Overview
Chullin 134 concludes several major sugyot of Matanot Kehunah and then begins defining exactly what parts of the animal constitute the ืืจืืข, ืืืืื ืืงืืื. The daf contains four major topics:
- Whether an owner can reserve the priestly gifts when selling an animal.
- Whether Matanot Kehunah are considered property that can be โstolen.โ
- The obligations of a convert whose property spans pre- and post-conversion status.
- The precise anatomical definition of the priestly gifts.
- โExcept for the Giftsโ vs. โOn Conditionโ
The Mishnah taught:
If the seller says: โืืืฅ ืื ืืืชื ืืชโ (โexcept for the giftsโ), he retains the priestly gifts.
The Gemara compares this with a beraita that states:
โืขื ืื ืช ืฉืืืชื ืืช ืฉืืโ (โon condition that the gifts are mineโ).
One source implies the gifts remain the sellerโs; another implies they do not.
The Gemara distinguishes:
โืืืฅโ
A true exclusion.
The seller explicitly keeps ownership of the gifts.
โืขื ืื ืชโ
Depends on a Tannaitic dispute:
- One opinion views it as a genuine reservation (shiur).
- One opinion views it merely as a condition.
This becomes an important legal distinction throughout Shas.
- Are Matanot Kehunah โStealableโ?
The Mishnah discussed a buyer who purchased the innards and later discovered priestly gifts within them.
This leads to a dispute:
Rav
Matanot Kehunah are considered property.
ืืชื ืืช ืืืื ื ื ืืืืืช
Therefore they can be stolen.
Rav Asi
They are not considered ordinary private property.
ืืชื ืืช ืืืื ื ืืื ื ืืืืืช
Therefore the usual laws of theft do not apply.
The Gemara links this discussion to Rav Chisdaโs earlier principle concerning gifts that have not yet reached a particular Kohen.
- The Convert (Ger) and Matanot Kehunah
The Mishnah presents a case:
A convert owned a cow.
If slaughtered before conversion:
- Exempt from the gifts.
If slaughtered after conversion:
- Obligated.
If uncertain:
- Exempt.
Why?
ืืืืฆืื ืืืืืจื ืขืืื ืืจืืื
The burden of proof lies upon the claimant.
Since the Kohen seeks payment, he must prove obligation.
The Challenge from Leket
Reish Lakish challenged this from:
ืกืคืง ืืงื ืืงื
Doubtful leket belongs to the poor.
Why are the poor stricter while the Kohen is not?
Ravaโs Famous Distinction
Rava answers:
Gifts to the poor
The crop already stands under a presumption of obligation.
Matanot Kehunah from the ger
The cow stands under a presumption of exemption.
Therefore the doubtful case is judged differently.
Issur vs. Money
Abaye challenges from challah.
Rava responds with an important principle:
ืกืคืง ืืืกืืจื ืืืืืจื
ืกืคืง ืืืื ื ืืงืืื
Doubt regarding prohibitions is treated stringently.
Doubt regarding monetary claims remains with the current owner.
This becomes one of the major principles of the sugya.
- Eight Doubtful Cases Regarding a Convert
Rav Chisda and Rabbi Chiya enumerate eight doubtful cases involving a convert.
Four treated stringently:
- Wifeโs korban
- Challah
- Firstborn kosher animal
- Firstborn non-kosher animal
Four treated leniently:
- Reishit Hagez
- Matanot Kehunah
- Pidyon Haben
- Pidyon Peter Chamor
The difference is whether the issue is one of:
- prohibition, or
- monetary ownership.
- Why Leave Gifts for the Poor?
Levi planted in a place where no poor people were coming to collect leket.
Rav Sheshet ruled:
โืืขื ื ืืืืจ ืชืขืืื ืืืชืโ
Leave them for the poor, not for crows and bats.
The owner may not simply appropriate poor peopleโs gifts because no poor person is immediately present.
- The Story of Rabbi Ami
A bag of coins reached the Beit Midrash.
Rabbi Ami took possession of it.
The Gemara asks:
How could he do so if one should not seize gifts for oneself?
The answer:
- Either he acquired it on behalf of the poor,
- Or an exceptionally important person is treated differently.
The Gemara then cites:
ืืืืื ืืืืื ืืืืื
If necessary, fellow Kohanim must elevate the Kohen Gadol in wealth.
- Defining the Matanot
The Mishnah then turns to anatomy.
The Zeroโa
From the knee joint to the palm.
The Gemara derives:
The right foreleg.
Just as:
ืืืจื ืืืืืื ืช
the preferred thigh means the right thigh.
So too the foreleg means the right foreleg.
The Lechayayim
From the jawbone to the throat area.
Included:
- Wool on the sheepโs head.
- Hair in the goatโs beard.
The Keivah
The stomach.
Included:
- Fat on the stomach.
- Fat inside the stomach.
Rabbi Yehoshua notes that Kohanim commonly gave some of these fats back to the owners voluntarily.
- Symbolic Meaning of the Gifts
The Gemara cites the ืืืจืฉื ืืืืจืืช:
Zeroโa (Foreleg)
Corresponds to Pinchasโs arm:
โืืืงื ืจืืื ืืืืโ
Lechayayim (Cheeks)
Correspond to prayer:
โืืืขืืื ืคืื ืืก ืืืคืืโ
Keivah
Corresponds to the stomach area involved in the incident of Zimri and Kozbi.
These gifts commemorate Pinchasโs actions on behalf of Israel.
Big Idea of the Daf
Chullin 134 combines two major themes:
Ownership: Who legally owns priestly gifts before they are given?
and
Definition: What exactly are the gifts that the Torah requires?
The daf moves from abstract monetary principles to precise physical definitions of the mitzvah itself.