Siman - Beitzah Daf 31
- Gathering wood in a pile vs. gathering leaves in a pile
The next Mishnah states: מביאין עצים מן השדה מן המכונס – We may bring wood from a field, from that which had been gathered into a pile before Yom Tov, ומן הקרפף אפילו מן המפוזר – and from an enclosure, one may use even from what is scattered. Rashi explains that by gathering the wood before Yom Tov, the owner has demonstrated his intention of using it, thereby removing its status of muktzeh. Rava said: עלי קנים ועלי גפנים – Leaves of reeds or leaves of vines, even if they are gathered and lying on the ground before Yom Tov, since they would scatter if a wind would blow, כמפוזרים דמו ואסורין – they are considered scattered already and are prohibited. Rashi explains that even if a wind does not scatter them, they are prohibited. Since the owner thought they would get scattered by the wind, he did not plan on using them. Rava continues, that if one placed a kli on the leaves the day before Yom Tov, so that they would not blow away, the leaves are not muktzeh.
- What one may use to chop wood
The next Mishnah taught that one may chop wood from a beam that broke before Yom Tov , however אין מבקעין לא בקרדום ולא במגל ולא במגרה אלא בקופיץ –one may not chop using an ax, or a sickle or a saw, but only with a butcher’s cleaver. Rashi explains that the axe, sickle and saw are artisan’s utensils and someone using them would appear to be performing melachah with them. Rashi explains that a קרדום is a cutting tool used by artisans to fashion saddles and utensils. These were often made with two cutting blades, a narrow (pointy) blade and a wide one. Rav Chinana bar Shelemya said in the name of Rav, in regard to a קרדום , לא שנו אלא בנקבות שלו אבל בזכרות שלו מותר - The prohibition was taught only about using the wide edge of the axe blade, but using its narrow edge is permitted. When the Gemara asks that this is obvious, given that the Mishnah permitted chopping with a butcher’s cleaver, it answers that one might have thought the Mishnah’s leniency applies only to a butcher’s cleaver that has no wide blade, אבל קרדום וקופיץ – but in the case of a single tool which has both an axe blade and a cleaver blade, I would say that since the side with the wide blade is prohibited, the other side with the narrow blade is also prohibited. Rav Chinana is coming to inform us that the narrow side of the tool is permitted.
- Breaching a wall to take the produce
The next Mishnah states: בית שהוא מלא פרות ונפחת – If a room filled with produce was sealed before Yom Tov but on Yom Tov it became breached, נוטל ממקום הפחת – one may take produce from the place of the breach. Rebbe Meir says: אף פוחת לכתחלה ונוטל – One may even breach the wall initially and take the produce. The Gemara questions Rebbe Meir’s leniency and asks why is it permitted to breach the wall? והא קא סתר אהלא – But he is demolishing a wall? Rav Nachumi bar Adda said in the name of Shmuel: באוירא דליבני – The Mishna refers to a room whose wall consists of a pile of bricks. Rashi explains that the bricks were stacked but not cemented together. Rebbe Meir permits the demolition of such a wall. The Gemara points out that it should still be problematic since these bricks are muktzeh as they were set aside for construction. Rebbe Zeira answered that Rebbe Meir permits moving them on Yom Tov but not on Shabbos. Rashi explains that Rebbe Meir permits moving the muktzeh bricks because it is being done for the purpose of simchas Yom Tov.
