Study Bekhorot folio 21B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
והתניא: רבי שמעון בן יהודה אומר משום רבי שמעון: מחוסר זמן נכנס לדיר להתעשר, והרי הן כבכור — מה בכור קדוש לפני זמנו וקרב לאחר זמנו, אף מחוסר זמן קדוש לפני זמנו וקרב לאחר זמנו.
The Talmud adds: And in fact it is taught in a baraita that R' Shimon ben Yehuda says in the name of R' Shimon: An animal whose time has not yet arrived enters the pen to be tithed. And these animals are like a firstborn: Just as a firstborn is consecrated before its time and is sacrificed after its time, so too, an animal whose time has not yet arrived is consecrated before its time and sacrificed after its time.
The Talmud raises a difficulty: But rather than deriving the halakha of tithed animals from the firstborn let one derive it from sacrificial animals, which cannot be consecrated before their time arrives. The Talmud answers that it is reasonable to claim it would be appropriate for one to derive the halakha of tithed animals from the firstborn, as they have the following 4 aspects in common: First, unlike sacrificial animals, one cannot redeem a firstborn or a tithed animal even if it develops a blemish. Second, a blemish does not prevent them from being imbued with sanctity. Third, an animal that was rendered a substitute for a firstborn or a tithed animal is not sacrificed. Finally, they are consumed without having been redeemed, whereas other sacrificial animals must be redeemed first.
אדרבה, מקדשים הוה ליה למילף, שכן זכר, קדוש, במתנות, פשוט. אלא רבי שמעון ״העברה״ ״העברה״ גמיר.
The Talmud responds: On the contrary, it would be appropriate for one to derive the halakha of tithed animals from sacrificial animals, as they have the following in common: First, unlike firstborn animals, both tithed and consecrated animals are not limited to males. Second, both are sanctified by human action rather than intrinsically consecrated. Additionally, they are not included among the gifts to the priest. Finally, both begin life as regular animals rather than as animals with the unique status of being born first. The Talmud accepts this objection: Rather, R' Shimon derives the halakha from a verbal analogy between the term: “You should pass” (Exodus 13:12), written with regard to the firstborn, and the term: “Whatsoever passes under the rod” (Leviticus 27:32), stated with regard to tithed animals.