A child's carriage [made for a child to play with and set aside for him to sit upon] acquires midras ("treading") uncleanliness [If the child were a zav (one with a genital discharge), the carriage becomes av hatumah (a "progenitor" of uncleanliness) ], and it may be moved on Shabbath, [for it has the status of a vessel]. But it may not be rolled [on Shabbath], except on garments, [for it makes a groove in the ground, and one who "digs" is liable by reason of "plowing."] R. Yehudah says: All appurtenances may not be rolled (on Shabbath), except a carriage, because it presses. [Two tannaim (rule here) in accordance with R. Yehudah, the first also representing the view of R. Yehudah, who says that "something not intended is forbidden." And the other tanna comes to apprise us that R. Yehudah did not forbid a child's carriage, because it does not make a groove by "digging," as it rolls, but it presses down the soil beneath it without dislodging it. The halachah has already been stated in accordance with R. Shimon, viz.: one may drag a bed, a chair, and a bench so long as he does not intend to make a groove.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
עגלה – made for a child to play with, and it is special for him to sit upon it.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Beitzah
Introduction
This mishnah is here because of its connection with the previous mishnah, and not because of any connection with the laws of Yom Tov. It continues to deal with the impurity of vessels.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
טמאה מדרס – if the small child had a flux, the wagon becomes a primary source of ritual impurity.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Beitzah
A child’s cart is susceptible to the impurity of midras, and it may be handled on Shabbat, and it is dragged along only on matting. A child’s cart is one that a small child would push around while learning how to walk (today these make sounds and have spinning things to keep your child entertained while you fold the laundry). Since the cart is made to lean upon, it can receive a type of impurity called “midras.” “Midras” means pressure. A zav or a zavah (a man or woman with an abnormal genital discharge) who steps, sits, lies or leans upon this cart, in other words applies bodily pressure to the cart, will render it impure. This type of impurity is derived from Leviticus 15:4. The cart may be handled on Shabbat and on Yom Tov. It is not muktzeh. However, it is forbidden to drag it along the ground because it will make grooves in the ground. This is a forbidden labor on Shabbat and on Yom Tov which is derived from the forbidden labor of plowing. The only way to use it is to drag it on some type of matting.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
ונטלת בשבת – because it has the status of a utensil upon it.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Beitzah
Rabbi Judah says: no vessels may be dragged along [the ground] except a wagon because it [only] presses [the earth] down. Rabbi Judah holds that the cart is the one type of vessel that may be dragged on the ground on Shabbat. All other vessels when dragged will create grooves in the ground. The cart when dragged will only press down the ground, without creating grooves. Hence, your little toddler can push his little cart knowing that he is not violating Shabbat.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
ואינה נגררת – [but may not be dragged] on the Sabbath.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
אלא ע"ג כלים – on top of clothing, because it makes a ditch in the ground and someone who furrows is liable because of [the prohibition of] plowing.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
רבי יהודה אומר כו' – there are two Tannaim and according to Rabbi Yehuda, for the first Tanna is also Rabbi Yehuda who said that something that is not intended is prohibited, and this other Tanna comes and states that Rabbi Yehuda did not prohibit a child’s wagon because it does not make a ditch while walking through the digging, but presses upon the earth and threshes underneath it and makes its dirt lower but does not move the dirt from its place. But already, the law has been decided according to Rabbi Shimon who stated that a person may drag a bed, chair and a bench, so long as he doesn’t intend to make a ditch.
