Bekhorot 50a (נ.) — the Talmud in English

Rabbi Yoḥanan says: A Hadrianic dinar [A gold dinar minted in the coinage of Emperor Hadrian] or a dinar

a gold dinar minted with the image of the Emperor Hadrian] or a dinar

Trajanic [minted in the coinage of Emperor Trajan] that is

minted with the image of the Emperor Trajan] that is

worn [extremely old, and the name of the king has been worn away because of its age],

extremely old, so that the name of the king has been worn away because of its age], which is

which are sold

these dinars

for twenty-five zuz [a Tyrian silver dinar]—

Tyrian silver dinars]—

subtract from them

these gold dinars

a sixth [one-sixth],

a sixth],

and the rest,

what remains of that dinar after the deduction of one-sixth, is the amount

for the redemption of the firstborn.

And we challenge this:

These

remaining after the deduction of one-sixth,

twenty-one

zuz,

less a danka [less one-sixth],

less a sixth]

will it be!

For the entire gold dinar contains twenty-five zuz. One-sixth of twenty-five zuz is four zuz and one-sixth. It follows that after deducting one-sixth from it, twenty-one zuz less one-sixth remain. Yet for the redemption of the firstborn, five sela, which are twenty zuz, suffice, since a sela is four zuz.

And we answer:

Rather, subtract one-sixth

from the gold dinar

and

another

zuz, and the remainder

remaining is the amount for

the redemption of the firstborn.

And we challenge this again:

Still,

it is difficult, for after deducting the zuz, only

twenty

zuz

less a danka [less one-sixth]

less a sixth]

will it be!

But we require twenty zuz.

And we answer:

Rather, subtract

first

one zuz

from the gold dinar. Twenty-four zuz remain. Then subtract another one-sixth from the remaining twenty-four, which is four zuz. It follows that the remainder is exactly the amount for the redemption of the firstborn.

Now

there

are twenty weights [dinars]

dinars]

in the weight [by the weight]

by the weight]

of a dinar

Tyrian.

For they are twenty-eight and a half zuz and

another

half a danka!

That is, twenty Tyrian dinars are equal to twenty-eight and a half Arabian dinars, plus a pundeyon [half of one-sixth of a dinar].

Rava said: Sela

[sela, which are consecrated shekels]

according to Torah law—

three

dinars

and one-third is

each sela.

For

this

is written: “Twenty gera shall the shekel be.” And we translate: “Twenty ma'in.” And it is taught in a beraita: Six silver ma'a

are

a dinar!

It follows that the shekel is worth three and one-third dinars.

We challenge this:

One who consecrates his field while the Jubilee is in effect redeems every area requiring a ḥomer of barley seed from it for fifty silver shekels. This calculation applies when he consecrated it in the first year of the Jubilee, since it does not leave the possession of the Temple treasury until the next Jubilee. It follows that he consecrated it for forty-nine years. But if he consecrated it two or three years before the Jubilee, he gives one sela and one pundeyon for its redemption for each year remaining until it leaves at the Jubilee. It follows that the redemption value for forty-nine years is forty-nine sela and forty-nine pundeyon.

And it is taught concerning this in the Torat Kohanim:

But is not a consecrated sela forty-eight pundeyon [since a sela is four dinars, a dinar is six ma'a, and a ma'a is two pundeyon],

as a sela is four dinars, a dinar is six ma'a, and a ma'a is two pundeyon],

and the redemption for forty-nine years is fifty sela? According to the stated calculation of one sela and one pundeyon per year, the redemption for forty-nine years is forty-nine sela and forty-nine pundeyon, one pundeyon more than fifty sela.

What is the nature of this pundeyon?

It is

a surcharge [a premium]

an additional amount]

for fractional calculation!

So that the redemption for each year separately will have an addition of one forty-ninth of a pundeyon as a surcharge on the redemption value, so that it will not be calculated at exactly the reduced amount.

