Consecrate the Firstborn and the Rule of General and Particular

(Exodus 13:1-2) "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Consecrate to Me every firstborn." This is one of the hermeneutical principles by which the Torah is expounded: a general statement that requires a particular, and a particular that requires a general. "Consecrate to Me every firstborn" is a general statement; both males and females are implied, as it is said, "Every firstborn that is born…" (Deuteronomy 15:19). "The male" is the particular; females are excluded. From the implication, I might read the general statement — so what does the particular come to teach? For if I read the general statement but not the particular, I would understand that whatever is born first, whether male or female, would be a firstborn. Therefore Scripture teaches, "Every firstborn… the male" — males but not females. And if I read the particular but not the general statement, I would understand that any male that is born, whether it opens the womb or does not open the womb, would be a firstborn. Therefore Scripture teaches, "Consecrate to Me every firstborn" — until it is both male and opening the womb, to fulfill what is said, "Every one that opens the womb" (Exodus 13:12). Rabbi Ishmael says: one verse says "you shall sanctify" (Deuteronomy 15:19), and another verse says "he shall not sanctify" (Leviticus 27:26). You may sanctify it with a sanctification of valuation, but you may not sanctify it with a sanctification for the altar. "Among man and among beast" — that which applies to man applies to beast; the Levites are excluded, for since they have no firstborn obligation among man, they have none among beast.