Laws of Yom Tov Rest, Chapter 3 – Slaughtering and Covering Blood on Yom Tov

Introduction to Chapter 3

Speaker 1: Good. We are learning Laws of Yom Tov, Chapter 3, Laws of Yom Tov Rest, Chapter 3. Let’s learn.

We learned that on Yom Tov one may do ochel nefesh (food preparation). Here we’re going into details, which matters of ochel nefesh one may do. Because we learned that it’s not so simple. It must specifically be things that couldn’t be done on erev Yom Tov, I mean, that couldn’t be done on erev Yom Tov, that when one does it on Yom Tov it will be better, and so on. And other detailed laws in this.

So let’s first thank our sponsors, and their good name. And secondly, I think it’s more than just ochel nefesh. The general rules that we learned in Chapter 1 are very clear what one may do and what one may not, which types of things the Sages prohibited, in a general way. I mean, mainly in this chapter we’re going to learn various additions, other things that the Sages prohibited, for several different reasons. Part of it is indeed because it can be done on erev Yom Tov, but part of it is not only about that. Part of it is because it’s a great burden, or because it will lead to some stumbling block. Various things. That is, basically, while one does melachah (work) of ochel nefesh, Shabbos is not all things, one may not do anything. But Yom Tov, when one does ochel nefesh, comes with various rabbinic decrees that one should not do, when one does this, or how one should do it. And that’s what we’re learning in this chapter. Right?

Speaker 2: Absolutely yes.

Law 1 – Slaughtering on Yom Tov: The Condition of Prepared Earth

Speaker 1: So the first topic that we learned is that one may slaughter on Yom Tov. Slaughtering is… we learned that it’s better, it tastes better because it was slaughtered today. But various things that one may not do, that one must be careful about, we’re learning.

Now, the law says as follows, the Rambam says, “One who has prepared earth or ash that is permitted to move,” or earlier, in the previous chapter it was stated what is called prepared earth, which is literally ready in a corner, “or ash that is permitted to move,” that was made on erev Yom Tov, that is permitted to move, is very good, because slaughtering is indeed permitted, and after slaughtering there is a mitzvah of kisui hadam (covering the blood), so “he may slaughter a chayah (undomesticated animal) or bird,” a behemah (domesticated animal) doesn’t need kisui hadam, yes, only chayah and bird. “And cover its blood.” He has done kisui hadam.

“But if he doesn’t have prepared earth or suitable ash,” it was not permitted. A new decree, not only was it not permitted, there is a new decree, a new prohibition. The Sages did not permit even to cover the blood, that since one may slaughter, one should also be allowed to take muktzeh earth.

Again, I would have said the opposite, not only one may not, we’re not talking about if the slaughterer, which is a new thing. What it says here is that there is a new decree, because when one slaughters one needs to have earth or ash in order to do kisui hadam. Earth and ash are not always prepared, very often they are not prepared. The Sages come and say, whoever has not prepared any sand or ash for the kisui hadam, may not slaughter. A rabbinic decree, he may not slaughter. Because if he slaughters, if he slaughters without doing kisui hadam, he will nullify the mitzvah of kisui hadam. One should not slaughter at all.

Discussion: Ochel Nefesh Does Not Permit Muktzeh

Speaker 1: And we also don’t say that it became permitted, as if because one may slaughter one should also be allowed to do muktzeh. A person might think that if the Torah permits doing something from the Torah, then why doesn’t this become permitted.

The entire, let’s understand clearly here, the entire laws of muktzeh that we learned about many details in the previous chapter are about ochel nefesh. There is never a case where ochel nefesh permits muktzeh. Muktzeh is always the thing. This is a mitzvah. This is a distinction. The mitzvah is not overriding. It’s a nice mitzvah, but the mitzvah is also only for you about this. No, it’s not overriding.

Speaker 2: What do you mean it’s rabbinic? It’s muktzeh. I could hear very well that the mitzvah of kisui hadam should permit it, since muktzeh is rabbinic. How have you heard such things? How have you heard? I haven’t heard.

