Beitzah

MISHNAH. R. JUDAH SAYS: A MAN MAY WEIGH MEAT [ON A FESTIVAL] AGAINST A UTENSIL OR AGAINST A BUTCHER'S CHOPPER;1 BUT THE SAGES SAY: ONE MAY NOT LOOK ON THE PAIR OF SCALES AT ALL. GEMARA. What means [NOT] AT ALL? — Said Rab Judah in the name of Samuel: even to protect it [the flesh] from mice2 Said R. Idi b. Abin: This only applies if it [the scales] hang on a hook.3 Rab Judah in the name of Samuel further said: A skilled butcher may not weigh meat [on a Festival] even by hand.4 Rab Judah in the name of Samuel further said: A skilled butcher may not weigh meat [on a Festival] in water.5 Rab Hiyya b. Ashi said: One may not cut a handle in the meat.6 Said Rabina: But with the hand7 it is permitted [to make a handle]. R. Huna said: It is permitted to make a mark on the meat,8 just as Raba son of R. Huna was wont to cut it [the meat] in a triangular shape.9 R. Hiyya and R. Simeon b. Rabbi weighed one portion against [another] portion10 on the Festival.11 According to whom? It is neither according to R. Judah nor according to the Rabbis! For if according to R. Judah, Surely he says: A MAN MAY WEIGH MEAT [ON A FESTIVAL] AGAINST A UTENSIL OR AGAINST A BUTCHER'S CHOPPER; only against a utensil but not against any other thing!12 And if according to the Rabbis, surely they say: ONE MAY NOT LOOK ON THE PAIR OF SCALES AT ALL! — They acted as R. Joshua. For it was taught: R. Joshua says: One may weigh one portion [against] another portion on a Festival. Said R. Joseph: The halachah is as R. Joshua, since we learnt in [Tractate] Bekoroth in accordance with his view. For we have learnt: As to consecrated animals that became disqualified, the benefit of them belongs to the Temple,13 and one may weigh [the meat] portion against portion in the case of the firstling.14 Said Abaye to him: Perhaps it is not so?15 [Perhaps] R. Joshua says this16 only here17 where there is no disrespect to consecrated animals, but not there18 where there is a disrespect to consecrated animals. Alternatively, [perhaps] the Rabbis said this16 only there18 because it does not appear as everyday practice,19 but not here20 which appears like an ordinary transaction.21 Shall it be said that they22 were very particular [with each other]; but there were seven fishes brought to the house of Rabbi and [although] five of them were found in the house of R. Hiyya, yet R. Simeon b. Rabbi did not mind? — Answered R. Papa: Link a [different] person with each of them;23 either it was R. Hiyya and R. Ishmael son of R. Jose or it was R. Simeon b. Rabbi and Bar Kappara. MISHNAH. ONE MAY NOT WHET A KNIFE ON A FESTIVAL,24 BUT ONE MAY DRAW IT OVER ANOTHER KNIFE25 [TO SHARPEN IT]. GEMARA. R. Huna said: They only taught this of a whet-stone, but it is permitted on a knife-board. Said Rab Judah in the name of Samuel: That which you say that on a [whet-]stone it is forbidden, applies only to sharpening it, but to remove its grease is permitted; whence it follows that on a knife-board even sharpening is permitted. Some taught this26 on the concluding part: ‘it is permitted on a [knife-]board’. — Said Rab Judah in the name of Samuel: That which you said that on a [knife-]board it is permitted, applies only to the removal of its grease, but to sharpen it is forbidden; whence it follows that on a whet-stone even to remove its grease is forbidden. Some taught this on our Mishnah: ONE MAY NOT WHET A KNIFE ON A FESTIVAL. Said Rab Judah in the name of Samuel: They only taught this with respect to sharpening it, but to remove its grease is permitted; whence it follows that to draw it over another knife is permitted even for the purpose of sharpening it. And others taught this on the concluding part [of our Mishnah]: BUT ONE MAY DRAW IT OVER ANOTHER KNIFE. Said Rab Judah in the name of Samuel: They only taught this with respect to removing its grease, but to sharpen it, is prohibited; whence it follows that on a whet-stone even to remove its grease is prohibited. Who is the authority [of our Mishnah] that on a whet-stone it is forbidden? Said R. Hisda: It is not as R. Judah; for it was taught: The Festival is distinguished from the Sabbath only with respect to the preparing of food alone. R. Judah permits [on a Festival] even the preliminaries for the preparing of food.27 Raba said to R. Hisda: May we lecture in your name that the halachah is as R. Judah? — He replied to him: May it be [God's] will that you lecture all good things of this sort in my name. R. Nehemiah the son of R. Joseph said: I was standing [on a Festival] before Raba who look like doing business. sight is prohibited. V. B.M. 23a, Sonc. ed. p, 146, n. 5. owner, yet weighing portion against portion is permitted. This proves that weighing portion against portion is not an everyday practice. disqualified sacred animals refers to the sale of their meat.