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Prepared by Rabbi P. Feldman of Kollel Iyun Hadaf, Yerushalayim Rosh Kollel: Rabbi Mordecai Kornfeld
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Bechoros 29
1) TAKING WAGES TO CHECK "MUMIM"
(a) (Mishnah): If Ploni received wages for ruling about a
[Mum of a] Bechor, one may not rely on his ruling to
slaughter it;
(b) The only exception is an expert like Ila of Yavneh -
Chachamim permitted him to receive four Isarim (an Isar
is eight Perutos) for checking a small animal, and six
Isarim for a large animal, whether he ruled that it is
Tam or Ba'al Mum.
(c) (Gemara) Question: Why did he receive more for a large
animal?
(d) Answer: It is more work to check its Mum (he must throw
the animal to the ground and tie it up).
(e) (Mishnah): ... whether he ruled that it is Tam or Ba'al
Mum.
(f) Question: We understand why he is paid for ruling that it
is a Ba'al Mum - this permits it to be slaughtered;
1. Why is he paid for ruling that it is Tam?
(g) Answer: If he would only be paid for ruling that it is a
Ba'al Mum, people would suspect that he does so even when
it is really Tam, for his own profit.
(h) Question: Now that he is paid either way, people might
suspect that he forbids Ba'alei Mum in order to profit,
for the owner will bring it to him again after another
Mum develops!
(i) Answer: Chachamim enacted that he is paid only once for
any one animal (even if he checks it many times before
permitting it).
2) TAKING WAGES FOR MITZVOS
(a) (Mishnah): If one was paid for any of the following
Mitzvos, the Mitzvah is invalid:
1. To judge, to testify, to sprinkle Mei Chatas, or to
be Mekadesh (to mix the ashes with the water);
(b) The following compensation may be given:
1. If a Kohen became Tamei (in order to do a Mitzvah),
one may give him Chulin to eat, drink and anoint
with, for now he is forbidden to consume Terumah;
2. One may supply a donkey for an elder (who has
difficulty walking) to ride on;
3. If a worker was idle from his job, one may pay him
like a worker (this will be explained).
(c) (Gemara) Question: What is the source (to forbid wages
for Hora'ah, which is like teaching Torah)?
(d) Answer (Rav Yehudah): "Re'eh Limadti Eschem..." - just as
Moshe was not paid for teaching Torah, we should not be
paid for it. (Rashi (Kidushin 58b) - one may not be paid
for any Mitzvah which is not an exertion, for the wages
are for having learned how to do the Mitzvah.)
(e) Support (Beraisa): "...Ka'sher Tzivani Hash-m Elokai"
(the end of the above verse) - just as Moshe taught Torah
for free, we should do so.
1. Question: What is the source that if one cannot find
a Rebbi to teach him for free, he should pay to
learn?
2. Answer: "Emes Keneh."
3. Question: What is the source that one should not
say, "Just like I had to pay to learn Torah, I will
charge to teach"?
4. Answer: "Emes Keneh v'Al Timkor."
(f) (Mishnah): If one was paid to sprinkle or to be Mekadesh
the water, the water and ashes are not Metaher.
(g) Contradiction (Mishnah): If one was Mekadesh a woman with
the water or ashes (of Parah Adumah), she is Mekudeshes,
even if he is a Yisrael. (Kidushin requires something
worth money - this shows that one may charge for them!)
(h) Answer (Abaye): One may not be paid to sprinkle or to
Mekadesh (if he was, this disqualifies the water and
ashes);
1. One may be paid for (and therefore make Kedushin
with the act of) transporting ashes or filling up
the Kli with water (Rashi - this act is not the
Mitzvah itself).
(i) Support: Our Mishnah disqualified one who was paid *to
sprinkle or to be Mekadesh*; the Beraisa discusses
Kedushin using the water and ashes themselves (Rambam;
Rashi - the act of transporting them).
(j) (Mishnah): If a Kohen became Tamei, disqualifying him
from Terumah...
(k) Question: A Kohen is forbidden to become Tamei (for these
Mitzvos, only for Tum'as Kerovim or a Mes Mitzvah)!
