MISHNAH: One removes even four or five baskets of straw or of grain because of guests [If one needs the space to accommodate visitors.] or because of obstruction of the House of Study [If more space is needed for all the listeners.] , but not the storehouse [Since produce stored in a storehouse is not destined for immediate consumption, the containers are muqṣeh.] . One removes pure heave, and demay [Produce which is suspected that tithes were not taken from it, see Introduction to Tractate Demay. Since one may give demay to the poor, it is food even though its consumption is forbidden to the well-to-do and it is forbidden to separate tithes on the Sabbath (Mishnah 2:7).] , and First Tithe of which its heave was taken, and Second Tithe [Second Tithe in Jerusalem is food. Outside of Jerusalem it is not food since it must be taken to the place of the Temple to be consumed in purity. But it may be redeemed and the sanctity transferred to the money which must then be spent for food in Jerusalem. Similarly, dedicated sancta are prohibited for all usufruct but except for sacrificial animals they may be redeemed and will regain profane status after redemption. While in a state of holiness they are muqṣeh on the Sabbath.] or sancta which were redeemed, and dry lupines [Greek θέρμος, ὁ.] because it is food of the poor; but not ṭevel [Produce from which heave and tithes was not taken and which therefore is forbidden as food.] , nor First Tithe whose heave was not taken, nor Second Tithe and sancta which were not redeemed, nor serpentary [Arum dracunculus L. Arukh: Arum Colocasia L.] , nor mustard seed. Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel permits serpentary because it is food of ravens.
HALAKHAH: Rebbi Eleazar objected, did we not state “bundles of straw”? Is straw not as if dispersed [Since bundles of straw also are usable to sit on, the Mishnah should not have made using them dependent on their being animal feed. The statement of R. Zeˋira is confirmed (but the attribution to R. Eleazar, a generation before R. Zeˋira, is impossible.)] ? “One removes even four or five baskets,” etc. [This text is from Chapter 8, Notes 23–27.] Rebbi Zeˋira asked Rebbi Joshiah, what is the measure of baskets? He told him, let us infer the hidden from the explicit since we have stated there [Mishnah Šeqalim 3:2.] : “The contributions for the Temple were removed in three baskets of three seah each.”
There, we have stated: “one who brings out wine to mix a cup,” etc. Rebbi Zeˋira asked Rebbi Joshiah, what is the measure of cups? He told him, let us infer the hidden from the explicit since Rebbi Ḥiyya stated [Cf. Tosephta Pesaḥim 10:1.] , the Four Cups of Passover add up to an Italic quartarius of wine.
May one remove from the storehouse in this kind [This refers to a problem in the interpretation of Mishnah 1. Does “but not from the storehouse” mean nothing from there or only less than four baskets? An additional question is whether there is a difference if one had started to take produce from the storehouse before the Sabbath or not. Cf. Babli 126b–127a.] ? Let us hear from the following: They are of one opinion that one may not touch the storehouse but one may make a path to enter and leave [Quote from a baraita similar to one mentioned in the Babli 127a involving R. Aḥa and R. Simeon. Everybody agrees that even if the baskets in the storehouse are muqṣeh one may push them aside with his foot.] .
There are Tannaim who state, one moves dema [Demaˋ is produce containing both profane produce and heave.] . There are Tannaim who state, one does not move. Rebbi Eleazar said, he who said that one moves, if the heave was pure; but he who said that one does not move [Pure heave mixed with pure produce is food. As long as the produce stays mixed, it may be eaten only by Cohanim, but this does not change the fact that it is food. But if the heave is impure it must be burned; as long as it is mixture it is fuel, not food, and as such is muqṣeh.] , if the heave was impure. Or about one where there was enough lift [If the amount of heave mixed with profane produce is less than 1% of the profane, it is possible to remove an amount equal to the heave that fell in and transfer the sanctity of the heave to the produce taken out; this is called “lifting” (Mishnah Terumot 5:1). In this case even if the heave was impure the produce remains food and may be moved on the Sabbath; but if the amount of impure heave was larger the situation cannot be remedied, and the produce is not food.] , but not about one where there was not enough lift. Who said that one moves? Rebbi Eliezer, as we have stated: “Rebbi Eliezer said, the seah which fell in is the seah which came up [Mishnah Terumot 5:2. The problem is that it is forbidden to separate heave on the Sabbath (Mishnah 2:7). For R. Eliezer the heave was separated; one simply has to take it out; there is no problem on the Sabbath. For the Sages opposing him the heave was lost in the profane produce; one has to take new heave. Since this is forbidden on the Sabbath the mixture temporarily is not food and cannot be moved on the Sabbath.] .
