Moed Katan

But perhaps the defilement lies within the field while the trees stand on the outer sides [of it]?1 — They were planted irregularly.2 Or, if you like, I may explain by what was said above: Nor is the marking placed far away from the spot, in order to avoid wasting any space of the Land of Israel.3 ‘R. Judah says [the presence of trees is no criterion] until there be some elder or disciple [to attest that it has been ploughed], for not all are well versed in the subject [of markings]’. Said Abaye: You may infer from here, that when a scholar is resident in a place, all local matters devolve upon him. Said Rab Judah: If one comes across a [single] stone which is marked [with lime], the space under it is defiled; if two stones [with markings] then if there is lime on the space between them, the space between is defiled, and if there is no lime between them, the intervening space is clean, even though there is no [sign of] tilling [there]. But surely it is taught: ‘If one comes upon one stone which is marked, the space under it is defiled, if on two stones, if there is tilling between them, the intervening space is clean, if not, it is defiled’? — Said R. Papa. Here [it is a case where] the lime had been poured on top of the stones and got spread here and there. [Now] if there is any tilling [in the space] between them, [the space] between is clean, because it may be presumed that the [splashed] lime had got peeled off by the tilling; whereas if there is not [any trace of tilling] the lime is intended to mark the space between and it is ‘defiled’. Said R. Assi:4 If one boundary is marked, that side [alone] is ‘defiled’, but the rest of the entire field is ‘clean’. If two [are marked] those [alone] are ‘defiled’, but the rest of the entire field is ‘clean’; if three [are marked], those are ‘defiled’, but the rest of the entire field is clean; if the four [boundaries are marked] they are clean and the entire field [within] is ‘defiled’,for the Master5 said: ‘Nor is the marking place far away from the spot, in order to avoid wasting space of the Land of Israel’.6 AND [PUBLIC COMMISSIONERS] SET OUT [ALSO] TO INSPECT DIVERSE SEED-CROPS. But do we set out for inspecting seed-crops during the festival week? This is contradicted by the [following]: On the first of Adar announcements are made about the [contribution of] shekels and about the diverse crops. On the fifteenth thereof the scroll [of Esther] is read in the [ancient] walled cities and [commissioners] go forth to clear the roads of thorns, mend the broadways, measure the [ritual] water-pools and to perform all public needs, and they mark the gravesides and go forth to inspect the diverse seed-crops?7 — R. Eleazar and R. Jose b. Hanina [gave differing explanations], One said, The latter statement speaks of earlier crops,8 the other of later9 crops; the other said, In one case8 [they go out to attend] to grain crops, in the others to vegetable crops. R. Assi, reporting R. Johanan said: The rule laid down [in the Mishnah] applies only when the sproutings [of the season are late and] had not become recognizable10 [before then]; but where the sproutings had become recognizable [before], they went forth about them [even earlier]. Why do we particularly set out during the festival week? R. Jacob reporting R. Johanan explained that it was because the wages given for labour are then low with us. 11 R. Zebid, or some say, R. Mesharsheya said: From the afore — mentioned [explanation] you may infer that when pay was given,12 it was given them out of the Terumah of the [Shekel] Chamber;13 for if you should suppose that they [the owners of the fields] themselves paid, what difference does it make to us? Let them pay whatever they ask.14 And how much [constitutes an admixture]?15 Said R. Samuel b. Isaac, The same as we learned:16 Every se'ah of seeds that contains one quarter [of a kab]17 cleanliness of the boundaries themselves, v. Tosaf. s.v. rnt.] seed to be sown in a field of 50 X 50 cubits.