Beitzah

because he thereby makes an article;1 then by [severing it] with fire he is also making an article? — R. Hiyya taught: He may sever it with fire [when the wick is] in two lamps.2 Said R. Nathan b. Abba in the name of Rab: One may trim the wick on a Festival. What is meant by trimming? Said R. Hanina b. Salmia [in Rab's name]: To remove the snuff. Bar Kappara taught: Six things have been taught with respect to a wick, three restrictions and three leniencies. The restrictions are: One may not plait it at the outset on a Festival, and one may not singe it with fire,3 and one may not cut it in two. Leniencies: One may rub it by hand,4 and one may soak it in oil, and one may sever it with fire when it is in two lamps. R. Nathan b. Abba further said in the name of Rab: The rich men of Babylon will go down to Gehenna; for once Shabthai b. Marinus came to Babylon and entreated them to provide him with facilities for trading and they refused this to him; neither did they give him any food. He said: These are the descendants of the ‘mixed multitude’,5 for it is written, And [He will] show thee mercy and have compassion upon thee,6 [teaching that] whoever is merciful to his fellow-men is certainly of the children of our father Abraham, and whosoever is not merciful to his fellow-men is certainly not of the children of our father Abraham.7 R. Nathan b. Abba further said in the name of Rab: He who is dependent on another's table, the world is dark to him, for it is said: He wandereth abroad for bread. ‘Where is it?’ He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.8 R. Hisda says: Also his life is no life. Our Rabbis taught: There are three whose life is no life and they are: He who is dependent on the table of his neighbour; he whom his wife rules; and he whose body is subject to suffering. And some say: Also he who possesses only one shirt.9 And the first Tanna? — It is possible to examine his garment.10 MISHNAH. ONE MAY NOT BREAK UP A POTSHERD OR CUT PAPER IN ORDER TO ROAST THEREON SALT-FISH;11 NOR MAY ONE RAKE OUT AN OVEN OR A POT RANGE,12 BUT ONE MAY PRESS [THE ASHES] DOWN;13 NOR MAY ONE PLACE TWO JARS SIDE BY SIDE IN ORDER TO SET A SAUCEPAN ON THEM.14 NOR MAY ONE PROP UP A POT WITH A WOODEN WEDGE AND THE SAME APPLIES TO A DOOR; NOR MAY ONE DRIVE CATTLE WITH A STAFF ON A FESTIVAL, BUT R. ELEAZAR SON OF R. SIMEON PERMITS IT. GEMARA. What is the reason [that one may not break Up a potsherd]? — Because he is making a [new] article.15 NOR MAY ONE RAKE OUT AN OVEN OR A POT RANGE. R. Hiyya b. Joseph recited in the presence of R. Nahman: If it is impossible to bake unless it is raked out it is permitted. A brick fell down in R. Hiyya's wife's oven on a Festival. [So] R. Hiyya said to her: Take notice that I want good bread.16 Raba said to is attendant: Roast a duck for me and mind it does not get burnt.16 Rabina said to R. Ashi: R. Aha from Huzal17 told that they pasted up the oven18 for you, Sir, on a Festival!19 He replied to him: We use20 [the clay from] the bank of the Euphrates,21 and even then only when one had marked out [the clay] on the previous day. Said Rabina: Ashes are permitted.22 NOR MAY ONE PLACE TWO JARS SIDE BY SIDE: Said R. Nahman: It is permissible to arrange the stones of a privy side by side on a Festival.23 Rabbah raised an objection to R. Nahman: ONE MAY NOT PLACE TWO JARS SIDE BY SIDE AND ON THESE SET A SAUCEPAN! — He replied to him: It is different there, for he is making a tent.24 Rabbah Zuta said to R. Ashi: Accordingly it should also be permitted to build a seat25 on a Festival, since he is not making a tent! — He replied to him: There the Torah forbade a permanent building but not a temporary building, but the Rabbis forbade a temporary building on account of a permanent building; but here26 the Rabbis did not enact this prohibition, for the sake of his dignity. Rab Judah said: It is permitted [to build] a fireheap from above downwards but not from beneath upwards.27 divide it but rather to get a light. spirit of) mercy — i.e., to be merciful to others. Hence, of the person who possesses that, it can be said . . . ‘unto thy fathers’, viz., the Patriarchs; but if one lacks it, ‘Unto thy fathers’ cannot be said of him, and so he must be a descendant of the mixed multitude. utensil. come into contact with the old ashes or earth. Matha Mehasia on the right bank of the Euphrates.] constitute a tent. a tent. He must therefore hold up one log and lay two underneath.