Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Day Yoimie Snippets ... Bechoros Dafim 25,26 ,27,28,29,30 & 31

A great opportunity for the entire family, to share some thoughts on the daf ...  the  family feels united by discussing what the head of the house is studying.
I try to break it down so that everyone can understand it .... 
You can copy and print this without my consent, since Torah belongs to all of us..... 

See  previous Daf Yoimie Snippets 

This week's "Daf Yoimie Snippets Sponsored For the Refuah Shliemah of 
צארטל בת אסתר מלכה 

''דף כ''ה ''בית הקברות האבוד    
Page 25  Mesectas Bechoros  
''The Lost Cemetery "

What is the status of a field that contains an ancient grave whose tombstone has disappeared, and we are at a loss of where the actual grave is?

Can a kohein enter that field?

The talmud on this daf states that if a field definitely has a grave in it, but we are not sure of where exactly it is ... then a kohein is not permitted to enter that entire field!

Press "read more" to continue to the rest of the dafim


''דף כ''ו ''טיפול הבעלים בבהמה    
Page 26  Mesectas Bechoros  
''Owner's Must Care For The Animals "

Chazal rule that if a small animal such as a sheep gives birth to a bechor, the owners of the animal must care for the offspring for 30 days.

If a large an animal such as a cow gives birth to a bechor, the owners are required to take care of the calf for 50 days!

Why the disparity between the requirement to take care of a small animal for 30 days and a large animal 50 days?

The Talmud states that it wouldn't be respectful to hand over to a kohein a newborn animal that necessitates such an intensive amount of care. Therefore the owners take care of the bechorim initially and then when the newborn is on its own so to speak, the owners hand the bechorim over to the kohanim. I takes a longer time to care for a larger animal.

''דף כ''ז ''תרומה לכהן פלוני    
Page 27  Mesectas Bechoros  
''The Requirement of Separating Terumah"

Reuvein had just finished bringing in all the grain from his field and was getting ready to separate Terumah and give it to a kohein, when his friend walks over to Reuvein and tells him," my daughter married a kohein, let me pay you something for your Terumah and I'll give it to my son-in-law!"

Is this permitted?

The Talmud on this daf rules that it is permissible for Reuvein to take the money and give him the Terumah!
However, a kohein himself would be prohibited from paying any money in exchange for the Yisrael giving him the Terumah.

In addition the kohein cannot even work for a Yisroel farmer voluntarily, lest it look like the kohein did the work in exchange for Treumah!

What is the reasoning why a kohein isn't allowed to pay or work in exchange of receiving Terumah?

Owners of produce have the prerogative to offer Terumah to whichever kohein they wish, so if a kohein were to pay a farmer in exchange for Terumah, other kohanim more needy than the kohein who paid,  will miss out and it will cause a loss for them. 

''דף כ''ח ''בהמות ארץ מצרים     
Page 28  Mesectas Bechoros  

''Animals of Egypt"

During the times of Mishna, the animals of Egypt were of exceptional high quality ...
The Mishna on this daf recounts that when Egyptians sold their cows or pigs to people from other countries, they would perform surgery on the animals so as to render them unable to reproduce.

What was the purpose of this surgery ?
The Egyptians wanted buyers of other countries that wanted quality animals to have to come to Egypt to buy them, and made it so that the buyers would not be able to breed these animals themselves.

This tactic of the Egyptians was told to the rabbis by Todos the Physician, a friend of the Rabbis.

From this story the rabbis ruled that an animal that had its womb removed is not considered a trifah and can eaten .... with no issues ...לתיאבון,..... since the cows in Egypt survived even after their wombs were removed!

''דף כ''ט ''שכר מצוה     
Page 29  Mesectas Bechoros  


''Reward of a Mitzvah "

On this daf we learn that one is prohibited from receiving any payments for actions connected to Torah and observance. 
So much so, that if a person received compensation for judging a court case, that judgement is null and void, and 
if a person gets a salary to testify, that testimony is void!

If an individual should take a wage to prepare the "mi afar" (purification waters) from a Parah Adumah, or in order to sprinkle that water on an individual that contracted Tumas Hames ( Tumah from a corpse), neither the water nor the ashes that individual prepared will be sacred!

The Talmud derives this ruling from Moshe Rabbeinu...who said to the Jews:
"Behold, I have taught you laws and judgements"
Just as Moshe taught for free so you must teach and perform mitzvot for free!

How do teachers, rabbis receive a salary for their teaching?
The answer is that they get paid for watching the children and for the time they put in ...... since they couldn't do any other employment during that time.

''דף ל' ''חבירים     
Page 30  Mesectas Bechoros  

''Chaveirim"

On this daf we learn a halachic category of people referred to as "Chaveirim."

When the Talmud refers to "Chaveirim" it doesn't mean friends, but rather to individuals who meticulously observe each and every detail of the mitzvois, particularly in regards to observing Tumah and Tehareh!
Not everyone was capable of living to to the standards of a "Chaver."

If a Talmud Chachem wanted to become a "chaver' he was required to accept the responsibilities in the presence of three  practicing "chaveirim."
The three would investigate whether the "Chaver candidate" meticulously observed halacha in matters of Tumah and Tehara, and if he was separating Terumoit and Maasroit, only then was he considered suitable for the title "Chaver."

An individual who sought this distinction and was found to observe meticulously all the requirements except for one, was not accepted .... all requirements had to be satisfactorily met.

''דף ל''א ''ה'חבר ששב למוטב     
Page 31  Mesectas Bechoros  

''The Chaver That did Tesuvah"

There are Tanaim that maintain that if a "chaver" publicly acted in a manner not befitting a "chaver" but repented for those actions in private, that individual can longer be trusted as a "chaver."

However, Reb Shimon and Reb Yehuda ben Karcha disagree and state as long as an individual repents, whether in public or in private, that person can once again be accepted as a "chaver."

The Rambam rules that if a person commits very serious evil and severe violations, and repents whether in public or private, he is accepted.

Moreover, rules the Rambam, even if a person had been  evil all his life and never even made an attempt to repent until a moment before his death, that person will merit to get a portion in the world to come. 

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