Moed Katan 20

אבל חמרא דריחיא לא

but not those of the ass turning the mill.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As not being so urgent.');">¹</span> Rab Judah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of Pumbeditha, Rab's disciple.');">²</span>

רב יהודה שרי למישקל טופריה לחמרא דריחיא ולאוקומי ריחיא ולמיבני ריחיא ולמיבני אמת ריחיא ולמיבני אוריא (רבא) שרא לסרוקי סוסיא ולמיבני אקרפיטא ולמיבני איצטבא

declared it permissible to trim the hoofs of the ass turning the mill or to set up the mill or build a mill, or to construct a base for the mill or build a horse sta Rab<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Readings vary.');">³</span> declared it permissible to curry horses and to construct a bed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Latin, grabatus, a Macedonian article of furniture, a very low bedframe or couch. V. the references in Tosaf. s.v. Ps. Rashi takes it as meaning a crib.');">⁴</span>

רבא שרא למישקל דמא לבהמה בחולא דמועדא א"ל אביי תניא דמסייע לך מקיזין דם לבהמה ואין מונעין רפואה לבהמה בחולו של מועד

or make a mattress-box.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Stibadium or stibas (Greek) a pallet or mattress, a semicircular low seat for lounging. Cf. Pliny's Letters, V, 6. hnrhe');">⁵</span> Raba allowed bleeding of cattle during the festival week.

רבא שרא לכסכוסי קירמי מ"ט מעשה הדיוט הוא אמר רב יצחק בר אמי אמר רב חסדא קיטורי בירי אסיר מ"ט מעשה אומן הוא

Said Abaye to him: There is a Tanna who supports you: Cattle [may] be bled and no curative means are [to be] withheld from an animal during the festival week'. Raba allowed fulled clothes<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' are fulled or carded sheets of cloth (from the Latin carminare) worn as a mantle or used as coverlets and tapestries. Cf. Suk. 10a, also Kel. XXIII, 4.');">⁶</span>

אמר רבא מאן דמתקיל ארעא אדעתא דבי דרי שרי אדעתא דארעא אסיר

to be rubbed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Han. explains (in Arabic) as 'damping to be rubbed and twisted to make them soft (or pliable) '. V. B.M. Lewin, Otz. Hag. IV, Mashkin, II, no. 173. hsh hc hruyhe hrhc hruyhe');">⁷</span> On what ground?

היכי דמי מוליא במוליא ונצא בנצא אדעתא דבי דרי שקל מוליא ושדא בנצא אדעתא דארעא

It is an ordinary unskilled process. Said R'Isaac B'Ammi, as citing R'Hisda: To pleat sleeve-ends<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Reading . Lewin, op cit. Yom-tob p. 5, no. 164. Cf. Lat. manicatae tunicae. According to another reading ; to 'pleat' thrhc or 'bleach' (with sulphur fumes or with scented perfume ingredients) mantles, birri (Jast. s.v. According to Gaonic explanation (Lewin, Otz. Hag. IV, Yom-tob, p. 55, no. 164) as al-akmis (Arabic) , Camisoles, shirt-tunics. Cf. Persian pirahan.');">⁸</span>

ואמר רבא האי מאן דזכי זיכי אדעתא דציבי שרי אדעתא דארעא אסיר היכי דמי שקיל רברבי ושביק זוטרי אדעתא דציבי שקל רברבי וזוטרי אדעתא דארעא

is forbidden; on what ground? Because that is a craftsman's process.

ואמר רבא האי מאן דפתח מיא לארעיה אדעתא דכוורי שרי אדעתא דארעא אסיר

Raba said: [With regard to] a man who levels up his ground, if it is to even [the slope of] the threshing floor<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which was raised in the centre sloping outwards.');">⁹</span> it is allowed; if merely to level the soil, it is forbidden.

