Tout ce dont on est responsable en raison de shvuth ("repos") [c'est-à-dire, tout ce que les sages ont interdit de faire le Shabbath en raison de shvuth], ou reshuth (une activité autorisée), [là où il y a "un peu" une mitsva , mais pas une mitsva distincte, de sorte qu'elle ait un semblant de «reshuth» (et qui est interdite par les scribes)], ou mitsva [c'est-à-dire, où il y a une mitsva distincte, mais que les rabbins ont interdite le Shabbath], ( Quoi que l'on soit responsable en raison de shvuth), on est responsable de [c'est-à-dire qu'il ne peut pas le faire] sur yom tov. Shvuth: [ces choses dont les sages ont chargé quelqu'un de "se reposer", et pour lesquelles il n'y a pas de mitsva]: On ne peut pas grimper à un arbre [un décret, de peur d'en déchirer (quelque chose)], et un ne peut pas monter sur un animal [un décret, de peur qu'il ne coupe une tige de vigne pour le conduire], et on ne peut pas nager [un décret, de peur de faire "une bouteille de nageur"], et on ne peut pas applaudir [main à la main], et on ne peut pas gifler [de la main à la cuisse], et on ne peut pas danser, [tous les décrets de peur de fabriquer des instruments de musique]. Reshuth: On ne peut pas rendre une décision (halakhique). [Parfois, c'est (entièrement) la vérité, comme quand il y a une autorité supérieure dans la ville, auquel cas il ne lui incombe pas (à un sage inférieur) de régner.], Et on ne peut pas se fiancer. [Parfois, ce n'est pas une mitsva distincte, mais une reshuth, comme quand on a une femme et des enfants.], Et on ne peut pas pratiquer la chalitzah ni le yibum. [Quand on a un frère aîné, c'est aussi reshuth, c'est une mitsva pour que le frère aîné exécute le yibum. La raison de tout cela—un décret, de peur qu'il n'écrive.] Mitzvah: On ne peut pas consacrer (au Temple), et on ne peut pas évaluer, [par exemple, "La valeur de cet homme est sur moi" (pour donner au Temple), et il donne selon l'âge comme expliqué dans la section sur les évaluations (Lévitique 27: 1-8)], et on ne peut pas faire de dévotions (charamin) [par exemple, "Cette bête est consacrée." Les dévotions, sans réserve, sont destinées à l'entretien du Temple. Les rabbins ont interdit tout cela (sur yom tov) car ils sont similaires à l'achat et à la vente, quelque chose passant de son domaine à celui de hekdesh (le temple)], et on ne peut pas séparer terumah et ma'aser (sur yom tov) [même pour le donner au Cohein ce jour-là, où il est évident qu'il les sépare pour la joie du festival du Cohein—encore, c'est interdit, car il «amende» (le produit). Ceci, avec ce qui était (soumis à la dîme) la veille, mais avec ce qui était devenu aujourd'hui, comme la pâte, dont la challah doit être prise, il la sépare sur vous-même et la donne au Cohein.] ceux-ci ont été énoncés en ce qui concerne yom tov—a fortiori, en ce qui concerne Shabbath. Il n'y a pas de différence entre yom tov et Shabbath mais la nourriture (préparation) seule, (étant interdite le Shabbath mais permise le yom tov.) [Cette Michna anonyme est en accord avec Beth Shammai, qui dit (1: 5): "Ni un mineur, ni un loulav, ni un rouleau de la Torah ne peuvent être transportés dans le domaine public (sur yom tov), «seul ce qui est nécessaire pour manger ayant été autorisé. Mais nous gouvernons conformément à Beth Hillel, qui dit que puisque le port était autorisé à des fins alimentaires, il était également autorisé à d'autres fins. (Une autre différence est la chute des fruits par l'ouverture (5: 1), qui est interdite le Shabbath et autorisée le yom tov.)]
Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
כל שחייבין עליו – that the Sages forbade to do on Shabbat because of Rabbinic decrees to enhance the character of the Shabbat/Festivals as a day of rest.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Beitzah
Introduction
This long mishnah deals with three categories of acts that are prohibited by the rabbis on Shabbat and on Yom Tov. They are all considered to be prohibited “derabbanan”, by the rabbis and not by the Torah. The three categories are:
Shevut mandated rest on Shabbat. These are activities that are prohibited because they are generally not in the spirit of the day or because by doing one of them one might come to transgress a biblical prohibition.
Reshut optional activities. These have some aspect of mitzvah in them but can be done on other days. Therefore one doesn’t do them on Yom Tov or Shabbat.
Mitzvah these are commandments that can be performed on other days and therefore shouldn’t be done on Shabbat.
