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Daf prep · Bekhorot 33 · בכורות ל״ג
Before you learn Bekhorot 33
Where we left off
The previous daf presented Beit Shammai's scriptural proof restricting a firstborn to priests. That sugya continues immediately as our daf opens.
The question going in
Who may eat a blemished firstborn, and may one wound an endangered consecrated animal to save it?
Know before you start
- קדשים קלים (Sacrifices of lesser sanctity): Offerings such as peace offerings may be eaten by non-priests. Ritually impure individuals are strictly forbidden from eating them.
- מרגילין (Skinning from the feet): This technique strips an entire hide intact through the legs to form a container. The Gemara questions whether this demeans consecrated meat.
- הקזת דם (Bloodletting): A congested animal faces death unless excess blood is let. However, cutting its flesh risks creating a permanent blemish on a consecrated animal.
- מטיל מום (Inflicting a blemish): The Torah forbids causing a blemish on a consecrated offering. Tannaim debate whether this applies to an animal that is already blemished.
Who's who
- Rabbi Akiva (רבי עקיבא, Tanna): He maintains that Beit Hillel permit even a gentile to eat a blemished firstborn.
- Rav Chisda (רב חסדא, Amora): He identifies the tannaitic authors behind restrictions on skinning consecrated animals from their feet.
- Rabbi Yehuda (רבי יהודה, Tanna): He forbids letting blood from a congested firstborn even if the animal will die.
- Rabbi Meir (רבי מאיר, Tanna): He permits bloodletting only where it does not cause a permanent blemish.