היכי דמי פתח תרי בבי חד מעילאי וחד מתתאי אדעתא דכוורי פתח חד בבא אדעתא דארעא

How can one tell? If he takes up heaped [sof soil to heap on [soft] soil, or stiff soil to lay on stiff soil, it shows that [it is done] for [improving] the threshing floor; but if he takes up heaped [soft] soil and casts it on the stiff soil, this shows that it is for [improving] the ground.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which means that he is simply working the field during the festival week.');">¹⁰</span>

ואמר רבא האי מאן דפשח דיקלא אדעתא דחיותא שרי אדעתא דדיקלא אסיר היכי דמי שקיל כוליה מחד גיסא אדעתא דחיותא מהאי גיסא ומהאי גיסא אדעתא דדיקלא ואסיר

Raba said: With regard to one who clears his field [of chips of wood], if it is for gathering [fire] wood, i allowed; if for clearing the ground, it is forbidden. How can we tell?

ואמר רבא הני תמרי תוחלני מיגזרינהו שרי מייצינהו אסיר רב פפא אמר כיון דמתלעי כפרקמטיא האבד דמי ושרי

If he picks up the larger pieces and leaves the smaller, this shows that it is to gather [fire] wood; but if he picks up both large and small, this shows that it is to clear the field. Raba said also: With regard to one who opens [sluices] to let water run off into his field, if it be to get the fish,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When the water is run off.');">¹¹</span>

ואמר רבא לפרקמטיא כל שהוא אסור א"ר יוסי בר אבין ובדבר האבד מותר רבינא הוה ליה ההוא עיסקא דהוה מזדבן בשיתא אלפי שהייה לזבוניה בתר חולא דמועדא וזבניה בתריסר אלפי

it is permitted; if it is to water the soil, it is forbidden. How can we If he opens two flood-gates one above<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The water that carries the fish into the next section.');">¹²</span>

רבינא הוה מסיק זוזי בבני אקרא דשנואתא אתא לקמיה דרב אשי א"ל מהו למיזל האידנא עלייהו א"ל כיון דהאידנא הוא דמשכחת להו ביומי אחריני לא משכחת להו כפרקמטיא האבד דמי ושרי

and another below,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To run off the upper water leaving the fish lower down in the shallows.');">¹³</span> this shows that it is for getting the fish; but only one gate, it is [obviously] for watering the soil.

תניא נמי גבי ע"ז כי האי גוונא הולכין

Raba further said: With regard to one who trims his palm,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Removing the foliage and young shoots.');">¹⁴</span> if it is for the [benefit of his] beasts it is allowed; but if for the [benefit of the] palm it is forb How can we tell? If he trims one side only, this shows that it is for the beasts; if both one side and the other it is for the [benefit of the] palm, and it is forbidden. And furthermore said Raba: Those [unripe] tauhla<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Syriac, Arabic, from Assyrian tuhallu (Brockelmann 70b) palmulla praematura. Cf. Hag. 15b.');">¹⁵</span> dates one may pick, but to press them is not permitted. R'Papa remarked that as [if these are left] the worms get at them, they are on the same footing as a business deal<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'business transaction'.');">¹⁶</span> [the postponement of which] would entail loss,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Risk of a loss may be prevented during the festival week. V. supra, 2a, p. 3.');">¹⁷</span> and therefore may be [pressed during the festival week]. Raba also said: Any business transaction whatsoever is forbidden. R'Jose B'Abin said: And if there be a risk of loss, it is permitted. Rabina had some deal on hand which would have fetched six thousand zuzim;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Same as (silver) denarii.');">¹⁸</span> he deferred the sale till after the festival a sold at twelve thousand. Rabina had advanced some money to the people living at Akra di-Shanutha.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The foot of Shanwatha. V. Obermeyer L.B. 268. From B.M. 73b, (Sonc. ed. p. 425) , we learn it was a deal in wine.');">¹⁹</span> He came to consult R'Ashi and said: 'What about going over to them just now [during the festival week]? ' - Said R'Ashi to him: 'As they had ready cash just then which they might not have later, it is [practically] like a deal [the postponement of which] would entail loss, and [accordingly] is allowed'. It is also similarly taught with reference to heathens: One may go