Commentary for Beitzah 1:13

ביצה שנולדה ביו"ט – [on Yom Tov] which is after Shabbat is what we are dealing with. And the reason of the School of Hillel which states “it may not be eaten,” because an egg laid today was fully developed yesterday (Talmud Betzah 2b), and it results that Shabbat would prepare for Yom Tov, and the Torah states (Exodus 16:5): “But on the sixth day, when they apportion [what they have brought in, it shall prove to be double the amount they gather each day],” for a regular Friday is a weekday, on a weekday one prepares for Shabbat, and on a weekday one prepares for a Yom Tov/Festival, for a Festival is also called Shabbat, one does not prepare on a Yom Tov for Shabbat nor does one prepare on Shabbat for a Yom Tov. And preparation like this of the egg, even though it is in the hands of heaven, it is called preparation. However, Shabbat and Yom Tov are important, as they require that their meals have preparation/designation on a weekday, and on one of them, one can prepare for its fellow, even with preparation at the hands of heaven, but the meal of a weekday is not considered important nor does it require preparation. Therefore, on a mere Sunday which is not a Holy Day, we don’t forbid an egg that was laid on that day because it was completed on Shabbat, but the meal of a weekday, the all-Merciful does not require preparation while it is still daylight. But they (i.e., the Rabbis) an egg that was laid on any Holy Day/Yom Tov, and even though it is not after the Shabbat, as a decree because of a Holy Day that comes after the Sabbath. And similarly, they forbade an egg that was laid on every Sabbath to quaff/swallow a living animal, as a decree because of a Shabbat that comes after a Yom Tov. For a Sabbath and a Holy Day that are juxtaposed one to the other, an egg that is laid on this one is forbidden [to be eaten] on that one. And similarly, the two days Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah, but the second Holy Days of the Diaspora that whatever be your opinion one of them is a weekday, and an egg that is laid on this one is permitted on that one.

Introduction The first part of the first mishnah of Betzah is about its namesake, an egg born on Yom Tov. The second part is associated with the first part because both contain debates between Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel, and in both Bet Hillel rules strictly.

שאור בכזית – as regarding eating, everyone does not dispute that both this (leaven) and that (leavened bread) are [forbidden] with an olive’s bulk, for since the Biblical verse begins with שאור/leaven and concludes with חמץ/leavened bread. “No leaven shall be found in your houses [for seven days]. For whoever eats what is leavened, [that person shall be cut off from the community of Israel],” to tell you that this is “leaven” and that is which is leavened, as is the case with the one is also the case with the other. But they (i.e., the Schools of Hillel and Shammai) argue regarding removal, as the School of Shammai holds that since the All-Merciful has written for both leaven and that which is leavened, and to write [the word] Hametz/leavened product, for its that which is a strong leavening agent (see Talmud Betzah 7b), and despite this, one is obligated to remove it, and it is an a fortiori for leaven which is a strong leavening agent, but we learn from this that the measurement for the one is not like the measurement of the other, and we don’t derive removal [of Hametz] from eating. But the School of Hillel holds that both (i.e. שאור וחמץ) [are forbidden] by an olive’s bulk, as we derive removal from eating. But because that these three things are of the liberal opinions of the School of Shammai and the of the stringencies of the School of Hillel regarding the Yom Tov, they are taught together.

An egg laid on Yom Tov: Bet Shammai say: it may be eaten [on the same day]; But Bet Hillel say: it may not be eaten [until the day is over]. According to Bet Shammai, just as it is permitted to slaughter a chicken on Yom Tov, it is also permitted to eat an egg that is laid on Yom Tov. In other words, the chicken and everything in it is permitted on Yom Tov. In contrast, Bet Hillel hold that while the chicken itself is permitted, the egg that is laid is prohibited. The egg is what is called “nolad” it is born, or new, something that was not there when Yom Tov began and hence was not set aside for use at the beginning of Yom Tov. This prohibition is similar to muktzeh the idea that something that was not set aside before Yom Tov to be used on Yom Tov may not be used on Yom Tov.

בכותבת – date palm.

