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Week 47 - Shabbat - 21 October 2000

MOED KATAN: CHAPTER 1: MISHNAH 10

One may make a parapet for a roof or a balcony in the manner of an ordinary person, but not the work of a skilled person. One may fill in the cracks and one may roll with a roller, with the hand or foot, but not with a rope-pulled roller. One may repair on the Moed a hinge, socket, beam, lock or a key that was broken, provided that he did not intend his work on the Moed. And all pickles which he can eat on the Moed, he may pickle.

Kehati

One may make - during Hol Hamoed, a parapet for a roof or a balcony - the gallery in front of the upper story in a house from which the inhabitants of the upper story descend by stairs to the courtyard, in the manner of an ordinary person - for example, with unplastered stones (Rambam), but not the work of a skilled person - a finished railing.

One may fill in the cracks - in the roof with plaster, so that water will not enter the house, and one may roll - the plaster, with a roller - a round piece of wood, in order to smooth it, with the hand or foot - i.e., or he may roll the plaster with his hand or with his foot, but not with a rope pulled roller - a builder's tool with which the plaster is smoothed. The Gemara asks: If he may use a roller, why is it necessary to state that he may smooth with his hand or with his foot? The Gemara explains that it is permitted only with his hand or with his foot, and the First Tanna's intent is that one may fill in the cracks and smooth them in a manner resembling using a roller, i.e., with a hand or with a foot, but not with a rope-pulled roller (i.e., it is certainly prohibited to use a rope-pulled roller which is the work of a professional, and which entails excessive trouble - Nimukei Yosef).

One may repair on the Moed - during Hol Hamoed,

A hinge - of a door, a socket - the hole in which the hinge revolves, a beam - above the door, a lock or a key that was broken - even if they were broken before the Festival (Hameiri, Tur, Mordekhai), because this constitutes work which is designed to prevent loss, because the door cannot be left broken, on account of thieves,

Provided that he did not intend - before Hol Hamoed to delay - his work - of repairing, in order to do it - on the Moed - during Hol Hamoed, when he will be free from his other affairs.

And all pickles - which are normally pickled in vinegar and salt, which pickle quickly, and from which he can eat - for they will be ready to eat, on the Moed, he may pickle - during Hol Hamoed.

MOED KATAN: CHAPTER 2: MISHNAH 1

If one turned over his olives, and mourning or a circumstance beyond his control befell him, or workers deceived him, he may put on the beam first and he leaves it until after the Moed; this is the opinion of Rabbi Yehudah. But Rabbi Yose says, He may pour and finish and stop up in the normal manner.

Kehati

Olives were normally collected in a special vat used only for olives, so that they would heat up and become ripe. Afterwards the olives would be turned over with a special reed made for this purpose (see Shab. 17:3), so that all of them would become properly soft. After this they were put in a press, to extract their oil. If they were not put into the press after having been turned over, they would spoil.

If one turned over his olives - in the vat, and prepared them for the extraction of their oil, and mourning or a circumstance beyond his control befell him - he became a mourner before the Festival (Hameiri) and could not press the olives, because a mourner may not do work, or another circumstance beyond his control befell him which made it impossible for him to press his olives, or workers deceived him - they promised to come to do his work but they did not come, and the Festival began, he may - during Hol Hamoed, put on - the olive press - the beam - on the olives, first - for the first time, so that some of their oil will flow out and there will be no great loss and he leaves it - the beam, on the olives, until after the Moed - the Festival;

This is the opinion of Rabbi Yehudah - In the Gemara, the Sages learn from this mishnah those actions which may be done during Hol Hamoed but which may not be done by a mourner himself during his period of mourning, although others may do them for him. This is based on the law in this mishnah that if he became a mourner and the olive pressing was therefore delayed until Hol Hamoed, he may put on the beam for the first time during Hol Hamoed; however, during the period of his mourning itself, he may not even put on the beam for the first time (see Rashi, who interprets "and mourning befell him" as referring to the rest of the year).

But Rabbi Yose says, He may pour - the olives on to the press (Rashi, Bartenura); according to another interpretation: he removes the oil from the press (Hameiri, Rambam), and finish - the pressing of the olives, until all their oil has been extracted, and stop up - the casks, with bungs, in the normal manner - in which he does this on a weekday. Another version omits the wording "and stop up." The halakhah follows Rabbi Yose.

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