Siman - Moed Katan Daf 2
- The Chochomim determined that melachah is permitted in the event of financial loss
The opening Mishnah of the Masechta states: משקין בית השלחין במועד ובשביעית – One may water an irrigated field during Chol HaMoed and during Sheviis, בין במעיין שיצא בתחילה בין במעיין שלא יצא בתחילה – whether from a new spring that has just begun to flow, or from a spring that has not just begun to flow. Rashi explains that the field is on a mountain and needs to be irrigated constantly, to avoid a הפסד גדול – a large financial loss. Therefore, it is permitted to water the field on Chol HaMoed, because the Rabbis permitted melachah on Chol HaMoed to prevent financial loss, as the passuk states: ששת ימים תאכל מצות וביום השביעי עצרת לה' אלקיך – Six days you shall eat matzos, and the seventh day is an atzeres, (a cessation), to Hashem your G-d. We learn from here, that just as on the seventh day of Pesach there is a cessation of melachah, so too on the six days of Pesach there is a cessation of melachah. One might think that just as on the seventh day there is a complete cessation of melachah, the same should apply to the six days. Therefore, the Torah teaches השביעי – the seventh day, to teach that it is only the seventh day when there is a complete cessation. In regard to the other six days, the passuk is giving the Chochomim the authority to determine which melachah is forbidden and which is not, and they determined that melachah is permitted in the case of a financial loss.
- Rebbe Yehudah only permits melachah to prevent financial loss when there is no טרחה יתירה
The Gemara asks who the Tanna of our Mishnah is that holds דפסידא אין הרווחה לא – that one may do melachah to prevent a financial loss but may not do melachah for the sake of profit, such as in the case of a field that can survive from rainwater alone and is only watered to improve its yield, and who also holds אפילו במקום פסידא מיטרח נמי לא טרחינן – even when there is a financial loss, we do not permit melachah if it involves excessive exertion? Rav Pappa said it is Rebbe Yehudah, for it was taught in a Baraisa: Rebbe Meir holds that one may water even a שדה בית הבעל – a rain watered field, from a newly emerging spring, whereas Rebbe Yehudah holds: אין משקין אלא שדה בית השלחין שחרבה – One may only irrigate an irrigated field that dried up , which Abaye explains that it means dried up from one spring and another spring emerged from which it can be watered, and one may not clean out an irrigation canal from his garden and ruin on Chol HaMoed. We see from here that Rebbe Yehudah does not permit watering a שדה הבעל for the sake of profit, and he prohibits cleaning out the canal because of טרחה יתירה.
- For which melachah do we warn when someone weeds or waters seeds on Shabbos?
It was stated: המנכש והמשקה מים לזרעים בשבת – One who weeds and one who waters seeds on Shabbos, for which melachah do we warn him? Rabbah said משום חורש – for plowing, and Rav Yosef said: משום זורע – for sowing. Rabbah said that his opinion is more reasonable, for just as plowing is done in order to soften the earth, so too is weeding and watering meant to soften the earth. Rav Yosef said that his opinion is more reasonable, for just as sowing is meant to make things grow, so too weeding and watering helps produce grow. The Gemara analyzes both opinions.
