Moed Katan 13

עד כמה עד פרסה:

How much [apart]? - Up to a parasang.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Four Roman miles.');">¹</span> R'JUDAH<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Mishnah note.');">²</span> SAYS: IN THE TREE-FIELD IN THE USUAL WAY AND IN THE WHITE FIELD NOT IN THE USUAL WAY.

רבי יהודה אומר משדה האילן כדרכו ומשדה הלבן שלא כדרכו: תנו רבנן כיצד כדרכו חופר גומא ותולה בה מצודה כיצד שלא כדרכו נועץ שפוד ומכה בקורדום ומרדה האדמה מתחתיה

Our Rabbis taught: How is the usual way? He digs a hole and suspends a trap in it. How is the unusual way?

תניא (ר"ש בן אלעזר) אומר כשאמרו משדה לבן שלא כדרכו לא אמרו אלא בשדה לבן הסמוכה לעיר אבל בשדה לבן הסמוכה לשדה האילן אפילו כדרכו שמא יצאו משדה הלבן ויחריבו את האילנות:

He drives a stake [into the spot] or strikes it with a pick and flattens out the soil underneath.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., rams it down to flatten out the tunnelled cavities.');">³</span> It is taught: R'Simeon B'Eleazar<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sheeltoth reads: R. Eleazar b. Jacob. Our reacting, however, is well attested.');">⁴</span> says, When they<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Sages (adopting R. Judah's view) .');">⁵</span>

ומקרין את הפירצה במועד: כיצד מקרין רב יוסף אמר בהוצא ודפנא

said, ['And in the white field not in the usual way'], they said it only in reference to a white field situate near the city; but in a white field that is situate near a tree-field [they may trap them] even in the usual way, lest these [pests] come away from the white field and destroy the tree-field. AND A BREACH IS BLOCKED UP DURING THE FESTIVAL [WEEK]. How is it 'blocked up'? - Said R'Joseph: With [a hurdle made of] twigs and daphne stakes.

במתניתא תנא צר בצרור ואינו טח בטיט אמר רב חסדא לא שנו אלא כותל הגינה אבל כותל החצר בונה כדרכו

In a Baraitha it is taught: 'Loose rubble is piled up without being plastered with clay.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. infra 11a.');">⁶</span> Said R'Hisda, This<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The ruling that he may merely block it up but not build in the usual way.');">⁷</span> is taught only with regard to a garden wall,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which can wait, as not much damage or loss could be caused by this temporary delay.');">⁸</span>

לימא מסייע ליה כותל הגוחה לרשות הרבים סותר ובונה כדרכו מפני הסכנה התם כדקתני טעמא מפני הסכנה

but the wall of a court<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As the Talmudic saying goes: 'The breach invites the thief' (Suk. 26a, SBH) , or the possible loss of cattle or poultry, by straying.');">⁹</span> is built in the usual way. Might one suggest that the following supports him: A wall that is bulging out into the public domain may be pulled down and built in the usual way, because it constitutes a danger [to the passers-by]!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Tosef. I, 4; infra 13a.');">¹⁰</span>

ואיכא דאמרי תא שמע כותל הגוחה לרה"ר סותר ובונה כדרכו מפני הסכנה מפני הסכנה אין שלא מפני הסכנה לא לימא תיהוי תיובתיה דרב חסדא

- [Not necessarily]. There the reason is as stated: 'Because it constitutes a danger'. Some [put the argument] as follows: Come and hear: A wall that is bulging out into the public domain may be pulled down and built in the ordinary way, because it constitutes a danger.

אמר לך רב חסדא התם סותר ובונה הכא בונה ולא סותר

That is, where it constitutes a danger he may, but if it is not a danger he may not build. May we see in this a confutation of R'Hisda? - [Not necessarily], as R'Hisda might reply: There<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The case of a dangerous wall.');">¹¹</span> he may 'pull down and build', whereas here<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where there is no public danger.');">¹²</span>

התם נמי ליסתור ולא ליבני א"כ מימנע ולא סותר

he may build<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If it had already broken down.');">¹³</span> but not pull down. Then let one in that case<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The case of a dangerous wall.');">¹¹</span>

אמר רב אשי מתניתין נמי דיקא דקתני ובשביעית בונה כדרכו

likewise [merely] pull down<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Just remove the danger.');">¹⁴</span> and not build!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' During the festival week, as in the other private case.');">¹⁵</span> - If so, he might refrain even from pulling down.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It is therefore ultimately a case of public need which may be performed during the festival week. Cf J.M.K. a.l., 'R. Hananiah in the name of R. Johanan (said) , They permitted the last act thereof by reason of the first (the danger) '.');">¹⁶</span>

דהיכא אילימא דחצר צריכא למימר אלא לאו דגינה ואע"ג דמיחזי כמאן דעביד נטירותא לפירי שמע מינה:

R'Ashi said: Our Mishnah, here, gives an indication to the same effect,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As R. Hisda's interpretation.');">¹⁷</span> for it states: BUT IN THE SABBATICAL YEAR, ONE BUILDS IN THE ORDINARY WAY. Now of what is it [that he may block up the breach]?