(l) Answer #1: The Kohen passed through a Beis ha'Peras (a
field in which a corpse was plowed, we are concerned that
the plow dragged bones), its Tum'ah is only mid'Rabanan
(we are concerned that one who walks through may touch or
move a bone k'Se'orah (the size of a barley seed)):
1. (Rav Yehudah): A person may walk through a Beis
ha'Peras by bending down and blowing the dirt (to
clear away any small bones he might encounter)
before each step.
2. (If Tum'as Beis ha'Peras was mid'Oraisa, Chachamim
would not allow this leniency, nor the next, for
something that was definitely forbidden is not
permitted mi'Safek (perhaps the Tum'ah was
removed).)
29b---------------------------------------29b
3. (Rav Yehudah bar Ami): If many people have walked
through a Beis ha'Peras, it is Tahor (we assume that
any small bones have been crushed to less than
k'Se'orah).
(m) Answer #2: The Kohen became Tamei through a Tum'ah that
is not forbidden to him (any Tum'ah other than Mes; some
permit some kinds of Tum'as Mes to him).
(n) (Mishnah): One may supply a donkey for an elder to ride
on; [if a worker was idle from his job, one may pay him
like a worker].
(o) (Beraisa): One pays a worker the amount of compensation
he would want to be idle from his job (for the time he
engaged in the Mitzvah).
(p) (Abaye): We account for the exertion of his job (one who
engages in light work would want almost his full wage to
be idle (Tosfos; Rashi - to do the Mitzvah instead), one
who engages in rigorous work would accept a small portion
of his wages to be idle.
3) ONE WHO IS SUSPECTED ABOUT "BECHOROS"
(a) (Mishnah): If Reuven is suspected to make a Mum in
Bechoros (alternatively - treat Tam Bechoros like
Chulin), one may not buy from him [what he says is] deer
meat (for it looks like calf meat) nor untanned skins;
(b) R. Eliezer permits buying skins of female animals.
(c) One may not buy from him cleaned or dirty wool; one may
buy spun thread or garments.
(d) (Gemara): One may not buy deer meat because it looks like
and can be confused with calf meat.
(e) Inference: One may not buy untanned skins, but tanned
skins are permitted;
1. If it really was a Bechor, Reuven would not bother
(Rashi; Rambam - keep it long enough) to tan it,
lest Chachamim find out and forbid it.
(f) (Mishnah - R. Eliezer): It is permitted to buy skins of
female animals.
(g) Question: What is the reason?
(h) Answer: It is evident (from the genital area) that it is
a female, so Bechorah does not apply to it.
1. The first Tana disagrees - one could cut out the
male genitals, and say that [it is a female, and
that] mice nibbled there.
2. R. Eliezer holds that one would be able to tell that
it was not mice.
(i) (Mishnah): One may not buy cleaned or dirty wool.
(j) Question: If one may not buy cleaned wool (even though he
put effort into it), there is no need to forbid buying
dirty wool!
(k) Answer: It means, one may not buy wool cleaned from its
dirt.
(l) (Mishnah): One may buy spun thread or garments.
(m) Question: Garments are already included in the Heter to
buy spun thread!
(n) Answer: The Mishnah permits felt garments (which are not
made from thread).
4) BUYING FROM ONE WHO IS SUSPECTED
(a) (Mishnah): If Reuven is suspected about Shemitah (to
plant, or do business with Shemitah produce), one may not
buy from him flax, even if it was combed;
(b) One may buy spun thread or Arig (woven material).
(c) (Gemara) Question: Arig is already included in the Heter
to buy spun thread!
(d) Answer: The Mishnah permits chains made from unspun flax.
(e) (Mishnah - R. Yehudah): If Reuven is suspected to sell
Terumah and say that it is Chulin, one may not buy from
him even water or salt;
(f) R. Shimon forbids [only] anything to which Terumah
applies.
(g) (Gemara) Question: What does "anything" come to include?
(h) Answer: It includes fish innards, for olive oil is often
added.
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