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Week 39 - Monday - 21 August 2000

BETZAH: CHAPTER 4: MISHNAH 4

One may not hollow out a lamp, because one makes a vessel; and one may not make charcoal on Yom Tov; and one may not cut a wick into two. R. Yehudah says, One may cut it with a flame into two lights.

Kehati

One may not hollow out - the Hebrew word is pothim - but another version reads pohatim - diminish a lamp - of clay: to make a lamp the potter would make an egg-shaped lump of clay and then, pressing his fist into it, hollow it out, and put in the oil and wick; this mishnah teaches that it is forbidden to form a lamp in this manner on Yom Tov, because one makes a vessel - by making a cavity in the clay, one produces a vessel on Yom Tov; and one may not make charcoal on Yom Tov - by placing burning coal aside, so as to form charcoal, which is used by goldsmiths. Charcoal is therefore considered a utensil.

And one may not cut a wick into two - on Yom Tov, because it is thus turned into a usable utensil. R. Yehudah says, One may cut it with a flame into two lights - The Gemara explains that one places the two ends of the wick in two oil lamps which are close to one another and then lights the wick in the middle, so that it divides by itself into two wicks in two lamps. The halakhah is in accordance with R. Yehudah.

BETZAH:CHAPTER 4: MISHNAH 5

One may not break up a potsherd and one may not cut paper to roast on it salt fish; and one may not rake out an oven or a stove, but one may press down; and one may not place two barrels side by side to support the pot on them; and one may not support the pot with a chip of wood, and this applies also to a door; and one may not lead an animal with a staff on Yom Tov. But R. Eleazar ben Shimon permits.

Kehati

One may not break up a potsherd and one may not cut paper to roast on it salt fish - when roasting salted fish on a metal grate, they used to place a shard or paper soaked in oil on top of the fish, lest the fish be burned by the heat of the grate. This mishnah teaches that on Yom Tov one is forbidden to break up pottery or to cut paper to place on the salted fish, for by doing so the person is making a utensil on Yom Tov.

And one may not rake out an oven or a stove - if any plaster fell into it, one may not rake it out on Yom Tov, because he is repairing a utensil, but one may press down - level down and smooth the ashes in the oven to be able to bake and cook on it. If it is impossible to cook in this oven without raking it out, one is permitted to do so (Rambam).

And one may not place two barrels side by side to support the pot on them - with a fire burning between the barrels, because that resembles building. And one may not support the pot with a chip of wood on Yom Tov and this applies also to a door - because on Yom Tov wood is fit only for firewood, but muktzeh for any other purpose. And one may not lead an animal with a staff on Yom Tov - because he appears to be leading it for sale in the market (Gemara). And R. Eleazar ben Shimon permits - one to lead an animal with a staff on Yom Tov.

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