Комментарий к Хулин 11:4

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.

ושתי צאן – so we see that two are called sheep.

Introduction This mishnah begins by explaining what the phrase “and only when there are many,” found at the end of yesterday’s mishnah. It then continues with other various aspects of this mitzvah.

שנאמר חמש צאן עשןיות – that they order their husbands say to him: “Arise and perform a new Commandment that was not commanded upon him that is less than this. And this corresponding per force, the first shearing, as it is written [in the Torah] regarding (Deuteronomy 18:4): “[the first shearing of] your sheep,” which implies many, whereas regarding the ox it is written (Numbers 18:17): “But the firstlings of cattle–בכור שור, [sheep or goats ]” (singular construction in the Hebrew) which implies even one. And similar gifts (Deuteronomy 18:3): “whether an ox or a sheep–אם שור אם שה .”

How much is “many”? Bet Shammai say: [at least] two sheep, as it is said, “A man shall rear a young cow and two sheep (” (Isaiah 7:21). Bet Hillel say: five, as it is said, “Five dressed sheep (” (I Samuel 28:18). Deuteronomy 18:4 uses the word “tzon” which means flock. The question is: how many sheep are needed for there to be a flock? Clearly, one sheep is not enough. Bet Shammai use the verse from Isaiah to prove that even two sheep can be called “tzon.” Bet Hillel hold that the amount must be larger, and they use the verse from I Samuel to prove it.

מנה מנה ופרס – each one is a Maneh and one-half. But less than this is not considered shearing, for this is the least of shearing.

Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas says: five sheep, which each produce [a fleece which weighs] a maneh and a half, are subject to the law of the first of the fleece. But the sages say: five sheep, whatever their fleeces weigh. Later sages rule like Bet Hillel, but still debate whether the five sheep rule always applies. Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas says that there must be a minimum measure of wool that each sheep produces. This amount is a maneh and a half, which is equivalent to about 600 grams of wool. The other rabbis disagree and hold that even if the first shearing produces only a minimal amount, he is still liable to give it to the priest.

בכל שהוא – not exactly, for since with less than sixty Selaim, he is not liable for the first of the fleece, but rather, since Rabbi Dosa [ben Harkinas] gives a large measure, the Tanna–teacher [of the Mishnah] calls for a small measurement according to the Rabbis of “however much they produce.” But the Selah – its weight is twenty-four Ma’ah. And the weight of each Ma’ah is sixteen stones–kernels of barley.

And how much should one give him? The weight of five selas in Judah, which is equal to ten selas in Galilee. Bleached wool and not dirty wool, sufficient to make from it a small garment, for it is written, “Give him,” when there is enough to be considered a gift. If there are several priests and he wishes to divide the wool up among them he must give each not less than the weight of five Judean selas which is equivalent to ten Galilean selas. When he gives the priest the wool, it must already be bleached. He is not allowed to give the unbleached, dirty wool. The mishnah derives from the word “give” that whenever he gives the wool to the priest, there must be enough wool to make a gift, defined minimally as a small garment. The Talmud explains that a small garment is a sash.

כמה הוא נותן לו – he comes to divide the first of the fleece that is in his hand, he should not give less than the weight of five Selaim of wool to each Kohen.

If the owner did not manage to give [the fleece to the priest] until he dyed it, he is exempt. If he bleached it but did not dye it, he is still liable. If he dyed it before he had a chance to give it to the priest, he need not give the priest the wool. This is because by dyeing it, he has changed it and acquired it for himself. However, he has failed to perform the mitzvah of giving the priest the first of the fleece. But if all he did to the wool was bleach it, then he is still liable, because bleaching is not enough of a change for the owner to acquire it for himself.

מלובן – but the Israelite will not be liable to bleach it, but rather, he will give him a measure from the dirty wool, which is that it is not bleached until the Kohen will, that is, which is not bleached until that the Kohen will bleach it, he will estimate the weight of five Selaim of bleached wool.

If a man bought the fleeces of a flock belonging to a non-Jew, he is exempt from the law of the first of the fleece. Only sheep owned by Israelites are liable for the first of the fleece. So if one buys wool from a non-Jew, he need not give any of it to the priest.

כדי שיוכל לעשות ממנו בגד קטן – that is worthy for service [in the Temple]. And what is it? A belt–אבנט . Because the Biblical verse supported [by being adjacent to] after [the law of] the first shearing (Deuteronomy 18:5): “For the LORD your God has chosen him and his descendants, out of all your tribes, to be in attendance for service [in the name of the LORD for all time[.” We learn from it, that this is what it says: Give him from the first shearing of your sheep in order that he can make clothing to be in attendance for service. And the smallest of the clothing that is appropriate for [Divine] service is the belt, and it iis made from five Selaim of bleached wool. But the first shearing has no fixed measure from the Torah. But from the words of the Scribes, it should not be less than one sixtieth. But there is no obligation for the first shearing until he shears five sheep, and that the shearing of each one of these five, there is not less than twelve Selah, for if there was one of them less than twelve Selah, even though the five of them (i.e., sheep), shears more than sixty Selaim, this would be execmpt.

If a man bought the fleeces of a flock belonging to his neighbor: If the seller kept some back, the seller is liable, But if he did not withhold anything, the buyer is liable. If he buys from a Jew, then it depends on whether the Jew kept any of the wool for himself. If he did, then the seller must give the first of the fleece from that which he held back. However, if he did not hold any back, then the purchaser must give the first of the fleece, because the seller did not reckon the price of the first of the fleece into the amount that he collected for the wool.

עד שצבאו – its owners [would dye it] prior to giving it.

If he had two kinds of wool, grey and white, and he sold the grey but not the white, or [if he sold the wool] of the males but not of the females, each must give [the first of the fleece] for himself. If the seller had two kinds of wool, either of two different colors or from males and females, and he kept all of one kind to himself, then each person must give the first of the fleece from his own kind. This is because when there are two different kinds, we don’t consider it as if the seller held back some for himself. Rather he sold all of the wool of a certain kind, and therefore, the buyer must give to the priest from the kind that he bought.

פטור – from giving him more. For it was acquired through change, and it is like he damages the gifts of priesthood or that he consumes them, that he is exempt.

ולא צבאו – this is not a change, and yet, in its natural form.

הלוקח גז צאנו של נכרי – when it is attached to the sheep, he is exempt, for it is written (Deuteronomy 18:4): “the first shearing of your sheep.” But this sheep is not his, and the All-Merciful was stringent with sheep, and not on its shearing.

אם שייר המוכרת המוכר חייב – for the purchaser said to him, the gift of the Kohanim is with you.

ואם לאו הלוקח חייב – for the seller said to him, “I have not sold you the gift for the Priest.”

שחופות – neither black nor white.

זה נותן לעצמו – the purchaser gives to himself on what he purchased, and the seller gives to him on what remains with him. For the shearing of the white–bleached ones is better than that of indistinct color–grey. And similarly, regarding males and females, the shearing of the males is hard and that of the females is soft.