The blood of those who walk on two [feet] is equal to the blood of animals with respect to preparing seeds [to receive tumah]. And the blood of a sheretz, one is not liable on its account.

A koy —- it has ways in which it is equal to a wild animal, and it has ways in which it is equal to a domestic animal, and it has ways in which it is equal to both a domestic animal and to a wild animal, and it has ways in which it is equal neither to a domestic animal nor to a wild animal.

How is [the koy] equal to a wild animal? Its blood needs covering like the blood of a wild animal; one may not slaughter it on a festival; if one slaughtered it [on a festival], he may not cover its blood; its cheilev-fat contaminates with the tumah of neveilah like a wild animal; its tumah is uncertain; and we may not redeem with it a firstborn donkey.

How is [the koy] equal to a domestic animal? Its cheilev-fat is forbidden like the cheilev-fat of a domestic animal, but one is not liable to kares on its account; it may not be bought with maaser money for eating in Jerusalem; and it is liable to [the law of] the foreleg, the cheeks, and the maw. R' Eliezer exempts, since someone who wants to take from his fellow, the burden of proof is upon him.

In what way is [the koy] equal neither to a wild animal nor to a domestic animal? It is forbidden because of kilayim with a wild animal and with a domestic animal.  One who writes his wild animal and his domestic animal to his son has not written him the koy.  If one said: “I am a nazir [on the condition] that this is a wild animal” or “a domestic animal,” he is a nazir.  And all the rest of its ways are equal to wild animals and domestic animals; it requires shechitah-slaughtering like this and like that; and it contaminates as neveilah and as a limb from a living creature, like this and like that.

How do we set aside bikkurim? A person goes down into his field and sees a fig that has emerged, a cluster [of grapes] that has emerged [or] a pomegranate that has emerged, he ties it with a reed, and he says: “These are bikkurim.”  R' Shimon says: Nevertheless, he must again declare them bikkurim after they are picked from the ground.

How do we bring the bikkurim up [to the Beis HaMikdash]? All the [people of the] cities in the maamad gather in the city of the maamad.  They stay overnight in the town square and they would not enter the houses.  And in the morning, the appointee would say, “Let us rise and ascend to Zion, to [the House of] Hashem our God” (Jeremiah 31:5).

The near ones bring [fresh] figs and grapes, while the far ones bring dried figs and raisins.  And the ox walks ahead of them, and his horns are overlaid with gold, and a wreath of olive [branches] is on his head.  The flute plays before them, until they reach close to Jerusalem.  When they reached close to Jerusalem, they sent [messengers] ahead of them, and they adorned their bikkurim.  The princes, the leaders, and the treasurers go out to greet them. according to the honor of those entering they would go out [to greet them].  And all the craftsmen of Jerusalem stand up before them and inquire into their welfare: “Our brethren, the people of such and such a place, have you arrived in peace?”

The flute plays ahead of them until they reach the Temple Mount. When they reach the Temple Mount, even King Agrippas takes the basket on his shoulder and enters, until he reaches the [Temple] Courtyard. When he reaches the Courtyard, the Leviim break out in song: “I will exalt You, O Hashem, for You have uplifted me and You have not let my enemies rejoice over me” (Psalms 30:2).

The young birds which were on the baskets were olah-offerings, and that which was in their hands, they gave to the Kohanim.

While the basket is still on his shoulder, he reads from “I have declared today to Hashem your God” until he finishes the whole section. R' Yehudah says: [He reads only] until (Deuteronomy 26:5): “An Aramean planned to destroy my father.”  When he reaches “an Aramean planned to destroy my father,” he lowers the basket from his shoulder and holds it from its rim, and a Kohen places his hand under it and waves it.  And he reads from “an Aramean [planned to] destroy my father” until he finishes the whole section.  And he places it on the side of the Altar, and he bows and leaves.

Originally, whoever knew how to read would read [himself], and whoever did not know how to read, they would dictate to him. They [who could not read] refrained from bringing [bikkurim].  They [the Sages] enacted that they should dictate to one who knows how to read and to one who does not know how to read.

The wealthy bring their bikkurim in baskets of silver and gold, and the poor bring them in baskets of peeled willow branches, and the baskets and the bikkurim are given to the Kohanim.

R' Shimon ben Nannas says: We may adorn the bikkurim [with fruit] other than of the Seven Species.  R' Akiva says: We may not adorn the bikkurim other than [with fruit] of the Seven Species.

R' Shimon says: There are three levels of bikkurim —- the [primary] bikkurim, the supplement to the bikkurim, and the “crown” of the bikkurim.  The supplement to the bikkurim are [fruit] of the same kind, while the “crown” of the bikkurim are [fruit] of a different kind.  The supplement to the bikkurim is eaten in taharah and is exempt from demai; the “crown” of the bikkurim is liable to demai.

When did they say [that] the supplement to the bikkurim is like the primary bikku-rim? When it comes from the Land; but if it does not come from the Land, it is not like the primary bikkurim.

In regard to what did they say that the bikkurim are the property of the Kohen? In that he acquires with them slaves, land, and nonkosher animals. And a creditor takes them for his debt, and the woman for her mar- riage contract, like a Torah scroll. And R' Yehudah says: We may not give them other than to a chaver “betovah.” But the Sages say: We give them to the men of the watch, and they divide [the bikkurim] among themselves, like the holy things of the Beis HaMikdash.