Moed Katan 4

דלמא אתי לאינפולי אבל מעיין שלא יצא בתחילה דלא אתי לאינפולי אפילו בית הבעל נמי

he was referring only to a newly emerging spring since it may come along tearing up [the soil]; but a spring that is not just newly emerging and which is unlikely to come along tearing up [the soil] he might allow even for a Baal-plot?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whereas our Mishnah forbids watering a Baal-plot from a newly emerging spring. Consequently it will not represent the view of R. Judah.');">¹</span> If [you take it] thus, then whom does our Mishnah represent?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'to whom will you throw (trace the view of) our Mishnah'.');">²</span>

אם כן מתניתין אמאן תרמייה אלא לרבי יהודה לא שנא מעיין שיצא בתחילה ולא שנא מעיין שלא יצא בתחילה בית השלחין אין בית הבעל לא והאי דקתני מעיין שיצא בתחילה להודיעך כחו דר' מאיר דאפילו מעיין היוצא בתחילה משקין ממנו אפילו שדה הבעל

The fact is that according to R'Judah it makes no difference, whether it be a newly emerging spring, or a spring not just newly emerging; in either case a languid plot may be watered [therefrom], but a Baal-plot may not be. And the reason why it states the 'newly emerging' spring<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the cited Baraitha: the spring might as well have been left undefined, as either is allowed for a languid plot by R. Judah.');">³</span>

אתמר המנכש והמשקה מים לזרעים בשבת משום מאי מתרינן ביה רבה אמר משום חורש רב יוסף אמר משום זורע

is [merely] to show how far R'Meir is prepared to go, [namely], that even a newly emerging spring may be used for watering and even for a Baal-field! It was stated: 'If one is [seen] weeding or watering his seedlings on the Sabbath,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ritba reads on a festival, which is preferred by R. Moses Sofer. Cf. Mak., Sonc. ed., p. 149.');">⁴</span>

אמר רבה כוותי דידי מסתברא מה דרכו של חורש לרפויי ארעא האי נמי מרפויי ארעא אמר רב יוסף כוותי דידי מסתברא מה דרכו של זורע לצמוחי פירא הכא נמי מצמח פירא

under what category [of the offence] should he be cautioned?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' An offender doing an act which is explicitly forbidden in Holy Writ had to be duly and accurately cautioned by two witnesses against that particular act, and informed of the exact penalty it involved, before he could be judicially punished by a duly constituted tribunal. Ploughing, sowing and mowing are of the thirty-nine main categories of work forbidden (Scripturally) on Sabbath or Festivals. For the list v. Shab. VII, 2 and Shab. 73aff.');">⁵</span> - Rabbah said, [It comes] under the category of ploughing.

אמר ליה אביי לרבה לדידך קשיא ולרב יוסף קשיא לדידך קשיא משום חורש אין משום זורע לא לרב יוסף קשיא משום זורע אין משום חורש לא

R'Joseph said, under the category of sowing. Said Rabbah, My view seems the more reasonable, for what is the object of the plougher?

וכי תימא כל היכא דאיכא תרתי לא מיחייב אלא חדא והאמר רב כהנא זומר וצריך לעצים חייב שתים אחת משום נוטע ואחת משום קוצר

To loosen the soil; here too, he loosens the soil. Said R'Joseph, My view seems the more reasonable, for what is the object of the sower?

קשיא

To promote the growth of the produce; here too, he promotes the growth of the produce. Said Abaye to Rabbah, Your view presents difficulty and R'Joseph's view presents difficulty.

איתיביה רב יוסף לרבה המנכש והמחפה לכלאים לוקה רבי עקיבא אומר אף המקיים

Your view presents difficulty, for does the act come [only] under the category of ploughing [and] not under that of sowing [only]? R'Joseph's view presents difficulty, for does it come [only] under the category of sowing [and] not under that of ploughing also?

בשלמא לדידי דאמינא משום זורע היינו דאסירא זריעה בכלאים אלא לדידך דאמרת משום חורש חרישה בכלאים מי אסירא

And should you rejoin that where there are two [possible categories], the offender is liable only on one count, [this cannot be] for did not R'Kahana say that if one [incidentally] pruned [his tree] in cutting it for wood<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'he prunes and requires the wood'. Shab. 73b. Work on the Sabbath is to be purposive, whether intended or not. If one did what he desired to do, without knowing that such a thing was not to be done on the Sabbath, or forgetting for the moment that it was the Sabbath day, he would not be punishable, but would have to bring a sin-offering in Temple times.');">⁶</span> he is liable on two counts, one under the category of planting<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Pruning promotes growth and is therefore another form of sowing or planting.');">⁷</span>

אמר ליה משום מקיים

and one again under that of reaping?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Having a definite purpose for the cuttings.');">⁸</span> - This is a difficulty.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Var. lec. omit this final admission. [The statement of R. Kahana, being of an Amora, is not deemed sufficiently authoritative to refute the views chhj of Rabbah and R. Joseph. V. Tosaf. s.v. .]');">⁹</span>

והא מדקתני סיפא ר"ע אומר אף המקיים מכלל דתנא קמא לאו משום מקיים הוא

R'Joseph, thereupon, put an objection to Rabbah from [the following]: One who weeds or covers [with earth] diverse-seeds<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Weeding and covering with earth diverse-seeds are here made punishable as sowing, v. Lev. XIX, 19 (cf. Deut. XXII, 9) .');">¹⁰</span> receives [judicial] flogging.

