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Moed Katan 4b

מועד קטן ד׳ ע״ב

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

Open Moed Katan 4b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Farm and water work on חול המועד and in שביעית: thinning and watering vegetables, ditches around vines, digging and repairing water channels, and clearing public rivers

Overview

This amud works through several lines of the משנה about farm work on חול המועד. First, the word מדלין is explained as thinning out vegetables. רבינא then shows a ברייתא where it clearly means drawing water, and that explanation is dropped. Next, עוגיות are explained as round ditches around vines: new ones may not be dug, but old ones may be cleared. The גמרא then asks why רבי אלעזר בן עזריה forbids digging a new water channel in שביעית. Two reasons are given, 'it looks like hoeing' and 'it readies the banks for planting', and the גמרא works out where they differ. אמימר's version of the משנה raises a contradiction from a manure pit, which is answered in two ways. The גמרא defines a 'damaged' channel that may be repaired, measuring it in handbreadths, and ends that discussion with a תיקו. Finally, three rulings allow towns to clear their rivers, because a river the public drinks from counts as a public need.

Opening lines

״מַדְלִין״ — שַׁלּוֹפֵי.

"Madlin" means pulling out.

כְּדִתְנַן: הַמֵּידֵל בַּגְּפָנִים,

As we learned: one who thins out the vines,

כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהוּא מֵידֵל בְּשֶׁלּוֹ —

just as he thins out his own,

כָּךְ הוּא מֵידֵל בְּשֶׁל עֲנִיִּים,

so too he may thin out those of the poor,

The steps (33)

  1. StatementExplaining the word מדלין as pulling out
  2. ProofProof from a משנה that the root means thinning out
  3. ChallengeA ברייתא where מדלין clearly means drawing water
  4. ConclusionHe accepts the challenge and takes back his explanation
  5. StatementQuoting the משנה: no עוגיות for vines
  6. QuestionWhat are עוגיות?
  7. Responseרב יהודה: they are בנכי
  8. ProofA ברייתא backs up the definition
  9. ChallengeBut רב יהודה allowed a family to make such ditches
  10. ResolutionNew ditches are forbidden, old ones are allowed
  11. Statementרבי אלעזר בן עזריה forbids making a water channel
  12. QuestionWhy is it forbidden in שביעית?
  13. ResponseTwo reasons: it looks like hoeing, or it readies the banks for planting
  14. QuestionWhat is the practical difference between the two reasons?
  15. ResponseFirst suggestion: when water flows in right away
  16. ChallengeBut the 'hoeing' opinion should worry about the banks too
  17. ResolutionReal difference: when he throws the dirt far away
  18. ChallengeWhy doesn't the 'banks' opinion worry about hoeing?
  19. ResolutionA real hoer puts the dirt back in place
  20. Statementאמימר's version: the reason is 'looks like hoeing'
  21. ChallengeDoes רבי אלעזר בן עזריה really forbid whatever looks like hoeing?
  22. ChallengeThe contradiction: digging a pit for manure is allowed
  23. ResolutionTwo answers for the manure-pit case
  24. QuestionWhat counts as a 'damaged' channel?
  25. Responseרבי אבא: from one handbreadth back to six
  26. StatementThe obvious cases: too shallow and too much work
  27. QuestionWhat about two handbreadths to seven?
  28. ConclusionThe question stays unresolved
  29. Statementאביי allows clearing a river
  30. Statementרבי ירמיה allows dredging a blocked river
  31. Statementרב אשי allows cleaning out the בורניץ River
  32. ProofWhy it is allowed: a public drinking source is a public need
  33. StatementStarting the next quote from the משנה: 'one may repair'