Il (R. Gamliel) a également adopté le point de vue clément dans trois choses: Il est permis de balayer entre les lits (sur yom tov). [Ils avaient l'habitude de s'allonger sur des lits et de manger. Parce que l'espace (entre les lits) est petit, nous ne craignons pas qu'il puisse égaliser des trous (dans un sol en sable), comme nous le faisons par rapport à la maison, qui, étant grande, est obligée d'avoir des trous.] Et il il est permis de faire du mugmar sur yom tov [c'est-à-dire de placer de l'encens sur des charbons pour en inhaler l'arôme; mais tous soutiennent qu'il est interdit de parfumer les vêtements.] Et il est permis de faire un gedi (un enfant) mekulas la nuit de Pessa'h. ["mekulas"—rôti avec ses jambes et ses entrailles à ses côtés, en commémoration de l'offrande de Pessa'h, à propos de laquelle il est écrit (Exode 12: 9): «sa tête, avec ses jambes, avec ses entrailles». «mekulas», comme un guerrier portant ses armes. Le targum de (I Samuel 17: 5): "et un casque de cuivre" est "vekulas dinechash". Rambam interprète «mekulas» comme «distinctif», comme «kilus»]. Et les sages interdisent [tous les trois: balayer, parce qu'il pourrait égaliser les trous; «mugmar», parce qu'il n'est pas requis par tous, mais seulement par les choyés et les complaisants et ceux qui ont une odeur corporelle; «mekulas», car il donne l'impression de manger des aliments consacrés à l'extérieur (la zone prescrite). La halakha est conforme aux sages.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
מכבדין את המטות – when the eat there (they sweep between the couches). For they normally recline to eat on top of beds and because it is such a small place, they are not suspect lest it make indentations, as we would fear regarding a large house and it is impossible that there wouldn’t be an indentation/hole.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Beitzah
Introduction
In mishnah six we learned of three cases where Rabban Gamaliel was strict like Beth Shammai. In mishnah seven we learn three cases where he adopted a more lenient position than the other Sages.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
מוגמר – frankincense on top of the coals to smell it, but to perfume the utensils, it is the words of everyone that it is prohibited.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Beitzah
Also he declared three decisions of a lenient character: One may sweep up [on a festival] between the couches, In the time of the Mishnah, during formal meals people would recline on couches on the ground and eat off personal tables which were more like trays. According to Rabban Gamaliel one can sweep up between the couches after the meal on Yom Tov. The Sages forbid this for fear that one might fill in a hole that is in the floor, which could be considered a form of building, which is forbidden on the Sabbath and Yom Tov.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
מקולס – its legs, and its innards are hanging outside of it [on its side] when they are roasting it, and they do this in memory of the Passover sacrifice, as it is written concerning it (Exodus 12:9): “[Do not eat any of it raw, or cooked in any way with water, but roasted-] head, legs and entrails – over the fire.” [The word] מקולס/an animal roasted in its entrails and legs on the head – is like this hero whose weaponry was with him (a reference to Goliath in I Samuel 17:5 who had a “bronze helmet/כובע נחשת ) and the Aramaic translation of “bronze helmet” is a bronze helmet (see also Rashi to Zebahim 88b). But Maimonides explained the word מקולס as meaning honorable, in the manner of praise.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Beitzah
And put spices [on the coals] on a festival; As we have learned many times already, cooking food is allowed on Yom Tov. Rabban Gamaliel allowed people to put spices on coals, which would make a pleasant scent. Even though this is not cooking food, it is permitted since it is still a bodily pleasure. The sages forbid doing so since not all people are equally accustomed to put spices on coals after a meal. Cooking food is permitted because everyone eats; putting spices on coals is prohibited because this is not a practice in which all classes of people engage.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
וחכמים אוסרין – [The Sages forbid] all three. Sweeping because it makes indentations, and the spices put upon the coals/perfume because it is not necessary for every person, for it is not other than for those spoiled and those who indulge themselves in pleasures and to one who has a bad odor. The spices placed upon the coals – because it appears like one who is eating Holy objects outside [the Temple]. And the Halakha is according to the Sages.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Beitzah
And roast a kid whole on the night of Passover. But the sages forbid them. When there was a Temple in Jerusalem, people would roast kids (lambs, not the human kind) as Passover sacrifices on the day before Passover and eat them at night. When the Temple was destroyed in 70 C.E. sacrifices could no longer be offered. Nevertheless, Rabban Gamaliel permitted people to make roasted kids at their own seders. The other Sages forbid this, lest someone think that they were eating sacrificial meat outside of Jerusalem (for more on this topic see Pesahim 7:1).
