Moed Katan

CHAPTER I I MISHNAH. IF ONE HAD [ALREADY] TURNED HIS OLIVES1 WHEN MOURNING2 OR SOME HINDRANCE BEFELL HIM, OR WORKMEN DISAPPOINTED HIM, HE MAY [DURING THE FESTIVAL WEEK] PUT ON THE BEAM FOR THE FIRST TIME AND LEAVE IT [THUS] UNTIL AFTER THE FESTIVAL; THESE ARE THE WORDS OF R. JUDAH. R. JOSE SAYS, HE MAY DRAW OFF [THE OIL] AND COMPLETE THE PROCESS3 AND BUNG4 [THE JARS] IN HIS USUAL WAY [DURING THE FESTIVAL WEEK]. GEMARA. The Mishnah begins with mourning and finally [only] deals with the festival [week]!5 — Said R. Shisha6 son of Idi: This implies that things one is permitted [to do] during the festival [week] are forbidden him during [the week of] his mourning.7 R. Ashi says, [Not so], this wording is cast in the form of, ‘No need to say’ . . .,8 no need to say [that he may put on the beam for the first time] during [the week of] his mourning when [the restriction on work] is but rabbinical, but even during the festival [week], when [work] is restricted on Scriptural grounds, the Rabbis still permit it where loss is involved. It was taught9 in the sense of R. Shisha son of Idi: These are the things they may do for the mourner during his [week of] mourning: If his olives had been turned they may put on for him [the beam for the first time], or if his wine [cask] is to be bunged, or his flax is to be lifted from the retting, or his wool is to be lifted from the dye-bath; and they may besprinkle his field10 for him when his turn for water-rights arrives. R. Judah says they may even sow for him the ploughed field or the field awaiting a flax-crop. Said they [the Rabbis] to him: [Not so], if the field is not sowed in the early season it could be sowed in the latter season and if It cannot be sowed with flax let it be sowed with some other kind [of crop].11 Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel says, If his olives had been turned and there is no skilled worker save himself, or his cask is [ready] for bunging and there is no skilled worker save himself, or his flax is [ready] for lifting from the retting or his wool for lifting from the dye-bath and there is no skilled worker save himself, such a one may perform [his task] behind closed doors. Furthermore, said Rabban Gamaliel, if he is a skilled worker engaged in the service of the public, or a hairdresser or a bath-attendant in the service of the public, and the Festival is close at hand and there is no skilled worker save him, such a one may do the work. Farmkeepers,12 tenant-farmers13 and contractors of labour may have others doing work for them.14 Ass-drivers, camel-drivers and bargemen may not work;15 but if they were [already] engaged on the job or were [just then] in the hire of others, they [themselves] may do their work.14 A daily worker16 may not work, even in another town.17 One who has others’ work in hand,18 even if it is a contract job,19 he may not do it. [You say,]’ Even if it is a contract job’, [which implies] and all the less so if it is not a contract job. On the contrary, a contract job is like his own [work]!20 Rather, whether it is a contract job or not a contract job he may not do it. If his work21 was placed in the hand of others, they may not do it in his own house, but in another house they may do it. Marion the son of Rabin and Mar the son of R. Aha the son of Raba had a yoke of oxen22 between them, when a misfortune23 befell Mar the son of R. Aha the son of Raba; he broke up the team [and did not send his animal to work]. Said R. Ashi, A great man like Mar the son of R. Aha acting in such a manner! Granted that he minds not his own loss [of earning], is he not concerned about the loss [caused] to others? Surely it is taught: ‘But if they were [already] engaged [on the job] or were [just then] in the hire of others, these may do their work’?24 — He [Mar] however held the view that [the case of] a prominent man is different.25 during the week of mourning. their labour. should be stricter in the application of the law. Cf. Bez. II, 6; 22b; Shab. 51a.