intended to increase the knowledge, interest, and anticipation of the reader, thereby hastening the realization of our hopes and prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash.

Reishit HaGeiz - The First of the Shearing
In the last few weeks, I have received a number of emails requesting information about some of the "Matanot" - "gifts" that a Yisrael was required to give to a Kohein. I decided to start with Reishit HaGeiz since I mentioned it last week, and there were enquiries about this particular Mitzva. The Rambam itemizes twenty-four such Matanot in the first Perek of Hilchot Bikurim; ten of them were eaten by male Kohanim on Mikdash grounds.

Four Matanot were put aside for the use of the Kohanim and the members of their households within the walled city of Jerusalem. The other Matanot were reserved for their use anywhere in Eretz Yisrael. The Rambam comments, "The Kohein was privileged to be given Terumot by the Holy One Blessed be He for his bread and wine, Matanot of animals and predesignated portions of the Korbanot for his meat and Reishit HaGeiz (to provide wool) for his clothing…" (Hilchot Bikurim 10:5). The sheep-shearing season in Eretz Yisrael is in the spring. The country is green, the winter rains have already stopped and the nights are no longer cold.

The source of the Mitzva of Reishit HaGeiz is Devarim 18:4, "…the first of the shearing of your flock you shall give to him (the Kohein)." The Mishna explains, "The law of Reishit HaGeiz is applicable both within the Land (of Israel) and outside of the Land, when the Beit HaMikdash is standing and when the Beit HaMikdash is no longer standing, for unconsecrated animals, but not for animals consecrated (as Korbanot or to the Mikdash)" (Chulin 11:1). Here we have one of those fascinating and highly unusual cases when a Baraita (a tradition of the Tana'im not included in our Mishna) is accepted as the normative halacha and what is recorded in our Mishna is not! The Baraita reads, "R. Ila'i says, 'The laws pertaining to Terumah are applicable only in the Land (of Israel). Similarly, R. Ila'i used to say, 'The halacha of Reishit HaGeiz applies only in the Land.'" What is R. Ila'i's reason? He draws a verbal analogy between the expression "Netina” (giving) quoted in the relevant p’sukim in both cases, Terumah and Reishit HaGeiz. By using this verbal analogy, he postulates, "Just as Terumah is obligatory only in the Land, so Reishit HaGeiz is obligatory only in the Land" (Hullin 136a - see bottom of 135a for an examination of the textual basis of R. Ila'i's thinking). The Gemara concludes, "R. Nachman b. Yitzchak said, 'Nowadays, the world has accepted the views of the following three elders, R. Ila'i with regard to Reishit HaGeiz…" And, in fact, in contradistinction to our Mishna but according to the Baraita, the Rambam rules, "Reishit HaGeiz is observed only in the Land." The Rambam further notes, "There is no “shi'ur” (specified amount) ordained in the Torah for Reishit HaGeiz."

Quoting the Amora'im Rav and Shmuel, he continues, "The proper measure for Reishit HaGeiz is one sixtieth part (of the cut wool)." "'Reishit HaGeiz applies only to the wool of sheep.' From where do we derive this? We can infer it by means of a verbal analogy; the use of word Giza (fleece or wool) in two separate cases. It is written here, 'Reishit HaGeiz - the first of the fleece (without noting the fleece of which animal) - and elsewhere it is written, ‘And if he were not warmed by the fleece of my sheep’ (Iyov - Job 31:20)'." Since the pasuk in Iyov distinctly mentions the fleece of sheep, we may infer that the pasuk referring to Reishit HaGeiz, also refers to the wool of sheep, even though it does not specifically say so (Chullin 137a). The halacha of Reishit HaGeiz applies to both male and female sheep and it applies only when there were "many" sheep. Question. What is the minimum number of sheep necessary to be considered "many" and therefore subject to Reishit HaGeiz? "The Sages say, 'Five sheep whatever their wool weighs. And how much wool (the minimum amount) should they give to the Kohein? The weight of five Sela'im in Yehuda which is equivalent to ten Sela'im in the Galil (A "Judean" Sela is roughly 19 grams). It should be bleached wool, not dirty wool. It should be enough to make a small garment as it is written, 'You shall give to him. - There should be enough (wool) to count as a worthy gift…" (Chullin 11:2).

If the farmer had a large quantity of wool, he could give Reishit HaGeiz to many Kohanim as long as each Kohein received at least the minimum amount. Rough wool, which was "hard" and unsuitable to be made into clothing, was exempt from the Mitzva because, as the Rambam notes, "This Matana was given to the Kohein for the express purpose of making clothing." Beit Hillel derived the number of five sheep from I Shmuel 25:18 where the pasuk refers to "five sheep ready dressed". R. Ashi pictures the sheep rousing their owner, "Get up and perform the Mitzva!" Which Mitzva were the sheep referring to? Reishit HaGeiz! R. Akiva concurs that five sheep is indeed the minimum number subject to the halacha of Reishit HaGeiz, but he derives the number from the pasuk in the Torah actually ordaining the Mitzvah itself, "...the first of the shearing of your flock you shall give to him." i.e. 'first of the shearing', two sheep, 'your flock', another two, 'you shall give to him', one more sheep - five sheep all told." If the farmer set aside wool for Reishit HaGeiz, and it was lost or destroyed before the Kohein took delivery, the farmer was held responsible and he had to set aside more wool to fulfill the mitzva.

The Maharam ("Ta'amei Masoret Hamikra" by R. Mier b. R. Boruch MeRottenburg) emphasizes the importance of presenting the Kohein with top quality clean wool. He interprets Tehilim 72:6 in a manner different from most authorities. While the Targum, Rashi, and Metzudat David translate "Geiz" as cut grass or plants, ("May he (the righteous king) descend like rain on the cut grass…") the Maharam derives an entirely different lesson from the pasuk. Unlike the other parshanim (commentaries), he perceives the word Geiz in this pasuk as not necessarily meaning cut vegetation: it also pertains to Reishit HaGeiz! Quoting the Sifri, he comments, "The wool must be washed very well before it is presented to the Kohein, just like rain falling upon fleece causes it to be white and sparkle like the rain."

Reishit HaGeiz is one of the Matanot given to the Kohein which is applicable and observed in Eretz Yisrael even today. True, nowadays, not many Jews own sheep; nevertheless, sometimes we hear about unique celebrations in some Moshav or another. We city slickers can only smile in appreciation when we read in the paper how a Yisrael ceremoniously sheared his sheep and, with the unique joy a Jew experiences when he fulfills an unusual Mitzva, presented Reishit HaGeiz to a Kohein. And we are slightly taken aback when we hear about the strange (to us) Beracha recited at the Simcha: "...Asher Kid’shanu B’mitzvotav V’tzivanu Lateit Reishit HaGeiz LaKohein." - ...Who has commanded us to give Reishit HaGeiz to the Kohein. But the second Beracha recited does ring a bell - Shehechiyanu V’kiy’manu V’higiyanu Laz’man Hazeh.

Catriel Sugarman gives illustrated lectures on the Beit Hamikdash and related topics. He can be reached at (02) 652-7531 or by email at acatriel@netvision.net.il. Catriel is in the process of writing a book entitled: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrim's Perspective: A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service.

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