Bet Shammai say: [the quantity of] leaven is of the size of an olive and leavened bread is of the size of a date; But Bet Hillel say: both are of the size of an olive. Exodus 13:7 says, “No leavened bread shall be seen with you and no leaven shall be found in all your territory.” The verse mentions two things: the leavening agent (starter dough) and the leavened bread, both of which are prohibited. According to Bet Shammai the point of the verse is to teach that the two prohibitions are different. Leaven is prohibited at the size of an olive, whereas leavened bread is prohibited at a larger amount, the size of a date. Beth Hillel hold that in both cases an olive’s worth is prohibited. Note that smaller amounts are not permitted either. A smaller amount is still forbidden but one who consumes a smaller amount has not transgressed the Biblical prohibition of leaven or leavened bread on Passover.

השוחט חיה ועוף – he who comes to slaughters a wild beast or fowl and consults with the Jewish court how he should do it.

Introduction This mishnah deals with slaughtering animals on Yom Tov.

ב"ש אומרים – the Jewish court teaches him that ab initio, he should slaughter it with a mattock (i.e., a pronged tool) stuck in the ground that he prepared while it is still day (i.e., before the start of the Festival – see Talmud Betzah 7b) that is he should uproot it from the place where it is stuck into the ground and bring up dirt and cover it. For we are speaking that it is inserted in crushed/loose earth (see Talmud Betzah 8a) that is appropriate for covering, that is not lacking pounding/crushing.

He who slaughters a wild animal or a bird on a festival Bet Shammai says: he may dig with a pronged tool and cover up [the blood], but Bet Hillel says: he may not slaughter unless he has had earth made ready. According to Leviticus 17:13, when one slaughters an undomesticated animal or any type of fowl the blood must be poured out of the animal and covered with earth. One who slaughters an undomesticated animal or fowl on the festival has a problem. Although it is permitted to slaughter, if he doesn’t have any prepared earth to cover the blood newly dug earth is “muktzeh” and cannot be used. Nevertheless, Bet Shammai permits one to dig up new earth and cover the blood. Bet Hillel says one cannot slaughter unless one has earth already prepared.

דקר – a peg that we stick in the ground, and the language of the peg is (Numbers 25:8): “stabbed both of them.”

But they agree that if he did slaughter he should dig with a pronged tool and cover up [the blood, and] that the ashes of a stove count as being prepared for the holiday. However, they all agree that if he had already slaughtered the animal, even though Bet Hillel says he should not have done so without already prepared earth, he may still dig new earth to cover the blood. This is because the principle of muktzeh is only rabbinically ordained and the obligation to cover the blood is Biblical. When one has two competing commandments, one rabbinic and one Biblical, the latter takes precedence. The two houses also agree that the ashes in the oven are considered prepared for the festival, in other words they are not muktzeh. Since people used these ashes for various purposes, we can make the assumption that before the festival began he knew in his mind that he would use these ashes.

שאפר כירה מוכן הוא – they do not refer to the words/matter of the School of Shammai and the School of Hillel, but it is an entirely separate matter, and this is how it should be understood – that the ashes of the oven should be made ready and that they do not need preparation/designation for a particular purpose that is mind is upon it, and they did not teach other than that which had been heated from the eve of the Festival, but that which was heated on the Festival is prohibited, for one cannot say that his thoughts were upon it from yesterday. For if it was appropriate to roast on it an egg, for it was yet hot ashes/embers, even though it was kindled on the Festival, it is permissible to cover it, for it is worthy of roast on it an egg, they take it also and cover [the blood] with it.

אין מוליכין את סולם משובך לשובך – regarding the ladder of an upper story no one disagrees that it is forbidden and regarding a ladder of a dovecote also, when he brings it in the public domain, the School of Hillel admits that it is forbidden, for a person who sees it would say that he is fixing his roof, he is bringing it and doing work on the Festival, but they (i.e., the Schools of Shammai and Hillel) disagree when he brings it in the private domain and there aren’t people who see him. The School of Shammai holds that they should not bring it, for any thing that the Sages prohibit in order to avoid the semblance of wrong-doing for appearance sake (Talmud Betzah 9a), even in the remotest recesses (i.e., the strictest secrecy) is prohibited, but the School of Hillel permits it, and even though that generally, this is the law, here it is permitted because of the joy of the Festivals.

Introduction This mishnah continues with two more debates between Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel over what types of food preparations one can do on Yom Tov. Today’s mishnah again deals with muktzeh, the concept that something that was designated for use on Yom Tov or Shabbat may not subsequently be used then. The specific topic is fetching pigeon-doves from a dovecote in order to eat them on Yom Tov.

