Siman - Moed Katan Daf 6
- Why the shluchei Beis Din inspect the fields for kilayim during Chol HaMoed
The Mishnah on 2a stated: ויוצאין אף על הכלאים – The shluchei Beis Din also go out to inspect the field for kilayim, referring to Pesach Chol HaMoed. The Gemara on our Daf asks that this is a contradiction to a Mishnah in Shekalim that says that the inspectors go out on the fifteenth of Adar? Rebbe Elazar and Rebbe Yose bar Chanina each provided an answer. One said כאן בבכיר כאן באפיל - that the Mishnah in Shekalim is dealing with the early crop, whereas the Mishnah here is dealing with the later crop. The other one said: כאן בזרעים כאן בירקות – The Mishnah in Shekalim deals with grains, whereas here it deals with vegetables. Grains are planted early enough to be inspected in Adar, whereas vegetables are planted in the spring and therefore cannot be checked until Chol HaMoed Pesach. The Gemara asks why the agents go out specifically on Chol HaMoed and not before or after. Rebbe Yaakov said in the name of Rebbe Yochanan: משום שכר פעולה דמוזלי גבן – It is because the inspectors’ wages are less when they work on Chol HaMoed. Rashi explains that labor is cheaper since people are not otherwise working on Chol HaMoed.
- Which crops may be watered on Chol HaMoed
The next Mishnah states: Rebbe Eliezer ben Yaakov says: מושכין את המים מאילן לאילן – We may draw the water from one tree to another tree on Chol HaMoed, ובלבד שלא ישקה את כל השדה – provided that one does not water the entire field. Rashi explains that the trees need to be irrigated to prevent financial loss, but the whole field may not be watered because the grains in this case can survive on rainwater. זרעים שלא שתו לפני המועד לא ישקם במועד – Plants that were not watered before the moed, may not be watered on Chol HaMoed. Rashi explains that since they were not watered regularly before, they will survive if one does not water them during Chol HaMoed. וחכמים מתירין בזה ובזה – But the Chochomim permit watering in both cases. Rashi explains that the Chochomim here is Rebbe Meir, who permits watering a rainwater field (meaning, a field which can survive with rainwater alone) to enhance its growth, and also permits one to water plants on Chol HaMoed even if they were not regularly watered beforehand.
- How to destroy ant holes on Chol HaMoed
It was taught in a Baraisa: צדין את האישות ואת העכברים משדה הלבן ומשדה האילן כדרכו – On Chol HaMoed, we may trap the ishus, (a creature that has no eyes), and mice, from a grain field and an orchard, in the usual manner, ומחריבין חורי נמלים – and we may destroy ant holes. How do we destroy ant holes? Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: מביא עפר מחור זה ונותן לתוך חור זה והן חונקין זה את זה – One brings dirt from this ant hole and puts it in this ant hole, and the ants choke each other to death. Rashi explains that when the ants smell the unfamiliar soil, they panic and kill each other. Rav Yeimar bar Shelemyah said in the name of Abaye: This works only when the two holes are located on two sides of a river, and there is no type of bridge connecting them, and there is at least a parsah distance between them. Rashi explains that only then is the soil considered unfamiliar to them.
