Bartenura on Mishnah Bekhorot Chapter 3
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הַלּוֹקֵחַ. עֵז בַּת שְׁנָתָהּ. שֶׁיָּלְדָה בְתוֹךְ שְׁנָתָהּ:
הלוקח. עז בת שנתה – [a goat] a year old that produced an offspring within its first year.
וַדַּאי. אוֹתוֹ הַוָּלָד לַכֹּהֵן, דְּקֹדֶם לָכֵן לֹא יָלְדָה:
ודאי- that offspring belongs to the Kohen, for prior to this it had not produced offspring.
סָפֵק. יִרְעֶה עַד שֶׁיִּפֹּל בּוֹ מוּם וְיֵאָכֵל בְּמוּמוֹ לַבְּעָלִים. וְאִם סְפֵק פֶּטֶר חֲמוֹר הוּא, מַפְרִישׁ טָלֶה וְהוּא שֶׁלּוֹ:
ספק - it would be sent to pasture until a blemish befalls it and the owners would consume it in its blemishes (see Tractate Bekhorot, Chapter 2, Mishnayot 6-7). But if it is a doubtful firstling donkey, he would separate a lamb and it would be his.
טִנּוּף. אֲבַעְבּוּעוֹת שֶׁל דָּם שֶׁפּוֹלֶטֶת הַבְּהֵמָה. וּמַרְאִים אוֹתָן לְרוֹעֶה חָכָם וּמַכִּיר בָּהֶן אִם הֵן מֵחֲמַת הֵרָיוֹן שֶׁהִפִּילָה וְשֶׁמָּא טִנְּפָה בְתוֹךְ שְׁנָתָהּ דַּהֲוֵי סְפֵק וָלָד וְנִפְטְרָה מִן הַבְּכוֹרָה, הִלְכָּךְ אֲפִלּוּ עֵז בַּת שְׁנָתָהּ סָפֵק הוּא:
טנוף (discharge from the womb indicating abortion) – bubbles/pustules of blood that the animal discharges. And they show them to a wise shepherd and recognizes them if they are because of the pregnancy that it miscarried and perhaps it discharged within the first year which is a doubtful offspring and it is exempt from the laws of firstlings, therefore, even a goat that is one year old is doubtful.
שִׁלְיָא. כְּמִין כִּסּוּי עַל הָעֻבָּר שֶׁהָעֻבָּר מֻנָּח בָּהּ:
שליא – a kind of covering over the fetus that the fetus is lying in it (i.e., placenta).
שָׁפִיר. לְמַעְלָה מִן הַשִּׁלְיָא קְרוּם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ דָּם נִקְרָשׁ וְהוּא קָרוּי שָׁפִיר. וְרַבּוֹתַי פֵּרְשׁוּ, חֲתִיכָה שֶׁל בָּשָׂר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ צוּרַת אָדָם. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים לְפִיכָךְ נִקְרֵאת שָׁפִיר, לְפִי שֶׁעֲשׂוּיָה כִשְׁפוֹפֶרֶת:
שפיר – above from the placenta is a membrane/skin that has in it congealed blood and it is called the sac of a fetus. And my teachers/Rabbis explained, it is a piece of flesh that has on it the form of a human. But there are those who say that is called a sac of a fetus, because it is made like a tube.
שֶׁשָּׁפְעָה חֲרָרַת דָּם. שֶׁהִפִּילָה חֲתִיכָה דָם:
ששפעה חרדת דם (that discharged a clod of blood) – that discharged a portion of blood (see also Tractate Hullin, Chapter 4, Mishnah 7 regarding to the placenta).
הֲרֵי זוֹ תִקָּבֵר. לְהוֹדִיעַ שֶׁנִּפְטְרָה מִן הַבְּכוֹרָה. שֶׁהָרוֹאֶה שֶׁקּוֹבְרִים אוֹתָהּ יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַבָּא אַחֲרָיו אֵינוֹ קָדוֹשׁ בַּבְּכוֹרָה. וַהֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וּכְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב:
הרי זו תקבר – to inform that it was exempted from the [law of] the firstling, for a person who sees that they bury it knows that what comes after it (i.e., born afterwards) is not holy for the [law of] the firstling. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Akiva and [according to] Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov.
אֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין שֶׁמָּא בְנָהּ שֶׁל אַחֶרֶת הָיָה. שֶׁיְּהֵא הַבָּא אַחֲרָיו בְּכוֹר סָפֵק דְּנֵימָא הַךְ בְּהֵמָה לֹא יָלְדָה מֵעוֹלָם אֶלָּא שֶׁאָהֲבָה אֶת זֶה בֶּן חֲבֶרְתָּהּ, וְאִי מִשּׁוּם דְּאִית לָהּ חָלָב, הָא אִיכָּא מִעוּטָא דְּחוֹלְבוֹת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָן יוֹלְדוֹת, הָא וַדַּאי לֹא אָמְרִינַן, אֶלָּא בְנָהּ הוּא וּפְטוּרָה מִן הַבְּכוֹרָה:
אין חוששין שמא בנה של אחרת היה - that what comes (i.e., the offspring) after it is a doubtful firstling, that we would say: “this animal never gave birth, but that she loved this one, the male offspring of her neighbor,” but if because that she has milk, there is a minority of those giving milk even though they have not given birth, but certainly we don’t say, that it is her offspring and that she is exempt from the laws of firstlings (see Talmud Bekhorot 20b).
מַבְכִּירוֹת. בַּחוּרוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יָלְדוּ עַד עַכְשָׁיו:
מבכירות – female animals that did not give birth until now.
אֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין שֶׁמָּא בְנָהּ שֶׁל זוֹ בָא לוֹ אֵצֶל זוֹ. דְּלֵחוּשׁ לְכֻלְּהוּ בִּסְפֵק בְּכוֹרוֹת, אֶלָּא וַדַּאי אוֹתָן הַכְּרוּכִין אַחַר הַמַּבְכִּירוֹת הָווּ בְּכוֹרוֹת וַדָּאִין, וְהַכְּרוּכִין אַחַר שֶׁאֵין מַבְכִּירוֹת הָווּ פְּשׁוּטִין וַדָּאִין. וַהֲלָכָה כְּרַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל:
אין חוששין שמא בנה של זו בא לו אצל זו – for we should be troubled for all of them of a doubtful firstling status, but certainly, those that are running after/clinging to those animals that have given birth for the first time were definite firstlings, but those running after/clinging to those animals that were not giving birth for the first time were definitely plain (i.e., not firstlings). And the Halakha is according to Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel.
עוֹשֶׂה מָקוֹם בְּקוֹפִיץ. גָּרְסִינַן. וּבַגְּמָרָא [דַּף כה] מְפָרֵשׁ, תָּנֵי לְקוֹפִיץ, כְּלוֹמַר לְצֹרֶךְ מְקוֹמוֹ שֶׁל קוֹפִיץ תּוֹלֵשׁ שֵׂעָר שֶׁל צַוָּאר. וְאֵין כָּאן מִשּׁוּם לֹא תָגֹז בְּכוֹר צֹאנֶךָ, דִּתְלִישָׁה בַּיָּד לָאו גְּזִיזָה הִיא. אֲבָל בִּכְלִי וַדַּאי אָסוּר:
עושה מקום בקופיץ - This is our reading. But in the Gemara (Talmud Bekhorot 25a), it explains that we teach לקופיץ (instead of בקופיץ )/to a hatchel, that is to say, for the need of the place of the hatchel, we remove the hair of the neck, and there isn’t here [a violation of] (Deuteronomy 15:19): “you must not…sheer your firstling sheep,” for plucking with the hand is not sheering , but with a utensil, it is definitely forbidden.
וְכֵן מֻתָּר לִתְלֹשׁ אֶת הַשֵּׂעָר. וַאֲפִלּוּ לְכַתְּחִלָּה, לְהַרְאוֹת בּוֹ לְחָכָם מְקוֹם הַמּוּם. וַהֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן מְשֻׁלָּם:
וכן מותר לתלוש את השער- and even ab initio, to show to the Sage the place of the blemish. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yosi ben Meshulam.
עֲקַבְיָא בֶּן מַהֲלַלְאֵל מַתִּיר. הַצֶּמֶר בַּהֲנָאָה לַכֹּהֵן:
עקביה בן מהללאל מתיר [Rabbi Akavya ben Mehallalel permits] the wool for the Kohen to derive benefit from it.
וַחֲכָמִים אוֹסְרִים. דְּאִי שָׁרֵית לֵיהּ צֶמֶר הַנּוֹשֶׁרֶת מֵחַיִּים אָתֵי לְאַשְׁהוֹיֵי לַבְּכוֹר כְּדֵי שֶׁתַּשִּׁיר צִמְרוֹ כָּל שָׁעָה, וְאָתֵי בָהּ לִידֵי תַקָּלָה שֶׁיִּגְזֹז וְיַעֲבֹד בּוֹ, וּפְסוּלֵי הַמֻּקְדָּשִׁין אֲסִירֵי בְגִזָּה וַעֲבוֹדָה דִּכְתִיב תִּזְבַּח וְאָכַלְתָּ בָּשָׂר, תִּזְבַּח וְלֹא גִזָּה:
וחכמים אוסרים – for if he permitted him the wool that drops off/falls out while living, he will come to wait for a firstling in order that his wool will drop off/fall out every hour, and it will come to be a snare/stumbling block that he will shear it and work on it, and those consecrated animals that are disqualified are forbidden for shearing and for work, as it is written )Deuteronomy 12:15): “[But whenever you desire,] you may slaughter and eat meat [in any of your settlements according to the blessing that the LORD your God has granted you],” you may slaughter but not shearing.