מחלון לחלון – in the same dovecote itself, for it is the manner of each dovecote to have [many compartments] a nest for each and every pair, and a window for each and every nest.

Bet Shammai says: one may not carry a ladder [on Yom Tov] from one dovecote to another, but he may incline it from one pigeon-hole to another. But Bet Hillel permits [this]. In ancient Israel dovecotes were typically underground caves with many holes carved into the walls, each hole housing a dove. There would be ladders inside the dovecote so that the owner could reach the doves situated high up. According to Bet Shammai one may not move a ladder from one dovecote to another on Yom Tov, however one may move the ladder from one hole to the other within the dovecote. Bet Hillel is more lenient in this case and permits one to move the ladder even from one dovecote to the other. One cogent explanation for this debate is that Bet Shammai prohibits moving the ladder from one dovecote to another lest it look like he is bringing the ladder to the shop to get it fixed. Bet Hillel is not concerned since everyone should know why he would be moving the ladder.

זה וזה אני נוטל – This is a dispute between the School of Shammai and the School of Hillel specificially in the first brood of the year (see Talmud Betzah 10a), for it is the practice of those who raise doves to always leave the first brood which are the first two pigeons, for their mothers console them so that they do not fly off. But the School of Shammai holds that that mere words are not enough, lest they take them on the morrow, and they determine to protect them and would engage in carrying that is not necessary , but when he shakes and uses them while it is still daytime for slaughter, and does not protect them, furthermore, we don’t suspect that he is protecting them. But the School of Hillel does not decree lest he has compassion on them, and even if they are the first brood.

Bet Shammai says: one may not take [doves] unless he has shaken [them] the day before [Yom Tov]: But Bet Hillel says: he stands and declares: this one or that one I am taking. Doves that were not set aside to be slaughtered and then eaten on Yom Tov are muktzeh and may not be used on Yom Tov. However, if they are designated before Yom Tov to be slaughtered on Yom Tov, one may use them. In this mishnah Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel debate how one designates before Yom Tov that he will slaughter certain birds on the next day. According to Bet Shammai one must designate the birds by physically lifting each one up and moving it around. This demonstrates that he intends to use that specific pigeon the next day (if only the pigeon knew that tomorrow won’t be such a Yom Tov for him). Bet Hillel says that the designation is verbal he stands in front of the pigeons and says that he will use these pigeons (good thing they don’t know Hebrew).

זימן שחורים ומצא לבנים – this matter is simple and it was not necessary to teach it. But this is how it should be understood – that if he designated black and white ones and found black ones in the place of white ones and white ones in the place of black ones. And this is the explanation of our Mishnah – that he designated black ones in this nest and found white ones there, [or] he designated in the second [nest] white ones and found it black ones, you might think they had been reversed, but it comes to teach us that this is not the case.

Introduction In yesterday’s mishnah we learned that in order to slaughter and eat doves on Yom Tov one must designate them for use before Yom Tov begins. Otherwise they are muktzeh. Our mishnah discusses what happens if he designated doves before Yom Tov but then is not sure that the doves that he finds in the nest or dovecote are the same ones.

שנים ומצא ג' – and he doesn’t recognize the ones that are ready, all of them are forbidden.

If he designated black [doves] but found [on Yom Tov] white ones, white [doves] but found black ones, two but found three, they are [all] forbidden. If the doves which he finds are a different color from those that he designated it is obvious that they are not the same doves that he designated the previous day. If he designated two doves and there are now three there, one of the doves is certainly muktzeh. The problem is that he doesn’t know which one because all three look alike (I wonder if doves think all humans look alike). Hence they are all prohibited.

שלשה ומצא שנים מותרים – and one went off, and he two remained. And we don’t say that just as the one went off, so all the others went off and these are the others.

[If he designated] three but found two, they are permitted. If he designated three but finds only two we can assume that one flew off and that the other two are the same ones he designated. Hence they are permitted.

זימן בתוך הקן ומצא לפני הקן – but within the nest he did not find all of them, they are forbidden.

