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BECHOROS 8
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SUMMARY

1. Beings lay eggs or give birth, depending on when their species has relations.
 
2. If a person found an egg before morning on the first day of Yom Tov, he may eat it on Yom Tov.
 
3. Three beings have relations face to face.
 
4. The Gemara discusses the length of a term of pregnancy in various species.
 
5. The snake was cursed that it would have a longer pregnancy than other animals.
 
6. The Caesar challenge Rebbi Yehoshua ben Chananya to win a debate against the 60 scholars of Athens.
 
7. Rebbi Yehoshua discovered the hidden location of these scholars and successfully infiltrated their hideout.
 
8. After challenging the scholars to a debate, Rebbi Yehoshua clearly stated what would happen to the winner and loser of the debate.
 
9. After a lengthy debate, Rebbi Yehoshua was victorious.

A BIT MORE

1. For example, chickens have relations only during the day, and therefore they lay eggs only during the day.
 
2. This is based on the previous Gemara that chickens do not lay eggs at night. Accordingly, it must not be an egg that was laid on Yom Tov.
 
3. They are: a person, a fish, and a snake. This is because the Shechinah spoke to them.
 
4. The Gemara adds that the length of each term corresponds to how long it takes to grow certain trees or crops. For example, it says that the term of pregnancy of a dog is fifty days, and this is how long it takes to grow a fig tree.
 
5. Rebbi Yehoshua ben Chananya explains that this is the meaning of the verse, "You are cursed from all of the animals and from all of the undomesticated animals in the field."
 
6. For this purpose, Rebbi Yehoshua ben Chananya instructed the Caesar to make him a special boat containing 60 cells with a chair in each one.
 
7. After paying a local butcher to hint to him when he reached the hideout, Rebbi Yehoshua caused the guards to be killed, enabling him to enter.
 
8. If the scholars of Athens would win, then they could do with him what they like. If he would win, then they would eat with him on his boat.
 
9. The scholars proceeded to board the boat of Rebbi Yehoshua (and eventually met their demise, see 9a).

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