Translation:Talmud/Seder Moed/Tractate Moed Katan/2a

Mishnah

AN IRRIGATED FIELD1 MAY BE WATERED DURING THE FESTIVAL2 [WEEK] OR IN THE SABBATICAL YEAR3 BOTH FROM A NEWLY-EMERGING SPRING AND FROM A SPRING THAT IS NOT JUST EMERGED, BUT NOT WITH WATER FROM STORED RAIN, NOR FROM A SWIPE-WELL;4 NOR MAY SMALL BASINS5 BE FORMED ABOUT THE VINES. R. ELEAZAR B. AZARIAH SAYS THAT A [WATER] CHANNEL MAY NOT BE NEWLY MADE DURING THE FESTIVAL [WEEK], NOR IN THE SABBATICAL YEAR; BUT THE SAGES SAY THAT A CHANNEL MAY BE NEWLY MADE IN THE SABBATICAL YEAR AND ONE THAT HAS GOT OUT OF ORDER MAY BE REPAIRED DURING THE FESTIVAL [WEEK]. AND IMPAIRED WATER WORKS6 IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN MAY BE REPAIRED OR CLEANED OUT; AND ROADS, BROADWAYS AND [RITUAL] POOLS7 MAY BE PUT IN ORDER. AND ALL PUBLIC NEEDS MAY BE PERFORMED,8 AND GRAVESIDES MAY BE MARKED,9 AND [PUBLIC COMMISSIONERS] MAY SET OUT ALSO10 TO INSPECT DIVERSE11 SEED-CROPS.

Gemarah

Now, one might argue that after [having permitted] watering FROM A NEWLY EMERGING spring — which is apt to come along tearing up [the soil]12 — need further mention be made of [drawing from] A SPRING THAT IS NOT NEWLY EMERGING-which is unlikely to come tearing up [the soil]?13 — I may answer that it is necessary [to mention the latter]; for if [the Tanna] had mentioned only the newly emerging spring I might have said that only here [where it is] for an irrigation plot it is permitted — but not for a Baal-plot,14 because it is apt to come tearing up [the soil]; but [on the other hand], from a spring that is not newly emerging, which is unlikely to come tearing up [the soil], I might say that even a Baal-plot [may be watered]; therefore he informs us15 that there is no difference; be it a spring newly emerging, or a spring not newly emerging, an irrigation plot may be watered therefrom, but a Baal-plot may not be.16 And whence [know we] that the term BETH HA-SHELAHIN17 denotes a ‘thirsty’18 field? — It is written: When thou wast faint and weary,19 and we render the word ‘faint’ [in Aramaic] by meshalhi.20 And whence [know we] that Beth ha-Baal21 denotes ‘settled’ soil? — It is written: For as a man be the husband [yib'al] of a maiden, so shall thy sons be as husbands unto thee22 and we render [in Aramaic], ‘Behold as a young man settles down with a maiden, thy sons shall become settled23 in the midst of thee’. Who may be the [unnamed] Tanna24 who maintains that [work25 to prevent] loss is allowed,26 but [to augment] profit27 is not allowed; and that even in [averting] loss we should not do any laborious work?28 Said R. Huna: It is [the view of] R. Eliezer b. Jacob, as we learned:29 R. Eliezer b. Jacob says: Water may be trained along from tree to tree, provided that one does not water thus the entire field.30 I grant31 you may understand R. Eliezer [b. Jacob]32 to disallow exertion to enhance profit,33 but could you also understand him [from here] to disallow exertion [even] where loss is [involved]? Rather, said R. Papa, (whose view is it)?34 It is R. Judah's, as it is taught: ‘A spring newly emerging may be [used for] watering even (a field that is)35 a Baal-plot. So R. Meir; R. Judah36 says, None but (a field that is)35 a ‘languid plot’ that has dried up may be watered [therefrom]. R. Eleazar b. ‘Azariah says, Neither one nor the other.37 R. Judah38 went even further and said, ‘A person may not clean out a water channel39 and [with the dredging] water his garden of debris — [heap]40 during the festival week’. [Now] what is [meant by a ‘languid plot’] that dried up?41 If you say, literally dried up’ what is the good of watering it? — Said Abaye, It means that this [old] spring has run dry42 and another has [just] emerged [instead].43 ‘R. Eleazar b. Azariah says, Neither one nor the other’. [By this he means to say that] it makes no difference whether the [old] spring has run dry or has not run dry, a newly emerging spring is not to be used. But how [do you arrive at this conclusion]? Perhaps when R.Judah said that a languid plot may be watered from a newly emerging spring and a Baal-plot may not be,