[If he designated doves] inside the nest and found them in front of the nest, they are forbidden. But if none were there except these, they are permitted. If the doves are found outside of the nest but he designated them in the nest, then they may not be the same doves. If there is another nearby dovecote then he must be concerned about this possibility and he may not use those doves. However, if there are no nearby dovecotes then he can assume that these doves just found their way out and he may use them.

ואם אין באותו שובך אלא הן הרי אלו מותרין – and even though there is another dovecote near it within fifty cubits, if that dovecote is not in the row of this dovecote equivalently other than in the corner-piece, we don’t say that from that dovecote that is closest to it. For the pigeons all the while that they are not flying but are stretching their legs, they are not equally stretching other opposite their own nest, for if they see their nests when they turn around to their backs they stretch, and if not they do not stretch.

העלי – the handle of a very large piece of wood where they pound/crush grits and similar things. But because of its heaviness and size, for it is not considered a utensil.

Introduction This mishnah continues with four more debates between Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel on the laws of Yom Tov.

לקצב – to cut/sever.

Bet Shammai says: one may not remove shutters on Yom Tov. But Bet Hillel permits even to return them to their place. In mishnaic times the shutters which were used to close windows and closets were removable. Bet Shammai forbade removing them because they considered this similar to tearing down a building, a forbidden labor on Shabbat and Yom Tov. All the more so they would hold that putting the shutters back in their place is forbidden because it is similar to “building”. Bet Hillel holds that it is permitted even to put the shutters back in their place. Bet Hillel’s general principle is that if an activity is permitted because it is done in the preparation of food, then it is permitted even when it is done for another purpose. Removing a shutter to take food out of a closet is permitted therefore removing shutters is always permitted, even if it is not for the sake of removing food. Bet Hillel even allows returning the shutter to its place, because if it were prohibited people would hesitate to remove them, knowing that they would not be able to put them back in their place afterwards.

וב"ה מתירין – because of the joy of the Festival, and even though it is not considered as utensil.

Bet Shammai says: one may not take a pestle even to cut up meat on it. But Bet Hillel permits [it]. A pestle is a wooden board used to grind things which cannot be ground on Yom Tov because they can be ground the day before. Bet Shammai says that the pestle cannot even be used for things that can be done on Yom Tov such as cutting up meat. The pestle is completely muktzeh because its general use is for something that is prohibited. Bet Hillel disagrees and holds that even though it is usually used during the week for things that cannot be done on Yom Tov, it may be used on Yom Tov for something that is permitted.

לפני בית הדריסה – that people will tread upon it, in order that he will not lose it.

Bet Shammai says: one may not place a hide in front of one who treads upon it nor may he even lift it up unless there is an olive’s worth of flesh on it. But Bet hillel permit it. Once one has slaughtered and skinned an animal Bet Shammai prohibits one from giving the hide over to someone who will tread on it to prepare it for processing. Indeed, Bet Shammiai add that he may not even touch the removed hide. Since the hide is not food, it becomes muktzeh. One may touch the hide only if it has some flesh on it, because then it is considered “food.” Bet Hillel however allows one to give a hide over to someone who will tread on it since if this was not permitted people wouldn’t slaughter animals on Yom Tov because the valuable hides would be ruined by waiting until the next day to begin working on them. This would result in a reduction of the rejoicing on Yom Tov because there would be no fresh meat. It is noteworthy that Bet Hillel allows activities that would seemingly be prohibited if they contribute to the celebration of Yom Tov.

ולא יגביהנו – to carry it after flaying it.

Bet Shammai says: one may not carry out an infant or a lulav or a Torah scroll into the public domain. But Bet Hillel permit [it]. According to Bet Shammai carrying something through the public domain is permitted on Yom Tov only in a case where one carries in order to prepare or eat food. Carrying a child, a lulav or a Torah scroll is not done for eating and hence it is prohibited. Bet Hillel again permits this. Since carrying is permitted in some cases (for food) it is permitted in other cases as well. However, Bet Hillel limits this to cases which involve a mitzvah or some other benefit. Taking a child for a stroll is pleasurable (as long as they’re not screaming their little heads off). The lulav and the Torah scroll are for mitzvot. To carry something with no purpose is however forbidden even according to Bet Hillel.

וב"ה מתירין – for if he did not permit it, he would not slaughter it in order not to lose the hide, and be prevented from the rejoicing of the Festival.

