The Ignorant Man Who Kissed Rabbi Meir on the Head

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 402:2

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

A certain unlearned man asked Rabbi Meir: With what is a firstborn donkey redeemed? He said to him: With a lamb, as it is written, "And the firstling of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb" (Exodus 34:20). And if he has no lamb, with what is it redeemed? He said to him: With a kid [a young goat]. He said to him: From where do you derive this? He said to him: As it is written, "This is the animal which you may eat: the ox, the sheep of the flock [seh kesavim], and the goat of the flock [seh izzim]" (Deuteronomy 14:4) [both are called seh, the word the redemption verse uses]. He stood up and kissed him on his head.

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