Beitzah 4

הַמֵּבִיא כַדֵּי יַיִן מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם, לֹא יְבִיאֵם בְּסַל וּבְקֻפָּה, אֲבָל מֵבִיא הוּא עַל כְּתֵפוֹ אוֹ לְפָנָיו. וְכֵן הַמּוֹלִיךְ אֶת הַתֶּבֶן, לֹא יַפְשִׁיל אֶת הַקֻּפָּה לַאֲחוֹרָיו, אֲבָל מְבִיאָהּ הוּא בְיָדוֹ. וּמַתְחִילִין בַּעֲרֵמַת הַתֶּבֶן, אֲבָל לֹא בָעֵצִים שֶׁבַּמֻּקְצֶה:

If one brings pitchers of wine from place to place [within the tchum] (on yom tov), he should not bring them [placing two or three pitchers] in a basket or a container [and carrying them; for this gives the appearance of a weekday activity. If he has no other recourse, however, it is permitted.], but he brings them [placing one or two pitchers] on his shoulder [this giving the impression that he needs them for yom tov] or before him [in his hand]. Similarly, if one brings straw [for kindling or for a beast], he should not lower the container behind him, [this giving the appearance of a weekday activity], but he should bring it in his hand. And one is permitted to begin [taking] from a pile of straw, [even if he had not prepared it before yom tov and was not accustomed to using it for kindling, muktzeh not obtaining according to this tanna], but not from the wood in the muktzeh. [The space behind the houses is called the "muktzeh" because it is "removed" and not frequented. "Wood" here refers to the large cedar beams used in building, which, being expensive, are "muktzeh" by reason of monetary loss [(the loss involved in using it for a purpose other than that for which it was intended). And in this, even R. Shimon, according to whom muktzeh does not obtain, concurs.]

אֵין נוֹטְלִין עֵצִים מִן הַסֻּכָּה, אֶלָּא מִן הַסָּמוּךְ לָהּ. מְבִיאִין עֵצִים מִן הַשָּׂדֶה מִן הַמְכֻנָּס, וּמִן הַקַּרְפֵּף אֲפִלּוּ מִן הַמְפֻזָּר. אֵיזֶהוּ קַרְפֵּף, כֹּל שֶׁסָּמוּךְ לָעִיר, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, כֹּל שֶׁנִּכְנָסִין לוֹ בְפוֹתַחַת, וַאֲפִלּוּ בְתוֹךְ תְּחוּם שַׁבָּת:

It is not permitted to take wood from a succah. [Even when the succah is not used for a mitzvah, as on Pesach or on Shevuoth, it is forbidden to take wood from it on yom tov by reason of "tearing down a tent."] (One may not take wood from a succah, but) only from what is near it, [such as reeds standing near the walls and not interwoven with the walls, so they are not considered part of them, for which reason they may be taken on yom tov.] [Torn off] wood may be brought from the field [within the tchum] from what is gathered, and from the karpif (an enclosure), even from what is scattered. [Our Mishnah represents an individual opinion and is not the halachah. The halachah is that one may bring wood only from what is gathered in the karpif. And he may not bring from the field at all, even from what is gathered, his mind not being set on that wood in that it is not guarded. But his mind is set on gathered wood in a karpif, which is guarded and fenced on all sides.] Which karpif (is permitted)? One [very] close to the city. These are the words of R. Yehudah. [This, when he has a key which is guarded, R. Yehudah requiring both, near the city and a key. (He does not mention the key, taking it for granted that karpifoth have keys.)] R. Yossi says: Whatever is entered by a key, even if it is within the Sabbath bound. [If there is a key, it need not be near, but (it is permitted) even if it is so far as to be near the end of the Sabbath bound. And if it is near, a key is not necessary. "Near and no key" or "a key and not near" are permitted. The halachah is in accordance with R. Yossi.]

