Talking Talmud

More on not combining most species for tithing -- with the explicit exception of sheep and goats. The biblical source for this brings us back to terumah (and ma'aser) on different species. Plus, the implications of actual "kilayim," mixtures of the different species -- and when that prohibition would be violated. Also, a new mishnah! On the distance that the flocks could be apart from each other and still join together for the count of the tithing: 16 "mil" [What's What: A "mil"].

Chapter 9! On tithing animals... and the verses from the Torah that prescribe this fairly broad mitzvah, throughout the world and regardless of whether the Temple stands. Sacrificial animals, however, are not part of the tithe. "Herds" (cattle and so on) cannot be tithed in a group that includes various species, however, when it comes to "flocks," even sheep and goat, can combine for tithing purposes. And not "new" and "old" together... Plus, diving deeper into combining species and into the old/new restriction, using a fortiori logic. Also, can the tithing of animals be compared to the tithing of grain and learn from the comparison? Maybe sheep and goats shouldn't be able to be tithed together either? But the term "flocks" is inclusive.

2 mishnayot: 1 - A first-born son receives a double-inheritance from his father's property, though not his mother's property. (Note: The potential modern will complications (which are largely avoidable, but still) would be in Israel, not elsewhere). But improvements to the property after the father's death and other kinds of property would not be counted as a double portion. Nor a woman receiving her ketubah, nor daughters receiving mezonot, nor a yavam. 2 - During a jubilee year (yovel), the land reverts, but there are exceptions -- including the double-portion of the first-born. Note the Gemara's interpretation of this mishnah -- a husband's inheritance of the wife's property may not revert either, or if it does, perhaps he wouldn't be compensated for it. But this inheritance, according to the Gemara, becomes her family's ancestral plot for burial, and not some other land.

2 mishnayot! 1 - Redemption of the first-born son has to be done via the 5 silver coins (not via objects or land or promissory notes). Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi says - Anything but promissory notes would work, which indicates that his view is not the view of the mishnah. 2 - If the father paid the coins at once, that fulfills the obligation, but what if he handed them over one by one, or to several kohanim? Or if the kohen takes the payment and then returns it? Note how wealthy Rabbi Tarfon didn't keep the coins.

On the 5 silver coins for the redemption of the first-born son, and how they were valuated in other currencies. Which meant getting the math exactly right -- as the example of Rav Ashi sending to R. Acha, who was a kohen, and they need to send back and forth to get the currency exactly right. From the money/coins of the pidyon ha-ben -- when the dedicated coinage to the Temple, there was concern that the Hadrianic and Trajan coins would be all mixed up and profaned that money. Then a verse in Ezekiel calmed the sages down, because it was no longer considered to be consecrated. But there's so much gold and silver in the world - how would this restriction help?!