The main point of the mishnah is that the only actions which are allowed on Yom Tov but prohibited on Shabbat those done while preparing food. All of the other Shabbat prohibitions still hold true.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
או משום רשות – that there is in a bit of a Mitzvah, but not a large Mitzvah, but it is near to being an optional act, but there is within it a prohibition from the words of the Scribes.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Beitzah
Every [act] for which one is liable on Shabbat because of mandated rest [shevut], [or] because it is only optional [reshut], [or] even though it is a religious act [mitzvah], he is also liable on Yom Tov. For the following acts he is liable because of shevut: One may not climb a tree, And one may not ride on an animal. And one may not swim in water. And one may not clap hands, nor slap [thighs], nor dance. Climbing a tree is forbidden lest one breaks a branch, which is forbidden to do on Shabbat. Riding an animal is considered prohibited lest one while riding break a branch to use as a switch in guiding an animal. It seems that a deeper reason for why the rabbis prohibited this was that they did not believe that riding an animal was in the spirit of Shabbat. Swimming was prohibited lest while swimming one makes a raft on which to float. Finally, certain types of clapping, slapping of thighs and dancing were prohibited on Shabbat lest one begin to make music and then come to make a musical instrument. We should note that some of these activities are no longer generally prohibited because the likelihood that by doing one of them one will come to transgress a more serious commandment is minimal. In my mind the most important thing to remember is that while one follows the minutiae of Shabbat, one should also be mindful of the spirit of Shabbat. Even things that are permitted should not always be done.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
או משום מצוה – or there is within an actual Mitzvah/commandment, and the Sages prohibited doing it on the Sabbath.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Beitzah
For the following acts he is liable because they are only optional: One may not judge; And one may not betroth a wife, nor perform halizah, nor perform yibbum [consumate a levirate marriage]. This section contains activities that have some aspect of “commandment” to them but can be done on other days. Judging, betrothing and other legal aspects of arranging various types of marriages can be done any day of the week, therefore one should not do them on Shabbat. In my opinion, this is again because these activities are not in the “spirit of Shabbat.” They might detract from the special sanctity of Shabbat, a day set aside. A more technical reason why these things are prohibited is that by doing one of them one might come to write.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
וחייבין עליו – not to do it on the Festival.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Beitzah
And for the following acts one is liable even though it is a religious act [mitzvah]: One may not dedicate [anything to the Temple], nor vow a personal valuation, nor make a vow of herem, nor set aside terumah or tithes. These acts are actually mitzvot, but still one may not perform them on Shabbat or Yom Tov because they can all be done with as much ease on other days. The Rambam explains that donating something to the Temple is similar to engaging in business and hence one does not do so on Shabbat. One does not separate tithes or terumah on Yom Tov or Shabbat because by doing so one “fixes” something to make it usable. Also, this could have just as easily been done the day before.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
ואלו הן משום שבות – that the Sages placed upon him to abstain from doing but there isn’t in their performance any kind of Mitzvah.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Beitzah
All these things they [the rabbis said that they are forbidden] on Yom Tov, how much more so [are they forbidden] on Shabbat. There is no difference between Yom Tov and Shabbat except for the preparation of food alone. In conclusion the mishnah notes that when discussing the laws of Yom Tov the rabbis prohibited these activities, but they are nevertheless even more prohibited on Shabbat. The mishnah reminds us that the only type of activity which is permitted on Yom Tov but not on Shabbat is something done while preparing food.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
לא עולין באילן – a decree lest he tear off [a branch].
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
ולא רוכבין על גבי בהמה – a decree lest he cut a vine-shoot to drive the animal.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
ולא שטין על פני המים – a decree lest he make a swimmer’s bottle (see Tractate Kelim, Chapter 2, Mishnah 3 – used for practicing).
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
ולא מטפחין – hand upon hand.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
ולא מספקין – hand upon the leg.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
ולא מרקדין – on the Festival, and all of them are a decree lest he repair a musical instrument.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
ואלו הן משום רשות – because oof those of the ending section of the Mishnah which are a complete Mitzvah, regarding them we call these “optional.”
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
לא דנין – a judgement, and sometimes it is optional, such as when there is a larger city than this one, and it is not upon him to judge.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
ולא מקדשין – the betrothal of a woman. For sometimes, it is not a complete commandment but rather optional, such as when he has a wife and children.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
ולא חולצין ולא מיבמין – also at the time when he has an older brother than him, it is option, but it is a great Mitzvah to perform a levirate marriage and the reason for all of them is lest he write [documents].
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
ולא מעריכין – the value of this thing is upon me, and he gives according to the years, as it is written in the portion of valuations (Leviticus 27:1-8).
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
ולא מחרימין – behold this animal is devoted to God. And a mere devotion of an animal is for the treasury of the Temple. And all of them, the Rabbis forbad because they are similar to business transactions where one removes it from his domain to the domain of the Sanctified.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
ולא מגביהין תרומות ומעשרות – and even in order to give them to the Kohen on the same day that is appropriate, for because of the Rejoicing on the Festival that the Kohen who needs them, he separates them (i.e., the tithes), and nevertheless, it is prohibited, for it is considered like repairing. And these words concerning produce that yesterday were eatables forbidden prior to the separation of sacred gifts, that currently such as dough one has to separate Hallah from, we separate it on the Festival and give them to the Kohen.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Beitzah
אין בין יו"ט לשבת אלא אוכל נפש בלבד (this part of the Mishnah is also found in Tractate Megillah, Chapter 1, Mishnah 5) – this anonymous teaching is according to the School of Shammai which states that we do not take out the minor nor the Lulav nor a Torah scroll into the public domain, for taking out was only permitted for the purpose of the preparation of food. But we hold like the School of Hillel which states that since removal was permitted for the purposes of the preparation of food, it is also permitted for that which is not needed [for food preparation]. And there are those who state that we let down pieces of fruit through an aperture in the roof looking to the ground floor at the beginning of our Chapter (Mishnah 1), that it is prohibited on the Sabbath, but that is permitted on the Festival.
