3,690. Redeeming a Donkey for Its Cash Value

Hilchos Bikkurim 12:10

A firstborn donkey may be redeemed with a sheep or goat that is a male or female, blemished or unblemished, small or large.

Hilchos Bikkurim 12:11

If a sheep was purchased using money from the sale of Sabbatical-year produce, it may not be used to redeem a donkey that is definitely a firstborn, but it may be used to redeem a donkey whose firstborn status is in doubt. If the owner of a firstborn donkey doesn’t have a sheep to redeem it, he may redeem it for its financial value, which he pays to a kohein. The Torah didn’t say to use a sheep in order to be stringent; it was in order to be lenient! Namely, if he has a firstborn donkey worth ten sela, he can redeem it with a sheep that is worth one dinar (as opposed to ten sela in cash). This is so redeeming a firstborn donkey shouldn’t be more stringent than redeeming consecrated property, which can be done for its financial value.