Study Temurah folio 8B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
אמר אביי: לא, לעולם בתם, ובבכור בחוצה לארץ, ורבי שמעון היא דאמר: אם באו תמימין יקרבו.
Abaye says: No, actually, the baraita is referring to an unblemished animal when the Temple is standing, but it is speaking of a firstborn offering outside of Eretz Yisrael, and it is in accordance with the opinion of R' Shimon, who said: If unblemished firstborn offerings came from outside of Eretz Yisrael, they may be sacrificed on the altar. This language indicates that there is no obligation to sacrifice such an animal, as people did not generally bring their firstborn offerings from outside Eretz Yisrael. Therefore, a priest is able to acquire it even when it is unblemished. Firstborn offerings from Eretz Yisrael, by contrast, cannot be acquired by the priests.
מיתיבי: אמר לו רבי יוחנן בן נורי: מה לי אם אינו מימר בחטאת ואשם, שהרי אין זכין בהן בחייהן, תאמר בבכור שזכין בחייו. במאי עסקינן? אילימא בבעל מום — הא דומיא דחטאת ואשם קאמר, אלא לאו בתם, וקתני זכין בו בחייו!
§ The Talmud raises an objection from the Mishnah: R' Yoḥanan ben Nuri said to him: What is this comparison for me? If a priest does not substitute for a sin offering and a guilt offering, which priests do not acquire during the animals’ lifetimes, will you say the same with regard to a firstborn, which priests acquire during the animal’s lifetime? What are we dealing with in the Mishnah? If we say that it is referring to a blemished animal, isn’t the Mishnah saying that the firstborn offering is similar to a sin offering and a guilt offering, which the priests acquire only unblemished? Rather, is it not referring to unblemished animals? And it nevertheless teaches: Which priests acquire during the animal’s lifetime.
אמר רבינא: הא נמי בבכור בחוצה לארץ, ורבי שמעון היא, דאמר: אם באו תמימים — יקרבו.
Ravina said: This Mishnah too is referring to a firstborn offering outside of Eretz Yisrael, and it is in accordance with the opinion of R' Shimon, who said: If unblemished firstborn offerings came from outside of Eretz Yisrael, they may be sacrificed on the altar. The priests do not acquire firstborn offerings from Eretz Yisrael.