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Moed Katan 4a

מועד קטן ד׳ ע״א

Learn Moed Katan 4a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Moed Katan 4a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Plowing before שביעית, and watering fields on חול המועד

Overview

The גמרא finishes a ברייתא in which רבי עקיבא learns from a פסוק that plowing before שביעית is forbidden, while רבי ישמעאל reads the same פסוק as being about שבת. After trying another answer, the גמרא concludes that for רבי ישמעאל the ban comes from a הלכה למשה מסיני, and for רבי עקיבא it comes from the פסוקים. רבי יוחנן says רבן גמליאל ובית דינו cancelled the ban using a גזירה שוה from שבת בראשית. רב אשי objects that a גזירה שוה cannot uproot a הלכה or a פסוק. He explains instead that the הלכה applied only while the בית המקדש stood. The גמרא then returns to the משנה's ban on watering fields with rainwater on חול המועד. It explains the ban, and it discusses streams, pools, channels and dripping water, all based on one question: will the water run out and lead to hard work? Two ברייתות forbid lifting water from a lower garden bed to a higher one, and allow watering vegetables in order to eat them. The amud ends with a story in which רבה תוספאה starts to explain that the word מדלין does not mean drawing water. His explanation continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

שֶׁנִּכְנָס לִשְׁבִיעִית,

[plowing of the sixth year] that enters into the seventh year,

וְקָצִיר שֶׁל שְׁבִיעִית

and reaping of the seventh year

שֶׁיָּצָא לְמוֹצָאֵי שְׁבִיעִית.

that goes out into the year after the seventh.

רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר:

Rabbi Yishmael says:

The steps (31)

  1. StatementEnd of רבי עקיבא's reading of the verse
  2. Statementרבי ישמעאל reads the verse as being about שבת
  3. ResolutionThe הלכה permits young saplings; the verses forbid old trees
  4. ChallengeIf young ones are permitted, aren't old ones automatically forbidden?
  5. ResolutionThe הלכה is for רבי ישמעאל and the verses are for רבי עקיבא
  6. Statementרבי יוחנן: the cancellation was based on the Torah
  7. QuestionWhat is רבי יוחנן's source?
  8. ResponseA גזירה שוה from שבת בראשית
  9. Challengeרב אשי: can a גזירה שוה uproot a הלכה or a verse?
  10. ResolutionThe rule from סיני only applied while the בית המקדש stood
  11. ChallengeWhy is rainwater forbidden if it takes no effort?
  12. ResolutionA rabbinic decree because of shadoof water
  13. ResolutionThe rainwater itself will need a shadoof
  14. StatementLinking the dispute to שמואל's ruling on streams from pools
  15. StatementWho accepts רבי זירא's ruling and who does not
  16. Statementרבי זירא's ruling: streams fed by pools are allowed
  17. ChallengeChallenge from the משנה that forbids rainwater
  18. ResolutionThe pools of בבל never run dry
  19. StatementA ברייתא: pools filled before יום טוב
  20. Statementרב פפא limits the water channel permission
  21. Statementרב אשי allows it even for a minority of the field
  22. StatementA pool that collects drips from another field
  23. ChallengeBut the dripping might stop
  24. Resolutionרבי ירמיה: it is still dripping
  25. Resolutionאביי: only if the first spring has not stopped
  26. StatementNo lifting water from a lower bed to a higher bed
  27. StatementEven within one garden bed
  28. StatementA ברייתא about tending vegetables on חול המועד
  29. Statementרבה תוספאה wants to put a man in נידוי
  30. Challengeרבינא objects: the ברייתא allows it
  31. Resolutionרבה תוספאה: you misread the word מדלין