Talmud - Pesahim 55b פסחים נ״ה ב׳

one completes it on the fourteenth. When is that the case? It is when he initiated the labor prior to the fourteenth. However, if he did not initiate the labor prior to the fourteenth, he should not initiate it on the fourteenth, even if it is only manufacturing a small belt or even a small hairnet. The Gemara analyzes this: When it is for the purpose of the Festival, yes, one may complete this labor. However, when it is not for the purpose of the Festival, no, one may not complete it, in accordance with the third possibility above. The Gemara rejects this analysis: Actually, the same is true; we may also complete the task even when it is not for the purpose of the Festival. And this comes to teach us that even when it is for the purpose of the Festival, completing a labor, yes, one may do so, but initiating a labor, no, one may not, in accordance with the third aforementioned possibility.

Come and hear yet another resolution to the dilemma. Rabbi Meir says: With regard to any labor that is for the purpose of the Festival, one may complete it on the fourteenth, and if it is not for the purpose of the Festival, it is prohibited to complete it. And one may perform labor on Passover eves until midday in a place where people were accustomed to do so. The Gemara infers: In a place where people were accustomed to perform labor, yes, one may do so. However, in a place where people were not accustomed to perform labor, no, one may not do so. And learn from it that for the purpose of the Festival, yes, one may perform labor. However, if it is not for the purpose of the Festival, no, one may not do so, in accordance with the first aforementioned possibility. The Gemara concludes: Indeed, learn from it that this is so.

It was stated in the mishna that the Rabbis say: The practitioners of only three crafts are permitted to perform labor until midday on Passover eve. It was taught in explanation of their opinion: The tailors may perform labor on Passover eve, as a layperson is permitted to sew in his usual manner during the intermediate days of the Festival. Since this type of labor is permitted during the intermediate days, when the prohibition against labor is more stringent than on Passover eve, one may be lenient on Passover eve as well. Barbers and launderers, may perform labor on Passover eve, as one who arrives from a country overseas or one who leaves prison who did not have time to cut their hair or launder their clothing before the Festival may cut their hair and wash their clothing on the intermediate days of the Festival. Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says: Shoemakers may also perform their labor, because Festival pilgrims may repair their shoes during the intermediate days of the Festival.

The Gemara asks: With regard to what principle do the Rabbis and Rabbi Yosei disagree? The Gemara answers: One Sage, Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, holds: We learn the halakha with regard to the initiation of labor from the halakha with regard to the conclusion of labor; if it is permitted to repair shoes, it is also permitted to initiate their production. And one Sage, the Rabbis, holds: We cannot learn the halakha with regard to the initiation of labor from the halakha with regard to the conclusion of labor; therefore, although it is permitted to repair shoes, it is prohibited to produce new ones.

MISHNA: This mishna continues the discussion of the halakhot of Passover eve. One may place eggs under hens on the fourteenth of Nisan so that the birds will brood until the eggs hatch. And if a hen fled from brooding, one may restore it to its place. And if a brooding hen died, one may place another in its stead. Similarly, one may sweep dung from beneath the legs of an animal on the fourteenth of Nisan. And during the intermediate days of the Festival one may clear it to the sides. Similarly, one may take vessels to the craftsman’s house for repair and bring others from there even though they are not for the purpose of the Festival.

GEMARA: Now, the mishna stated that placing a brooding hen to sit on eggs is permitted; is it necessary to mention that restoring a hen to its brooding place is permitted? Abaye said: In the last clause of the mishna we have arrived at the halakhot of the intermediate days of the Festival, when placing a hen to sit on eggs is prohibited, yet one may nevertheless restore a hen that fled, as failure to do so will cause him to incur a loss. On the fourteenth of Nisan, one may even place a hen to brood ab initio.

Rav Huna said: They taught this halakha that one may restore the hen to the eggs only when it is within three days of its rebellion, when the hen fled from its place, as the heat has not yet completely dissipated from the hen, so that restoring the hen to its place to resume its brooding will be effective; furthermore, this halakha applies only if it is also at least three days after the hen began sitting, when failure to restore the hen to sit on the eggs will cause the eggs to be totally ruined, as on the one hand they are no longer edible, and on the other hand the chick in the egg is only partially formed. However, if it is more than three days after its rebellion, when its heat has completely dissipated, or within three days from when it began sitting, when failure to restore the hen to sit on the eggs will not yet cause the eggs to be totally ruined, one may not restore the hen to sit on the eggs. Rabbi Ami said: Even within three days from when it began sitting, one may restore the hen to sit on the eggs.

