Questions tagged [bechor-firstborn]
The bechor-firstborn tag has no usage guidance, but it has a tag wiki.
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Is the Pidyon haben a debt with the Beit Hamikdash?
Is the Pidyon haben done to exempt the firstborn from his original duties to the Beit Hamikdash?
I heard that, since Hashem saved the Jewish firstborns from the Makat Bechorot, when they also should ...
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firstborn status after the arrival of the moshiach
The Ohr Hachaim (Bamidbar 3,45) says a chiddush that seems to not have any obvious source, that לעתיד לבא (after the arrival of mashiach) the Avoda in the Beis Hamikdash will return to the firstborn! (...
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Which peshat Torah or Tanach passage supports the reaction of Joseph when Israel places a right hand of blessing over the head of the younger son?
Which peshat Torah or Tanach passage supports the negative reaction of Joseph when his father Israel (in Genesis 48:14) places a right hand of blessing over the head of the younger son of Joseph?
This ...
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When a Yavam marries his brother's wife, does he get his brother's double portion if he was a Bechor?
Yaakov has two sons, Reuven and Shimon. When Reuven dies and Shimon takes his wife in Yibum, he inherits Reuven, so Shimon gets a double portion from Yaakov's estate, his and Reuven's. What happens if ...
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Why did the last plague target only the firstborn?
There must be a reason that the firstborn were targeted in the last of the 10 plagues before the Israelites escaped from Egypt. Were the other Egyptians more righteous? Why did the 10th plague target ...
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Why was Eisav born before Yaakov?
If the plan was to have Yaakov get the bchor for just some soup, why didn’t Yaakov get the bchor in the 1st place?
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Why did both Nadav and Avihu go up?
This question asks why didn't Elazar and Itamar go up Har Sinai like Nadav and Avihu. I'm wondering why both Nadav and Avihu went up.
There's a disagreement who were the kohanim that went up the ...
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Unusually high ratio of Levites to Firstborn-Levites
Near the beginning of the Book of Numbers (from roughly 3:39 to 3:51), G-d commands that all the firstborn Israelite males need to be redeemed via a 1:1 'trade' with a Levite. There were 22,000 ...
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When discussing the avoida of the 'bchoros', first-born, is the correct term 'bchoros' or 'bchorim'?
I think I've seen it written as 'bchoros' but since they are male shouldn't it be 'bchorim'?
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When did korbanot become a Jewish thing?
Cain and Abel and Noah did traditional offerings. Abraham did some odd ritual involving cutting animals in half and walking through them, Yaakov poured some oil on a rock. But does do a real sacrifice ...
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Who are the Kohanim mentioned in the preparation for the giving of the Torah?
In parashat Yitro, before the giving of the Torah, God summons Moshe up the mountain to tell him to go down again and warn the people to stay away from the mountain. He mentions that even the "...
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How to sell a Pregnant Kosher Bechor Animal to a Non Jew to avoid a Bechor
what is the correct way for it to be sold? do you need a shtar, (assuming the animal cannot be picked up). or is kinyan kessef enough? like if the non Jew pays you $2.00 cash are you fully covered?
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What physical/health factors disqualify an otherwise qualified bechor from pidyon haben?
If a first-born son meets the qualifications for pidyon ha'ben (first born of his mother, born naturally, parents are both Yisroel), what physical health issues would "disqualify" the bechor ...
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Bechor for special occasions
The Mishnah in Sheviis 7:4 seems to imply that it was fairly standard for people to buy a bechor (baal mum, obviously) from a Kohen to serve at special occasions, like Yom Tov or a wedding.
Is that ...
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Success of the Younger Brother
While the Torah appears to exemplify the status of a Bechor (first born) - there appears to be a pattern throughout the Tanach of the younger brother carrying on the legacy and success of their ...
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Is there any (relatively) simple way to calculate when/how often the Daf Yomi cycle will finish a tractate on Erev Pesach?
Shulchan Aruch O.C. 470:1 codifies that firstborns fast on Erev Pesach. In my experience, the widespread practice is for firstborns to attend a siyum of the completion of a tractate of Talmud, usually ...
