Talking Talmud

Yardaena Osband & Anne Gordon

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S32 · E49
Friday · 20 min
Bekhorot 49: 30 Days to Redemption, Right?
More mishnayot! 1 - If the first-born son dies within 30 days of birth, there's no redemption to pay and the kohen would return any payment that was already made. After 30 days, the father owes the payment. But what about on the 30th day? 2 - If the father dies, the presumption is that the child is or is not redeemed, based on the timing of the death, compared to those 30 days. What about a first-born father who discovers he himself was never redeemed? Which redemption takes precedence? Note the standard roles in dispute of Rav and Shmuel. Plus, the prevalence, or lack thereof of pidunei ha-ben. 3 - On the coins of the redemption themselves, and how they are derived to be Tyrian shekels from verses in the Torah about redemption in the wilderness. Likewise, other flat fee payments.
S32 · E48
Thursday · 17 min
Bekhorot 48: Redeeming Twins
Two mishnayot! 1 - A woman gives birth to male twins, and it's not known which of them is the first born, the father gives the coins to the kohen, because one of them needs to be redeemed. But what if one of them dies before 30 days? Or after 30 days? Of if the twins are male and female, and you don't know which was born first? What if it's the father who died? Plus, the case of two people with the same name, and how the adjudicate claims against one of them. 2 - If a man has two wives, and each gives birth to a male baby, the father needs to redeem both of them. But what if one dies within 30 days? What if one of the babies is a girl? And what if the father dies? What if there is further confusion, in cases with two fathers, and the need to redeem sons, but then all the permutations kick in again, with greater scope to argue that the person who owes the redemption is the other guy.
S32 · E47
Wednesday · 13 min
Bekhorot 47: Who Need Redemption?
More on the human first-borns -- who is exempt from the need to redeem the first born. The son of a woman from the Tribe of Levi -- but if her husband a kohen or a levi, the child would already not need redemption. So is the father a Yisrael? A non-Jew? Also, would a kohen need to redeem himself? For example, a kohen who has set the kehunah apart from himself. And: a new mishnah! With the kind of first-born statuses for inheritance and for the kohen. Where a miscarriage is explicitly not considered to be a birth. What about a first-born who was delivered by C-section? And what if there is another child born via "natural childbirth" after the C-section? Some say that second child would also need to be redeemed.
S32 · E46
Tuesday · 21 min
Bekhorot 46: Opening the Womb
Finishing out the 7th chapter, about the blemishes among human beings: kohanim need to commit to not making themselves come in contact with a dead body. How is that different from marrying a person who is prohibited to the kohanim? And starting the 8th chapter -- on the process of redeeming the first-born son -- in the new mishnah! Or rather, there are different statuses for which one may or may not be called the first born, such as the inheritance and also for the kohen. With some complicated cases about premature births. Also, defining the moment of birth -- when the forehead emerges, even if the rest of the body hasn't followed yet. Including the case of a woman who was converting during the process of delivering the baby, and she is non-Jewish when the forehead emerges and Jewish when the rest of the baby emerging. And identifying that child (or any person, it seems), is as per one's face, from the forehead to including the nose (or perhaps before the nose).
S32 · E45
Monday · 19 min
Bekhorot 45: If a Blemish Is Corrected, Is It Still a Blemish?
More blemishes, but some of them are the kind of things that, nowadays, we correct fairly easily (bowleggedness, for example). Or a kohen with an extra digit -- which is not common, but not uncommon either, with a significant genetic component. Nowadays, they are easily removed. Or less changeable, perhaps, but also less identifiable as a blemish these days, like left-handedness. Plus, the question of how many bones are in the human body. Also, other "full-body" exemptions from being able to serve -- blemishes, of a kind, such as drunkenness, among others -- that disqualify a person from serving, but not an animal from being able to be the sacrifice. Including skin color and great height, with a side recommendation that like marry not-like. Plus, similar blemishes (including sins and crimes) that would disqualify an animal from being sacrificed if it were party to these (such as bestiality), but the person is not disqualified.
S32 · E44
November 1 · 23 min
Bekhorot 44: When You Gotta Go, You Gotta Go
Cases of disqualification of kohanim from doing the Temple service for all kinds of eye blemishes, from blindness to pale spots on the eyes or excess tears -- and how they are derived from the verses in Leviticus. Also, mishnayot! 1 - Blemishes that are unsightly physical blemishes, including eyes and other parts of the face. Plus, an assessment of Moshe's height -- based on that of the Tabernacle, so perhaps he was 10 amot high, which would have been too tall, and indeed a blemish of disproportion. 2- Additional blemishes - if a man has breasts that distend like those of a woman; if his stomach or navel protrudes; if he has occasional epileptic seizures; and more. Plus, Torah scholars should not worry about urinating in public -- it's a health concern, as compared to drinking water in public, which was considered uncouth. With examples of the Torah scholars who, indeed, urinated in public. 3 - A kohen who has no testicles, or only one - those are blemishes that get in the way of working in the Temple. But maybe tis is only if the testicles were crushed?