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> ר' מאיר אומר רואין את הנגעים (בתחילה) להקל אבל לא להחמיר וחכמים אומרים לא להקל ולא להחמיר:

If it means [the wall of] his courtyard, does this need to be stated?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That he may build it in the ordinary way (cf. the discussion above) .');">¹⁸</span> It can only be, therefore [a breach in] his garden [wall] although he might seem to be doing it in order to safeguard his fruits.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'Yet he may in the usual way in the Sabbatical year, but not in Festival week'.');">¹⁹</span> You can infer it [from this].

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> תניא רבי מאיר אומר רואין את הנגעים להקל אבל לא להחמיר רבי יוסי אומר לא להקל ולא להחמיר שאם אתה נזקק לו להקל נזקק לו אף להחמיר

<big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The technical points involved in the discussion of this Mishnah bearing on the diagnosis of the symptoms of (biblical) leprosy and the treatment of the patient are the following: (a) The diagnosis may be made by any expert, priest or layman, 'save that the pronouncement of " cleanness"="" or="" "uncleanness"="" is="" assigned="" to="" the="" priest:="" if="" priest="" be="" told="" that="" man="" "clean",="" he="" pronounces="" him="" clean;="" "unclean",="" unclean'.="" neg.="" iii,="" 1.="" (b)="" on="" findings="" of="" first="" inspection="" pronounced="" patient="" either="" (i)="" as="" 'clean'="" and="" discharged,="" 'unclean',="" isolated;="" (ii)="" in="" some="" cases="" doubt,="" remanded="" for="" seven="" days'="" observational="" detention.="" cf.="" lev.="" xiii,="" 2-4ff;="" 3-4.="" (c)="" after="" a="" second="" doubtful="" cases,="" 'unclean'="" before,="" still="" doubt="" further="" remand="" ibid.="" 5-8;="" 13-17;="" 5-6.="" (d)="" third="" final="" declared="" discharged="" isolated,="" until="" recovered="" from="" his="" affection.="" during="" these="" periods="" was="" allowed="" consort="" with="" wife.="" (e)="" recovery="" went="" through="" two="" ritual="" purifications,="" preliminary,="" outside="" town="" returned="" home="" days,="" which,="" however,="" not="" wife;="" xiv,="" 2-8;="" 1-2.="" then="" purification="" which="" admitted="" sanctuary="" sacrificial="" rites.="" 9ff;="" 3="" 7ff.="" vkhj,c');"="">²⁰</span> R'MEIR SAYS: AN [INITIAL]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' seems best omitted here, as seems apparent from Raba's comment infra, and other ancient texts, e.g., Asheri and commentaries of Alfasi, although our editions of Alfasi as well as the Mishnah texts (Babylonian and Palestian) have it. V. Heller, Tosaf. Yom Tob and particularly Dr E. Baneth's full critical examination in his commentary on the Mishnah, Berlin,, 1925, Pt. II, p. 161, n. 26.');">²¹</span> INSPECTION OF LEPROUS SYMPTOMS MAY BE MADE [DURING THE FESTIVAL 'WEEK]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This (bracketed) expression is in the Mishnah text and is essential here.');">²²</span>

אמר רבי נראין דברי רבי מאיר במוסגר ודברי רבי יוסי במוחלט

FOR [THE PRIEST TO MAKE] A LENIENT PRONOUNCEMENT<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the findings warrant it, to pronounce him 'clean'; and if not, to withhold the adverse pronouncement pending the festival.');">²³</span> [ON THE FINDINGS], BUT NOT TO MAKE A SEVERE<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the symptoms are unfavourable, to order an observational detention (first or second) , or his isolation as a confirmed 'unclean' leper. Cf. supra, n. 11, b, c, and d.');">²⁴</span> PRONOUNCEMENT; BUT THE SAGES SAY: [IT IS TO BE MADE] NEITHER FOR A LENIENT NOR FOR A SEVERE PRONOUNCEMENT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., no inspection is to be made during the festival week.');">²⁵</span>

אמר רבא בטהור כ"ע לא פליגי דלא חזו ליה בהסגר ראשון דכ"ע לא פליגי דחזי ליה כי פליגי

<big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>It is taught: R'Meir says that an inspection is made [during the festival week] to make a lenient pronouncement but not for a severe one. R'Jose says: Neither for making a lenient nor a severe pronouncement;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the view adopted by the Sages (in the Mishnah) .');">²⁶</span> as, if you arrive at the necessity of having to make a lenient pronouncement [on the findings] you are [likewise] bound to make a severe pronouncement. Said Rabbi: R'Meir's statement seems appropriately applied to the case of an [observational] detention<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 35, n. 3.');">²⁷</span> and R'Jose's to that of a decided leper.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' After the first or second detention. V. the following discussion by Raba.');">²⁸</span> Said Raba, In the case of one who is [as yet nominally] 'clean',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., who has not yet submitted to an inspection.');">²⁹</span> all are agreed that he is not examined.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' During the festival.');">³⁰</span> In regard to one under preliminary [observational] detention, all agree that he is examined;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If he is pronounced 'clean' he is happy; if he is remanded for a second period he is no worse off.');">³¹</span> where a difference of opinion arises is