Moed Katan 6

כי אתא רב דימי אמר יכול ילקה על התוספת ונסיב לה תלמודא לפטורא ולא ידענא מאי תלמודא ומאי תוספת

When R'Dimi came [from Palestine] he said [the discussion went on]: Possibly, you might say that the offender be flogged [even] for the 'extension'? But the teaching was concluded<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'the Talmud took it up'. (3) As explained above. (4) The sabbatical year began with the New Year. It was necessary to stop tillage before that date; when, and where, did it originate? On what authority? These are the points to be discussed now at length.');">¹</span> to prove that he was exempt.

ר' אלעזר אמר חרישה והכי קאמר יכול ילקה על חרישה דאתיא מכלל ופרט וכלל ונסיב ליה תלמודא לפטורא

But [said he], I know not which was the teaching, nor what was [actually] meant by 'extension'. R'Eleazar [b. Pedath] said that the 'extension' had reference to [the inclusion of] 'ploughing' [as a punishable offence], and the argument proceeded thus: Possibly [you might say] that he should be flogged for 'ploughing' [in the sabbatical year], the rule being inferred by [treating the sabbatical ordinance as a cas of] General-Particular-General; then the teaching was concluded to prove exemption.

דאם כן כל הני פרטי למה לי

For, if it [the flogging] were correct, what is the [legal] import of all those particulars [set out in the text]? R'Johanan said [that the 'extension' had reference to] the extra days [of restriction] which the sages had added prior to New Year; and the argument proceeded thus: Possibly [you might say] that he should be flogged for [ploughing during] the extended extra period prior to New Year which is based on the text: 'In ploughing time and in reaping time thou shalt rest.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXXIV, 21 The exposition of this follows presently.');">²</span> Then the teaching was concluded to prove exemption [from a flogging], as we shall seek to explain presently.

ור' יוחנן אמר ימים שהוסיפו חכמים לפני ראש השנה והכי קאמר יכול ילקה על תוספת ראש השנה דאתיא (שמות לד, כא) מבחריש ובקציר תשבות ונסיב לה תלמודא לפטורא כדבעינן למימר לקמן

What is meant by 'the days [of restriction] prior to New Year'? - According to what we learned: 'Up to what date may ploughing be done in a tree field [orchard] in the pre-sabbatical year? Beth Shammai say, As long as it is for the benefit of the fruit; Beth Hillel say, Up to the Feast of Weeks; and the [practical effect one ruling is much the same as that of the other.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sheb. I, 1.');">³</span> And up to what date may they plough a "white field"<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Preparing for a grain crop, i.e., of cereals or legumina. A white field=a sown field, not planted with trees that cast a shadow.');">⁴</span>

מאי ימים שלפני ראש השנה כדתנן עד מתי חורשין בשדה אילן ערב שביעית בית שמאי אומרים כל זמן שיפה לפרי וב"ה אומרים עד העצרת וקרובין דברי אלו להיות כדברי אלו

in the pre-sabbatical year? Up to when the moisture gives out and as long as people till for planting their cucumber and gourd beds. Said R'Simeon, If that is so, you have handed over the Torah for every individual to determine for himself the right time! No: [I say], a "white field" [they may till] up to Passover and a tree field up to the Feast of Weeks'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. II, 1.');">⁵</span>

ועד מתי חורשין שדה הלבן ערב שביעית משתכלה הלחה וכל זמן שבני אדם חורשים ליטע מקשאות ומדלעות

.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This bracketed part is a meaningless gloss.');">⁶</span> And<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [So MS. M. Cur. edd. insert 'And'].');">⁷</span> R'Simeon B'Pazzi reported in the name of R'Joshua B'Levi who had it from Bar Kappara that Rabban Gamaliel and his Beth din took a vote on these two [terminal] periods<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Passover (Nisan) and the Feast of Weeks (Sivan) ; after these were abrogated, tillage was again permitted down to New Year (Tishri) .');">⁸</span>

ר' שמעון אומר א"כ נתנה תורה שיעור לכל אחד ואחד בידו אלא בשדה הלבן עד הפסח ובשדה האילן עד העצרת וב"ה אומרים עד הפסח

and abrogated them. Said R'Zera to R'Abbahu, some say, Resh Lakish said to R'Johanan: How could Rabban Gamaliel and his Beth din abrogate a measure instituted by Beth Shammai and Beth Hillel? Surely we learned: 'No Beth din has power to nullify the words [ruling] of another Beth din unless it be superior to it in learning and number'!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'Ed. I, 5.');">⁹</span>

ואמר ר' שמעון בן פזי אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי משום בר קפרא רבן גמליאל ובית דינו נמנו על שני פרקים הללו ובטלום

'He was astonished for a while';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A phrase from Daniel IV, 16. R. Abbahu or R. Johanan was for the moment puzzled for a reply.');">¹⁰</span> then he replied: I say, they thus have stipulated among themselves that whoever might thereafter wish to abrogate that [measure] could come and abrogate it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Should the exigencies of the time demand it.');">¹¹</span> But was it their measure?

