Laws of the firstborn donkey

Siman 178: Laws of the firstborn donkey

Presented here for study, not as a practical ruling. The Shulchan Aruch rules by Sephardi custom, the Rema's glosses by Ashkenazi custom, and the Kitzur follows Ashkenazi custom. For a practical question, ask your rabbi.

א יִשְֹרָאֵל שֶׁיֵשׁ לוֹ חֲמוֹרָה וְיָלְדָה בְכוֹר, מִצְוָה לִפְדוֹתוֹ. וּבַמֶּה פּוֹדֶה אוֹתוֹ. בְּשֶׂה מִן הַכְּבָשִׂים אוֹ מִן הָעִזִּים, בֵּין זָכָר בֵּין נְקֵבָה, בֵּין גָּדוֹל בֵּין קָטָן, בֵּין תָּם בֵּין בַּעַל מוּם, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא טְרֵפָה וְלֹא שָׁחוּט וְלֹא בֶּן פְּקוּעָה, וְיִתֵּן אֶת הַשֶּׂה לַכֹּהֵן. וּמֵאֵימָתַי חַיָב לִפְדוֹתוֹ. מִשֶׁיִוָּלֵד עַד שֶׁיָמוּת, אֶלָּא שֶׁמִּצְוָה לִפְדוֹתוֹ מִיָד, שֶׁלֹּא לְהַשְׁהוֹת אֶת הַמִּצְוָה. וּלְאַחַר שֶׁפָּדָה אוֹתוֹ, הֲרֵי הוּא בְּיַד הַיִשְֹרָאֵל חֻלִּין גְמוּרִים, וְגַם הַשֶּׂה הוּא בְיַד הַכֹּהֵן חֻלִּין גְמוּרִים.
1 If a Jew has a female-donkey that gives birth to a firstborn male, it is a mitzvah to redeem it. With what do you redeem it? With the young of sheep or goats whether male or female, whether large or small, whether perfect or blemished; provided it is not a treifa, it is not slaughtered, and is not a ben pekuah. This lamb must then be given to the kohein. From when are you obliged to redeem it? At anytime from the day it was born until it dies. However, it is a mitzvah to redeem it immediately, in order not to delay the performance of the mitzvah. After it has been redeemed it remains in the owner's possession, and is no longer considered sacred. Also the lamb in the possession of the kohein is not considered sacred.
ב מִיָּד כְּשֶׁהִפְרִישׁ אֶת הַטָּלֶה שֶׁיְהֵא תַּחַת פֶּטֶר הַחֲמוֹר, נַעֲשָׂה פֶּטֶר הַחֲמוֹר חֻלִין, אֲפִלּוּ קֹדֶם שֶׁנָּתַן אֶת הַטָּלֶה לַכֹּהֵן. לְפִיכָךְ מִיָד כְּשֶׁמַּפְרִישׁוֹ, מְבָרֵךְ אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל פִּדְיוֹן פֶּטֶר חֲמוֹר.
2 Immediately, upon setting aside the lamb to be exchanged for the firstborn donkey, the firstborn donkey is considered a secular item even before the lamb is given to the kohein. Therefore, as soon as the lamb is set aside, this berachah is recited: Asher kidishanu bemitzvosav vetzivanu al pidyon petter chamor "Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and has commanded us concerning redemption of the firstborn donkey."
ג קֹדֶם שֶׁנִּפְדֶּה, אָסוּר בַּהֲנָאָה, וַאֲפִלּוּ נְתָנוֹ לַכֹּהֵן. גַּם הַכֹּהֵן אָסוּר לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בּוֹ, עַד שֶׁיִפְדֶּה אוֹתוֹ וְיִקַּח אֶת הַשֶּׂה לְעַצְמוֹ. וְאִם מֵת קֹדֶם שֶׁנִפְדָּה, יִקָּבֵר.
3 Before it is redeemed, it is forbidden to have any benefit from it, even if it was already given to the kohein. Even the kohein is forbidden to use it until it is redeemed and has taken the lamb for himself. If it died before it was redeemed, it must be buried
ד אִם אֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לִפְדוֹתוֹ, מַכֵּהוּ בְּקופִיץ בְּעָרְפּוֹ עַד שֶׁיָמוּת וְיִקְבְּרֶנּוּ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָסוּר בַּהֲנָאָה. וּמִצְוַת פְּדִיָה, קוֹדֶמֶת לְמִצְוַת עֲרִיפָה.
4 If the owner chooses not to redeem it, he strikes it with a hatchet on the back of its head, until it dies, and then buries it, as it is forbidden for use. The mitzvah of redemption takes preference over the mitzvah of breaking its neck.
ה כֹּהֲנִים וּלְוִיִּם, פְּטוּרִים מִפֶּטֶר חֲמוֹר. וְכֵן בַּת כֹּהֵן וּבַת לֵוִי. אֲבָל בַּעֲלֵיהֶן, חַיָבִים בְּפֶטֶר חֲמוֹר שֶׁלָּהֶם. וְֹשֻתָּפוּת כֹּהֵן וְלֵוִי וְכֵן שֻׁתָּפוּת גּוֹי, גַּם כֵּן פוֹטֶרֶת. אֲבָל אָסוּר לְהִשְׁתַּתֵּף עִמָהֶם אוֹ לִמְכֹּר לָהֶם כְּדֵי לְהַפְקִיעַ קְדֹֻשָתוֹ, כֵּיוָן דְאֶפְֹשָר בִּפְדִיָה אוֹ בַעֲרִיפָה.
5 Kohanim and Levites are exempt from the mitzvah of redeeming the firstborn of their donkeys. The daughter of a kohein or Levi are also exempt, but their husbands are obligated to redeem the firstborn of their donkeys. Partnerships with a kohein or a Levite, and also partnership with a Gentile, are exempt from the mitzvah; but it is forbidden to form a partnership with them, or to sell it to them in order to nullify its sacredness, since this may be achieved through redemption or by breaking its neck.
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