Study Temurah folio 2A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
מתני׳ הכל ממירין, אחד אנשים ואחד נשים. לא שאדם רשאי להמיר, אלא שאם המיר — מומר, וסופג את הארבעים.
Mishnah: Everyone substitutes a non-sacred animal for a consecrated animal, both men and women. That is not to say that it is permitted for a person to effect substitution; rather, it means that if one substituted a non-sacred animal for a consecrated animal, the substitution takes effect, and the non-sacred animal becomes consecrated, and the consecrated animal remains sacred. And the one who substituted the non-sacred animal incurs the 40 [sofeg et ha’arba’im] lashes.
Talmud: The Talmud notes an apparent contradiction in the Mishnah: This Mishnah itself is difficult: You say that everyone substitutes a non-sacred animal for a consecrated one, which indicates that substitution may be performed ab initio. And then you teach: That is not to say that it is permitted for a person to effect substitution; rather, it means only that if one unlawfully substituted a non-sacred animal for a consecrated animal, the substitution takes effect, indicating that it is effective only after the fact.
The Talmud responds: And can you understand the phrase: Everyone substitutes, as indicating that substitution may be performed ab initio? If so, before the Mishnah poses a difficulty for you, the verse should pose a difficulty for you, as it is written: “He should not alter it, nor substitute it” (Leviticus 27:10). The verse clearly states that it is prohibited to perform substitution.
אלא אמר רב יהודה: הכי קתני — הכל מתפיסין בתמורה, אחד אנשים ואחד נשים, לא שאדם רשאי להמיר, שאם המיר — מומר, וסופג את הארבעים.
Rather, Rav Yehuda says: This is what the Mishnah is teaching: Everyone can apply the status of a consecrated animal to a non-sacred animal by the act of substitution, both men and women. But that is not to say that it is permitted for a person to effect substitution, as, if one did effect substitution, the substitution takes effect only after the fact, and he incurs the 40 lashes.