Chulin 11:1-2

Chulin 11:1

Giving the first shearing of a sheep to a kohein is obligatory both in Israel and elsewhere, while the Temple is standing and when it isn’t, to secular animals but not to sacrifices. The shoulder, cheeks and abomasum given to a kohein are more stringent than the first shearing in that it applies to both herds and flocks, whether one has many animals or few, while the first shearing only applies to sheep and only when one has many (as will be explained).

Chulin 11:2

Beis Shammai say that “many” means two sheep, as per Isaiah 7:21, “A man will raise a young cow and two sheep”; Beis Hillel say that it means five, as per I Samuel 25:18, “Five sheep fully dressed.” Rabbi Dosa ben Harkinas says that five sheep each of which yields a maneh and a half of wool are liable to first shearings; the Sages say five sheep regardless of how much wool they yield. How much must one give to a kohein? The weight of five Judean sela, which is the same as ten Galilean sela. The wool must be laundered and not filthy, of sufficient size to make a small garment. This is derived from Deuteronomy 18:4, “you shall give him,” from which we see that it must be enough to be considered a gift. If he didn’t give the first shearings to the kohein before he dyed all the wool, he is exempt; if he bleached it but didn’t yet dye it, he is still obligated. If one bought the wool of a non-Jew’s sheep, he is exempt from giving a kohein the first shearings. If one bought the wool of another Jew’s sheep and the seller kept some, the seller is obligated in first shearings; if the seller didn’t keep any, then the buyer is responsible. If he had two kinds of sheep – gray and white –  and he sold the wool from the gray sheep but not from the white sheep, or from the males but not from the females, then the buyer and seller must each give first shearings for the kind of wool in his possession.