Talking Talmud

Episodi

• 
  Bekhorot 28: Ethical Blemish-Checking 16.10.2026 14min

  4 mishnayot! 1 - On determining that an animal has a blemish - after slaughtering, and the tension of having non-experts involved in determining whether the animal has a blemish. 2 - What if the kohen makes an error in judgement? What is done is done. But the judge may well be liable. With mention of dina de-garmi. 3 - A story (in the mishnah!) about the error of the previous mishnah. 4 - Making sure that one's salary was not contingent on the assessment of blemishes - unless the person checking was an expert.
• 
  Bekhorot 27: Year by Year 15.10.2026 15min

  If the kohen demands the first-born before the prescribed time, the owner does not need to provide it, because it seems that such a kohen would look too close to an employee of the owner -- for taking care of the animal. Also, more on the question of giving terumah to the kohen when it does appear that he assists "on the threshing floor." Note the fact of a rabbinic level of terumah as well as a Torah level. Also, delving into the meaning of "shanah be-shanah" - year by year, with regard to the first-born's year, the calendar year, or perhaps the time of eating the sacrifice of the first-born.
• 
  Bekhorot 26: Handing Over the First-borns 14.10.2026 15min

  To close the 3rd chapter: What if wool were plucked from an unblemished burnt-offering? What would the halakhah be regarding benefiting from that detached wool? The sacrifice might be postponed because of this question, and that can really complicate matters. And the new chapter begins -- with a new mishnah, and some basic questions about when the first-born is given the the kohen. "Small" animals should be given with a 30-day limit (or 3 months, depending on whom you ask) - sheep and goats. "Large" animals - that's cattle - have a 50-day limit.
• 
  Bekhorot 25: Spotlighting the Red Heifer 13.10.2026 18min

  If you're slaughtering the first-born, you can part the hair and even pluck a hair for the sake of smoother slaughtering. That is, plucking is not considered to be shearing. This might complicate matters for a red heifer -- if one trimmed red hair that had some black, which is allowed, in this case, without actually shearing. So that task is also unintended beyond its actually purpose. Note that cows are not considered "shorn," because their hairs are not wool. Plus, a historical account of 9 red heifers. Also, a new mishnah! A blemished first-born, who has shed hair, and then the animal is slaughtered (or it dies), can that hair be used in the way the body would be allowed for use after the slaughtering? It's a machloket.
• 
  Bekhorot 24: Nursing without Bearing Offspring? 12.10.2026 15min

  One who purchases a nursing female animal from a non-Jew - and the question is whether that animal can conclusively be said to have born progeny before, or perhaps the animal was nursing another animal's offspring, without having borne any herself. Also, what if the first-born has a blemish? What about the slaughtering of the first-born? How one finds the best place for the slaughtering - moving/parting/plucking hair without shearing it. Maybe plucking IS the same as shearing... but it's allowed because the goal is dramatically different (moving the hair or fur aside vs. shearing it).
• 
  Bekhorot 23: A Meta-Discussion on a Mishnah's Structure 11.10.2026 11min

  Coming in the middle of a long discussion with a focus on a mix of sacred and regular ashes -- where impurity would be nullified via the mixture. Also, a new mishnah! If one purchases an animal from a non-Jew, and it is nursing, we don't worry that the nursing animal had a different mother. Which leads into a discussion about the opinions represented in the mishnah here, in terms of anonymity.
• 
  Bekhorot 22: Purifying Fish Brine 10.10.2026 15min

  NOTE: This daf talks about animal miscarriage and extends the conversation to human miscarriage. Please be forewarned. A new mishnah! With various status questions regarding the first-born. Even when the mother has conceived and had a miscarriage before carrying the animal that becomes her first-born to term. Also, if you buy fish brine from someone who is not reliable with issues of purity and impurity, then you have to purify the fish brine. Which is a different process of purification than that of a vessel, for example, because it's liquid to begin with.
• 
  Bekhorot 21: Making Assumptions about Animals' Prior Offspring 09.10.2026 16min

  More on the female triplet goats who each have triplets to lead into a discussion of Rabbi Shimon's position, as compared to the tanna kama. Specifically about whether a goat that has miscarried will delay for a spate of time before mating again. Which in turn gets into how to count that time, even to the final day. Also, a dispute between Rav and Shmuel (and Rabbi Yochanan) as to whether one can take it as a given that an animal purchased from a non-Jew has had progeny before. How much should one expect the seller to share about the animal he's selling? How much should the buyer be expected to ask?
• 
  Bekhorot 20: Questions of First-born Status and Tithing Triplets x3 08.10.2026 17min

  More on buying an animal from a non-Jew, with the question of whether the animal has given birth before. A goat that has offspring during its first year - those must be the first offspring, and the first-born goes to the kohen. But what if there was evidence of a miscarriage -- does that count as the first-born, as it were? Note the discussion lands on concern for a minority, when there's a stringency (as compared to a leniency). Also, the case of a goat who has female triplets who each has triplets, which leads to sufficient goats for tithing -- with a substantive discussion as to why triplets are needed, when twins might do just as well.
• 
  Bekhorot 19: Questionable First-borns 07.10.2026 21min