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What's the significance of putting a firstborn animal's hair in the window?
Bechorot 3:4 (≈Eduyot 5:6) discusses the case in which the hair of a wounded firstborn animal fell off, then a person put the hair in the window, and then slaughtered the firstborn (or in another ...
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Why Ishmael never claimed the right of firstborn?
Note: the question should have read "did he ever claim" but I assumed he didn't as I didn't hear of it. (I'm aware of the Midrash that says that his descendants claimed before Alexander the Great the ...
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Levi's role before Golden Calf
On the one hand it appears the tribe of Levi was granted their role as those who serve in the Mishkan/Beis Hamikdash from Bamibdar (3:12)
וַאֲנִ֞י הִנֵּ֧ה לָקַ֣חְתִּי אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֗ם מִתּוֹךְ֙ ...
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Why Abel didn't ask Cain to bring his sacrifice?
The Torah declares that before Matan Torah, the firstborns were responsible for bringing sacrifices and Cohanim replaced them after the Golden Calf incident (Num 3,40):
:וְלָקַחְתָּ אֶת־הַלְוִיִּם ...
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Why is the word "Makkat" added to 10th plague of Bechorot?
Why does the Haggadah refer only to the 10th plague with "Makkat" and not by the other 9 plagues?
:אֵלּוּ עֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת שֶׁהֵבִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל־הַמִּצְרִים בְּמִצְרַיִם, וְאֵלוּ הֵן
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Why would one who redeems someone else's firstborn donkey be able to keep it, if he's effectively forcing the owner into a sale?
Bechoros 11a rules that one may redeem someone else's firstborn donkey on their behalf. The Gemara asks: If someone were to do this, who gets to keep the donkey?
Now, there's a dispute between R' ...
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The fast or the rejoicing of the first born erev pesach?
I seem to recall seeing somewhere that the fast of bechoros should indeed be a day of Taanug and not fasting. Since the true girsa in Masheches Sofrim should read מתענגין instead of מתענין. Does ...
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Petting an unredeemed firstborn donkey ("Peter Chamor")
The Talmud (Bekhoroth 9b) cites the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda that it is forbidden to derive benefit from a firstborn donkey before it is redeemed. This view is codified by the Rambam (Bikkurim 12:4) ...
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Can one lechatchila choose to behead a firstborn donkey?
A firstborn donkey must be redeemed by giving a lamb or goat kid to a kohen. If the owner of the donkey doesn't redeem it, the donkey must be decapitated with an ax and buried.
Rashi says that this ...
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Bas Cohen having relations with a non-Jew Clarification
I have seen the original question. BUT this part of the question has remained unanswered:
"if a Bas Kohain had a child with a non-Jew, later divorced him (or he passed away) then marries a Kohan and ...
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Firstborn is sick on erev Pesach
What is the halacha regarding the fast if a firstborn is sick on erev Pesach and can't attend a siyum?
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Did Ishmael receive "שְׁנַיִם, בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר-יִמָּצֵא, לוֹ" like a firstborn does?
Did Ishmael ben Avraham receive a double-portion in accordance to the rights of the firstborn? Or did he forfeit them because he was estranged from the family?
I know that the law of the double ...
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Is there a mitzvah to honor the bechor?
I have heard that the mitzvah to honor ones parents includes a commandment to honor one's oldest brother. Is this really the case?
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Is the mitzvah to honor the bechor d'oraisa or d'raban?
I see in the answer to this question that the mitzvah to honor one's mother and father includes an obligation to honor one's oldest brother. This idea is originally referenced in Ketubot 103a. Is this ...
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Is Redeeming the Firstborn Son Optional?
Are there any early Judaic sources that discuss whether all firstborn sons HAVE to be redeemed, or can any firstborn son be dedicated as a priest - and NOT redeemed? Note: Like, the Tannaim, the ...
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Why did Yacov suddenly ask for the first-born rights?
I was amazed when suddenly Yacov Avinu asked his brother for the right of being first born son when Eisav asked for food to eat. Why did he choose that moment?
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Why did Yaakov buy the Bechora from Esav?
