Beitzah

— There it is not manifest,1 since it [the hide] is fit to be used as a mat to sit on. Here [however] he will be led to argue: ‘What is the reason [that] the Rabbis permitted me [to spread it on pegs]: so that it should not become offensive: what difference is there whether I spread them or salt them? Rab Judah in the name of Samuel said: A man may salt [on a Festival] several pieces of meat together even though he needs only one piece.2 R. Adda b. Ahabah made use of an artifice and salted piece after piece.3 MISHNAH. BETH SHAMMAI SAY:4 ONE MAY NOT TAKE DOWN SHUTTERS ON A FESTIVAL,5 BUT BETH HILLEL PERMIT EVEN TO PUT THEM BACK AGAIN. GEMARA. What [kind of] shutters? — Said ‘Ulla: The shutters of a [shopkeeper's] stall.6 ‘Ulla further said: There are three cases where [the Rabbis] allowed the completing [of the action]7 on account of its beginning,8 and they are as follows: [The placing of] the hide for people to tread on;9 [the taking down of] shutters from stalls10 and the replacing of a plaster11 in the Temple. And Rehaba said in the name of Rabbi Judah:12 Also he who opens his cask [of wine] or commences [cutting] into his dough for the requirements of the Festival13 and according to R. Judah who Says: He may finish [selling them after the Festival].14 ‘[The placing of] the hide for people to tread on’; we have [already] learnt it!15 — You might say that the reason of Beth Hillel16 is because it is fit to be used as a mat and therefore even though [the hide was flayed] before the Festival it is also [permitted]; so he informs us [that] they permitted its completion for the sake of the beginning: [therefore if flayed] on the Festival it is [permitted], before the Festival it is not [permitted]. ‘[THE TAKING DOWN OF] SHUTTERS FROM STALLS’ we have also learnt, [viz., but Beth Hillel permit even to put them back again]: — You might say that the reason of Beth Hillel is that building or demolishing does not apply to utensils and [therefore] even [the lids of chests in] houses are also permitted,17 so he informs us that they only permitted its completion on account of the beginning; therefore of stalls only [is it permitted] but not of [chests in] houses.18 ‘The replacing of a plaster in the Temple’ we have also learnt [viz.]:19 One may replace20 a plaster [on a wound] in the Temple but not in the country:21 — You might Say, what is the reason? Because there is no shebuth22 in the Temple and [therefore] even a priest not performing a Temple service [may also replace a plaster], so he informs us that they [only] permitted its completion on account of the beginning, [therefore it is permitted] only in the case of [a priest] performing a Temple service, but not when not performing a Temple service. ‘[The case of] opening a cask’, we have also learnt23 [viz.]: He who opens his cask [of wine] or commences cutting into his dough for the requirements of the Festival, R. Judah says: He may finish [selling them after the Festival]; but the Sages say: He may not finish! — You might say that the Rabbis regarded the uncleanness of an ‘am ha-arez during the [period of the] Festival as cleanness and [therefore] even though he had not commenced24 it is also [permitted];25 so he informs us that they only permitted its completion on account of the beginning, [therefore] only if he had commenced [to sell them during the Festival] but not if he had not commenced.26 And ‘Ulla: What is the reason that he does not state this?27 — He does not deal with [cases] where there is a dispute. But there is a dispute concerning those too!28 — The [opinion of] Beth Shammai against that of Beth Hillel is regarded as having no authority.29 Our Mishnah30 is not according to the following Tanna; for it was taught: R. Simeon b. Eleazar says: Beth Shammai and Beth Hillel agree that one may take down the shutters on a Festival; they dispute only about replacing, Beth Shammai maintaining: One may not replace [them]; while Beth Hillel rules: One may even replace [them]. When is this said? Where they [the shutters] have hinges,31 but if they have no hinges all agree that it is permitted [even to replace them]. But it was taught: This applies only if they have no hinges, but if they have hinges all agree that it is forbidden! — Said Abaye: When they have hinges on the side all32 agree that it is forbidden;33 they only dispute where there is a hinge in the middle: on until the whole was salted. The object was to preserve the meat in better condition for the days following the Festival. be sold on trust, no payment being made on the day of the Festival. One or two shutters were taken down to show that such goods might be obtained. sake of the beginning. If it were forbidden, it might cause the neglect of beginning certain work which was necessary for the full enjoyment of the Festival. reason of which he may not perform the Temple service (because nothing may adhere to his hand during the Temple service) has removed same, then he may replace it after the Temple service is over. (Rashi). V. D.S. a.l.] observe the law of purification and who may have come into contact with the wine or bread thus rendering them unclean. According to R. Judah, the remainder also may after the Festival be bought by or sold to anyone however scrupulous he may be. V. p. 56, n. 1. Here, too, if we do not allow him to sell after the Festival, he will not commence opening for the Festival. they permit only on account of the enjoyment of the Festival. being out of harmony with the celebration of the day. The replacing of a plaster on a Sabbath, like other medicinal remedies, is forbidden by the Rabbis as a preventive measure against pounding spices. The prohibition of acts as shebuth, however, did not apply to Temple duties. V. Glos. are scrupulous about purification, for the ‘am ha-arez is suspected of being unclean. If an ‘am ha-arez comes into contact with the wine or the dough during the Festival, they are not contaminated and may be bought by or sold to anybody during the Festival, even the most scrupulous. Should any wine or dough remain after the Festival, R. Judah and the Sages dispute whether these may continue to be bought by or sold to scrupulous people. If, however, wine or dough not for sale during the Festival came in contact with an ‘am ha-arez, such may not be bought by or sold to the scrupulous after the Festival even according to R. Judah. if an ‘am ha-arez touched a thing that had not been started to be sold, he contaminated them. according to Beth Hillel. Cf. Ber. 36b, Yeb. 9a.