The Gemara asks: With regard to what principle do Rav Huna and Rabbi Ami disagree? The Gemara explains: One Sage, Rav Huna, holds that with regard to a major loss, the Sages were concerned about the eggs being completely ruined, and therefore one may restore the hen to its place only if it had already sat on the eggs for three or more days. With regard to a minor loss of being forced to sell at a discount the unhatched eggs that were incubated for less than three days, they were not concerned. And one Sage, Rabbi Ami, holds that with regard to a minor loss, they were also concerned, and therefore the Sages permitted one to restore the hen to its place during the intermediate days of the Festival.

It was stated in the mishna: One may sweep the dung from beneath the legs of an animal on the fourteenth of Nisan. The Sages taught in greater detail in the Tosefta: With regard to the dung in a courtyard, one may clear it to the sides, and with regard to the dung that is in the barn and in a courtyard, one may take it out to the garbage dump.

The Gemara asks: This matter itself is difficult. On the one hand, you said: With regard to the dung in a courtyard, one may clear it to the sides, from which it may be inferred that one may not take it out to the garbage dump. And then it was taught in the Tosefta: With regard to the dung that is in the barn and in a courtyard, one may take it out to the garbage dump. Abaye said: This is not difficult. Here, where the Sages permitted taking out the dung to the garbage dump, it refers to the fourteenth of Nisan. There, where they permitted only moving it to the sides, it refers to the intermediate days of the Festival. Rava said: Both this case and that case refer to the intermediate days, and this is what it is saying: In an ordinary courtyard one may only move the dung to the sides; however, if the courtyard becomes as filthy as a barn, one may take out the dung to the garbage dump.

It was stated in the mishna: One may take vessels to the craftsman’s house for repair and bring others from there. Rav Pappa said: Rava tested us. We learned in the mishna: One may take vessels to the craftsman’s house for repair and bring others from there even if they are not for the purpose of the Festival. He raised a contradiction from that which we learned: One may not bring vessels from a craftsman’s house, and if he is concerned lest they be stolen, he may move them to another courtyard belonging to the craftsman, but not to his own house.

And we answered: This is not difficult. Here, where one may bring vessels from the craftsman’s house, it is referring to the fourteenth of Nisan. There, where one may not bring them, it is referring to the intermediate days of the Festival. And if you wish, say instead that this and that are referring to the intermediate days, and nevertheless, this is not difficult. Here, where one may not bring them home, it is referring to a case where he trusts that the craftsman will return the items; there, where it is permitted to take the vessels home, it is referring to a case where he does not trust him.

As it was taught in the following baraita: One may bring vessels from the house of a craftsman, such as a jug from the house of a potter, or a cup from the house of a glassmaker, but one may bring neither wool from the house of a dyer nor other vessels from the house of a craftsman that are not for the purpose of the Festival. And if the craftsman has nothing to eat, one gives the craftsman his payment on the intermediate days of the Festival and leaves the item with him. And if he does not trust that the craftsman will deliver the items, he leaves them in the adjacent house. And if he is concerned lest the item be stolen, he may bring them to his house surreptitiously.

The Gemara asks: You have resolved the issue of bringing items from a craftsman’s house, but taking items to his house is difficult, as it was taught: One may not bring, and all the more so one may not take items to be repaired. Therefore, the Gemara rejects the second answer and concludes: Rather, it is clear as we answered initially, i.e., the baraita refers to the intermediate days and the mishna refers to Passover eve.

MISHNA: The mishna continues the discussion of the halakhot of Passover eve, along with other local customs. Six actions were performed by the Jewish residents of Jericho, contrary to common practice. With regard to three, the Sages reprimanded them, and with regard to three, the Sages did not reprimand them. And these are the ones with regard to which they did not reprimand them: The residents of Jericho would graft palm trees the entire day on the fourteenth of Nisan; and they would bundle Shema, as explained in the Gemara; and they would harvest and pile grain before the omer offering was brought. And these are the ones with regard to which the Sages reprimanded them: They would permit the use of consecrated branches of carob or sycamore trees. This refers to trees whose branches were cut and consecrated for Temple upkeep, which subsequently sprouted new branches;

Traduction : The William Davidson digital edition of the Koren Noé Talmud, with commentary by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz.

Pesachim 55b examines rules for finishing versus starting work on the eve of Passover, distinguishing tasks done for the Festival from unrelated labor.