אֶחָד אוֹ עַל פִּי הַבְּעָלִים), וְטֻמְטוּם, וְאַנְדְּרוֹגִינוֹס, לֹא בַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְלֹא בַמְּדִינָה. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר, אֵין מוּם גָּדוֹל מִזֶּה. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, אֵינוֹ בְכוֹר, אֶלָּא נִגְזָז וְנֶעֱבָד:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And these** are the blemishes **that one does not slaughter** the firstborn **due to them, neither in the Temple nor in** the rest of **the country: Pale spots** on the eye **and tears** streaming from the eye **that are not constant; and internal gums that were damaged but that were not extracted; and** an animal **with boils** that are moist inside and out **[*garav*]; and** an animal **with warts; and** an animal **with boils [*ḥazazit*];** and **an old or sick** animal, **or** one with **a foul odor; and** one **with which a transgression was performed,** e.g., it copulated with a person or was the object of bestiality; **and** one **that killed a person.** In these latter two cases, the act of bestiality or killing became known **on the basis** of the testimony **of one witness or on the basis of the owner. And** one does not slaughter **a *tumtum*,** whose sexual organs are concealed, **and a hermaphrodite [*ve’anderoginos*],** which has both male and female sexual organs, **neither in the Temple nor in** the rest of **the country. Rabbi Shimon says: You have no blemish greater than that,** and it may be slaughtered. **And the Rabbis say:** The halakhic status of a hermaphrodite **is not** that of **a firstborn; rather,** its halakhic status is that of a non-sacred animal that may **be shorn and utilized for labor.**