תלמוד על מועד קטן 1:1

²⁶This paragraph and the next with major variations are also in Mo‘ed Qaṭan 1:2 (fol. 83a). The paragraphs refer to the last part of the Mishnah (indicated in Mo‘ed Qaṭan but not here), the disagreement between the Sages and R. Eleazar ben Azariah. One may give two explanations: If he had little [manure] on his field²⁷In Mo‘ed Qaṭan: If he had little [manure] in his house before the Sabbatical year and he wants to transport it to his field during the Sabbatical, he may continuously add to it after the agricultural workers stopped; Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah forbids it. What is the reason of Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah? Maybe there will be no more manure and it will turn out that he fertilizes that place. [This is identical with the second scenario both here and in Mo‘ed Qaṭan. The only difference in both explanations is that in the first case, R. Eleazar ben Azariah is said to accept the opinion of R. Yose (Mishnah Baba Meẓi‘a 5:8) who forbids short sales of manure because manure always is in short supply.], he may continuously add to it after the agricultural workers stopped; Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah forbids it. What is the reason of Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah? Maybe there will be manure and it will turn out that he fertilizes that place²⁸If the manure is added in small portions, the soil under the dungheap will be thoroughly fertilized next year when the manure is spread out over the entire field.. One may give another explanation: If he had little [manure] in his house before the Sabbatical year and he wants to transport it to his field during the Sabbatical, he may continuously add to it after the agricultural workers stopped; Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah forbids it. What is the reason of Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah? Maybe there will be no more manure and it will turn out that he fertilizes that place. Has it not been fertilized before the Sabbatical year²⁹This objection assumes that the dungheap was started before the Sabbatical year.? Rebbi Abba, Rebbi Jeremiah, Rebbi Abun bar Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Abba bar Mamai: Because of the bad impression [it is forbidden] unless he transports ten boxes together³⁰R. Eleazar ben Azariah forbids adding small increments only because people could think he was going to fertilize his field.. Do the rabbis not care for a bad impression? Rebbi Idi said his stick, his basket, and his shovel prove that he intends to make a dungheap.

Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun applied these traditions from here, as we have stated³¹Mishnah Mo‘ed Qaṭan 1:2. Nonessential agricultural work is forbidden during the intermediate days of a holiday; construction work is permitted. The Sages consider building a new water canal as construction and permitted; the question is the rationale of the prohibition by R. Eleazar ben Azariah.: “Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah said, one does not build a new water canal during the intermediate days of holidays or during the Sabbatical year.” Rebbi Zeїra said, because he would prepare its banks to be sown³²This reason would be valid both for the holidays and the Sabbatical year.. Rebbi Jeremiah, Rebbi Abun bar Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Abba bar Mamai: Because of the bad impression. They wanted to say, the one who says there “because of the bad impression” says here³³In the previous paragraph. “because of the bad impression”; the one who says “because he would prepare its banks to be sown”, what can he say here? The only answer would be “maybe there will be no more manure and it will turn out that he fertilizes that place.³⁴The second explanation offered in the previous paragraph is valid since it extends to the case of Mo‘ed Qaṭan; the first explanation has to be rejected.” What would be the difference between them³⁵Is there a practical difference where the ruling would allow one to choose between the two arguments proffered for the position of R. Eleazar ben Azariah?? If he dug to build a water canal for a building. They wanted to say, the one who says there “because of the bad impression” will say in this case “because of the bad impression,” but the one who says there "because he would prepare its banks to be sown,” here its banks will not be prepared to be sown. Everybody agrees that if he built there with lime, pebbles, stones, or cement³⁶Greek γύψος. If the banks of a water canal are of stone or mortar, it is obviously not an agricultural construction. it would be permitted.

Rebbi Ḥuna went to Tyre and forbade them a kind of irrigation. Rebbi Yose heard this and said, this is correct, is this not about [plants] connected to the ground? But did we not state (Mishnah Mo‘ed Qaṭan 1:1): “One irrigates a field in intensive agriculture both during the intermediate days of a holiday¹⁰⁵When normal agricultural work is forbidden. and during the Sabbatical year?” Rebbi Yudan said, only for the vegetables there¹⁰⁶R. Ḥuna would have permitted irrigation of plots planted with delicate plants which would die if deprived of water for any length of time. But the “kind of irrigation” he forbade was one to improve the soil.. Rebbi Mana said, then it should also be permitted to plough for them¹⁰⁷To plough not for new seeds but to loosen the earth for irrigation. This is the opinion of R. Meïr in Mo‘ed Qaṭan 1:1; one is at a loss to understand the position of the rabbis who forbid it.!