אֵין מְבַקְּעִין עֵצִים, לֹא מִן הַקּוֹרוֹת, וְלֹא מִן הַקּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּשְׁבְּרָה בְיוֹם טוֹב. וְאֵין מְבַקְּעִין לֹא בְקַרְדֹּם וְלֹא בִמְגֵרָה וְלֹא בְמַגָּל, אֶלָּא בְקוֹפִיץ. בַּיִת שֶׁהוּא מָלֵא פֵרוֹת, סָתוּם וְנִפְחַת, נוֹטֵל מִמְּקוֹם הַפְּחָת. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, אַף פּוֹחֵת לְכַתְּחִלָּה וְנוֹטֵל:

Wood (for kindling) is not cut (on yom tov) from beams [for building, arranged on the ground to keep them from bending], nor from a beam that broke on yom tov. [For even though it is fit for kindling now, it was not before yom tov.] And one may not cut: neither with an axe [Our Mishnah is defective. It was taught thus: …"but one may cut wood from a beam that was broken before yom tov. And when they cut, they cut neither with an axe"] nor with a saw, [which is a workman's tool], nor with a sickle [This, too, is a workman's tool, and (in using it) he gives the impression that he wishes to perform labor], but [they cut] with a hack, [a butcher's hack, which is not a workman's tool. Some of them have two heads, one wide, called "female"; the other, narrow, called "male." And one may cut only with the male head.] A house full of fruits — If it were closed up, and it opened, one may take out (fruits) through the opening. [And we do not say that they are muktzeh by reason of prohibition, it being prohibited to open it on yom tov, so that his mind is not on them. For the "house" of our Mishnah is not one built with tar and lime, but an arrangement of bricks, one set atop the other, without tar. So that, there being no Torah prohibition against opening it, the fruits are not muktzeh — just as we say in respect to tevel (untithed produce), that it is not muktzeh; for if he transgressed and amended (i.e., tithed) it (on yom tov), it is amended.] R. Meir says: He may even open it to begin with and take. [For since there is no tar, but only bricks piled one atop the other, this is not soter ("tearing down"), and it is permitted to open it ab initio. The halachah is not in accordance with R. Meir.]

אֵין פּוֹתְחִין אֶת הַנֵּר, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה כְלִי. וְאֵין עוֹשִׂין פֶּחָמִין בְּיוֹם טוֹב, וְאֵין חוֹתְכִין אֶת הַפְּתִילָה לִשְׁנַיִם. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, חוֹתְכָהּ בָּאוּר לִשְׁתֵּי נֵרוֹת:

One may not "open" a lamp (on yom tov) [by taking one of the potter's "eggs" and sticking his fist in it to hollow out (the bowl for) a lamp], for he thereby makes a vessel. And one may not make charcoals on yom tov, [these, too, being "vessels" for goldsmiths], and a wick may not be cut in two. [A wick, too, is a "vessel" for kindling, requiring preparation. It may not be cut in two, for this is amending a vessel. (But it is permitted to "mash" it in one's hand.)] R. Yehudah says: He may cut it by fire into two lamps. [He places the two heads of the wicks in the mouths of two lamps which he must light at the same time, and lights it in the middle. For now he does not give the impression of fashioning something, but of lighting (a lamp). The halachah is in accordance with R. Yehudah.]

אֵין שׁוֹבְרִין אֶת הַחֶרֶס, וְאֵין חוֹתְכִין אֶת הַנְּיָר לִצְלוֹת בּוֹ מָלִיחַ, וְאֵין גּוֹרְפִין תַּנּוּר וְכִירַיִם, אֲבָל מְכַבְּשִׁין, וְאֵין מַקִּיפִין שְׁתֵּי חָבִיּוֹת לִשְׁפֹּת עֲלֵיהֶן אֶת הַקְּדֵרָה, וְאֵין סוֹמְכִין אֶת הַקְּדֵרָה בְבַקַּעַת, וְכֵן בְּדֶלֶת, וְאֵין מַנְהִיגִין אֶת הַבְּהֵמָה בְמַקֵּל בְּיוֹם טוֹב, וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מַתִּיר:

One may not break a shard or cut paper [on which oil is put, so that it is fire-resistant] to roast a salted (fish), and an oven or a stove may not be scraped [If some of the plaster or lime of the stove fell into it, it may not be scraped, this being "amending a vessel." This ruling is in accordance with the rabbis, who say that "enabling labors" for eating are forbidden.], but it [the ash and the residue] may be leveled, [and if baking is impossible unless it is scraped, it is permitted.] And two barrels may not be put close together to place a pot upon them [with the fire between the two barrels, this being forbidden because it looks like "building"]. And a pot may not be supported with pieces of wood, [wood being used only for kindling]. And so with a door, [it may not be steadied with a piece of wood, wood being muktzeh for all uses except kindling.] And a beast may not be led with a stick on yom tov, [for the impression is given that it is being led to market to be sold]. R. Elazar b. R. Shimon permits it.

רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, נוֹטֵל אָדָם קֵיסָם מִשֶּׁלְּפָנָיו לַחֲצֹץ בּוֹ שִׁנָּיו. וּמְגַבֵּב מִן הֶחָצֵר וּמַדְלִיק, שֶׁכָּל מַה שֶּׁבֶּחָצֵר מוּכָן הוּא. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, מְגַבֵּב מִשֶּׁלְּפָנָיו וּמַדְלִיק:

R. Eliezer says: One may take a wood splinter from before him [i.e., from what is before him in the house] to pick his teeth with. [Not necessarily "from before him," for according to R. Eliezer it is even permitted to take one from the courtyard; for he says: "Whatever is in the courtyard is 'prepared.'" "from before him" is stated because of the rabbis, who differ with him, saying that even from before him — to kindle, it is permitted; to pick (his teeth) it is not permitted, the rabbis holding that wood may be used only for kindling.] And he may collect (wood) from the courtyard and kindle it, for whatever is in the courtyard is "prepared." And the sages say: He collects from what is before him and kindles, [but not from the courtyard. For since splinters are thin and it is difficult to gather and collect them, they did not "stand" for this from the day before. As to your saying: "He may take a splinter to pick his teeth with," we (the rabbis) hold that even from before him he may take wood only for kindling, wood being permitted only for that purpose. They differ in both instances, and the halachah is in accordance with the sages. It is permitted to take a pick for one's teeth only from the manger, and he may not cut or fashion it for this unless it is fit to be eaten by an animal. For anything which is fit to be eaten by an animal may be cut both on yom tov and on Shabbath and is not regarded as "fashioning a vessel."]

אֵין מוֹצִיאִין אֶת הָאוּר לֹא מִן הָעֵצִים, וְלֹא מִן הָאֲבָנִים, וְלֹא מִן הֶעָפָר, וְלֹא מִן הַמַּיִם, וְאֵין מְלַבְּנִין אֶת הָרְעָפִים לִצְלוֹת בָּהֶן. וְעוֹד אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, עוֹמֵד אָדָם עַל הַמֻּקְצֶה עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בַּשְּׁבִיעִית, וְאוֹמֵר, מִכָּאן אֲנִי אוֹכֵל לְמָחָר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, עַד שֶׁיִּרְשֹׁם וְיֹאמַר, מִכָּאן וְעַד כָּאן:

One may not extract fire (on yom tov) [this being "molid" ("creating"), which is similar to working, the fire being created on yom tov], neither from wood (i.e., by rubbing two pieces of wood together), nor from stones, nor from earth [There is a certain type of earth which emits sparks when dug from its source], nor from water. [Water is put into a vessel of white glass and placed in the sun when it is very hot. The glass becomes red hot, flax is brought and touched to the glass, and it burns.] And re'afim [hollowed earthen tiles used for covering roofs] may not be heated [in fire] for roasting (food) in them. [This, only with new tiles, for he "fashions" them by this heating, the fire glazing and hardening them.] R. Eliezer said further [Because he ruled leniently in respect to muktzeh (4:6) and does so again, "further" is stated]: A man stands over the muktzeh (the place where fruit is spread for drying), the fruit requiring hazmanah (prior designation for use on Shabbath) and hazmanah availing it] on Sabbath eve in the sabbatical year, [when the tithe does not obtain and the figs lack only hazmanah. The same applies to what is tithed, on the other (non-shemitah) years, but the tanna speaks of the ordinary instance, muktzeh, ordinarily, not having been tithed. For dried figs and raisins are generally "muktzeh," and they are not tithed until completely processed], and he says: "From here I shall take for tomorrow," [this sufficing, breirah (retroactive designation) obtaining.] The sages say: (This does not avail) until he indicates [by sign] "from here and from here," [breirah not obtaining. The halachah is in accordance with the sages.]