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1) THE POWERS OF HEKDESH

(a) Reuven was redeeming an object from Hekdesh. He pulled it when it was worth 100, but before he gave the money, its value rose to 200 - he must pay 200 to redeem it;

1. "He will give the money", "It will stand for him" - redemption only works through money.

(b) If he pulled it when it was worth 200, but before he gave the money, its value dropped to 100 - he must pay 200 to redeem it;

1. This is because Hekdesh should be no worse than a person (if Reuven was buying from a person, he would have to pay 200).

(c) If he redeemed it for 200, and before he pulled it, the price dropped to 100, he gives 200;

1. The redemption works through money.

(d) If he redeemed it for 100, and before he pulled it the price rose to 200, he gives 100.
(e) Question: Here also, Hekdesh should be no worse than a person (if Reuven was buying from a person, he would have to pay 200)!
(f) Answer: l'Chatchilah, a seller must sell it for the price at the time money was given; if he refuses, he receives a curse!

(a) (Mishnah): Any Mitzvah of the son on the father - men are obligated, women are exempt;
(b) Any Mitzvah of the father on the son - men and women are both obligated;
(c) Any Mitzvas Aseh (positive Mitzvah) that only applies at certain times - men are obligated, women are exempt;
(d) Any Mitzvas Aseh that applies at all times - men and women are both obligated;
(e) Any Lav (negative Mitzvah), whether it applies at all times or not, men and women are both obligated, with 3 exceptions:

1. Women are permitted to round the corners of the head, to shave the beard, and to become Tamei Mes.

(f) (Gemara) Question: What is meant by 'a Mitzvah of the son on the father'?

1. Suggestion: If it means, a Mitzvah the son must do for the father - women are not exempt!

i. (Beraisa): "A man will fear his father and mother" - Tira'u (will fear) is a plural form, to show that women are also obligated.

(g) Answer (Rav Yehudah): It means, a Mitzvah the father must perform with the son - men are obligated, women are exempt.

1. (Beraisa): A man is obligated to circumcise his son, redeem him (if he is a firstborn), teach him Torah, marry him off, and teach him a trade;
2. Some say, he must also teach him to swim;
3. R. Yehudah says, anyone that does not teach his son a trade, he teaches him robbery.
4. Question: That cannot be!
5. Correction: Rather, he it is as if he teaches him robbery,

(h) "Avraham circumcised his son (as Hash-m commanded him)" - this teaches that a man is commanded to circumcise his son.

1. If the father does not, Beis Din is commanded - "Circumcise for yourselves every male".
2. If Beis Din did not, the son must circumcise himself - "One that will not circumcise himself will get Kares".

(i) Question: From where do we know that women are exempt?
(j) Answer: "As Hash-m commanded him" - not her.
(k) Question: That was said regarding Avraham and Sarah - how do we know that this is true for all generations?
(l) Answer (Beraisa - Tana d'Vei R. Yishmael): Wherever it says "Command", this teaches that one must be zealous, and teach that (the Mitzvah) applies for all generations.

1. "Command Yehoshua, strengthen him and invigorate him" - that is, make him zealous;
2. "From the day Hash-m commanded and onwards, for your generations" - that is, for all generations.

(a) (Mishnah): To redeem him.
(b) Question: From where do we know this?
(c) Answer: "You will redeem all your firstborn sons".

1. If the father does not, the son must redeem himself - "Redeem, you will redeem".

(d) Question: From where do we know that women are exempt?
(e) Answer: "Tifdeh (you will redeem)" may be read 'Tipadeh' (you will be redeemed) - we first expound the latter;

1. We learn that only one who must redeem himself is commanded to redeem others.

(f) Question: From where do we know that women need not redeem themselves?
(g) Answer: "Tifdeh (you will redeem)" may be read 'Tipadeh' (you will be redeemed) - we first expound the former;

1. We learn that one is only obligated to redeem himself if others were obligated to redeem him.

(h) Question: From where do we know that others are not obligated to redeem her?
(i) Answer: "Your sons" - not your daughters.
(j) (Beraisa): If a man must redeem himself and his son - he first redeems himself;

1. R. Yehudah says, he first redeems his son, for it is his own Mitzvah to redeem himself, but his son's redemption is the son's Mitzvah placed on the father!

(k) (R. Yirmeyah): All agree, if the father only has 5 Shekalim (the amount for one redemption), he redeems himself - a Mitzvah of his own body takes precedence.

