Study Bekhorot folio 18B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
כל שחליפיו ביד כהן פטור מן המתנות, ורבי מאיר מחייב. חליפין ביד כהן — אין, אין חליפין ביד כהן — לא!
With regard to any animal whose replacements are in the possession of the priest, its owner is exempt from the mitzva of giving the priestly gifts, and R' Meir deems him obligated to give the gifts. Evidently, in a case where the replacement is in the possession of the priest, yes, R' Yosei rules that the owner is exempt from giving the gifts, but if the replacement is not in the possession of the priest, he is not exempt.
מהו דתימא: רבי יוסי לדבריו דרבי מאיר קאמר ליה — לדידי, אפילו אין חליפין ביד כהן, דאי מחייבת ליה במתנות אתי ליה לידי גיזה ועבודה; לדידך, אודי לי מיהא היכא דחליפין ביד כהן, דעשו שאינו זוכה כזוכה; ואמר ליה רבי מאיר: לא.
The Talmud explains that even so, R' Elazar’s statement is necessary, lest you say that R' Yosei was not expressing his own opinion but stated his opinion in accordance with the statement of R' Meir, i.e., he said to him: In my opinion, the Israelite is exempt from giving the priestly gifts even if the replacement is not in the possession of the priest, as, if you deem him obligated in the gifts, he might think that the animal is completely non-sacred and come to use it for shearing and labor. But even according to your reasoning, at least concede to me in a case where the replacement is in the possession of the priest, that the rabbis rendered one who did not acquire the animal like one who acquired the animal. And R' Meir said to R' Yosei: No, I do not concede in that case. Accordingly, R' Elazar is teaching that R' Yosei does, in fact, maintain that the reason for the Israelite’s exemption is that the replacement is in the possession of the priest.