Validity of Sale to Non-Jew to Exempt Animal from Bechor Status

From: Rabbi Moshe Sofer

To: Rabbi Lipman

Description

A Jewish woman sold a goat at a grossly inadequate price to a non-Jewish woman, who never took physical possession. The Chasam Sofer rules that the firstborn kid born in the interim has kedushas bechor at least mi-safek, as the sale was ineffective for three independent reasons: the price was so low as to constitute a mere asmachta; the seller's instruction to "take it home" conditioned ownership on meshichah, which never occurred; and leaving the goat with the seller cannot qualify as kinyan agav since the non-Jew acquired no interest in the premises.

Source: Shu"t Chasam Sofer YD §311

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