Mishnayos Chullin Perek 4 Mishnah 2

חולין פרק ד׳ משנה ב׳

Upon its birth, the firstborn male offspring of a domesticated animal is automatically consecrated with firstborn status, and it is prohibited to derive benefit from it. Furthermore, if it dies, it may not be discarded, but must be buried. If an animal that was giving birth to a firstborn male was encountering difficulty giving birth, and in order to alleviate the difficulty one wishes to terminate the birth, he may cut up the fetus limb by limb and cast it to the dogs. Since the fetus was not born, it is non-sacred and does not require burial. If a majority of the fetus had already emerged, it is considered to have been born and is therefore consecrated; consequently, if one cut it up it must be buried, and the mother animal is exempted from having firstborn status conferred on any future offspring.

הַמְבַכֶּרֶת הַמַּקְשָׁה לֵילֵד, מְחַתֵּךְ אֵבָר אֵבָר וּמַשְׁלִיךְ לַכְּלָבִים. יָצָא רֻבּוֹ, הֲרֵי זֶה יִקָּבֵר, וְנִפְטְרָה מִן הַבְּכוֹרָה:

ב׳

ברטנורא

מהבכרת המקשה לילד – with the first of her womb. It is permitted to cut it up limb by limb when it comes outfirst.

ומשליך לכלבים – for as long as its majority had not left [the womb], it is not holy.

יצא רובו – as one [complete animal], and [then] he cut it.

הרי זה יקבר – for with the exit of most, the sanctity takes effect upon it and we call it (Deuteronomy 15:19): “[You shall consecrate to the LORD your God all male firstlings] that are born [in your herd and in your flock.”

ונפטרה מן הבכורה – that which comes after him (i.e., the first-born male animal), is not a firstling, hether it first came out limb by limb, or whether the majority of it came out as one, for the second is not the first of the womb.

המבכרת המקשה לילד. בפטר רחם שלה. מותר לחתוך אבר אבר כשהוא יוצא ראשון ראשון:

ומשליך לכלבים. דכל כמה דלא נפק רוביה לא קדיש:

יצא רובו. כאחד, וחתכו:

הרי זה יקבר. דביציאת הרוב חלה קדושה עליו, דקרינן ביה אשר יולד:

ונפטרה מן הבכורה. שהבא אחריו אינו בכור. בין שיצא ראשון אבר אבר ובין שיצא רוב כאחד, דהא שני לאו פטר רחם הוא: