1)

(a)'Pesulei ha'Mukdashin' are - Kodshei Mizbe'ach that have obtained a blemish.

(b)They should be sold and Shechted in the butchery - because the proceeds of the sale go to Hekdesh (See Tos. Yom Tov), and what is sold and Shechted in the butchery fetches a better price (in which case whoever redeems them will also be willing to pay more).

(c)For the same reason, they are weighed - against a Litra (a certain weight with which one weighs meat).

2)

(a)One of the two exceptions to the above ruling listed by the Mishnah is B'chor, the other - Ma'aser (Beheimah) ...

(b)... which are sold (See Tos. Yom Tov DH 'Chutz min ha'Bechor ... ') and Shechted - in the owner's house, and weighed by assessment.

(c)The earlier ruling does not apply to them - since it is the owner and not Hekdesh, who benefits from the proceeds.

(d)Selling and Shechting Kodshim (albeit that have been redeemed) in the butchery and weighing them using a Litra weight - is degrading.

3)

(a)One is permitted however, to weigh a piece of B'chor against a piece of Chulin (See Tos. Yom Tov) - though this is forbidden by a piece of Ma'aser ...

(b)... since it resembles a sale, and the Heter to sell a B'chor Pesulei ha'Mukdashin does not extend to Ma'aser.

(c)The basis for the distinction lies in the different Lashon that the Torah uses regarding the two animals. It writes "Lo Yipadeh" with regard to a B'chor - but with regard to Ma'aser - "Lo Yiga'el" (See Tos. Yom Tov).

4)

(a)The Chazeh ve'Shok of Shelamim may onle eaten - by Kohanim (and their immediate families.

(b)Beis Shamai therefore learn from the Pasuk in Korach "u'Vesaram Yih'yeh lach ka'Chazeh ha'Tenufah u'che'Shok ha'Terumah" that - in similar fashion, only Kohanim are permitted to eat a B'chor of Pesulei ha'Mukdashin.

(c)Whereas Beis Hillel learn from the Pasuk in Re'ei (in connection with Pesulei ha'Mukdashin) "ka'Tzevi (a deer) ve'cha'Ayal (a gazelle)" that - even Nochrim are permitted to eat Pesulei ha'Mukdashin (See Tos. Yom Tov) like Tz'vi and Ayal) ...

(d)... and they establish the Pasuk in Korach - by a B'chor Tam (that is unblemished [See Tos. Yom Tov]).

5)

(a)Rebbi Yehudah - forbids letting the blood of a B'chor that needs its blood to be let (even if it will otherwise die).

(b)He forbids it even if the location that requires letting will not create a blemish, because he holds that - since a person becomes confused when a loss of money is involved, if one allows the owner to let its blood where it does not create a blemish, he will come to let blood even in a location which does (See Tos. Yom Tov).

(c)The Chachamim ...

1. ... permit it - provided one does not create a blemish ...

2. ... because they maintain that - to the contrary, if one does not allow it in a case where it does not create a blemish, the owner will come to do it even where it does.

(d)One example of where it is prohibited is splitting the animal's ear; another is - splitting its lip (in a location where it will not heal).

6)

(a)In the previous case, in the event that the owner did make a blemish, he is not permitted to Shecht it - since he is the one to have made the blemish ...

(b)He will be permitted to do so - when it obtains another blemish.

(c)Rebbi Shimon, who is more lenient even than the Chachamim - permits letting blood, even though it may create a blemish (See Tos. Yom Tov) ...

(d)... and that is the Halachah.

7)

(a)Based on the Pasuk "Kol Mum Lo Yih'yeh bo", someone who makes a blemish on a Kodshim animal - receives Malkos (as if the Torah had written 'Lo Yehayeh").

(b)From the word "Kol" we learn that - it is forbidden even if the animal is already blemished (See Tos. Yom Tov).

