One who buys the fetus of a donkey belonging to a non-Jew, or sells [one] to him, even though it is not permissible, or he enters into a partnership with him, or he receives [a donkey] from him to hold, or gives [one] to him to hold, is exempt from the bechor laws, as it is stated (Numbers 3:13): in Israel —- but not in others.  [The donkeys of] Kohanim and Leviim are exempt because of a kal vachomer: If they exempted the Yisraelim in the Desert, it is only proper that they should exempt their own.

[If] one who converted owned a cow: [If] it was slaughtered before he converted, he is exempt; [if it was slaughtered] after he converted, he is obligated; [if] it is uncertain, he is exempt, because the burden of proof is on the one who seeks to exact payment from the other. Which is the foreleg? From the carpus to the shoulder blade, and that is the one of the nazir, and corresponding to that in the hind leg is the thigh. R’ Yehudah says: The thigh [is] from the heel joint to the knee joint. Which is [the] jaw? From the joint of the jaw until the opening of the trachea.

The [mitzvah of giving the] first of the fleece applies [both] in the Land and outside the Land, when the Temple exists and when the Temple does not exist, to unconsecrated animals but not to consecrated ones. The stringency of the [law of the] foreleg, the jaws, and the maw over the [law of the] first of the fleece is that the [law of the] foreleg, the jaws, and maw applies to cattle and to flocks, to many and to few, whereas the [law of the] first of the fleece applies only to sheep, and it applies only to many.

How many are [considered] many? Beis Shammai say: Two sheep, as it is stated (Isaiah 7:21): A man will sustain a calf and two sheep. Beis Hillel say: Five, as it is stated (I Sam. 25:18): Five prepared sheep. R’ Dosa ben Horkinas says: Five sheep, each of which is shorn of a maneh and a half, are subject to the [law of the] first of the fleece, but the Sages say: Five sheep that are shorn of any amount. How much must we give him? The weight of five selaim in Judea, which are the equivalent of ten selaim in Galilee, bleached but not dirty — enough to make a small garment out of it — as it is stated (Deuteronomy 18:4): You shall give to him — that there should be enough in it for a gift. [If] he did not manage to give it to him until he dyed it, he is exempt; [if] he bleached it but did not dye it, he is obligated. [If] one buys the fleece of a gentile’s sheep, he is exempt from the first of the fleece. [If] one buys the fleece of another’s sheep — if the seller left some over, the seller is obligated; [if] he did not leave [anything] over, the buyer is obligated. [If] he had two kinds, dark ones and white ones, and he sold him the dark ones but not the white ones, the males but not the females, this one must give for himself and that one must give for himself.

[The mitzvah of] sending away [from] the nest applies [both] in the Land and outside the Land, when the Temple exists and when the Temple does not exist, to unconsecrated birds but not to consecrated ones. The stringency of [the mitzvah of] covering the blood over [the mitzvah of] sending away [from] the nest is that [the mitzvah of] covering the blood applies to both beasts and fowl, whether at one’s disposal or not at one’s disposal, whereas [the mitzvah of] sending away [from] the nest applies only to fowl, and it applies only to those not at one’s disposal. Which are those not at one’s disposal? Examples are geese or chickens that nested in the orchard; but if they nested in the house, and similarly, Herodian doves, he is exempt from sending away.

One is exempt from sending away a non-kosher bird. [If] a nonkosher bird sits on the eggs of a kosher bird, or [if] a kosher [bird] sits on the eggs of a nonkosher bird, one is exempt from sending [it] away. A male partridge — R’ Eliezer rules that one is obligated [to send it away], but the Sages exempt.

[If] she was flying — as long as her wings touch the nest, he is obligated to send [her] away; [if] her wings do not touch the nest, he is exempt from sending [her] away. [If] there is only one chick or one egg, he is obligated to send away [the mother bird], as it is stated: A nest — a nest in any case. [If] there were fledglings or infertile eggs, he is exempt from sending away [the mother bird], as it is stated: And the mother bird is sitting on the chicks or on the eggs — just as the chicks are viable, so must the eggs be viable, which excludes infertile ones; and just as the eggs need their mother, so do the chickes need their mother, which excludes fledglings. [If] he sent her away and she returned, he sent her away and she returned, even four of five times, he is [still] obligated [to send her away], as it is stated: You shall surely send away. [If] one says, ‘‘I will take the mother bird and send away the young,’’ he is obligated to send away [the mother bird], as it is stated: You shall surely send away the mother bird. [If] he took the young and returned them to the nest, and afterwards the mother bird returned upon them, he is exempt from sending [her] away.

[If] one takes a mother bird while on her young — R’ Yehudah says: He incurs the penalty of lashes, and he need not send [her] away. But the Sages say: He must send [her] away, and he does not incur the penalty of lashes. This is the rule: Any negative commandment that has in it a positive commandment, one does not incur the penalty of lashes for its violation.

A person may not take the mother bird while on the young even to purify a metzora. Now, if concerning an easy commandment that involves a loss of about an issar, the Torah states: In order that it be good for you and you may live long, how much more does this apply to the difficult commandments in the Torah!