הלוקח עובר חמורו של נכרי – when it is in the womb of its mother and it is a firstling (i.e., male or female). And for this reason, it (i.e., the Mishnah) took [the words], “the fetus of his donkey,” for there is no holy unclean animal with regard to its first-born other than the firstborn of a donkey alone, but since the words are few of the firstborn of the donkey, he decided and permitted it. But all of these other chapters speak of a first born of a pure animal.

אף על פי שאינו רשאי – to sell to a heathen a large animal, because of work on Shabbat that would be performed by it (see Tractate Avodah Zarah, Chapter 1, Mishnah 6 – where the Halakha is established that it is forbidden to sell a heathen a large animal – originally owned by an Israelite).

והמשתתף לו – even if the portion of the heathen is substantial and known, as for example, the [yet unborn] firstborn’s arm or leg, or that of its mother. Any time that if they would sever from it that limb, the animal remains with a blemish – this is the partnership of the heathen and it is exempt [from redemption].

והמקבל ממנו – that the female donkey belongs to the heathen that an Israelite receives and takes care of it in order that they will divide its offspring, but the body of the animal belongs to the heathen.

פטור מן הבכורה – that fetus that he (i.e., the Israelite) purchased from the heathen or that he sold to the heathen is not holy, for since the heathen has a portion in it or in its mother, as it states (Numbers 3:13): “I consecrated every first-born in Israel, [man and beast, to Myself, to be Mine],” but not of the heathen.

אם פטרו את של ישראל במדבר – the Levites did not exempt the animals of the Israel in the wilderness, that the first-born of the cattle, [the] cattle [of the Levites] replaced [and redeemed] it, as it is written (Numbers 3: 45): “and the cattle of the Levites in place of their cattle,” but rather, this is how it should be read: The Levities released/served as ransom the holiness of the first born of the Israelites in the wilderness, as it is written (Numbers 3:45): “Take the Levites in place of all the first-born among the Israelite people, [and the cattle of the Levites in place of their cattle; and the Levites shall be Mine, the LORD’s],” but if the sanctity of the Levites released/ransomed the sanctity of the Israelites, it is a law that they would release/ransom themselves. But after we learned that the sanctity of the first-born was released/ransomed from the livestock of the Levities, we learned that the released/ransomed of their donkeys are exempt from [the rules governing] the first-born, as it is written (Numbers 18:15): “but you shall have the first-born of man redeemed, and you shall also have the firstling of impure animals redeemed,” all that the first-born of man has, the first-born of impure animals have, and all that the first-born of man doesn’t have, is not found in the first-born of impure animals. But from the first born of pure animals, the Priests and Levites were not exempt, as we learn ahead.

פרה שילדה כמין חמור וחמור שילדה כמין סוס פטור (a cow that gave birth to a donkey of so) – if [the Mishnah] taught [only] “a cow that gave birth to a donkey of sorts” but did not teach “a donkey that gave birth to a horse of sorts,” I might say that the cow that gave birth to a donkey of sorts is that which is exempt from [their offspring being counted] as a firstborn, because they are not at all similar to each other, for this one (i.e., the cow) has horns and that one (i.e., the donkey) does not have horns, for this one (i.e., the cow), its hoofs are cloven but that one (i.e., the donkey), its hoofs are closed, but a donkey which gave birth to a horse of sorts, I might say that that it (i.e., the horse of sorts) is a red donkey and it is obligated [for its offspring to be counted as a firstborn]. But if it (i.e., the Mishnah) had only taught the concluding clause and did not teach the opening clause, I would say that the donkey that gave birth to a horse of sorts is exempt from [its offspring being counted as a firstborn] because a horse is not sanctified with a firstborn, but a cow that gave birth to a donkey of sorts where both of them are sanctified through the firstborn, I might say that it (i.e., the donkey of sorts) is obligated [for its offspring to be counted as a firstborn. Therefore, both phrases are necessary.

פטר חמור פטר חמור שני פעמים – one in “Sanctify to me all firstborns” (Exodus 13:12) and the other in (the beginning of the Torah reading for Shabbat Hol HaMoed Passover and Sukkot – beginning with Exodus 33:12 and extending to Exodus 34:26) “See you say to me,” (Exodus 34:20).

מהו באכילה – that is to say, an animal where the birth mother is not similar to the animal born- what is the Halakha with regard to their consumption/eating?

שהיוצא מן הטמא טמא – and the honey of bees and hornets. It is permitted and is not called that which comes out from the impure, because it does not squeeze/wring it out from their flesh but rather, they bring it into their bodies, since they consume from the flours of the trees and from them the honey is made. But the milk of a human is permitted as I explained, but to suck from the breasts of a woman is prohibited. And all the rest of the milk of impure animals and wildlife, they come from that which is impure and is forbidden.

דג טמא שבלע דג טהור – even though we did not see it that it swallowed it, for since most fish breed with their own kind, it is like it swallowed in our presence.

נותן טלה אחד לכהן – in redemption. For whichever way you look at it, one of them is a firstborn.

זכר ונקבה - and it is not known if the male came out first and he is the firstborn, or the female came out first, and there isn’t here the law of the firstborn.

מפריש טלה – because of doubt, and he releases from him the holiness of the redemption of the donkey.

והוא לעצמו- that he himself will consume the lamb and he will not give it to the Kohen, for the Kohen is like someone who removes something from his fellow, and the proof is upon him to bring witnesses that the male came out first. But there is no prohibition, for even the firstling of a complete donkey that was redeemed with a young sheep, furthermore there is no sanctity neither with him or that which he redeems it with. But rather where there is theft, if he does not give a lamb to the Kohen, that is his (i.e., the Kohen’s) money, but here there is no theft for there is a doubt.