  2 mishnayot to close out chapter 2! Two ewes bear 2 male lambs -- both are first-born. One male, one female - the kohen gets the male. But with twins, what goes to the kohen? What about a C-section? Chapter 3 - and a new mishnah: When a Jew purchases an animal from a non-Jew... has that animal given birth already? Or no? And the certainty for not having given birth depends on the youth of the animal. A goat is considered certainly off-spring-free until 1 year old; a sheep, until 2 years old; and an ox or donkey until 3 years old. What if the animal conceived and miscarried, instead of bearing offspring?
• 
  Bekhorot 18: Twin Lambs, Seen Narrowly 06.10.2026 19min

  More on the case of the male twins whose heads emerged simultaneously -- where Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiva disagree. Also, delving in deeper, in terms of assessing the lambs, the stronger would go to the kohen, the weaker to the owner. In contrast to Rabbi Tarfon's claim that the first head out is the healthier stronger lamb - and he retracts that approach, eventually. Plus, narrowing the case of the mishnah and understanding the psychology of Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Tarfon.
• 
  Bekhorot 17: True Simultaneity (or Not) 05.10.2026 16min

  If a ewe gives birth to animal that looks like a goat, or vice versa, but also looks a little like its mother... Rabbi Meir says it is subject to the laws of first-born, but the majority view of the sages say no, the owner is exempt. Plus, when lambs are exempt from the first fleece. Also, a new mishnah! When a female sheep gives birth to twin male lambs - and their heads emerge at exactly the same time. Who gets which of the lambs? Does the first-born status kick in, and for which animal? Plus, can such things happen truly simultaneously?
• 
  Bekhorot 16: Sin-offerings and Partnerships 04.10.2026 12min

  The 5 sin-offerings that are left to die that are left to die (if they cannot be offered on the altar). How we know this, and how it works -- including the verse that teaches these details. Also, a new mishnah! In the case of a profit-sharing agreement, the value of the partnership is still owed to him. The partnership can be bought out, depending on the terms and who the partners are (depend on whether one is not Jewish, for example). Plus, the 10 generations for which the "first-born" is relevant.
• 
  Bekhorot 15: A Gazelle, a Hart, and the Limits of Permission 03.10.2026 18min

  More on the consecration vs. blemish and their implications for practice, in terms of order: where is all this derived? From the different animals mentioned in the Torah, and how each of them teaches something new. Also, what about the exchange for blemished offerings? What about the offspring of blemished offerings? When can you redeem which? Are the offspring -- which can't be redeemed -- really subject to redemption? To sacrifice? Again, the timing (in this case, the time of conception in the context of the mother's consecration) matters.
• 
  Bekhorot 14: Private Altars 02.10.2026 11min

  A new mishnah! Consecrated animals that acquire a blemish -- so they cannot be used for a regular sacrifice, what happens when they're then used for other things -- which doesn't rid the animal of the first-born status (or the obligation to give the kohen gifts). Note that the order that things happen (when consecrated, when blemished) make a difference in terms of the halakhah for the given animal. Also: Significantly, the Gemara rereads the details of the mishnah completely differently -- limiting the cases there for private altars, which changes the circumstances, the consequences, and more.
• 
  Bekhorot 13: Yevamot and Avodah Zarah - Revisited 01.10.2026 19min

  Summary/description to follow after shabbat/chag, with apologies.
• 
  Bekhorot 12: Redemption Lambs and Other Animals 30.09.2026 15min

  Two mishnayot! First - How you cannot redeem the first-born donkey (a list of the animals that don't work for this redemption). Who's opinion is represented in the mishnah? Ben Bag-bag. [Who's Who: Ben Bag-bag]. Second - What if the redemption lamb died before it was given to the kohen? The Gemara delves into the dispute in the mishnah, and attempts different rationales to see what the dispute is really based on.
• 
  Bekhorot 11: Two Zuzim 29.09.2026 14min

  Our first story in the tractate! Meaning, an actual case and discussion between the sages. On how much a person pays to redeem an animal from the kohanim, whether generous or stingy -- namely, via a lamb that is worth a certain amount of zuzim. What if there is no lamb? Then the redemption takes place via the value in another item. Also, in the event of depositing produce with a kuti or an ignoramus, you can pretty much continue apace when you get it back, but if you left your produce with a non-Jew, you need to treat it as produce that is new to you, as if nothing had been done, or at the very least as produce that has a doubt attached to it.
• 
  Bekhorot 10: Food Impurity and Shechitah Practice 28.09.2026 19min

  A debate between Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Meir, as to whether a first-born donkey is permitted for benefit. Whether the animal is decapitated is a relevant element to the disagreement. Plus, the question of food impurity -- that which isn't forbidden for benefit is food, and vice versa, but then it can become impure. But then what about meat and milk that are cooked together, and prohibited for benefit? Because that's not Rabbi Shimon's opinion. The system of food impurity seems to be internal to itself. Also, the case of slaughtering a first-born animal for practice in slaughtering. [Who's Who? Nimos (and Rabbi Yehoshua HaGarsi)] Plus, Rashi's comment, as well as that of Rabbenu Gershom.
• 
  Bekhorot 9: A Lamb for the First-Born Donkey 27.09.2026 19min

  A new mishnah! When two donkeys are born at the same time, and it's not clear which one should be offered as a first-born (or a male and female and not clear which was born first). Also, the redemption of the first-born donkey with a lamb (or a kid). Note that a lamb can be used multiple times to redeem a donkey, given the proper procedure. Also, the Gemara delves into the case of designating a lamb as a possible redeemer -- with the sharp question why the owner who designates the lamb has to designate, since it will remain in his possession regardless.