The masechet so far, chapter by chapter

Masechet Bekhorot details the sanctification, redemption, and sacrificial rules for firstborn male humans, donkeys, and kosher livestock. It currently focuses on identifying the specific permanent bodily blemishes that permit a sacred firstborn animal to be slaughtered outside the Temple.

Chapter 1 – הלוקח עובר חמורו: Redeeming Firstborn Donkeys

A male firstborn donkey has sanctity and must be redeemed with a lamb given to a priest. Any gentile ownership or partnership in the animal completely exempts the donkey from firstborn status. If the owner refuses to redeem the donkey, its neck must be broken and the carcass buried.

Gentile partnership in a donkey or its fetus completely exempts the offspring from firstborn obligations.
A firstborn donkey is redeemed by giving a sheep or goat lamb to a priest.
If an owner refuses to redeem the firstborn donkey, he must break its neck and bury it.
When twin donkey births leave status uncertain, the burden of proof rests on the claiming priest.

Chapter 2 – הלוקח עובר פרתו: Firstborn Kosher Animals and Uncertain Births

Firstborn kosher livestock possess inherent sanctity and are given to the priest to sacrifice. Gentile ownership exempts the animal, but Jewish priests and Levites remain fully obligated. When twin births or caesarean deliveries create doubt about which male opened the womb, neither is sacrificed.

Gentile ownership in a cow or its fetus exempts the newborn offspring from firstborn sanctity.
Animals blemished before consecration carry only monetary sanctity; their redemption permits shearing, working, and consuming milk.
When twin male lambs emerge simultaneously, Rabbi Tarfon awards the fatter to the priest and Rabbi Akiva the leaner.
Offspring born through caesarean section and any following sibling do not receive firstborn sanctity.

Chapter 3 – הלוקח בהמה: Signs of Prior Birth and Wool

When purchasing livestock of unknown history, uterine discharges or an expelled afterbirth indicate a prior pregnancy that exempts future offspring. A nursing mother is presumed to have already given birth because animals only nurse their own offspring. Shearing a firstborn is forbidden, but plucking wool to inspect blemishes or clear space for slaughter is permitted.

Murky uterine discharge in small livestock or an afterbirth in cattle confirms prior birth, exempting future offspring.
An animal purchased while nursing is presumed to have calved, exempting her next offspring from firstborn status.
One may pluck wool from the neck to clear space for slaughter or inspect a blemish.
Akavya ben Mahalalel and the Rabbis debate whether wool shed from a blemished firstborn remains forbidden after slaughter.

Chapter 4 – עד כמה: Inspection Periods, Experts, and Suspect Vendors

An owner must tend a firstborn sheep for thirty days and cattle for fifty days before giving it to a priest. The animal must be eaten within its first year, and any disqualifying blemish requires examination by an expert before slaughter. Judges and inspectors cannot receive fees for verdicts, and consumers must avoid buying untanned goods from suspected violators.

Owners must care for a firstborn sheep for thirty days and cattle for fifty days before delivery.
A firstborn animal must be sacrificed or consumed within twelve months of its birth.
Court-authorized expert judges are exempt from restitution for mistaken rulings that cause monetary loss.
Animal inspectors may take fixed wages, but judges who accept pay for verdicts render their judgments void.

Chapter 5 – כל פסולי המוקדשין: Disqualified Offerings and Intentional Blemishes

Disqualified Temple sacrifices are sold publicly for Temple funds, whereas blemished firstborns and animal tithes are sold only at home. Beit Hillel permit non-priests and even gentiles to consume the meat of a blemished firstborn. Deliberately inflicting a blemish is strictly prohibited, and such an animal cannot be slaughtered unless an independent, natural blemish later develops.

Disqualified Temple sacrifices are sold in public markets, but blemished firstborns are sold privately at home.
Beit Hillel permit non-priests, ritually impure people, and gentiles to eat a blemished firstborn.
One who deliberately blemishes a firstborn cannot slaughter it until an unrelated, natural blemish develops.
A vendor selling uninspected firstborn meat must refund all payments, and the remaining meat must be buried.

Chapter 6 – על אלו מומין: Permanent and Disqualifying Blemishes

This chapter catalogues physical blemishes that permit a consecrated firstborn to be slaughtered and eaten outside the Temple. To qualify, blemishes must be visible and permanent defects in cartilage, eyes, limbs, or teeth. Reversible ailments, internal defects, and temporary boils do not permit slaughter outside the sanctuary.

Perforations, desiccations, or cartilage splits on the ear permit slaughtering a firstborn outside the Temple.
A white thread crossing the iris into the black pupil, called a tevallul, is a disqualifying eye blemish.
A calf's tail must reach the knee joint; shorter tails are permanent blemishes permitting slaughter.
Moist boils, called garav, and weeping eyes that heal with dry fodder are temporary and forbid slaughter.

Learn Bekhorot 41 on Super Daf