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Week 39 - Sunday- 20 August 2000

BETZAH: CHAPTER 4: MISHNAH 2

One may not take wood from a sukkah, but only from that which is close to it. One may bring wood from the field from that which is gathered together; and from the karpef, even from that which is scattered. What is a karpef? Whatever is close to the city; so R. Yehudah. R. Yose says, All such as one must enter with a key, and even within the Sabbath tehum.

Kehati

This mishnah continues to deal with wood which one is forbidden to use as firewood on Yom Tov.

One may not take wood from the sukkah - This does not necessarily refer only to the sukkah used during the sukkot festival, but to any booth made in one's garden or vineyard, from which one is forbidden to take wood on Yom Tov, because one is demolishing a structure (Gemara), but - one may take wood, only from that which is close to it - such as reeds which stand close to the walls of the booth but are not part of it. One may bring wood - that had been cut down, from the field - on Yom Tov, to use as firewood, from that which is gathered together - from the wood that the person gathered together and heaped up before Yom Tov within the tehum; and from the karpef - a large enclosed yard outside the city for keeping wood, etc., even from that which is scattered - one is allowed to take wood from the karpef on Yom Tov even if the wood is scattered, because the wood in the karpef is ready for use, and even scattered wood has the status of gathered and prepared wood. The Gemara states that this mishnah reflects the view of one Tanna only, and is not the halakhah. Rather, the halakhah is that one is only allowed to use wood from piles in a karpef, for since the person gathered the wood together, he indicated that he relies on it for firewood. However, even if it is piled up, one may not bring wood from the field in on Yom Tov, for since it is not protected there, he did not count on it, and it is muktzeh.

What is a karpef - from which the mishnah permits one to bring even scattered wood? Whatever is close to the city - for then one's mind is set on using the wood on Yom Tov. According to one opinion, Close to the city refers to within 70 cubits of the city (Rosh), and that is known as "the ibur of the city" (see Eruvin 5:1,2); according to another opinion, any area between the gardens close to the city is considered close to the city (Hameiri). So R. Yehudah - The Gemara explains that even in the case of a karpef close to a city, R. Yehudah only permitted this if the karpef was protected by a locked door.

R. Yose says, All such as one must enter with a key - Any karpef that must be opened with a key in order to gain entrance to it, and even within the Sabbath tehum - i.e., even if it is far from the city, but within the Sabbath tehum, within 2000 cubits of the city, where one can go on Yom Tov. The Gemara explains that R. Yose permits it from a karpef on condition that either it is close to the city, even if it is not locked, or that it is locked, even if it is far from the city, but within the Sabbath tehum.

BETZAH: CHAPTER 4: MISHNAH 3

One may not chop up wood from beams, or from a beam which was broken on Yom Tov; and one may not chop with an axe or a saw or a sickle, but only with a chopper. A house which is full of produce and sealed, and burst open, one may take from the breach. R. Meir says, he may even make a breach at the outset and take.

Kehati

One may not chop up wood - on Yom Tov for firewood, from beams - which are set aside for construction purposes, because they are muktzeh, or from a beam which was broken on Yom Tov - though it is now ready for use as firewood, for since it was not ready at the onset of Yom Tov, it is muktzeh, the rule being that anything which was muktzeh at twilight before Yom Tov is muktzeh for the entire Yom Tov. But one may chop wood from a beam which broke before Yom Tov (Gemara) - in spite of the effort involved, because the Sages permitted this in honor of Yom Tov; and one may not chop - from a beam broken before Yom Tov, with an axe or a saw or a sickle - because all these are professional tools, and it appears as if the person were going to work with them on Yom Tov, but only with a chopper - a large knife used for chopping meat and bones, and this is not a professional tool. According to one opinion the reason is the necessity of performing the task on Yom Tov differently from the usual way. The Gemara explains that one side of the chopper is broad, like an axe, and the other is narrow and sharp, and on Yom Tov only the sharp side may be used so as to use it differently form the weekday routine.

A house which is full of produce - ready to be eaten, and sealed - the entrance is sealed up with bricks and stones, but without mortar, and burst open - some of the stones used in sealing the opening fell out on Yom Tov - one may take - produce to eat, from the breach - for as the bricks blocking the opening were not cemented, the prohibition of opening the house is only Rabbinic. Therefore when the situation changed the produce is not considered muktzeh, and may be used (Hameiri). R. Meir says, He may even make a breach at the outset and take - of the produce on Yom Tov, for as the bricks are not cemented, opening the seal is not considered demolishing, and one may at the outset breach the sealed doorway on Yom Tov in order to take the produce. The halakhah is not in accordance with. Meir. R.

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