Moed Katan

but not those of the ass turning the mill.1 Rab Judah2 declared it permissible to trim the hoofs of the ass turning the mill or to set up the mill or build a mill, or to construct a base for the mill or build a horse stable. Rab3 declared it permissible to curry horses and to construct a bed4 or make a mattress-box.5 Raba allowed bleeding of cattle during the festival week. Said Abaye to him: There is a Tanna who supports you: Cattle [may] be bled and no curative means are [to be] withheld from an animal during the festival week’. Raba allowed fulled clothes6 to be rubbed.7 On what ground? It is an ordinary unskilled process. Said R. Isaac b. Ammi, as citing R. Hisda: To pleat sleeve-ends8 is forbidden; on what ground? Because that is a craftsman's process. Raba said: [With regard to] a man who levels up his ground, if it is to even [the slope of] the threshing floor9 it is allowed; if merely to level the soil, it is forbidden. How can one tell? If he takes up heaped [soft] soil to heap on [soft] soil, or stiff soil to lay on stiff soil, it shows that [it is done] for [improving] the threshing floor; but if he takes up heaped [soft] soil and casts it on the stiff soil, this shows that it is for [improving] the ground.10 Raba said: With regard to one who clears his field [of chips of wood], if it is for gathering [fire] wood, it is allowed; if for clearing the ground, it is forbidden. How can we tell? If he picks up the larger pieces and leaves the smaller, this shows that it is to gather [fire] wood; but if he picks up both large and small, this shows that it is to clear the field. Raba said also: With regard to one who opens [sluices] to let water run off into his field, if it be to get the fish,11 it is permitted; if it is to water the soil, it is forbidden. How can we tell? If he opens two flood-gates one above12 and another below,13 this shows that it is for getting the fish; but if only one gate, it is [obviously] for watering the soil. Raba further said: With regard to one who trims his palm,14 if it is for the [benefit of his] beasts it is allowed; but if for the [benefit of the] palm it is forbidden. How can we tell? If he trims one side only, this shows that it is for the beasts; if both one side and the other, it is for the [benefit of the] palm, and it is forbidden. And furthermore said Raba: Those [unripe] tauhla15 dates one may pick, but to press them is not permitted. R. Papa remarked that as [if these are left] the worms get at them, they are on the same footing as a business deal16 [the postponement of which] would entail loss,17 and therefore may be [pressed during the festival week]. Raba also said: Any business transaction whatsoever is forbidden. R. Jose b. Abin said: And if there be a risk of loss, it is permitted. Rabina had some deal on hand which would have fetched six thousand zuzim;18 he deferred the sale till after the festival and sold at twelve thousand. Rabina had advanced some money to the people living at Akra di-Shanutha.19 He came to consult R. Ashi and said: ‘What about going over to them just now [during the festival week]?’ — Said R. Ashi to him: ‘As they had ready cash just then which they might not have later, it is [practically] like a deal [the postponement of which] would entail loss, and [accordingly] is allowed’. It is also similarly taught with reference to heathens: One may go Rashi takes it as meaning a crib. tapestries. Cf. Suk. 10a, also Kel. XXIII, 4. Hag. IV, Mashkin, II, no. 173. reading hrhc hruyhe; to ‘pleat’ or ‘bleach’ (with sulphur fumes or with scented perfume ingredients) mantles, birri (Jast. s.v. thrhc. According to Gaonic explanation (Lewin, Otz. Hag. IV, Yom-tob, p. 55, no. 164) as al-akmis (Arabic), Camisoles, shirt-tunics. Cf. Persian pirahan.