More Discussions for this daf
1. Ma'aser Beheimah 2. consecratory vows 3. Ma'aser Beheimah Today
DAF DISCUSSIONS - BECHOROS 53

Sam Kosofsky asks:

You write that a person has to bring a 10th of his newborn animals to Yerushalayim where it's brought as a korbon on the mizbeach and eaten by the owners.

1. What happens when a person has a large flock and has 10, 20 or more such animals to bring every year? How can he & his family eat that much meat? 2. What's the time schedule of bringing it up? Does he bring them all on the same day?

3. How long does he have to eat them? Can they be salted or preserved?

B'chavod,

Sam Kosofsky

The Kollel replies:

Dear Sam,

1. Its quite correct that every tenth animal has to be brought to Yerushalayim and, like all Kodshim Kalim when the Beis'Hamikdosh is standing, it has to be eaten in Yerushalayim. As for eating it together with his family, who says he had to do that? He could invite his friends, close and otherwise (perhaps he'll have more close friends after the event). But above all, he can invite all the poor of Yerushalayim and the surrounding areas to come and participate in this grand Se'udas Mitzvah! -

One can just imagine all the posters pinned up on every bill-board in Yerushalayim. You know, I have always imagined Yerushalayim - during the time of the Beis-Hamikdash - as the pleasure-ground of the poor, a place where they could always find good meals, of which they could partake in the most respectable manner imaginable: namely, that of a Se'udas Mitzvah, as people came with their Ma'aser Beheimah, Ma'ser Sheini, and other Korbonos (at all times of the year, but particularly on Yom-Tov, when they were obligated to dispense with all their Nedarim and Nedavos which they had vowed to bring since the last Yom-Tov), all of which had to be eaten within a specific time limit. I think that all your questions are duly answered: He had until the next Yom-Tov to bring all his Ma'aser Beheimah animals. He could invite anybody he liked to participate in the grand Seudas Mitzvah. There is no reason why he should not split up the animals and eat them in a few sittings, if it so suited him - as long as he did so within the alloted time limit.

2. The time limit is till the next Yom-tov (Succos, Shevuos or Pesach) before transgressing an Asei, and three Yomim-Tovim (in whichever order they happened to fall, from the time that one Ma'asered his flocks) before transgressing the La'av of 'Bal Te'acher' (not to delay bringing one's Korban).

3. As far as salting or preserving them is concerned, this is simply not practical, because, once Ma'aser Beheimah has been Shechted, it must be eaten within two days (like most Shlamim do). You may be interested to know that Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah, who was extremely wealthy, used to Ma'aser from his herd 24,000 calves annually (see Tosfos, 53a d.h. Ella)! However, he lived after the Churban Beis-Hamikdosh. Hope to hear from you soon again.

Be'virkas kol Tuv,

Eliezer Chrysler.