(The Mishnah taught concerning Maaser Behemah - one may not sell it alive and unblemished; nor blemished, whether alive or slaughtered. And one may not use it to betroth a woman.) The Mishnah implies that an unblemished animal could be sold slaughtered. But this is not true, so why did the Mishnah specifically mention alive? As it wanted to contrast it to the latter case of Bechor, where it may be sold alive unblemished or if blemished, both alive or slaughtered.

(R. Ba bar Yaakov citing R. Yochanan): The pasuk states here about Maaser Behemah (Vayikra 27:33), "it shall not be redeemed''; and it states about items devoted to the Kohanim, (Vayikra 27:28), "it shall not be sold and it shall not be redeemed''. Just as the 'it shall not be redeemed' that was said about items devoted to the Kohanim may not be sold or redeemed; so too the 'it shall not be redeemed' that was said here (Maaser Behemah) means that it may not be sold or redeemed. However, concerning a Bechor, the pasuk states (Bamidbar 18:17), "(However, a firstborn ox or a firstborn sheep or a firstborn goat) shall not be redeemed''; but it may be sold.

Question (R. Yaakov of the South to R. Yosi): The pasuk about Bechor only said 'do not redeem' about a slaughtered animal; so how did you learn about a live animal and a blemished animal that it may be sold?

Answer: In Maaser Behemah, the Torah didn't differentiate between alive or slaughtered and between unblemished and blemished (and Bechor is compared to Maaser Behemah).

One may not use Maaser Behemah to betroth a woman, but one may betroth with its sinews, its bones, its horns and its hooves.

(R. Elazar): The reason this is permitted is because the Torah described it as a blessing.

Question: Why not learn from there that one could also betroth using its flesh?

Answer (R. Yosi): Maaser is learned from items devoted to the Kohanim. Just as those items may not be used to betroth a woman, so too with all Kodshim.

Question: If so, he should not betroth with sinews, bones, horns or hooves?

Answer: They are permitted because the Torah described them as a blessing.

Question (R. Yudan): If a person said to a woman, "Draw me this Maaser Behemah so that you will be betrothed to me through it after it's slaughtered''. Since he is able to slaughter, is she betrothed immediately or only after slaughtering? (The Gemara leaves this question unanswered.)

(R. Zeira citing R. Ba bar Mamal): One who steals someone's Maaser Behemah - if it's still intact, he must return it. If he already ate it, it's eaten and there is nothing to be done (since it had belonged to Hash-m rather than the owner).

(R. Elazar citing R. Mana): Even if it's intact, he's not told to return it (since it's not the owner's property).

According to this, if a person stole less than the value of a Peruta (which is not considered money), he's not told to return it.

(R. Chinana): This is when it wasn't worth a Perutah at the time of theft, but if it was (and it then depreciated in value), he's told to return it.

(R. Yehuda ben Pazi citing R. Yehoshua ben Levi): It's specifically a live unblemished Bechor that may be sold, but not once it's slaughtered (as at that point it belongs to Hash-m).

(Mishnah in Maseches Kidushin): If a person betroths with his portion of Kodshei Kodshim or Kodshim Kalim, she is not betrothed. (And if he betroths with Ma'aser Sheni, according to R. Meir, whether inadvertently or intentionally, it's not a valid betrothal. R. Yehuda says that if it was done inadvertently, it's valid; intentionally is not valid.)

R. Elazar said that the first statement of that Mishnah (about Kodshim) follows all opinions (both R. Meir and R Yehuda, as all agree that he has used something that does not belong to him to betroth) and R. Yochanan said that it falls into the same dispute.

(R. Yehuda ben Pazi): R. Yehuda learned all Kodshim from Bechor. Just as Bechor may be used to betroth; so too all Kodshim may be used. R. Meir learns all Kodshim from Maaser Behemah. Just as Maaser Behemah may not be used to betroth; so too all Kodshim may not be used.

Question: The opinion of R. Yehuda ben Pazi seems to have switched - there (in Kidushin), he said that whether it is alive or even slaughtered it can be used for Kidushin; but here (in Ma'aser Sheni), he said only if it's alive, not slaughtered...?

Answer: There, he was speaking for himself; here he's quoting R. Yehoshua ben Levi.

You could even say that both were said in his own name - that Mishnah refers to when he betrothed with it when it was alive and 'his portion' means the portion that he would get after it is slaughtered.

What's R. Yehoshua ben Levi's reason? The pasuk states (about a slaughtered Bechor) (Bamidbar 18:18),''And their flesh shall be for you like the breast of waving'' (that may not be used to betroth).

What's R. Yehuda ben Pazi's reason? The pasuk states, "shall be for you'' - even after slaughtering.

How does R. Yehoshua ben Levi use it? It teaches (not to compare it to a Todah sacrifice that can only be eaten for a day and a night, but rather to a Shelamim) that can be eaten for two days and one night.