Moed Katan 12b

מועד קטן י״ב ע״ב

Learn Moed Katan 12b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Which work is allowed on חול המועד: harvesting, work for the מועד's needs, stories of great people held to a higher standard, and the penalty for planning work for the מועד

Overview

The amud opens by closing an earlier discussion: some cases are פטור אבל אסור, and some are fully allowed. רב הונא had his field harvested on חול המועד. His son challenged him from a ברייתא that forbids working attached crops unless one has nothing to eat. רב הונא answered that this strict view is רבי יוסי's alone, and the גמרא defends that answer. A ברייתא then allows grinding, cutting wood and brewing beer for the מועד's needs, and leftovers may be used. Whether one may use a trick to make extra is an argument between תנאים. Several stories follow: רב and שמואל, רבי יהודה נשיאה and רבי אמי, רב אשי's forest, רב יהודה's crops, and רבי ינאי's orchard. Some of them teach that an אדם חשוב is held to a stricter standard. The new משנה allows bringing in fruit because of thieves and taking flax out of the soaking pool, but forbids planning work for the מועד. The גמרא explains that the fruit must be brought in quietly, and רבי ירמיה begins asking whether the penalty passes to a man's children. That question continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (42)

1. ConclusionClosing the earlier discussion: exempt-but-forbidden versus fully permitted
2. Statementרב הונא had his crops harvested during חול המועד
3. ChallengeHis son challenges him from a ברייתא: work is allowed only for the Festival or to prevent loss
4. ChallengeThe key point of the ברייתא: attached crops are forbidden even if all will be lost
5. Resolutionרב הונא answers: that ברייתא is a lone opinion
6. ProofProof: the strict rule is רבי יוסי's view alone
7. ChallengeIf it is רבי יוסי, why not thresh with cows?
8. ResolutionThreshing without cows is not really a change
9. StatementGrinding and cutting wood for the מועד; leftovers are allowed
10. StatementBrewing beer for the מועד, but no tricks
11. ChallengeAnother teaching allows tricking the system when brewing beer
12. Resolutionתנאים argue about using tricks
13. Statementרב harvests on חול המועד and שמואל is upset
14. QuestionDoes שמואל follow the lone strict opinion?
15. ResponseIt was wheat, which would not spoil
16. QuestionWhy did רב harvest then?
17. Responseרב had nothing to eat
18. Resolutionשמואל was not told the full story
19. ResolutionAn important person is different
20. Statementרבי יהודה נשיאה's seal ring and heated water
21. Questionרב יוסף asks why רבי אמי was upset
22. ChallengeThe seal cannot be the problem
23. ChallengeThe heated water should not be a problem either
24. ResolutionAn important person is different
25. StatementCutting down a palm tree just for its sawdust
26. Rejectionאביי cursed this behavior
27. Statementרב אשי goes to cut his forest on חול המועד
28. Challengeרב שילא challenges רב אשי
29. Resolutionרב אשי politely says he does not agree with אביי
30. ConclusionThe ax slips and רב אשי stops
31. Statementרב יהודה allows harvesting flax, hops, and sesame
32. Challengeאביי asks what sesame is good for during the festival
33. ResolutionSesame is useful for its seeds
34. Statementרבי ינאי harvests his orchard on the festival
35. ConclusionPeople copy him, so he gives up the orchard
36. Statementמשנה: work to prevent loss, but not planned work
37. StatementBring the fruit in quietly
38. Statementרב יוסף brings in beams by day
39. Challengeאביי challenges bringing beams in by day
40. ResolutionFor beams, daytime is the quiet way
41. QuestionAre the children penalized for their father's planned work?
42. QuestionThe question starts to expand