שתי חמורות וילדו כו' – a male and female, he gives one lamb to a Kohen because of the male [firstborn]. Or, two males and one female, that one gave birth to a male and one gave birth to a male and female, or alternatively, one gave birth to two males and one gave birth to a female, we give one lamb to the Kohen for certainly there is one male that is definitely a firstborn, but regarding the other where there is a doubt lest the female was born first, we set aside a lamb and it is for himself.

שני זכרים ושני נקבות – they are of doubt, for perhaps each one of them gave birth to a male and a female, and perhaps the females came out first, therefore, the Kohen does not have anything here, but he designates for them two lambs to release them from their sin and they are for themselves (i.e., the owners), such My teachers explained. But Maimonides holds that there is nothing for the Kohen her and even a lamb for himself he does not have to separate/dedicate, because there is in each one [of these donkeys] a great down when they gave birth to two females and one male, for perhaps one of the two of them gave birth to two females and the other gave birth to a male. Or perhaps, this one gave birth to a female, and the other [gave birth to] a male and afterwards a female, or a female and afterwards a male. mal And similarly there are many doubts with [offspring of] two males and two females, therefore even one lamb for himself he does not designate/separate, and the explanation of my Rabbis is the essential principle.

זכר ונקבה מפריש טלה אחד לעצמו – for perhaps that one (i.e., donkey) that did not give birth gave birth to a female.

שנאמר ופטר חמור תפדה בשה – every young lamb by implication, young lamb of lambs or young goats, a young male or a young female lamb, etc.

ופודה בו פעמים רבות - if the Kohen returned and they gave him [the redemption animal].

נכנס לדיר להתעשר – as for example, an Israelite who had ten donkeys who were doubtful first issues of the womb and he separated/dedicated ten lambs and they are his, behold they enter the pen to a place where they bring in animals there to be tithed, and we tithe them in the manner that we tithe the rest of the animals, and the same law applies that if he had a doubt regarding one first-born donkey or two [and he separated/dedicated for them one or two young sheep] that it would enter the pen with the rest of his sheep to be tithed.

ואם מת נהנים בו – what he separated/dedicated for redemption of the first-born donkey, if it died at the hand of the owners prior to coming into the hand of the Kohen, the Kohen derives benefit from even though it didn’t reach his hand while living, for from the time that he (i.e., the owner) separated it, it was in the domain of the Kohen.

ולא בחיה – a deer or a ram.

ולא בשחוטה – a slaughtered young sheep/goat.

ולא בטריפה – as for example, that its feet were cut off from the knee and above.

כלאים – a he-goat that comes upon a ewe.

מפני שהוא שה – whether a ewe or whether a goat, they are called a young goat/young sheep. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Eliezer.

כוי – it is a creature of its own, doubtfully wildlife and doubtfully an animal.

נתנו לכהן- the actual first-born donkey.

עד שיפריש שה תחתיו- and this for himself. But afterwards he can use the first-born donkey. But because the Kohanim were suspected in this matter of not separating a young sheep in its place, therefore, an Israelite who gives a first-born donkey to a Kohen does not move from there until the Kohen redeems it in his presence.

בחמש סלעים של פדיון הבן – for they are liable for it (i.e., the five Selas for the redemption price of the first-born male).

כפדיון מעשר שני – that if he lost it, he is not liable for it (i.e., to replace the redemption of the Second Tithe). For that money, the All-Merciful made him liable to eat in Jerusalem and it left him. And the reason of Rabbi Eliezer is that we found that Scripture made an analogy between the first-born of the donkey and the first born of a human, as it states (Exodus 34:20): “But the firstling of an ass you shall redeem with a sheep; [if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck.] And you must redeem every first-born among your sons.” But the Sages state (Numbers 18:15): “But you shall have the fist-born of man redeemed, and you shall also have the firstling of unclean animals redeemed.” For redemption, the analogy was made but not for another thing.

ואין כאן לכהן כלום – and he (i.e., the Kohen) is not liable for it, according to the Rabbis. And such is the Halakha.

מת פטר חמור – after he (i.e., the owner) set aside the redemption, but he had not as yet given it to the Kohen.

רבי אליעזר אומר יקבר – for since he is liable for the lamb, it is like someone who had not separated it.

ומותר – an Israelite [is permitted] in deriving benefit from the lamb, for it is like someone who did not separate it.

אין צריך להקבר – that from the time that I will separate the lamb, it becomes the property of the Kohen and the sanctity of the firstborn ass is released.

קופיץ (hatchet) – a large knife like a small ax that the butchers cut with it the meat.

ועורפו – that is that he cuts off its head from the border of the neck.

וקוברו – because it is prohibited to derive benefit after breaking the neck [of the heifer].

מצות יעידה – regarding a Hebrew maidservant.

בראשונה שהיו מתכוונים לשם מצוה – and they (i.e., the Sages) would say the dead husband’s brother (brother-in-law who marries his wife) , for the sake of beauty, for the sake of money, they would come in contact with illicit sexual behavior that was not in the place [of the fulfillment] of the commandment [of levirate marriage]. But this is not the Halakha, but rather since the prohibition of marrying the wife of one’s brother has no effect from her, when his brother died without children, behold, she is completely permitted to him, and even a sister-in-law (i.e., widow of a brother who died without issue) for the sake of beauty or for the sake of money.

מצות גאולה באדון – who decides by lottery the donation of an animal to the Temple treasury, the commandment of its redemption is by the owner prior to all individuals, because he adds the one-fifth.