לֹא בָזֶה הִתִּיר עֲקַבְיָא. כְּלוֹמַר לֹא בָזֶה עֲקַבְיָא מַתִּיר וַחֲכָמִים אוֹסְרִים, דְּבִשְׁחָטוֹ דִּבְרֵי הַכֹּל שָׁרֵי, דְּמִגּוֹ דִמְהַנְּיָא שְׁחִיטָה לַצֶּמֶר הַמְחֻבָּר בּוֹ לְהַתִּירוֹ לְאַחַר שְׁחִיטָה מְהַנְּיָא נַמִּי לְתָלוּשׁ וּמֻנָּח בַּחַלּוֹן. וְלֹא נֶחְלְקוּ אֶלָּא בְמֵת, דְּאוֹתוֹ צֶמֶר הַמְחֻבָּר בּוֹ טָעוּן קְבוּרָה, עֲקַבְיָא מַתִּיר לַצֶּמֶר שֶׁנָּשַׁר מִמֶּנּוּ כְּשֶׁהוּא בַּחַיִּים, וַחֲכָמִים אוֹסְרִים, גְּזֵרָה שֶׁמָּא יַשְׁהֶנּוּ כְּדֵי לֵהָנוֹת בַּצֶּמֶר שֶׁנּוֹשֵׁר מִמֶּנּוּ כָּל שָׁעָה וְאָתֵי לְמֶעֱבַד בֵּיהּ גִּזָּה וַעֲבוֹדָה. וּפְסַק הַהֲלָכָה, דַּאֲפִלּוּ לְאַחַר שְׁחִיטָה צֶמֶר שֶׁנָּשַׁר מִמֶּנּוּ בַּחַיִּים אָסוּר:
לא בזה התיר עקביה – meaning to say, not in this [case- of the hair of a blemished firstling which fell out, and which one put in a wall niche/window, and which -firstling – one slaughtered afterwards] did [Rabbi] Akavyah [ben Mehallalel] permit and the Sages prohibited, for everyone agrees that when he slaughters it, it is permitted, slaughtering provides the benefit of the wool that is attached to it to permit it after ritual slaughtering, he also benefits from that which is plucked/detached and placed in a wall niche/window. But they did not disagree other than regarding a dead animal, for that wool that is attached to it requires burial, [Rabbi] Akavya [ben Mehallalel] permits the wool that fell out from it while it was living but the Sages prohibit it as a decree lest he will delay in order to derive benefit from the wool that falls out from it every hour, and one would come to perform acts of shearing and work. But the legal decision is even after the ritual slaughter, the wool that fell out from it while living is forbidden.
צֶמֶר הַמְדֻבְלָל. שֶׁלֹּא נִתְלַשׁ לְגַמְרֵי אֲבָל מְחֻבָּר הוּא עִם הַצֶּמֶר וְאֵינוֹ נוֹפֵל:
צמר המדובלל (wool which dangles/clumps in the wool) – that was not detached entirely but is attached with the wool and it doesn’t fall.
אֶת שֶׁנִּרְאֶה עִם הַגִּזָּה. כְּשֶׁיִּשְׁחָטֶנּוּ וְגוֹזְזוֹ לְאַחַר שְׁחִיטָה, וִיהֵא הַצֶּמֶר הַמְדֻבְלָל נִבְלָל עִם שְׁאָר הַגִּזָּה וְאֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה כְמֻפְרָשׁ מִמֶּנָּה, מֻתָּר כִּשְׁאָר הַגִּזָּה:
את שנראה עם הגיזה – when they slaughter it and shear it after the ritual slaughter, that the wool that clumps/dangles is mixed with the rest of the shearing and does not appear as separated from it, it is permitted like the rest of the shearing.
וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה עִם הַגִּזָּה. שֶׁיָּצָא חוּץ יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי וְנִכָּר לַכֹּל (שמדבלל) [שֶׁמֻּבְדָּל] מִן הַגִּזָּה:
ושאינו נראה עם הגיזה – that it went outside too much and is recognized that it is [separated] from the shearing.
אָסוּר. כְּמִי שֶׁנָּשַׁר לְגַמְרֵי קֹדֶם שְׁחִיטָה. וּסְתָמָא כְרַבָּנָן דִּפְלִיגֵי עֲלֵיהּ דַּעֲקַבְיָא דְהִלְכָתָא כְוָתַיְהוּ:
אסור – it is like it fell off/dropped completely prior to the ritual slaughter. And the anonymous teaching is according to the Rabbis who dispute that of [Rabbi] Akavya [ben Mehallalel], and the Halakha is according to them.