תריסין – those who sell spices have stores that are made like chests which stand in the market and are not attached to the ground. And these shutters are doors that close the openings of these chests, and sometimes these shutters are removed from the opening of the chest and they spread upon them, the dyes/ingredients of frankincense that are in the store.

מתירין עף להחזיר – with these shutters that lack a hinge from the side, no one disagrees that it is forbidden to lock with them even the doors of the stores, for this is comparable to building. But they do dispute regarding shutters that have a hinge in the middle like something protruding and they insert it in the hole that is in the middle wall, at the opening of the store. The School of Shammai holds that we make a decree that a hinge in the middle is on account of the hinge from the side. But the School of Hillel holds that we do not make a decree concerning the shutters of the stores, and it is permitted ot return them, because it is necessary to remove spices and if we don’t permit him to return them, he would not open it and would be prevented from the joy of the Festival.

לא את הקטן – nor whatever it may be that is not for the needs of eating.

וב"ה מתירין – who say that since it was permitted to remove something for the needs of eating, it is also permitted for something that is not for the needs of eating, and there would be a need for a Mitzvah such as these that are considered in our Mishnah, or for the need of something enjoyable such as from the opening of his house and similar things, to exclude the removal of stones and similar things, for on those, the School of Hillel admits that it is prohibited.

איין מוליכין חלה – on the Festival Day. Even though it is permitted to separate it, they did not permit him to bring it, but the repair of the dough they permitted to him, and nothing more.

Introduction In this mishnah Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel debate whether one may carry to a priest hallah and priestly gifts on Yom Tov. Hallah is dough which one must separate from the dough that one kneads to bake bread (Numbers 15:17-21). Priestly gifts refers to the parts of a sacrificial animal which must be given to the priest (Deuteronomy 18:3).

מתנות – the shoulder, the cheeks and the stomach (see Deuteronomy 18:3).

Bet Shammai says: one may not take hallah or priestly gifts to a priest on Yom Tov, whether they were separated on the day before or on that day. But Bet Hillel permits it. In this first section we learn that Bet Shammai prohibits carrying the hallah and priestly gifts to the priest, whether they were separated on that day or earlier, whereas Bet Hillel permits this. The reasons for this debate come in the following mishnah.

גזרה שוה – not specifically, for all of it is, was decreed by the Rabbis because of a decree that we don’t raise up the priest’s due and the tithes on the Festival. But it is similar to an analogy.

Bet Shammai said them: An analogy [supports our view]: hallah and priestly gifts go to the priest and terumah is [likewise] goes to the priest; just as one may not take [to the priest] terumah so one may not take [to him] priestly gifts. Bet Hillel said to them: No! If you say in the case of terumah which he has not the right to separate, will you say [the same] with respect to priestly gifts which he is permitted to separate? We now learn Bet Shammai’s reasoning. They compare hallah and priestly gifts to terumah, the portion of one’s produce that one separates and gives to the priest. Terumah may not be separated on Yom Tov because it can be separated from one’s produce on the day before. Since one is not allowed to separate terumah on Yom Tov it is also forbidden to carry it to the priest. Bet Shammai reasons that the same holds true for the other things which one gives to a priest they too cannot be carried to the priest on Yom Tov. Bet Hillel critiques this analogy. One cannot carry terumah to a priest precisely because one cannot separate it on Yom Tov. However, one may separate hallah and priestly gifts on Yom Tov and therefore one is allowed to carry them to the priest as well. The reason that one may separate hallah and priestly gifts on Yom Tov is that one can slaughter an animal and knead dough on Yom Tov, and when one does so the gifts and hallah must be separated.

מתנה לכהן – from the twenty-four priestly gifts.

