Comentario sobre Hulín 11:1

ראשית הגז – Whomever shears his sheep and even if he shears them one-hundred times, he gives from the shearing a gift to the Kohen.

Introduction Our chapter deals with the mitzvah of giving the priest the first of the wool shorn from sheep (“the first of the fleece”). Deuteronomy 18:4 states, “You shall also give him [the priest] the first fruits of your new grain and wine and oil, and the first shearing of your sheep.” This verse follows the verse that instructed Israelites to give priests the shoulder, the cheeks and the stomach. This is the reason why this chapter is found here in Hullin.

נוהג בארץ ובחוצה לארץ – but today, the practice, of the world according to Rabbi Elai, who said, that the first of the fleece is not practiced other than in the Land [of Israel]. For it derives [through an analogy], from the laws of Terumah–heave offering (see Talmud Hullin 136a: See Deuteronomy 18:4: “You shall also give him….the first shearing of your sheep–וראשית גז צאנך תתן-לו and the fact that Terumah must take place in the land of Israel – Deuteronomy 26:2: “which you harvest from the land that the LORD your God is giving you”–אשר תביא מארצך אשר ה' אלהיך נתן לך ). Just as Terumah–heave-offering is not practiced other than in the Land [of Israel], so the first of the fleece is not practiced other than in the Land [of Israel]. But my teachers–masters taught that the gifts also are not practiced other than in the Land [of Israel], for the first of the fleece and the gifts are equivalent. But the rest of the Sages of that generation did not agree with them.

The law of the first of the fleece is in force both within the Land and outside it, both during the existence of the Temple and after it, in respect of unconsecrated animals but not consecrated animals. The law of the first of the fleece is applicable in all times and places, but it applies only to unconsecrated animals. Just as consecrated animals are exempt from the shoulder, cheeks and stomach, so too they are exempt from the law of the first of the fleece.

במקודשים – even the offerings for Temple repair, because it is written (Deuteronomy 18:4): “the shearing of your sheep,” but not that of which is dedicated to the Temple.

The law of the shoulder and the cheeks and the stomach is of stricter application than the law of the first of the fleece; for the law of the shoulder and the cheeks and the stomach applies both to herds and flocks, whether they are many or few, whereas the law of the first of the fleece applies only to sheep, and only when there are many. The mishnah notes that in one way the giving of the shoulder, cheeks and stomach is more broadly applied than the giving of the first of the fleece. The priest receives the shoulder, cheeks and stomach from any domesticated animal, be it cow, sheep or goat. However, the priest receives the fleece only from sheep and not from goats (cows are not fleeced, so that is not relevant). Furthermore, the priest receives the fleece only when there are many sheep, and not when there are few. This shall be explained in tomorrow’s mishnah.

נוהגים בבקר ובצאן – as it is written (Deuteronomy 18:3): “[Everyone who offers a sacrifice,] whether an ox or a sheep, [must give he shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach to the priest].”

ובמועט – even if he only slaughtered one [animal].

אלא ברחלות – It is written here (Deuteronomy 18:4): “the shearing of your sheep” and it is written there (Job 31:20): “As he warmed himself with the shearing of my sheep.” Just as there it is sheep, even here it is sheep.