Talking Talmud

For a case of certainly pure terumah vs. uncertain terumah (whether it's pure or not) - in light of the plural of the word "terumotai" in the Torah. Or is it "terumati"?! Also, what if one DID make a blemish on a...

The Gemara picks up on Beit Hillel's leniency from the previous day's mishnah, and Rabbi Akiva's opinion on "the gazelle and the hart" - which are permitted to a non-Jew to eat. And how that phrasing drives the...

A discussion here compares the first-born with tithed animals. For a firstborn, it cannot be redeemed, but it can be sold. And tithed animals are the reverse. What's the source? The Gemara explains that for the subjects...

Finishing the 4th chapter - with the series of baraitot about the "chaver" - with a focus here on the last one. That is, specifically, a kohen can examine first-borns for blemishes, as long as they are not being given...

Another day of mishnayot: 1 - One who takes wages to be a judge or give testimony or a kohen who does so to facilitate a red heifer -- all of those efforts would be void. Note that the kohen who facilitates the red...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...