S32 · E43
October 31 · 16 min
Bekhorot 43: From Animal Blemishes to Priestly Blemishes
Blemishes that disqualify kohanim from doing the Temple service -- derived from the verses in Leviticus. There are 3 categories of blemishes -- 1. appear in kohanim and animals; 2. appear in kohanim and not animals. 3. rabbinic disqualifications, especially as "mar'it ayin," in terms of unusual appearances. Including, for example, baldness, where some degree of hair loss is acceptable, but not entirely. Connecting blemishes of a person and those of an animal, even though we often distinguish between humans and animals -- as found in a gezerah shavah from the words in the Torah's verses. Also, why does the Torah provide all of the cases it does? If a blemish is disqualifying, why would listing the details be necessary to begin with? Plus, 2 mishnayot! 1 - Eyebrow blemishes, when it comes to kohanim. 2. Eye placement or eye health blemishes, also when it comes to kohanim.
S32 · E42
October 30 · 22 min
Bekhorot 42: Different in One Way, Different in Another Way
With regard to an animal that is an androgynos, with both male and female sexual organs, is not considered for a first-born status, because it's not uniquely male. With editorial comments, as it were, made about the baraita that establishes these standards. Also, a tannaitic dispute on a tumtum (human) -- if this person betroths a woman, we accept the kiddushin, because the tumtum might be male. And if a man betroths a tumtum -- also, we accept the kiddushin, because the person might be female. What if the tumtum is male, but also sterile? One who is sterile has different standing with regard to the marital rules -- in terms of yibum, for example.
S32 · E41
October 29 · 18 min
Bekhorot 41: Tumtum and Androgynous: Animal Edition
Beginning with a couple of mishnayot -- on a calf whose tail doesn't reach down to the upper leg joint, which is considered to be a blemish. Imagine a camel to help picture the join on the animal, which is more pronounced on the camel. Also, blemishes in a first-born that don't lead to slaughtering outside of the Temple -- with a decently long list, including, eventually, the tumtum and androgynous in the context of animals, and not people. Also, delving into the question of the tumtum with hidden genitals, where the gender is not known, as compared to an androgynous, who truly has both male and female genitals, which couldn't be slaughtered in the Temple, in the case of error. Also, note phenomena that may be treated as a blemish, but maybe it's only a physical cut, and not a real and lasting blemish. Plus, the application of the categories of tumtum and androgynous to the animals. Also, Rabbi Yishmael's opinion on this serious blemish -- in contrast to the other sages, who focus on how it isn't necessarily a blemish.
S32 · E40
October 28 · 18 min
Bekhorot 40: A Mishnayot Festival on Blemishes
There are 7 mishnayot on this daf! (though we'll save the last one for tomorrow). 1 - On testicles and the nature of testicular blemishes. 2 - On the fact that blemishes are not how things are supposed to be; for example, an animal that should have 4 legs, but instead has 3 or 5. 3 - On blemishes that are not immediately discernible. 4 - On the jaw of a first-born animal, where the lower jaw juts out farther than the upper jaw, and how that's a blemish. 5 - On extra cartilage in the ear, and how that's a blemish. 6 - A list of blemished animals, whether in the eye or the leg or the mouth/jaw or the ear or the testicles... and whether these blemishes are discernible.
S32 · E39
October 27 · 18 min
Bekhorot 39: Gums, Teeth, and Tails
3 mishnayot! Rabbi Hanina bar Antignos on various blemish, specifically the pale spots that constitute a blemish. Note the requirement of an even amount of time between checking the blemish. Also, determining the timing of the impurity of a blemish. Plus, a list of possible, fairly minor blemishes -- including on the outer part of the lip. 2 - On the gums and whether the external gums are significant for the blemishes, with the new ones hidden away, as it were. Note - the phenomenon of the double teeth. 3 - Misshapen genitals, and also when it comes to already consecrated animals, not just the first-borns. Also, the potential of blemishes in an animal's tail.
S32 · E38
October 26 · 21 min
Bekhorot 38: Some Blemishes Are Temporary: Eyes
Determining the capacity of an earthenware vessel to become impure on both its inside and outside -- as long as it's a receptacle, with a "middle," such as it was, with sides that form a middle to contain something (in contrast to a platter). Also, 2 mishnayot: 1 - Blemishes in an animal's eye, such as cataracts. Also, the case of the "hilazon nahash" -- is that one animal or two? And the kohen who determines status and teaches others to determine status. 2 - Checking the animal for the blemish, whether it disappears or will become permanent, especially when considering the eye blemishes,
S32 · E37
October 25 · 14 min
Bekhorot 37: Torah-level Blemishes
Finishing chapter 5 and starting chapter 6, with a mishnah in each chapter, and attention to the requirement of an experts to sign off on a first-born animal's status as "blemished" (and what can be done with it afterwards), as well as the various blemishes and their implications, as we embark on a new chapter that focuses on blemishes, and -- to be careful -- not treyfot.