כשם שאין מוליכין את התרומה וכו' – this Mishnah is superseded in the Gemara (Tractate Betzah 12b) for the Schools of Shammai and Hillel did not dispute that they bring up the hallah offering and priestly gifts. For they did not dispute other than in bringing up the Priest’s due/the Sacred gift for the Priest/Terumah, as the School of Shammai state that we don’t bring it up but the School of Hillel states that we do bring it up. The School of Hillel said to the School of Shammai that the Hallah/dough offering and priestly gifts are for the Kohen, and the Priest’s Due is a gift for the Kohen, and just as they bring up the [other gifts] they also bring up the Terumah. Bet Shammai responded to them that this is not the case, for if you said concerning the Hallah and priestly gifts that they are deserving of separating their priestly gifts, the Sages gave the strength and the permission for their being set apart for a sacred purpose, for since their obligation comes on the Festival day, since we knead and slaughter on the Festival day, and since they were permitted on the Festival day, we permit to bring them up even those that were made from the eve of the Festival day, shall we say that the Priest’s due which is not worthy in being brought up that it is impossible that the obligation for Terumah should come to the pile on the Festival Day, since there is no obligation for Terumah other than from the time of smoothing out the pile and we don’t smooth out the pile on the Festive Day, therefore, we don’t bring up the Terumah on the Festival Day.

במדוך של עץ – but not in one (i.e., a pestle) made of stone. But however, with a wooden pestle, they are crushed in their manner and there is no need for a change, since they lose their taste if they are crushed from the day before.

Introduction This mishnah deals with grinding spices on Yom Tov. Everyone agrees that they can be ground. The debate is over whether they can be done in the normal way or they must be done differently somehow.

והמלח בפך – [a cruse] of earthenware he crushes it.

Bet Shammai says: spices may be crushed with a wooden pestle and salt in a small cruse or with a wooden ladle. According to Bet Shammai when one crushes spices on Yom Tov they have to be crushed differently. Normally spices are crushed with a stone pestle on Yom Tov they need to use a wooden pestle. When crushing salt he shouldn’t use a pestle at all, rather he should use a small earthenware cruse and a wooden soup ladle.

או בעץ פרור – it is the spoon that one stirs the pot with, for the salt requires a change, for he had to crush it from the day before so that it doesn’t lose its taste. And the Halakha is that one who comes to crush salt on the Festival Day, turns the mortar on its side and crushes in a changed manner. But the spices are crushed in the regular manner and they do not require a change.

But Bet Hillel says: spices may be crushed in the usual way with a stone pestle and salt with a wooden pestle. Bet Hillel holds that since it is permitted to crush spices and grind salt on Yom Tov, it is also permissible to crush them in a normal fashion spices with a stone pestle and salt with a wooden pestle.

בורר אוכל אוכל – he collects food one piece at a time from the refuse.

Introduction This mishnah deals with how one separates out the dirt and inedible parts from a pile of beans on Yom Tov. “Sorting” is one of the prohibited labors on Shabbat, but it is permitted on Yom Tov because it is done in preparation of food.

בורר כדרכו בחיקו – and as long as it won’t be a painstaking preparation separating the large amount of refuse. But if it the painstaking preparation involved in separating the refuse is greater than the trouble involved to separate the food, such as the case where the refuse is exceptionally thin, even though the food is greater in its measure than the refuse, the School of Hillel agrees that one separates the food and sets aside the refuse, to exclude where the trouble involved is preferable.

One who sorts beans on Yom Tov:
Bet Shammai says: he must sort the edible parts and eat [them immediate]. According to Bet Shammai he is not really allowed to sort out the beans and make two piles, one of edible beans and one of dirt and other such yucky stuff. Rather all that he is allowed to do is sort out the beans and either eat them immediately, or put them in water to cook them if they are the type of bean that requires cooking. Again we see that Bet Shammai allows one to prepare food on Yom Tov but requires it to be done in a very minimal way, and with some significant differences from how it is done during the week.

אף מדיח ושולה – that he brings a utensil filled with pulse and puts water upon it and the refuse floats on top of the water and he removes it with his hand. The word שולה /”draw it out” is like (Exodus 3: 5 ) “Remove your sandals [from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground].” But the Halakha is not according to Rabban Gamaliel.

But Bet Hillel says: he may sort as usual in his lap or in a basket or in a dish; but not with a board or in a sifter or in a sieve. Bet Hillel allows one to sort beans but only if he does so in a more make-shift fashion, using his lap a basket or a dish. He may not use the instruments that he regularly uses during the week, vessels such as a board, a sifter or a sieve.

Rabban Gamaliel says: he may even rinse them [in water] and skim off [the refuse]. Rabban Gamaliel is the most lenient of the opinions in the mishnah. He allows one to sort beans even by rinsing the beans in water and skimming off the refuse that floats to the surface.

אין משלחין ביום טוב – gift of a person to his friend.

