Siman - Beitzah Daf 23
- Making clothing fragrant on Yom Tov is prohibited
Rabbah and Rav Yosef both said: סחופי כסא אשיראי ביומא טבא אסור – Inverting a fragrant cup on silk garments on Yom Tov, so that the fabric will absorb the fragrance, is prohibited. Why is this prohibited? משום דקמוליד ריחא – Because it creates a new fragrance in the garment. The Gemara asks why is this different ממוללו ומריח בו – from fragrant wood that one may roll between his fingers to stimulate the fragrance and then smell it, וקוטמו ומריח בו – or clip its tip and smell it? Rashi explains that the dried-out end of this fragrant wood emits only a weak aroma. If the edge is clipped, the newly exposed surface is moist and fragrant. These actions also create a new fragrance and should be prohibited. The Gemara answers that there, in the case of the fragrant wood, the fragrance already exists and is merely being enhanced. But here, in the case of when a garment is being made fragrant on Yom Tov, אולודי הוא דקמוליד ריחא – a new fragrance is being created and is therefore prohibited.
- מקרדין ומקרצפין
The next Mishnah introduces three acts that were permitted by Rebbe Elazar ben Azaryah, one of them being, ומקרדין את הבהמה ביום טוב – that we groom an animal with a metal comb on Yom Tov. Rebbe Yehudah said that one may not groom with a metal comb on Yom Tov, מפני שעושה חבורה – because it might make a wound, אבל מקרצפין – but one may groom with a wooden comb which has thick teeth that do not wound the animal. But the Chochomim say, אין מקרדין ואף לא מקרצפין – We may not groom with a metal comb nor with a wooden comb. The Gemara explains that Rebbe Yehudah holds דבר שאינו מתכוין אסור – a melachah that is unintended is nevertheless prohibited, but we do not ban grooming with a wooden comb that has large teeth and does not make a wound, because of a metal comb that has small teeth that wounds. The Chochomim also hold like Rebbe Yehudah, that דבר שאינו מתכוין אסור, but they disagree and do ban wooden combs because of possible confusion with the prohibited act of grooming with a metal comb. And Rebbe Elazar ben Azaryah holds like Rebbe Shimon, who said דבר שאינו מתכוין מותר – a melachah that is unintended is permitted. Therefore, both combs are permitted.
- The three parts of a pepper grinder that can be mekabel tumah
The next Mishnah states: הרחים של פלפלין טמאה משום שלשה כלים – The pepper grinder can be mekabel tumah because of the three keilim it is comprised of: משום כלי קיבול ומשום כלי מתכת ומשום כלי כברה – as a receptacle, and as a metal utensil, and as a sieve. A Tanna taught a Baraisa that elaborates on the parts of the pepper grinder: תחתונה משום כלי קבול – the bottom component can be mekabel tumah because it is a receptacle. Rashi explains that it is a wooden utensil in which the grindings collect after falling through the sieve. Wooden keilim are only mekabel tumah if they are a receptacle. אמצעית משום כלי כברה – The middle component can be mekabel tumah because it is a sieve. Rashi explains that a pepper grinder has a wooden sieve which is draped across the lower segment to ensure that only ground pepper falls through. Even though it does not serve as a receptacle, since it is woven, it is mekabel tumah mi’deRabbanon to avoid confusion with a woven cloth. Cloth is mekabel tumah even when it is not a receptacle. עליונים משום מתכת – The upper component is mekabel tumah, even though it is not a receptacle, because it is metal.
