Study Bekhorot folio 39A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
או דלמא בכל סעודה וסעודה? אם תימצי לומר בסעודה ראשונה — קודם אכילה או לאחר אכילה? קודם אכילה ודאי מעלי ליה כסמא, לאחר אכילה מאי? קודם שתיה או לאחר שתיה? וקודם שתיה ודאי מעלי ליה כשערי, לאחר שתיה מאי?
or perhaps does it mean it is fed the amount of a fig-bulk at each and every meal? If you say that it is fed a fig-bulk only at the first meal, is it fed this fodder before its regularly scheduled eating or after eating? The Talmud elaborates: Before eating, it is certainly effective for it like a medicine, which people imbibe before their meals. With regard to after eating, what is the halakha? Is this an effective manner of examining the animal? The Talmud further inquires: Is the animal fed this fodder as a medicine before drinking or after drinking? Before drinking it is certainly effective for it, like barley, which is fed to an animal before it drinks. With regard to after drinking, what is the halakha?
קשור או מותר? מותר — ודאי מעלי ליה, קשור מאי? לבדו או עם חבירו? עם חבירו — ודאי מעלי ליה, לבדו מאי?
The Talmud continues to inquire: Is the animal given the fodder when it is tied or untied? The Talmud explains: When it is untied, the fodder is certainly effective for this animal. When it is tied, what is the halakha? Furthermore, is it fed the fodder when it is by itself, or with another animal? When it is with another animal, the fodder is certainly effective for this animal, as it is comfortable. When it is by itself, what is the halakha?
בעיר (ובשדה) [או בשדה]? בשדה — ודאי מעלי ליה, בעיר — מאי? בעי רב אשי: אם תימצי לומר בשדה — גינה הסמוכה לעיר מאי? תיקו.
Likewise, is the animal fed it in the city or in the field? When it is in the field, the fodder is certainly effective for this animal, as it is calm. When it is in the city, what is the halakha? Rav Ashi raises a further dilemma: If you say that this treatment is effective only when it is in the field, not when it is the city, what is the halakha with regard to a garden adjacent to the city? No resolution is found for any of these inquiries, and with regard to each of them the Talmud states that the dilemma should stand unresolved.