Introduction In our mishnah the two houses debate what types of food gifts one person may send to his neighbor on Yom Tov. The problem with gifts would occur if they cannot be used on Yom Tov itself.

אלא מנות – something prepared that is not made to be left over until the morrow, such as pieces of meat and/or fish.

Bet Shammai says: one may not send [gifts to a neighbor] on Yom Tov except portions [of food, ready to be eaten]. Bet Shammai says that one shouldn’t send gifts on Yom Tov unless they are ready to be eaten immediately. Thus one could send pieces of meat or fish that have already been prepared.

וב"ה אומרים כו' – The School of Hillel did not permit other than to send via one or two people. But three or more people who carry the present is forbidden, as it the matter is too large and appears like one is bringing [things] to sell in the marketplace.

But Bet Hillel says: one may send cattle, game and poultry whether alive or slaughtered. One may [also] send wine, oil, flour or pulse but not grain. Bet Hillel extends this even more and allows one to send whole live animals to one’s friends, because he could slaughter the animals and eat them on Yom Tov. Bet Hillel also permits one to send other food items to one’s friend on Yom Tov. The only exception is grain. Since grain cannot be ground into flour on Yom Tov, because one can grind it the day before, one cannot send it as a gift on Yom Tov.

אבל לא תבואה – which is not appropriate for eating, for it requires grinding and we do not grind on the Festival Day.

And Rabbi Shimon permits [even] grain. Rabbi Shimon continues the trend to leniency by allowing one to send even grain. Although one cannot grind the grain on Yom Tov, he is allowed to cook the grain whole and eat it as cereal. In other words, even grain is edible on Yom Tov.

ור' שמעון מתיר בתבואה – for one is able to crush it in a small mortar and cook it through the use of a pot. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Shimon.

משלחין כלים תפורין – that are appropriate for clothing, and which are not sewn are appropriate for covering.

Introduction The final mishnah of chapter one discusses sending clothing as a gift on Yom Tov.

כלאים – when they are hard and they don’t make warm, it is permissible to lie on them.

One may send clothes, whether they are sewn up or not sewn up, and even though there is kil'ayim (mixed wool and in them, provided they are necessary for the festival. On Yom Tov one may send even unfinished clothing which hasn’t been fully sewn because it can be used as a covering, such as a blanket. One can even send clothing that is forbidden to wear because it has a mixture of wool and linen (kilayim, also called shatnez). Although it is forbidden to wear such clothing, it is permitted to hang it up as a decoration and in certain cases to lie on top of it. In other words, as long as there is some potential use to the clothing, he may use it on Yom Tov.

סנדל מסומר – of wood covered with nails. For the Sages decreed concerning it that one should not wear it on the Sabbath and the Festival Day, because of an event that occurred where those killed by the [Roman] Kingdom were killed by it, as it is explained in Tractate Shabbat 60a – in the chapter “How a woman goes out” (chapter 6).

But [one may] not [send] nailed sandals nor unfinished shoes. Sandals that have nails in them were not worn on Yom Tov. These seem to have been some sort of work shoe and since one doesn’t work on Yom Tov, one can’t wear them. Since they cannot be worn, they cannot be sent to friends either.

ולא מנעל שאינו תפור – and one that was attached by pegs made of wood and similar kinds of things.

Rabbi Judah says: not even white shoes because they [still] require an artisan [to blacken them]. Rabbi Judah says even shoes that are only missing the “finishing touches”, such as white shoes that need to be blackened, cannot be sent on Yom Tov because they are not generally worn.

אף לא מנעל לבן – in the place of Rabbi Yehuda, they would not wear white shoes until they blacken it.

This is the general rule: whatever may be used on Yom Tov may [also] be sent [on Yom Tov]. This is the general rule that summarizes the entire mishnah. If the object could be used as is on Yom Tov, then it can’t be sent. But if it is missing some step in its preparation then it may not be sent because it is not generally used.

שצריך אומן – to blacken it.

כל שנאותין – this is how it should be understood: All that is permitted to be used on weekdays like it is and does not require other work [done to it], even though they are not permitted to be used on Festival Days, such as Tefillin, which on weekdays one wears as they are and on Festival Days, one does not wear them, we send them on the Festival Day (see Talmud Betzah 15a).