אמר ליה רבי זירא לר' אבהו ואמרי לה ריש לקיש לר' יוחנן רבן גמליאל ובית דינו היכי מצו מבטלי תקנתא דב"ש וב"ה והא תנן אין ב"ד יכול לבטל דברי בית דין חבירו אלא אם כן גדול ממנו בחכמה ובמנין

Was it not an [ancient] halachah of Moses from Sinai?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., a rule of immemorial practice, whose origin is unknown. Cf. our expression 'as old as the hills'. Cf. 'Ed. VIII, 7; Yad. Malachi No. 663 and W. Bacher's Tradition und Tradenten etc. (1914) p. 33ff.');">¹²</span> As [in fact] R'Assi reported R'Johanan to have said in the name of R'Nehuniah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Also Hunya, Huna or Huna. Bacher ibid. p. 38 sect. 11.');">¹³</span> a man hailing from the valley of Beth Hauran,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A high plain S.E. of Damascus mentioned by Ezekiel, XLVII, 18, among the boundaries of Palestine (cf. R.H. 22b) . Herod established there a protectorate under Zamaris, a Babylonian Jew who offered military safety to the Babylonian pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. V. Josephus, Antiquities XVII, 11, 1-2.');">¹⁴</span>

(דניאל ד, טז) אשתומם כשעה חדא אמר ליה אימור כך התנו ביניהן כל הרוצה לבטל יבוא ויבטל

that the [laws of] 'Ten Saplings,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A young plantation in a field of fifty by fifty cubits in dimension with at least ten saplings may be tilled entirely for their benefit, down to the edge of the sabbatical year which began with New Year's day, the first of Tishri. This implies that with old trees tilling must cease before New Year.');">¹⁵</span> the 'Willow'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. infra. Willows were carried in procession once round the altar during the first six days of Tabenacles and then fixed at the side of the altar. On the seventh day the circuit was made seven times. V. Suk. 45a, where Abbahu suggests a Biblical indication, Ps. CXVIII, 27.');">¹⁶</span> and the 'Water Libation'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the same occasions the grand celebration of the water libation took place in the Temple, a golden flagon being filled with water from Siloam, was brought amidst trumpet blasts to the Temple and poured on the altar by the High Priest.');">¹⁷</span>

דידהו היא הלכה למשה מסיני היא דאמר ר' אסי אמר ר' יוחנן משום ר' נחוניא איש בקעת בית חורתן עשר נטיעות ערבה וניסוך המים הלכה למשה מסיני

were 'halachah' of Moses from Sinai! - Said R'Isaac, When we received on tradition that law [of extra restriction] as [an ancient] halachah, It was only in reference to 'thirty days prior to the New Year'; thereafter came those [of Beth Shammai and Hillel] and instituted [the cessation] from Passover<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For a 'white field', growing cereals and legumina.');">¹⁸</span> and the Feast of Weeks,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For a tree field, an orchard.');">¹⁹</span> and [at the same time] they stipulated with reference to their [measure] that whoever might [thereafter] wish to abrogate [them] might come and abrogate them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And it is only these two earlier terms, Passover and Feast of Weeks, up to thirty days before New Year that Rabban Gamaliel and his Beth din abrogated. Cf. J. Sheb. I, 5.');">²⁰</span>

אמר רבי יצחק כי גמירי הלכתא שלשים יום לפני ראש השנה ואתו הני תקון מפסח ומעצרת ואתנו בדידהו כל הרוצה לבטל יבוא ויבטל

But were these [termini] merely halachah [-usages]? Were they not [based on Biblical] texts? For is it not taught: [Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest]: in ploughing time and in reaping time thou shalt rest.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXXIV, 21.');">²¹</span>

והני הלכתא נינהו קראי נינהו (דתנן) (שמות לד, כא) בחריש ובקציר תשבות ר' עקיבא אומר אין צריך לומר חריש וקציר של שביעית שהרי כבר נאמר (ויקרא כה, ד) שדך לא תזרע וכרמך לא תזמור אלא חריש של ערב שביעית

Says R'Akiba,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As all manner of work is forbidden on the sabbath day, the particular stress on ploughing and reaping suggested a connection between the sabbath-day and the sabbath-year.');">²²</span> There is no need to be told [in the second clause] to desist from ploughing or reaping in the seventh year, since it is already stated [elsewhere at length]: thou shalt neither sow thy field nor prune thy vineyard: [that which groweth of itself thou shalt not reap].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XXV, 4-5.');">²³</span> [It can be taken] only [to debar] ploughing in the pre-sabbatical year