Study Bekhorot folio 53A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
מתני׳ מעשר בהמה נוהג בארץ ובחוצה לארץ, בפני הבית ושלא בפני הבית, בחולין אבל לא במוקדשין. ונוהג בבקר ובצאן, ואינן מתעשרים מזה על זה. בכבשים ובעזים ומתעשרין מזה על זה.
Mishnah: The mitzva of animal tithe is in effect both in Eretz Yisrael and outside of Eretz Yisrael, in the presence of, i.e., in the time of, the Temple and not in the presence of the Temple. It is in effect with regard to non-sacred animals but not with regard to sacrificial animals. And it is in effect with regard to the herd and the flock, but they are not tithed from one for the other; and it is in effect with regard to sheep and goats, and they are tithed from one for the other.
בחדש ובישן, ואינן מתעשרין מזה על זה. שהיה בדין, ומה אם החדש והישן שאינן כלאים זה בזה אינם מתעשרין מזה על זה, כבשים ועזים שהן כלאים זה בזה — אינו דין שלא יהו מתעשרין מזה על זה? תלמוד לומר: ״וצאן״, משמע כל צאן אחד.
And it is in effect with regard to animals from the new flock and with regard to animals from the old flock, but they are not tithed from one for the other. As by right, it should be inferred: If in the case of animals from the new flock and the old flock, which do not carry the prohibition of mating diverse kinds when mated with each other because they are one species, are nevertheless not tithed from one for the other, then with regard to sheep and goats, which do carry the prohibition of mating diverse kinds when mated with each other, is it not right that they will not be tithed from one for the other? Therefore, the verse states: “And all the tithe of the herd or the flock, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth should be sacred to YHWH” (Leviticus 27:32), indicating that with regard to animal tithe, all animals that are included in the term flock are one species.