Study Bekhorot folio 11A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
is written with regard to affordability, i.e., a case where one vows to give the valuation of an individual to the Temple but does not have sufficient funds to fulfill his vow. In such a case, he must pay at least a shekel. It does not apply to other matters.
Rav Naḥman says: The halakha is in accordance with the statement of the Rabbis that one may redeem a firstborn donkey with a lamb that is worth even less than a shekel. And how much must the lamb be worth? Rav Yosef says: Even a lean lamb [patruza] that is worth only a ma’a [danka] may be used. Rav
The Talmud asks: Isn’t it obvious that even a lean lamb worth one ma’a may be used? The baraita states that the lamb may be worth any amount. The Talmud answers: Lest you say that if the lamb is of such little value one may not redeem with it, Rav Yosef states that one may redeem with it. Alternativ
R' Yehuda Nesia had a firstborn donkey. He sent it before R' Tarfon, and said to him: How much do I need to give a priest for its redemption, i.e., how much must the lamb used for its redemption be worth? R' Tarfon said to him: Didn’t the rabbis say: One who has a generous disposition redeems his
Rava said: The halakha is that one must redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb that is worth at least a ragya. The Talmud asks: And how much is the value of a ragya? The Talmud answers: A ragya is worth 3 dinars, and is called a ragya because it is close to [ragil] here and close to there, i.e.,