Talmud zu Bekhorot 5:4
הָיָה בְכוֹר רוֹדְפוֹ, וּבְעָטוֹ וְעָשָׂה בוֹ מוּם, הֲרֵי זֶה יִשְׁחוֹט עָלָיו. כָּל הַמּוּמִין הָרְאוּיִין לָבוֹא בִידֵי אָדָם, רוֹעִים יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶאֱמָנִים, וְרוֹעִים כֹּהֲנִים אֵינָן נֶאֱמָנִים. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, נֶאֱמָן הוּא עַל שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ וְאֵינוֹ נֶאֱמָן עַל שֶׁל עַצְמוֹ. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, הֶחָשׁוּד עַל דָּבָר, לֹא דָנוֹ וְלֹא מְעִידוֹ:
Wenn man von einem Erstgeborenen verfolgt wird und ihn tritt und einen Makel verursacht, kann man ihn auf dieser [Basis] schlachten. Den israelitischen Hirten wird vertraut, was alle Schönheitsfehler betrifft, die durch menschliche Ursachen verursacht werden könnten, aber den Priestern, die Hirten sind, wird nicht vertraut. Rabban Shim'on ben Gamliel sagt: [Dem Priester] wird in Bezug auf [den Erstgeborenen] eines Freundes vertraut, in Bezug auf [den Priester] jedoch nicht. Rabbi Meir sagt: Wer in Bezug auf etwas verdächtigt wird, kann [Fälle] nicht beurteilen und nicht [darüber] aussagen.
Jerusalem Talmud Demai
The phrase in brackets is not in the Vienna ms. of the Tosephta and R. S. Liebermann explains this as scribal omission. However, while the thrust of the Tosephta is not that of the Yerushalmi, a Yerushalmi version would not have the phrase, or does not have the phrase, as asserted by R. Jonah at the end of this paragraph. The Vienna scribe probably did not make an error here.: “He who enters a town and does not know anybody there, or stands by a threshing floor and does not know anybody there, may ask either a ḥaver or an am haäreẓ, the words of Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel. Rebbi says, about heave one only may ask a ḥaver.” It turns out that Rebbi follows Rebbi Meïr and Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel follows his own reasoning. As we have stated there90Mishnah Bekhorot 5:4. The firstborn of a cow, sheep, or goat must be given to a Cohen. If it is without blemish, it is dedicated as sacrifice from birth. If it develops a defect, the Cohen may slaughter and eat it at home (Deut. 15:19–23). Hence, the Cohen has a monetary interest in finding a defect in such a firstborn.: “About any bodily defects that may be caused by humans, laymen shepherds are trustworthy, Cohen shepherds are not. Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel said, he is trustworthy about another’s flock but not his own. Rebbi Meïr said, whoever is suspect91And this includes absolutely all Cohanim in matters regarding firstborn animals. in a matter may neither judge nor testify about it.” Rebbi Jonah said, they disagree only if it is a matter of taking, but in distributing even Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel agrees. What is the difference between taking and distributing? A distribution is public knowledge92Since a distribution of tithes is publicly announced, even the stranger would find enough information about the person who is making the distribution..