S32 · E36
October 24 · 19 min
Bekhorot 36: The Wisdom of Rabbi Tzadok
The case of hearsay testimony - and when it's acceptable (not often!). Also, the opinion of Rabbi Tzadok on a first-born that split its lip while eating. But does that smack of intentional blemishing? Plus, the famous and important showdown between Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Yehoshua, which also appears on Berakhot 27b. Also, 3 mishnayot: more on kohanim and unblemished first-borns who get blemished. And the Pompedita practice of accepting the testimony of kohanim. Plus, blemishes in the eyes of the animals.
S32 · E35
October 23 · 19 min
Bekhorot 35: Intent, Testimony, and Expertise
3 mishnayot! 1 - Beginning with a story about a Roman soldier intentionally blemishing a first-born ram, and how the sages approved that case as a blemish, but not when others attempted the same. Likewise, kids who tied the tails of lambs together, including first-borns, and one lost a tail, and that case was also permitted, but not as a general rule. Intent would ruin that. 2 - One who kicks a first-born and causes a blemish. 3 - Who can testify about the blemish to a first-born, when it's brought to an expert to adjudicate the blemish?
S32 · E34
October 22 · 16 min
Bekhorot 34: Written or Read?
For a case of certainly pure terumah vs. uncertain terumah (whether it's pure or not) - in light of the plural of the word "terumotai" in the Torah. Or is it "terumati"?! Also, what if one DID make a blemish on a first-born animal, even though it's of course not allowed. The Gemara specifically looks for comparable cases to determine the penalties, if there are to be any.
S32 · E33
October 21 · 17 min
Bekhorot 33: Blemishes
The Gemara picks up on Beit Hillel's leniency from the previous day's mishnah, and Rabbi Akiva's opinion on "the gazelle and the hart" - which are permitted to a non-Jew to eat. And how that phrasing drives the interpretation, including explanations by Rishonim (the medieval commentators). Plus, the question whether menstruant woman could participate in such a meal. Also, a new mishnah! You can't actively intentionally make a blemish in an animal, but certain actions that might leave a blemish are allowed to prevent a more lasting blemish. Note the shift to issues of impurity and purity, in the case of wine where there's uncertainty as to whether it's impure.
S32 · E32
October 21 · 16 min
Bekhorot 32: Revisiting Gezarah Shavah
A discussion here compares the first-born with tithed animals. For a firstborn, it cannot be redeemed, but it can be sold. And tithed animals are the reverse. What's the source? The Gemara explains that for the subjects of this group much be free. Thus, there are two steps here - establishing that a "maaser" item cannot be redeemed to begin. with. The details, for those who delve in, show many different appearances of non-Geulah. Also, a focus on the "gezarah shavah" as the methodological leading principle here. The phrase cannot be used for other inferences for that gezarah shavah to work at all. Also, a statement by Rava about how that which has been dedicated cannot be redeemed, at least when it's a first-born animal. Plus, it depends where the items are - whether in the kohen's possession or that of the owner. Also, a very small new mishnah (!), with a dispute between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel, as to whether those partaking of a blemished first born could sit together -- B"Sh says only kohanim; B"H says even a non-Jew!
S32 · E31
October 19 · 22 min
Bekhorot 31: In the Name of the Speaker
Finishing the 4th chapter - with the series of baraitot about the "chaver" - with a focus here on the last one. That is, specifically, a kohen can examine first-borns for blemishes, as long as they are not being given to himself, but he could rule on his own sacrifices, for example. Plus, how many judges are needed for various things, including judging first-borns, one or three? Plus, other examples that require a court of 3, including halitzah. What if you have an expert in blemishes on that court? And starting chapter 5 - with a new mishnah: selling the meat of disqualified consecrated animals at the butcher vs. selling the blemished of first-born animals. They're not weighed precisely in contrast to the regular consecrated animals, and the proceeds go to the owner. Plus, Rav Sheshet and narrowing the focus of the mishnah to orphans...
S32 · E30
October 18 · 16 min
Bekhorot 30: Localized Wrong and Generalized Right
A new mishnah! A person who is suspected or known to not be careful about the laws of the shemitah year may or may not be careful about tithing, and likewise with regard to the rules of purity/impurity. But once one is suspect, that person can't judge or bear witness, at least with regard to that specific arena. Also, a focus on the "chaver," someone who is known to be careful in all areas of halakhah. Including details that are debated between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai.

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