In any event, this is difficult, for it is taught that a sela is forty-eight pundeyon. Two pundeyon are a ma'a. Since two pundeyon are a ma'a and six ma'a are a dinar, it follows that a dinar is worth twelve pundeyon. A sela, which is forty-eight pundeyon, is therefore four dinars. How, then, did you say that a sela is three and one-third dinars?

And we answer: That which is taught, that a sela is forty-eight pundeyon, refers to

after they increased its value.

For they added one-sixth to the measure of the consecrated shekel [an external one-sixth, which is an internal one-fifth], and made it twenty-four ma'a, like the measure of a Tyrian sela.

And this is

as it is taught in a beraita: “Twenty gera shall the shekel be.”

We have learned that the shekel is twenty gera [ma'a]. And from where do we know that if one wishes to increase

ma'a]. And from where do we learn that if one wishes to add

to its measure,

its measure,

he may increase it? The verse states: “Shall be.”

This indicates that another measure of being may apply to it.

One might have thought

that one may also

reduce

its measure;

the verse states: “It is twenty gera.”

This implies specifically “twenty,” and not fewer.

Rav Ashi sent seventeen zuz to Rav Aḥa, son of Ravina,

who was a kohen,

for

the sake of

the redemption of the firstborn.

And

Rav Ashi sent him a message:

Rav Ashi:

Let my master send me

back

one-third [a third of a zuz]

a third]

of an extra zuz that is included in them

above the five sela! This follows Rava’s statement above that a Torah sela is worth three and one-third zuz. Thus five sela amount to sixteen zuz and two-thirds. Therefore, I gave you one-third of a zuz more than the required amount.

Rav Aḥa sent him a message,

to Rav Ashi: On the contrary, not only did you not give more than necessary, but you still have to add.

Let my master send me

another

three

zuz,

other ones! For

this

was added to them

to the Torah sela, one-sixth. Now the amount of five sela is twenty zuz.

Rabbi Ḥanina said: Every unspecified mention of “silver” in the Torah

is

a sela!

And an unspecified mention of “silver” in

the Prophets

is

a litra! [a maneh, and a maneh is twenty-five sela]. And an unspecified mention of “silver” in

a mina; and a mina is twenty-five sela]. And an unspecified mention of “silver” in

the Writings

is

a kintar!

And it is a coin worth one hundred sela.

Except for the silver of Ephron,

which he received from Abraham in exchange for the Cave of Machpelah,

for even though

it is

written in the Torah

using the expression “unspecified

silver”—

it was kintar

in value.

For

this

is written: “Four hundred shekels of silver, current with the merchant.”

This implies that wherever there are merchants, they accept it as shekels. This applies specifically to kintar,

for there is a place where they call a kintar a tikla.

But sela and litra are not called shekels there.

Rabbi Oshaya said: The Sages sought

to

hide all the silver and gold in the world

and prohibit deriving benefit from it,

because of the silver and gold of

the treasury chamber in

Jerusalem!

It was consecrated property and forbidden to non-priests. When gentiles took it, they mixed it with their own gold. It follows that all the silver and gold in the world was possibly consecrated property and forbidden for benefit.

Until they found a verse in the Torah

permitting it,

as it is stated: “And violent men shall enter it and profane it”!

And we interpret: Once violent men came and took it, the money left the status of non-sacred property.

And we challenge this: Why did they seek to prohibit all the silver and gold in the world? Even if we say that the treasury silver retained its sanctity,

would

the silver of

Jerusalem be the majority

of the silver

in the world?

It is surely only a minority. Follow the majority concerning all the silver in the world and say that it did not come from Jerusalem.

Rather, Abaye said: They sought to hide Hadrianic dinars [those of Hadrian] and Trajanic

of Hadrian] and dinars

dinarim [those of Trajan] that were

of Trajan] that are

worn [worn away because of their age],

worn away because of their age],

because of the coinage of Jerusalem!

For all these were from the coinage of Jerusalem, and most of them came from Jerusalem.

Until they found a verse in the Torah, as it is stated: “And violent men shall enter it and profane it.”