This question came up recently, and the immediate answer that I got from people around me is that Yaakov was securing the brachos which are due to the bechor.
However, the problem with this answer is ...
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Were firstborn children born to a mother who miscarried killed during Makat Bechorot? [duplicate]
The last of the ten plagues was Makat Bechorot, where all firstborn Egyptians were killed overnight.
We know from Pidyon Haben that a firstborn son, born after a mother had miscarried (after more ...
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Do women need to do the first-born fast for a minor son?
Rema in Shulchan Aruch, 470:2 says that a father should fast for his first born (or attend a siyum) on Erev Pesach, if the son is too young to fast, himself. He also states, that if the father, ...
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What is "birthright" really?
I am having a hard time in understanding these biblical verses:
And the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel—for he was the first-born; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's couch, his ...
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If a woman had an aborted pregnancy, is the next son born considered, halachically, a bechor? [duplicate]
Does the halachic definition of "bechor" specifically apply to a full birth or a fetus?
Thus, if a woman aborted her first pregnancy, and the 2nd pregnancy produces a male birth, is that boy ...
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Bechor that also the only son
Does a bechor needs to have younger siblings? Is he still be a bechor if he happen to be the only son in the family?
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Why was Zerach called the Bechor? [duplicate]
In Bereshis 38:28 Zerach puts his hand outside the womb first and the midwife ties a string on it saying "this one came out first". However in Bechoros 8:1 (46a, et passim) it indicates that only ...
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Does a b'chor need to fast if he didn't partake in food from the siyum?
If a b'chor attended (or made) a siyum on taanis bechoros but did not partake of any food does he need to fast?
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"bechor hashifcha" and "bechor hashvi" -- why the change? (Shemos 11:5, 12:29)
During leining today, I noticed that the Torah changes its wording, when describing the breadth of Makkas Bechoros -- when Pharaoh is warned, in Shemot 11:5, we have:
וּמֵת כָּל בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ ...
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What is considered to be "firstborn"?
This is probably a bit pedantic and beside-the-point, but here goes: in Exodus 12 (I am reading the Jewish Publication Society translation), we have:
12 For I will go through the land of Egypt in ...
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Was Zerach really the first born?
וַיְהִי בְלִדְתָּהּ וַיִּתֶּן יָד וַתִּקַּח הַמְיַלֶּדֶת וַתִּקְשֹׁר עַל יָדוֹ שָׁנִי לֵאמֹר זֶה יָצָא רִאשֹׁנָה
And it came about when she gave birth, that he (the infant) stretched out his hand. ...
user6641
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Would an abortion invalidate the first living son as a Bechor?
If someone had an abortion prior to giving birth to her first living child, a son, is that son not a Bechor which would require a redemption? My assumption is that he's not since the Bechor is ...
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What would have happened if Esav hadn't sold the bechora?
If Esav hadn't sold the bechora to Yaakov what, if anything, would have been different?
In other words, what consequence was there to the sale? What did it change, how did it make anything different?
user6641
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Can a father dissown his oldest son and make his younger son the bachor?
It is well known Esav sold his 'birthright' to Yaakov. Can a father decide arbitrarily which son he wants to favor as his bachor? If so -under what conditions?
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Why does a siyum exempt one from taanit bechorot?
The custom in many communities I have been to is for there to be a siyum on a mesechta on the day of taanit bechorot. All first borns who would otherwise have to fast attend the siyum and are thus ...
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Who got the matnas kahunah before the Egel?
In the beginning the Avodah (service) of Karbonos was with the bechor (first-born -- see the mishnah in the last perek of Zevachim. The avodah was done by the bechorim until the Mishkan was built) ...
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Will firstborn sons or Kohanim serve in the Third Temple?
In Ezekiel 48, where he prophesied about a future temple, he talks about Kohanim and Levites serving. "Kohanim of the sons of Zadok..." or "Now for the Levites, opposite the border of the Kohanim..." ...
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If someone already has children and then has a child with someone who has never had children before, is that child a firstborn?
If someone had their first kid with a person who had children from a previous marriage, is that child a firstborn?
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