Bava Kamma 76 - January 17, 7 Shvat

Today's daf is sponsored by Jessica Shklar in honor of Ruth Leah Kahan. "It has been quite an experience learning Bava Kamma and hearing my impeccably-mannered older sister described as a thief who can't look after her oxen. I want to assure the Daf Yomi community that she is neither of those things."  Today's daf is also dedicated to the continued refuah shleima of Nadav Efraim ben Shulamit Leah.  The Mishna teaches that if one stole then sanctified and then sold/slaughtered an animal, the thief would not pay the four/five payment. But if it was sanctified, isn't that like selling to God as it transfers ownership, like a sale, and shouldn't the thief be liable? The Gemara brings three answers, as the first two are rejected. In conclusion, they say that the animal is still considered "the sacrifice of the owner" even if it belongs to the Temple. Because of a difficulty with Rabbi Shimon's position in the Mishna, Rabbi Shimon's distinction between sanctification that comes/doesn't come with responsibility to be referring to a different case - where the sanctification happened by the owner before it was stolen. How does this work with the position of Rabbi Shimon that a slaughter that is not kosher is not considered "slaughter" to be obligated for the four/five payment? Three answers are brought and Rabbi Elazar questions some or all of them. His question is answered by another position of rabbi Shimon that if the blood can potentially be sprinkled or the animal can be potentially redeemed, we view it as if it was done, thereby making the slaughtering in these cases be considered a kosher slaughtering.