{
    "language": "en",
    "title": "Rambam on Mishnah Challah",
    "versionSource": "https://www.sefaria.org",
    "versionTitle": "Sefaria Community Translation",
    "actualLanguage": "en",
    "languageFamilyName": "english",
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    "direction": "ltr",
    "heTitle": "רמב\"ם משנה חלה",
    "categories": [
        "Mishnah",
        "Rishonim on Mishnah",
        "Rambam",
        "Seder Zeraim"
    ],
    "text": [
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                "It is stated in the Talmud that \"the firstborn and the firstborn of animals belong to the kohanim in charge, and the rest belong to any kohen.\" When they said \"any kohen,\" they did not exclude a Torah scholar from the common kohanim, but rather in a positive and praiseworthy manner, to say that \"the Lord said to Aaron, 'You shall give him the contribution due to the Lord from it'\" (Numbers 18:28). And it is stated in the Sifrei, \"Just as Aaron was a companion, so too, all his companions.\" From here they said that one should give priestly gifts only to a fellow priest. This is the general rule regarding certain priestly gifts, as will be explained in this chapter. However, regarding other priestly gifts, it all depends on the will of the giver. But it is forbidden to give them to the common people.",
                "The term \"Herem\" refers to the statement of the Lord to Aaron, \"Every devoted thing in Israel shall be yours\" (Numbers 18:14). This alludes to the statement, \"Nevertheless, every devoted thing that a man devotes to the Lord\" (Leviticus 27:28). Similarly, regarding a field held in possession, it shall not be sold or redeemed; every devoted field shall be most holy to the Lord (Leviticus 27:21).",
                "\"Bechorot\" refers to the firstborn animals. It pertains to the firstborn of pure animals.",
                "\"And the redemption of the son is five shekels, which are used to redeem the firstborn of a person.\"",
                "And the redemption of the firstborn donkey is, as they said, 'You shall redeem with a lamb the firstborn donkey' (Exodus 13:13). And the name of God is hinted at in His statement, 'And you shall redeem the firstborn of the unclean animal' (Numbers 18:15). The Scripture has already included these three species of firstborn in one verse, saying, 'Every firstborn of a womb among the children of Israel, whether man or beast, belongs to the Lord' (Numbers 18:15). ",
                "The foreleg, the jaws, and the stomach, which are called the priestly gifts in the entire Mishnah, as it is stated, 'And He gave to the priest the foreleg, the jaws, and the stomach' (Deuteronomy 18:3).",
                "\"And the first of the shearing of your flock, you shall give him\" (Deuteronomy 18:4). The laws regarding the gifts and the first of the shearing of the flock are explained in the tractate Chullin. Similarly, the laws of the field devoted to the Temple and the field of inheritance are explained in the tractate Bechorot. We have already explained multiple times in this context that the oil of an impure terumah is referred to as \"oil for terumah.\" The reason these gifts are not given to a priest who is not a colleague is that they do not possess holiness, and there is no concern that they will become contaminated with the land. It is stated: \"And the sacred donations of the Sanctuary\" (Exodus 29:33), which are given to any priest from the guards, as we do not distinguish between the guards, giving some of them gifts and others not. The sacred donations of the Sanctuary are the ten animal sin offerings, the bird sin offering, the guilt offering, the certain guilt offering, the ram of the guilt offering, the peace offerings of the congregation, the log of oil of a leper, the two loaves, the showbread, the remnants of the meal offerings, and the remnants of the Omer offering. And for this reason, they are called the sacred donations of the Sanctuary, because it is forbidden for the priests to eat anything from those twenty-four gifts except within the Temple courtyard. Know that the priestly gifts in total are twenty-four in the Sanctuary, and they are the ones I mentioned to you, along with four others that the priests can only partake of in Jerusalem. These four are the firstborn animals, the first fruits, the shoulder, and the jawbone, and the skin of consecrated animals. We have already explained in the Gemara that the firstborn animals and the first fruits are given to the members of the priestly watch, while the shoulder and the jawbone, and the skin of consecrated animals are not given to every priest, but the priest who offers the sacrifice takes them. This is also stated in regard to the skin of consecrated animals: \"And the priest who offers anyone's burnt offering, the skin of the burnt offering that he has offered to the priest shall belong to him\" (Leviticus 7:8). It is similarly stated in regard to the shoulder of the peace offering: \"And the priest who dashes the blood of the peace offerings, to him the shoulder shall belong\" (Leviticus 7:34). It is also stated regarding the shoulder of the ram of the Nazirite: \"And the priest shall wave them as a wave offering before the Lord; it is holy for the priest, together with the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution\" (Numbers 6:20). From this, we learn that the priest who performs the waving is the one who eats it. And there are ten gifts that the priests receive throughout the land of Israel, and they are the same ones mentioned in the Mishnah, which are: Terumah, Maaser Rishon (First Tithe), Challah, Reishit HaGez (First of the Fleece), Matanot (Gifts), Pidyon HaBen (Redemption of the Firstborn Son), Pidyon Petter Chamor (Redemption of the Firstborn Donkey), Sdeh Achuzah (Ancestral Field), Sdeh Cherem (Consecrated Field), and Gezel HaGer (Theft from a Convert). And from these ten gifts, six of them are given to every priest, while four are limited to Jerusalem. The six gifts that are given to every priest are: Terumah, Maaser Rishon, Challah, Reishit HaGez, Matanot, and Pidyon HaBen. Terumah, Maaser Rishon, and Challah are not given to an Am Haaretz (an unlearned Jew) at all, due to their suspicion of impurity and the concern that they might become impure and eat them. Similarly, Gezel HaGer is only given to the priest who offers the ram of the guilt offering, as it is stated: \"And if the man has no redeemer, but he himself has enough to redeem it, then he shall count the years since its sale and restore the remainder to the man to whom he sold it, that he may return to his possession. But if his hand has gained enough for its redemption, he shall add a fifth to it over and above its appraised value, and it shall be his\" (Leviticus 27:5-9). We learn from this verse that the priest who offers the guilt offering receives the stolen item. And they explained this verse in regard to one who stole from a convert by saying, \"And if the man has no redeemer,\" which is only possible in the case of a convert, as an Israelite will always have an heir. This is stated in the verse: \"And you shall give his inheritance to his next of kin, and so on\" (Leviticus 27:11). And our Sages have said that the inheritance is transferred and ascends up to Reuben, as explained in Bava Batra. ",
                "Rabbi Yehuda prohibits the consumption of bikkurim (first fruits) by any priest who happens to be available. We have already mentioned that bikkurim are appropriate for the men of the Mishmar (priestly division), and further clarification of their laws can be found in the tractate of Bikkurim.",
                "And concerning the kerashinin (vegetable tithes), Rabbi Akiva permits giving them to any priest, as they are considered animal feed. If they become ritually impure, it is not a concern. However, the sages prohibit giving them, as they were consumed during times of famine, and there is a concern that they might be eaten in a state of impurity. Therefore, they are only given to a fellow priest, following the general rule of all types of terumah. This is the statement they made: \"When did they decree regarding the kerashinin? During times of famine.\" And the halacha follows the opinion of the sages.\n"
            ]
        ]
    ],
    "sectionNames": [
        "Chapter",
        "Mishnah",
        "Comment"
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}