[A slightly garbled version of this text is in Demay 7:5 (Notes79–95, ל).] Rebbi [In Demay, R. Isaac bar Eleazar.] Eleazar said, a person can say on a Friday, this shall be heave tomorrow [A person may not be pure for heave on Friday but he may be pure on the Sabbath. If his impurity (or that of his vessel) was removed by immersion in a miqweh he still contaminates holy things but not profane food until the next sundown (Lev. 22:7). Hence, he must keep his food in profane state until nightfall. But at nightfall it will be Sabbath and he will not be permitted to change the status of food and separate heave and tithes. He must make a declaration on Friday to separate heave on the Sabbath automatically.] , but nobody can say on the Sabbath, this shall be heave tomorrow. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, nobody can say on a Friday, this shall be heave tomorrow. A Mishnah disagrees with Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun: [Ṭevul Yom 4:4. The exact text of the Mishnah reads: “If a vessel which was immersed that day {and will be pure only after sundown} was filled from an amphora with ṭevel tithe, if he said that its contents should be heave of the tithe after nightfall, then this is heave of the tithe. If he said that it should be eruv, he did not say anything.” Tithe can be ṭevel only if the heave of the tithe was not taken; hence, ‘heave’ in our text should always mean ‘heave of the tithe” as in the Mishnah.] “If a vessel [Greek λάγυνος, ὁ, “flask”, Latin lagena, lagaena, lagona, lagoena, -ae, f. “large earthen vessel with neck and handles; flask, bottle”.] was immersed that day and somebody filled it from an amphora with ṭevel tithe, if he said [On Friday.] , its contents should be heave [of the tithe] tomorrow, i. e., after nightfall, then this is heave. If he said, that should be eruv [Either an eruv to turn a common courtyard or dead-end street into a private domain or one to move the Sabbath boundary. The eruv must be deposited on Friday afternoon and be at the right spot at sundown, so that its owner can acquire the Sabbath rest at that spot. But in our case, at sundown the wine is still ṭevel; since it cannot be eaten it is not food, and the eruv is invalid.] , he did not say anything.” Explain it if he transgressed [R. Yose ben R. Abun would agree that if someone incorrectly followed R. Eleazar’s prescription the declaration was valid.] . But Rebbi Ḥiyya stated: “He says, [There is a baraita in which R. Ḥiyya presents the text of the declaration to be recited in the case considered by R. Eleazar. R. Ḥiyya unconditionally permits the declaration.] ” and you say, if he transgressed? Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun retracted that. What is to be done [What is the text of R. Ḥiyya’s declaration?] ? “From before I shall separate it. [When I separate it (on the Sabbath), the separation shall be valid from the moment of declaration (on Friday).] ” Think about it, if it was pure heave, “from before I shall eat it. [If a Cohen makes the declaration, he may say so since then he does not have to separate once it was declared to be heave. If another person makes the declaration, he may say: From the moment that a Cohen eats it.] ” Think about it, if it was impure heave, “from before I shall deposit it in a corner. [Since impure heave must be burned, which is forbidden on the Sabbath, the only thing one can do with impure heave on the Sabbath is putting it away so that it should not be used.] ”
It was stated: One may move [On the Sabbath. Since impure heave cannot be used, one would expect that it could not be moved.] both pure and impure heave. Rebbi Zeˋira said, it means that one is permitted to move ṭevel that has a condition on it [That heave is taken retroactively on the Sabbath to make the ṭevel edible. In that case, the ṭevel is food and certainly may be moved on the Sabbath.] on the Sabbath. What does he do [This refers to Mishnah Demay 7:8 or to the declaration implied by R. Eleazar, viz., that a person may say on Friday that a certain part of food shall become heave or heave of the tithe on the Sabbath without actually separating heave from profane food on Friday.] ? He thinks about a part of it and eats the rest [The part destined to be heave has to be kept in mind all the time while the rest is consumed.] .
It was stated [Babli 128a, Tosephta 14:8 (ed. Liebermann).] : “One may move mustard seed because it is pigeon feed, and rue [Gaonic identification (Gaonic commentary to Kelim 3:6).] because it is food for gazelles, and glass [Glass beads.] because it is food for ostriches. Rebbi Nathan said, then one should be able to move shoots since elephants eat them [Since Mishnah 2 explicitly prohibits moving bundles of shoots which are not intended as feed for domestic animals, the entire argument based on the feeding habits of wild animals is unacceptable. In the Tosephta he adds a principle: One may move potential food if and only if it was intended either as food or as feed.] ”.
“Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel permits serpentary because it is food of ravens.” Where do we hold? If he keeps a certain kind and that kind is sold on the market, everybody agrees that it is permitted. If he does not keep a certain kind [The kind of animal for which the feed is appropriate. This automatically restricts the statements made in the preceding paragraph to people owning the animals mentioned there.] and that kind is not sold on the market, everybody agrees that it is prohibited. But we must hold that he keeps a certain kind and that kind is not sold on the market. The rabbis said, since that kind is not sold on the market, it is as if he did not keep it. Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel said, since he keeps that kind it is as if that kind were sold on the market.
