Pisqa’ 1661
1
“The finest of your grain, your must, and your oil” (Dt.18:4).
This teaches that
one offers up Threshing-floor-offering
only from the select produce.2
Just as we find that
in the case of two kinds of fruit-trees,
we do not offer up Threshing-floor-offering
from the fruit of this tree
on behalf of the fruit of that tree,
so, too, if there are two species of grain or leafy-greens,
we do not offer up Threshing-floor-offering
from this type of produce [e.g., wheat or lettuce]
on behalf of that type [barley or onions].3
2
“The Finest-fleece” (Dt.18:4)—
but not the finest of the loose fleece.
“The Finest-Fleece” (Dt.18:4)—
excluding wool from a mauled animal.4
“The Finest-Fleece” (Dt.18:4)—
both in the Land and beyond the Land.5
“Of your flocks” (Dt.18:4)—
but not that of [gentile] others.
On this basis they taught:
One who purchases shorn fleece
from the flock of a foreigner
is exempt from offering the Finest-Fleece.
If he purchased shorn fleece
from the flock of his Israelite companion—
if there is shorn fleece left over [in the seller’s possession],
the seller is obliged [to offer the First-Fleece].
But if not, the purchaser is obliged.6
3
“The finest . . . shall you give to him” (Dt.18:4)—
there should be enough for a [generous] gift.7
On this basis they taught:
How much fleece should he give to him?
A weight of five selas in Judea,
equivalent to ten in the Galilee.
And it should be white, not filthy,
and enough to make a small garment,
for it is said:
“Shall you give to him” (Dt.18:4)—
enough for a generous gift.8
4
How many sheep comprise a flock
under obligation for the Finest-Fleece offering?
The circle of Shammai say: Two ewes,
as it is said:
“A man will possess a calf of the herd,
and two from the flock” (Is.7:21).
But the circle of Hillel say: Five,
as it is said:
“And five prepared from the flock” (1Sam.25:18)9
R. Akiva says:
[The verse states —]
“You shall give him . . . the Finest-fleece” (Dt.18:4).
[Finest10 implies a second],
yielding fleece shorn from a minimum of two sheep.
“Of your flock” (Dt.18:4)—
[since “flock”, as a plural noun, implies two more],
this amounts to four.
“Shall you give to him” (Dt.18:4)—
this final gift yields fleece
[from a total of five sheep!