1. They argue when he has 5 Shekalim of free (unmortgaged) property and 5 Shekalim of mortgaged (sold) property.

i. R. Yehudah holds, an obligation written in the Torah is as a debt on which there is a document; after redeeming his son with the free property, the Kohen can take the mortgaged property from the buyer for the father's redemption;
ii. Chachamim hold, an obligation written in the Torah is not as a debt with a document (so mortgaged property cannot be taken from the buyer); therefore, the Mitzvah on his own body (to redeem himself) comes first.

(l) (Beraisa): A man must redeem his son and come to Yerushalayim for the festival - first he redeems his son;

1. R. Yehudah says, coming to Yerushalayim takes precedence, for this is a Mitzvah which passes, but the Mitzvah to redeem his son does not pass.

(m) Question: Why do Chachamim disagree?
(n) Answer: "You will redeem all your firstborn sons...you will not see (Hash-m's) countenance empty (without bringing a sacrifice)" teaches that redemption comes first.
(o) (Beraisa): "You will redeem all your firstborn sons" - this teaches, a man with many wives must redeem the firstborn of each wife.
(p) Question: This is obvious - the Torah said, the first to leave the womb!
(q) Answer: One might have thought to learn from inheritance;

1. Just as a firstborn for inheritance must be firstborn of the father, also for redemption - we hear, this is not so.

(a) (Mishnah): He must teach his son Torah.
(b) Question: From where do we know this?
(c) Answer: "You will teach you sons".

1. If the father did not teach the son, the son must learn himself - "v'Limadtem (and you will teach)" may be read 'v'Lamadtem (And you will learn)'.

(d) Question: From where do we know that a woman is exempt from teaching her son?
(e) Answer: "v'Limadtem" may be read 'v'Lamadtem' - we first expound the latter (Rashi), only one who is commanded to learn is commanded to teach.
(f) Question: From where do we know that a woman is exempt from learning?
(g) Answer: "v'Limadtem" may be read 'v'Lamadtem' - we first expound the former, only one who others are commanded to teach him, he is commanded to learn.
(h) Question: From where do we know others are not commanded to teach a woman?
(i) Answer: "You will teach your sons" - not your daughters.
(j) (Beraisa): A man must learn and teach his son - his own learning comes first;
(k) R. Yehudah says, if his son is more apt to learn, his son's learning comes first.

1. Rav Acha bar Yakov sent his son to learn by Abaye. Rav Acha saw that his son was not as sharp as himself - he sent his son home, and remained to learn himself.

i. Abaye recognized the merits of Rav Acha bar Yakov. He arranged that Rav Acha would have to lodge in a Beis Midrash haunted by a damaging spirit, hoping that a miracle would be done for him.
ii. Indeed, the spirit was killed through Rav Acha's prayer. Rav Acha was upset that he was put in danger (he was no so confident of his merits).

(l) (Beraisa): A man must learn and get married - he should learn first;

1. If he cannot live single, he should marry first.

(m) (Rav Yehudah): The law is, a man should marry first.
(n) Objection (R. Yochanan): Can a man learn with the responsibilities of being married?!

1. Rav Yehudah and R. Yochanan do not argue - those in Bavel should first get married; those in Eretz Yisrael should first learn (Rashi; Tosfos learns the opposite).

(a) Rav Huna had heard nice things about Rav Hamnuna. Rav Huna saw him - his head was not covered as married men cover it. He said that he would not look at him until he married.

1. (Rav Huna): One who does not marry by age 20 will sin every day.
2. Objection: That cannot be!
3. Correction: Rather, he will have thoughts of sin every day.

(b) (Rava): Until 20, Hash-m awaits the day that a man will marry. If he does not marry by 20, Hash-m curses him.
(c) (Rav Chisda): I am sharper than my colleagues because I married at 16; had I married at 14, I would not fear the evil inclination (it could not overcome me).
(d) [Version #1 (Rava): While your son will accept your rebuke, marry him off - from 16 until 22.]
(e) [Version #2 (Rava): The proper time is from 18 until 24.]
(f) These opinions are as the following Tana'im.

1. (Beraisa - R. Yehudah or R. Nechemyah): "Train a youth according to his way" - from 16 until 22 (he is a youth, and will accept your training);
2. (The other of R. Yehudah and R. Nechemyah): This is from 18 until 24.