[Discussion of Mishnah 2.] Rebbi Zeˋira said, this only follows Rebbi Ḥanina, as Rebbi Ḥanina said [Quote from Chapter 4, Note 62.] , we were ascending with Rebbi to the Hot Springs of Gadara when he said to us, choose smooth stones for yourselves; then you are permitted to move them tomorrow. Rebbi Yose said, there is a difference here because it is like a chair [One only has to think about the stones, not actually taking them, since they are immediately usable without preparation.] .
MISHNAH: One moves bundles of straw, and bundles of wood, and bundles of shoots if they were prepared as animal feed; otherwise one does not move them [If they are collected as firewood they are muqṣeh.] . One turns over a basket before the chicks that they may climb up and down [Even though the chicks themselves are muqṣeh.] . A chicken which escaped one may push until it re-enters. One helps calves and fillies to walk in the public domain and a woman may help her son to walk. Rebbi Jehudah said, when? If he lifts one foot and puts the other one down but if he draws them [If the child does not try to walk on his own but lets himself be dragged by his mother.] it is forbidden.
HALAKHAH: [This paragraph is from Chapter 3, Notes 189 ff.] A Mishnah disagrees with him who said, anything which is specifically intended for something prohibited is prohibited, as we have stated: “If there is a stone on top of an amphora he tilts it on its side and it falls down.” Rebbi Abba in the name of Rav Ḥiyya bar Ashi: He [In Chapter 3: Rav explained.] explained this about one who forgot. A Mishnah disagrees with him who said, anything which is specifically intended for something prohibited is prohibited, as we have stated: “one turns a basket upside down in front of the chicks that they may climb up and down.” And it was stated about this, when they climbed on it by themselves it is forbidden to move it. Rebbi Abun bar Ḥiyya said before Rebbi Zeˋira, explain it if it is disgusting. He told him, did not Rebbi Hoshaia state, even a seah, even a three-qab. Can you say that seah and three-qab are disgusting?
MISHNAH: One does not use midwifery for animals on a holiday [Because this is an extraordinary exertion.] but one helps [The permitted actions are described in the Halakhah.] . One helps a woman in childbirth on the Sabbath, and calls a midwife for her from place to place [Even from a place outside the Sabbath boundaries since a woman in childbirth automatically is defined as being in mortal danger.] , and desecrates the Sabbath for her, and ties the umbilical cord; Rebbi Yose says, also one cuts it. All that is necessary for circumcision one does on the Sabbath [This sentence is the introduction to the topic of the next Chapter.] .
HALAKHAH: “One does not use midwifery for animals, [Mishnah 3.] ” etc. What is help [Tosephta 15:2 (ed. Liebermann)] ? “He brings wine and blows it into his nostrils, and puts his hand down and receives him, and moves her teats and puts in his mouth. Rabban Simeon ben Gamliel says, also one makes the animal love [If the mother rejects the calf; Tosephta 15:2.] on a holiday. How does one do that? One puts a block of salt on her belly and she wants to nurse her son.”
“And one calls a midwife for her from place to place.” As what we have stated there [Mishnah Roš Haššanah 2:5.] : “Not only these but even a midwife who comes to assist at a birth. [The witnesses of the New Moon and the midwife who leave their Sabbath boundaries to testify or to help are treated like the residents of the town in which they exercise their duty.] ”
“And desecrates the Sabbath for her.” Samuel says, one makes a bonfire for her even at the summer solstice [In his medical practice he insisted that the new mother always be kept warm. Babli 129a.] .
“And ties the umbilical cord.” As in the following: The slave girl of Bar Qappara expected to give birth on a Sabbath. She came and asked her master, who told her to go and ask the midwife. She said, there is no midwife. He said, go and follow your usage; she said, there is no usage. He said, go and cut it. This is like Rebbi Yose [Therefore practice has to follow R. Yose. Babli 129b.] .
So is the Mishnah: “Everything that is necessary for a woman in childbirth one does on the Sabbath. [In this reading the Mishnah does not anticipate the topic of the next Chapter; also the statement of Mishnah 18:3 in the original text is repeated in 19:2.] ” It was stated: [Tosephta 15:3, Babli 129b. In these Babylonian sources the reason is given that the baby might catch a cold if the placenta remains exposed.] “Concerning the placenta on the Sabbath, the rich women hide it in oil, the poor ones hide it in straw and sand. Both hide it in the earth, to give a pledge to Earth [To ensure that Earth will have space ready for burial if the newborn should need it at the end of his life.] .”