Overview
The Mishnah taught:
โืืื ืื ืืืืื ืคืืืจืืโ
Kohanim and Leviim are exempt from Pidyon HaBen and Peter Chamor.
The Gemara asks:
What is the source for this exemption?
This leads to a broader discussion of the role of the Leviim in the wilderness, the redemption of the firstborn, and whether the firstborns in the desert remained sanctified throughout the years of wandering.
Abayeโs Understanding
Abaye explains the Mishnah as follows:
The Leviimโs animals replaced the animals of the Israelites during the original exchange in the wilderness:
โืืืช ืืืืช ืืืืื ืชืืช ืืืืชืโ
Since the animals of the Leviim redeemed the animals of Israel then, it is reasonable that the animals of Kohanim and Leviim should be exempt now.
Ravaโs Objection
Rava rejects Abaye.
The Mishnah says:
โืืื ืื ืืืืื ืคืืืจืืโ
meaning the people themselves are exempt, not merely their animals.
Furthermore, if Abaye were correct, Kohanim and Leviim should also be exempt from Bechor Behemah Tehorah, which they are not.
Therefore Rava explains differently.
Ravaโs Explanation
The Leviim replaced the firstborn Israelites in the desert.
Since:
The holiness of the Leviim removed the holiness of the firstborn Israelites,
it follows that their own descendants are exempt from redemption.
This explains why:
- A Kohenโs son does not require Pidyon HaBen.
- A Leviโs son does not require Pidyon HaBen.
Why Is Peter Chamor Also Exempt?
The Gemara derives Peter Chamor from Bechor Adam.
The verse links them:
โืื ืคืื ืชืคืื ืืช ืืืืจ ืืืื ืืืช ืืืืจ ืืืืื ืืืืื ืชืคืืโ
The rule becomes:
Whoever is included in Bechor Adam is included in Peter Chamor.
And:
Whoever is exempt from Bechor Adam is exempt from Peter Chamor.
Therefore Kohanim and Leviim are exempt from both.
The Famous Law of a Leviyah
The Gemara asks several questions from the original census in the wilderness.
One challenge:
Why is the child of a Leviyah exempt from Pidyon HaBen?
After all, many Leviim themselves were not counted in the original exchange.
The Gemara answers:
The Torah made the exemption depend upon:
ืคืืจ ืจืื (opening of the womb)
not on participation in the original census.
Therefore:
A daughter of Levi who gives birth to a firstborn son is exempt from Pidyon HaBen.
This is the source for the well-known halachah.
What About Aharon?
The Gemara notes that Aharon himself was not counted among the Leviim in the census.
If so, perhaps Kohanim should not be exempt.
The answer:
All Leviim were grouped together.
And Kohanim are included among Leviim for this purpose.
Twenty-Four Places Where Kohanim Are Called Leviim
The Gemara cites Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi:
In twenty-four places in Tanach, Kohanim are called Leviim.
One example:
โืืืืื ืื ืืืืื ืื ื ืฆืืืงโ
Thus Kohanim share the same exemption.
Does the Exemption Continue Forever?
The Gemara asks:
Perhaps the exemption applied only in the wilderness.
The answer comes from:
โืืืื ืื ืืืืืโ
The verse implies:
The Leviim remain in that status permanently.
Therefore the exemption applies to future generations as well.
One Levite Sheep Redeemed Many Donkeys
Rabbi Chanina states:
A single sheep of a Levite redeemed numerous firstborn donkeys of Israelites.
The Gemara proves this from the census:
The Torah counted surplus firstborn humans that required redemption, but never counted surplus animals.
This suggests:
One Levite animal could redeem many Israelite animals.
Did the Firstborn Become Holy in the Wilderness?
A major dispute follows.
Rabbi Yochanan
The firstborns were sanctified in the wilderness and remained sanctified.
Reish Lakish
The firstborns were sanctified, but that sanctity did not continue automatically.
The debate centers on several verses:
Rabbi Yochanan
Uses:
โืงืืฉ ืื ืื ืืืืจโ
The Torah explicitly sanctified them.
Reish Lakish
Uses:
โืืืื ืื ืืืืืโ
suggesting that full implementation would occur upon entering the Land.
A Challenge from the Service of the Firstborn
A Beraita states:
Before the Mishkan was erected:
The firstborns performed the sacrificial service.
Rabbi Yochanan argues that this proves continuing sanctity.
Reish Lakish answers:
Only those original firstborns who left Egypt served.
Not later generations.
Three Times the Firstborn Were Addressed
The Gemara quotes a teaching:
Israelโs firstborn are mentioned in three places:
- Egypt โ โืงืืฉ ืื ืื ืืืืจโ
- The wilderness โ โืื ืื ืื ืืืืจโ
- Entering the Land โ โืืืื ืื ืืืืืโ
Rabbi Yochanan views these as continued sanctification.
Reish Lakish interprets them as repeated warnings regarding the mitzvah.
Big Idea of the Daf
The central theme of Bechorot 4 is:
The Leviim replaced Israelโs firstborn in the wilderness, and that exchange permanently shaped the laws of Pidyon HaBen and Peter Chamor.
The daf then broadens into a historical question:
Did the holiness of the firstborn continue throughout the wilderness, or was it limited to those who left Egypt?
That dispute between Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish becomes one of the major discussions of the perek.