(c)Rebbi Eliezer therefore rules that if a Kohen nicks the ear of a B'chor in order to render it Chulin - it is forbidden forever, even if it subsequently obtains another blemish ...

(d)... because it is a K'nas.

8)

(a)The Chachamim of Rebbi Eliezer - permit the B'chor in the event that it subsequently obtains another blemish.

(b)Should the Kohen die, his son is allowed to Shecht the animal on the basis of the blemish made by his father - because the K'nas does not extend to the sinner's children.

(c)The Halachah is - like the Chachamim.

9)

(a)The Mishnah tells a story of a certain Kasdor - an officer appointed by the king, who once saw a grown-up firstborn sheep with long loose wool on its back.

(b)When he asked them why that was, they replied - because it is forbidden to shear a firstborn animal as long as it has not obtained a blemish.

(c)So he took a 'Pigyon' - a double-bladed knife ...

(d)... and nicked the animal's ear.

10)

(a)In the current case, the Chachamim permitted the Kohanim to eat the animal, even though the Kasdor had made the blemish on purpose - because he did not do it with their knowledge.

(b)The Kasdor subsequently went and - nicked the ears of several other firstborn animals, which ...

(c)... the Chachamim forbade - because this time he acted with the blessing of the owners.

11)

(a)In another similar episode, some children once tied together the tails of two animals, one of which was a B'chor ...

(b)... whose tail came out.

(c)The Chachamim ruled ...

1. ... that that B'chor - was permitted, but ...

2. ... when the children, seeing that their parents were pleased with what they had done, went and repeated the performance with other B'chorim - they declared them Asur.

12)

(a)In spite of having taught this Din regarding ...

1. ... the Kasdor, the Tana saw fit to insert the case of the children - to teach us the Heter in the Reisha, even though the child will become a grown-up who will be forbidden to do what the children did.

2. ... the children, he nevertheless saw fit to insert the case of the Kasdor - to teach us that it is permitted, despite the fact that one might possibly confuse a grown-up Yisrael for a grown-up Nochri.

(b)When the Tana presents the reason for ...

1. ... the Isur ('le'Da'ato'), he is coming to teach us that it is forbidden - even where the Kohen only causes the blemish by placing the B'chor in a field containing metal implements (See Tos. Yom Tov), via which the animal is likely to become blemished.

2. ... the Heter ('she'Lo le'Da'ato') - he is coming to teach us that even where the Yisrael innocently informed the Nochri (See Tos. Yom Tov) that this particular animal has a blemish, he will be permitted to Shecht it.

13)

(a)The Mishnah rules that if a Kohen kicks the B'chor that is chasing him and creates a blemish in so doing - he is permitted to Shecht it (See Tos. Yom Tov [after it has been examined by an expert shepherd]).

(b)The Isur will remain intact however - if the Kohen kicks it when the animal is no longer chasing him (See Tos. Yom Tov).

14)

(a)The Mishnah now discusses a B'chor that has a blemish which could well have been made by a person - such as a blind eye, a severed leg or a split ear.

(b)A shepherd who is a Yisrael and who is shepherding the sheep of a Kohen, might be willing to declare that the blemish in a sheep was not caused by a person - in order to receive a portion from the owner.

(c)He is nevertheless believed - because a person would not lie for so small a benefit.

(d)On the other hand, the Tana does not believe a shepherd who is a Kohen and who is shepherding the sheep of a Yisrael - because we suspect him of testifying only because he thinks that the owner will give the animal to him.

(e)Nor is he believed if he is shepherding the sheep of his fellow-Kohen, on account of 'Gomlin' - where he says that 'Today I will testify (falsely) on behalf of my fellow-Kohen, and tomorrow he will testify for me'.

15)

(a)Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel rules that - although the shepherd who is a Kohen is not believed on his own animals, he is believed on the sheep of the owner, irrespective of whether he is ...

1. ... a Yisrael or ...

2. ... a Kohen.