כולה ר' עקיבא היא ומאי טעם קאמר מאי טעם המנכש והמחפה בכלאים לוקה משום מקיים שר"ע אומר אף המקיים

R'Akiba says, Also one who preserves [them].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Fencing in the plot to prevent cattle from trampling them out or feeding on the young blades. Cf. A.Z. ');">¹¹</span> Now this is in perfect accord with my view, as I say that [he who weeds is to be cautioned] under the category of sowing, which [explains the penalty] because sowing is [explicitly] forbidden in connection with diverse-seeds; but according to your view who say that [he is to be cautioned] under the category of ploughing, is ploughing forbidden in connection with diverse-seeds? - Said he [Rabbah] to him, [He<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He who weeds diverse-seeds.');">¹²</span>

מאי טעמא דר' עקיבא דתניא (ויקרא יט, יט) שדך לא תזרע כלאים אין לי אלא זורע מקיים מניין

is flogged] under the category of preserving [them]. But surely, since the last clause states R'Akiba says, Also one who preserves [them]', may we not infer that according to the first Tanna the penalty is not on account of preserving [them]? - The entire statement is [to be taken as] recording R'Akiba's view, and the latter clause is explanatory: 'On what ground does one who weeds or covers [with earth] diverse-seeds receive a flogging?

תלמוד לומר כלאים שדך לא

Because he comes under the category of preserving, for R'Akiba says, Also he who preserves [them]'. What is R'Akiba's reason? - It is taught: - Thou shalt not sow thy field with two kinds of seed'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIX, 19. ohtkf grz, tk lsa ohtkf');">¹³</span>

תנן משקין בית השלחין במועד ובשביעית

This tells me about 'sowing', whence [the prohibition against] preserving [what is already sown]? - From the instructive wording kil'ayim [diverse-seeds] in thy field not.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Some explain a section of the Hebrew text of Lev. XIX, 19, namely, , as it were two interlocked sentences, (i) tk lsa ohtkf i.e., 'Kil'ayim in thy field not', (which forbids the presence and the preservation of diverse-seed crops in the field) ; and (ii) ohtkf grz, tk lsa i.e., 'Thy field thou shalt not sow kil'ayim' (which forbids sowing) . This explanation, however, is very strained, as the ohtkf tk k" ,="" tk="" ohtkf="" k",="" variations="" in="" the="" parallel="" passages="" show,="" having="" puzzled="" commentators.="" readings="" and="" are="" both="" correct="" to="" same="" effect.="" it="" is="" import="" of="" wording="" rather="" than="" form="" text="" that="" r.="" akiba="" stressed.="" diverse="" mixing="" or="" crossing="" -="" 'kil'ayim'="" emphatically="" forbidden,="" be="" animal,="" field,="" raiment="" (lev.="" xix,="" 19)="" fiercest="" all="" (oliveyard="" or)="" vineyard="" (deut.="" xxii,="" 9)="" .="" have="" no="" share="" by="" your="" action="" producing="" kil'aym!');"="">¹⁴</span> We learned: An IRRIGATED FIELD MAY BE WATERED DURING THE FESTIVAL [WEEK] OR IN THE SABBATICAL YEAR'This [permission] is perfectly correct in regard to the festival [week] where [the prohibition is] merely to avoid exertion, but where loss is [threatened]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As shown above.');">¹⁵</span>

בשלמא מועד משום טירחא הוא ובמקום פסידא שרו רבנן אלא שביעית בין למאן דאמר משום זורע ובין למאן דאמר משום חורש זריעה וחרישה בשביעית מי שרי

the Rabbis have allowed it. But in regard to the sabbatical year, whether on the view that [watering] comes under the category of sowing<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Joseph, above.');">¹⁶</span>

אמר אביי בשביעית בזמן הזה ורבי היא דתניא רבי אומר (דברים טו, ב) וזה דבר השמטה שמוט בשתי שמיטות הכתוב מדבר אחת שמיטת קרקע ואחת שמיטת כספים

or on the view that it comes under that of ploughing,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rabbah, above.');">¹⁷</span> is either sowing or ploughing permitted in the sabbatical year?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sowing, pruning, gleaning and reaping are directly forbidden in Lev. XXV, 4-5. Ploughing, however, is forbidden only indirectly, by implication from a positive law in Ex. XXIII, 11; XXXIV, 21. Note this point.');">¹⁸</span>

בזמן שאתה משמט קרקע אתה משמט כספים ובזמן שאי אתה משמט קרקע אי אתה משמט כספים

- Said Abaye, Our Mishnah is speaking of the sabbatical year in the present time and it [expresses] the view held by Rabbi;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Judah ha-Nasi, compiler of the MISHNAH:');">¹⁹</span> for it is taught: Rabbi says, [It is written] And this is the manner of the release; release [by every creditor of that which he hath lent to his neighbour];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XV, 2.');">²⁰</span>

רבא אמר אפילו תימא רבנן אבות אסר רחמנא

the text speaks here of two forms of release, one the release of the so [from tillage]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., let the soil lie fallow and the crops free and unguarded against the poor, Ex. XXIII, 11.');">²¹</span> and the other the release of money<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Let slip the money debts owing to you.');">²²</span> [the juxtaposition of] which tells us that so long as you must release the soil [from tillage], you must release the money [debt], but when you do not release the soil, you need not release the money!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The interpretation is based on the ground that since the Nation, Israel as a whole, is no longer in possession of the Holy Land as his inheritance, the land laws relative to the sabbatical year and Jubilee re-distributions, which are made contingent on Israel's entry and possession');">²³</span> Said Raba [not necessarily], you may even say [it voices] the view of the Rabbis<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the operation of the sabbatical year nowadays is Biblical.');">²⁴</span> and that they<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Those that are specified in the text of Holy Writ.');">²⁵</span> are the principal [types of work] that the Divine Law has forbidden [explicitly],