Siman - Beitzah Daf 27
- Inspecting a bechor before Yom Tov and questioning the Kohen on Yom Tov
The Gemara brings an incident regarding examining a bechor on Yom Tov. Ami Vardina’ah was the bechor examiner in the Nasi’s house. On Yom Tov he would not examine a bechor’s blemish. People went and told Rebbe Ami about this and he said to them that he is acting properly. The Gemara asks if this is so, since Rebbe Ami himself would examine blemishes on Yom Tov. Why would he praise Ami for being machmir? The Gemara answers, כי חזי מאתמול הוה חזי – Rebbe Ami would examine blemishes on the previous day, i.e., erev Yom Tov, without issuing a verdict. And then, on Yom Tov, he would ask the bechor’s owner how the blemish had occurred. Rashi explains that Kohanim would sometimes inflict a wound on a bechor, because of the great bother and expense involved in taking care of it. Therefore, a Kohen is not believed if he reported that a blemish occurred naturally and was required to substantiate his claim with the testimony of a witness. Rebbe Ami was often busy erev Yom Tov and only had time to inspect the blemish to determine if it was permanent. On Yom Tov, he would investigate how the blemish occurred and then pronounce the bechor blemished.
- The source for not causing an indirect mum on a bechor
The Gemara asks from where it is known that it is prohibited to cause a mum to be inflicted on a bechor? For it was taught in a Baraisa: The passuk states, "מום לא יהיה בו" – A blemish shall not be in it. I only know that one may not inflict a mum, from where do I know that one may not indirectly cause a mum to be inflicted? For example, that one may not bring dough or pressed figs and place it on the ear of a bechor so that a dog will come and take it, injuring the ear in the process. The passuk therefore teaches: "כל מום" – “any” blemish, to add this restriction. It says "מום" – “blemish” to restrict the deliberate infliction of a mum, and it says "כל מום" - “any” mum to teach an additional restriction against causing a mum even indirectly.
- אין נמנין על הבהמה לכתחילה ביום טוב
The last Mishnah on the Daf states: אין נמנין על הבהמה לכתחילה ביום טוב – People may not be counted initially into a group to purchase the meat of an animal on Yom Tov. אבל נמינין עליה מערב יום טוב ושוחטין ומחלקין ביניהם - but they may be counted into a group prior to Yom Tov to purchase an animal or they may shecht the animal and apportion it among themselves. The Gemara asks what the Mishnah means by "אין נמנין" – “People may not be counted” and Rav Yehudah said in the name of Shmuel: אין פוסקין דמים לכתחילה על הבהמה ביום טוב – that we may not initially fix a price for an animal on Yom Tov. The Mishnah stated that even when no arrangements have been made prior to Yom Tov, an animal may be selected, shechted and divided on Yom Tov if all the financial arrangements are left for after Yom Tov. The Gemara asks how they ascertain the price of the already shechted and distributed animal and Rav answers, מביא שתי בהמות ומעמידן זו אצל זו ואומר זו כזו – Before shechting on Yom Tov, the butcher brings two comparable animals and places them one beside the other and tells members of the group to observe that this animal is like that one in value.