(b)Rebbi Meir rules that a person who is suspect - is disqualified from judging and testifying regarding whatever he is suspect on (See Tos. Yom Tov).

(c)The basic difference between Rebbi Meir and the Tana Kama is - whether a Kohen whose animal becomes blemished requires two external witnesses (Rebbi Meir) or whether even one witness will suffice, provided he is not a Kohen (the Tana Kama [See also Tos. Yom Tov]).

16)

(a)Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel is also more lenient than the Tana Kama - inasmuch as, whereas the Tana Kama forbids all Kohanim to testify, he allows even the children and grandchildren of the owner who is a Kohen to testify ...

(b)... but not his wife, due to the principle 'Ishto ke'Guifo'.

(c)The Halachah is - like Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel (See Tos. Yom Tov DH ' Raban Shimon ben Gamliel Omer ... '.

17)

(a)The Mishnah rules that if a Kohen claims that he showed a B'chor to an expert, who declared it a Ba'al-Mum - he is believed.

(b)He is then permitted to Shecht it - provided he has two witnesses who testify that he did not make the blemish.

(c)On the one hand ....

1. ... he is believed when he says that he showed the B'chor to an expert and when he says that the blemish is a permanent one - because we do not suspect him of transgressing a Chiyuv Kareis, whilst on the other ...

2. ... he is not believed when he says that he did not make the blemish - since it involves a less-stringent Isur (See Tos. Yom Tov).

(d)A Kohen who ...

1. ... is an expert in examining the blemishes of B'chorim - is permitted to examine the Bechoros of other Kohanim (See Mishnah 4), as is a Kohen who ...

2. ... claims that a Yisrael gave him the B'chor already blemished is believed ...

(e)... seeing as this is something that stands to be revealed, and we have a principle that 'A person is believed with regard to facts that stand to be revealed' (See Tos. Yom Tov).

18)

(a)A Kohen, like a Yisrael - is subject to Ma'aser Beheimah.

(b)If he declares that the blemish on his Ma'aser animal is a permanent one - he is believed ...

(c)... because he originally had the option of making a blemish on all his animals when they were still Chulin.

19)

(a)The Mishnah rules that if a B'chor is blind, has a foreleg that is severed or a hind-leg that is broken - any three members of the community are permitted to inspect it and to declare the blemish a permanent one ...

(b)... provided no expert is available ...

(c)... like a Neder, which three ordinary people are permitted to annul, provided no Yachid Mumcheh is available.

(d)Rebbi Yossi maintains that - even a Beis-Din of twenty-three are not permitted to inspect a B'chor, only a Mumcheh (See Tos. Yom Tov).

(e)The Halachah is - like the Tana Kama.

20)

(a)The Tana now discusses a case where the Kohen sells the B'chor, and after the purchaser has already Shechted it and eaten some of it, he discovers that the seller did not show it to an expert. What they ate, they ate. The rest of the animal - must be buried.

(b)The Tana obligates the Kohen to return the cost of the animal, even the cost of what the purchaser ate - as a K'nas.

(c)In a case where Reuven Shechts a cow and, after selling it to Shimon, the latter discovers that it is a T'reifah (See Tos. Yom Tov), the Tana issues the same ruling as in the previous case with regard to what Shimon ate. As for the meat that Shimon has not yet eaten - he returns it to Reuven, who refunds him what he paid for it.

21)

(a)The Mishnah finally rules, that in the event that Shimon ...

1. ... sold the T'reifah animal to Nochrim or ...

2. ... threw it to the dogs - then he is obligated to pay Reuven only the cost of a T'reifah animal, and Reuven must refund the balance.

(b)The Tana is more lenient with Reuven here than in the previous case (where Shimon ate the T'reifah) - since he did not cause the purchaser to sin.

(c)The Tana did not present the case of where the purchaser sold the B'chor to a Nochri - because a B'chor Tamim is Asur be'Hana'ah (See Tos. Yom Tov).