Chullin 135

Sugya Map

• Issue: The scope and constraints of Reshit HaGez (first-shearing gift).
• Nafka Mina: Does the obligation persist in the absence of the Temple? Does "your flock" exclude partners (Jewish or Gentile) or consecrated property?
• Primary Sources: Deuteronomy 18:4, Chullin 135a, Rambam, Hilkhot Bikkurim 10:1.

Text Snapshot

Chullin 135a: "The mitzva of the first sheared wool... applies both in Eretz Yisrael and outside of Eretz Yisrael... with regard to non-sacred animals. But it does not apply to sacrificial animals."

• Leshon Nuance: The Mishna contrasts Reshit HaGez with the foreleg/jaw/maw. The latter apply to both cattle and sheep, whereas Reshit HaGez is restricted to sheep (tzon) and "numerous" sheep—a quantitative threshold established by the Gemara.

Readings

• Meiri: Argues that because the Levites received no territorial inheritance, God allocated them portions from the "Table of the High One" (tithes/gifts) and Reshit HaGez specifically for their clothing needs.
• Dor Revi'i: Probes the Rambam’s inclusion of Hekdesh (consecrated property) status. He suggests that the exclusion of Hekdesh is not just about the owner’s legal title ("your flock"), but an inherent incompatibility between the sanctity of Temple property and the mundane nature of a priestly gift.

Friction

• Kushya: If Reshit HaGez is a monetary obligation (mamon) rather than one of inherent sanctity (kedushat ha-guf), why does the status of the animal (consecrated vs. non-sacred) nullify the obligation entirely?
• Terutz: The Gemara (Chullin 135b) shifts from a title-based exclusion to a structural one: the requirement of "shearing and giving" allows for no intermediate legal steps (like redemption). If the wool is trapped in a status of Hekdesh, the chain of command is broken.

Intertext

• Deuteronomy 15:19: The prohibition against shearing a Bechor (firstborn) provides the baseline for why consecrated animals are exempt.
• Ezekiel 20:40: Used as a counter-proof for partnership obligations in Terumot, demonstrating the elasticity of the singular/plural pronoun arguments in the Gemara.

Psak/Practice

The obligation of Reshit HaGez remains relevant today, even in Chutz La'aretz, though it is rarely practiced due to the difficulty of identifying a Kohen with absolute certainty and the complexities of current agricultural partnership structures.

Takeaway

Reshit HaGez teaches that our wealth—even the fleece of our own sheep—is never purely private. It is a reminder that the boundary between what is "mine" and what is "His" is defined by the moment of harvest, requiring an immediate transition from production to holiness.