Torah Community Connections

Week 39 - Shabbat - 26 August 2000

BETZAH: CHAPTER 5: MISHNAH 7

If one invited guests, they may not take away portions with them, unless he granted them possession of their portions before Yom Tov. One may not water or slaughter animals of the field, but one may water or slaughter domesticated animals. Which are domesticated animals? Those which sleep in the city. Animals of the field? Those which sleep in the meadow.

Kehati

If one invited guests - from another city to come to him on Yom Tov by using an eruv, they may not take away portions with them - from the meal to their homes on Yom Tov, because these portions are as the feet of the host, who did not make an eruv to go to the city of the guests, unless he granted them possession of their portions before Yom Tov - by handing the portions to a certain person before Yom Tov and saying to him: "Take this and acquire possession of these portions on behalf of such-and-such people," for one can benefit another person in his absence. Thus, the guests acquired possession of the portions before Yom Tov, and the food is as their feet, and they may take them home with them.

One does not water or slaughter animals of the field, on Yom Tov, because they are not considered to be "prepared." The Gemara explains that the mishnah mentions watering together with slaughtering them, to allude to the custom of watering the animals shortly before slaughtering them in order to make it easier to flay them; according to another explanation, watering them before the slaughtering facilitates the removal of minor adhesions from the lungs (Rambam); but one may water or slaughter domesticated animals - on Yom Tov.

Which are domesticated animals? Those which sleep in the city - animals which return each night from the pasture and sleep within the city bounds, so that each day they are considered to be "prepared." It is therefore permitted to slaughter them on Yom Tov; Animals of the field? Those which sleep in the meadow - in the pasture, outside the city limits, and the owners do not count on slaughtering them. They are therefore muktzeh and may not be slaughtered on Yom Tov.

GLOSSARY
KEHATI MISHNAH
TRACTATE ROSH HASHANAH

Aggadah non-normative part of the Talmud and of Rabbinic literature in general which contains homiletic expositions of the Bible, stories, legends, maxims etc.

Amidah the prayer of eighteen blessings (seven on Sabbaths and Festivals) which is recited standing.

Amora rabbinic authority responsible for the Gemara (pl. Amoraim), as opposed to Tanna (q.v.) of the Mishnah or Baraita (q.v.).

Baraita teachings or traditions of the Tannaim left out of the Mishnah and later compiled in (pl.) Baraitot.

Bet Din a Jewish Court of Law of at least three members.

Halakhah a) the final decision of the Rabbis; b) the normative part of Rabbinic literature, as opposed to the Aggada (q.v.).

Hallel (lit. Praise), Psalms 113-118, recited in the morning service on New Moons and Festivals.

Lulav palm branch used during prayers on the Festival of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles).

Ma'aser tithe; there are four kinds of Ma'aser: i) ma'aser rishon, given to the Levite; ii) terumat ma'aser for ma'aser min ha-ma-aser - "a tithe of the tithe") - a tithe which the Levite gives to the priest from the ma'aser he receives; iii) ma'aser sheni which is separated every second and fourth year of the Sabbatical seven-year cycle and (it or its value in money) is taken to Jerusalem and consumed there; iv) ma'aser ani which is given to the poor every third and sixth year of the Sabbatical cycle.

Musaf additional prayer recited during the morning service on Sabbaths and Holy Days.

Orlah ("uncircumcised") applied to newly-planted trees for a period of three years during which their fruits must not be eaten.

(The Great) Sanhedrin Supreme Tribunal of the Jewish People, consisting of seventy-one members.

(The Small) Sanhedrin Court of Law of twenty-three members with authority to pronounce death sentences.

Shaharit the morning service.

Shemitah every seventh year - the Sabbatical Year.

Shofat a ram's horn blown in the service of the New Year (Rosh Hashanah) and at the conclusion of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).

Sukkah the festive booth for the Feast of Tabernacles.

Talmid Hakham scholar of the Torah.

Tanna the Rabbis of the Mishnah and Baraita.

Tevel produce at the stage when already liable to the priestly and Levitical dues, before these have been separated.

Tishrei the seventh month of the Jewish calendar, on the first day of which the Jewish New Year is celebrated.

Torah in its strict sense the Written Law of the Five Books of Moses (Pentateuch). In its wider sense the whole body of Jewish religious literature.

Yovel the fiftieth jubilee year when, like in the Shemitah year it is forbidden to till the land, and when all land sold goes back to its original owner.

go to page 2

Return to Mishna Yomit Index

Visit the Mishna Yomit Archives