Speaker 1: No, what I’m saying, you’re putting it backwards. What the Rambam says is that there is a rabbinic decree not to slaughter unless he has prepared earth, besides all the other things. And it goes so far, that “if he transgressed and slaughtered,” he did slaughter, then “he may not cover the blood until evening.” One indeed may not do kisui hadam, the mitzvah of kisui hadam is indeed not overriding, one indeed may not. The mitzvah of kisui hadam is still there. So he says, yes.

Law 1 (Continued) – The Law of Koy: Doubtful Chayah or Behemah

Speaker 1: Now you’ll learn another decree, a new decree. It doesn’t have so much to do with the laws of Yom Tov. It has a lot to do with the laws of Yom Tov, but the decree itself isn’t entirely about this.

Speaker 2: Yes, but it’s about us, about it’s Yom Tov, this will be relevant. It’s a law in the laws of chelev (forbidden fat), yes. It’s a law in the laws of Yom Tov.

Speaker 1: Okay, let’s see what the law is. “Therefore,” there is a creature called a koy. That’s what it’s called in the Gemara. A creature that is doubtful whether it’s a chayah or a behemah. And seemingly, when one does it during the week, one must do kisui hadam seemingly as a stringency, yes? Out of doubt.

Speaker 2: Out of doubt.

Speaker 1: So “one may not slaughter it on Yom Tov.” One may not slaughter on Yom Tov. Because wait, only for a chayah is there kisui hadam, true? Behemot don’t do any kisui hadam. So in short, the creature that is doubtful chayah or behemah is different from the previous law. We’ll see, with one thing comes out a great difference. A creature that is doubtfully chayah or behemah one also may not slaughter on Yom Tov, because one won’t be able to do kisui hadam. “And if he slaughtered,” also the same law, “he may not cover its blood until evening,” even if he had…

Speaker 2: No, no, no, I said. Let’s say.

Explanation: Distinction Between Behemah and Chayah

Speaker 1: There are things that need… A behemah doesn’t need kisui hadam, we only speak of a chayah and a bird with kisui hadam. Therefore, a behemah can be slaughtered because it doesn’t need kisui hadam. A thing that needs kisui hadam, there is a rabbinic decree, one may not slaughter unless one has prepared it. Now there is such a type of thing that needs kisui hadam out of doubt. Why? Because it’s a doubtful chayah, so a Torah doubt requires doing kisui hadam, one may not slaughter it even if one does have prepared earth. Why? If one has prepared earth one may generally do so for chayah and bird. But for a doubtful chayah, one may not do it even when one does have prepared earth. Why?

Reason for the Decree: Lest the Observer Say

Speaker 1: Here there is a new decree. Why? “Lest the observer say,” a person will see that kisui hadam is being done on Yom Tov on this doubtful chayah, he will think that it’s a definite chayah, it’s certainly a chayah. Why will he think so? Because he sees that kisui hadam is being done, and he doesn’t know that the earth was already prepared.

Okay, not that he doesn’t know anything. He sees that something is being done on Yom Tov, and he does it on Yom Tov. Would it have been forbidden on Yom Tov? The person doesn’t know. If he were a Torah scholar, all these questions wouldn’t have started. The person is a simple Jew, he sees, on Yom Tov, on Yom Tov one doesn’t do random things, only mitzvot, ochel nefesh. A Jew goes and covers the blood of this, it looks like this is obligated to cover blood, he will think it’s a chayah.

And what’s wrong if he thinks it’s a chayah? We need to correct him, there is a leniency “the observer to permit its fat.” The fat of a behemah is forbidden, but the fat of a chayah is permitted. A behemah is forbidden, the fat of a chayah is permitted, and he will think that he sees here that it’s… the doubtful chayah which is the behemah is stringent. That is, both one must not eat the fat, and one must do kisui hadam. This is the distinction of a stringency in this way. Each one has a rule with a stringency. A behemah is forbidden in its fat, requires kisui hadam, and a chayah requires kisui hadam, and is permitted in its fat.

If one will conduct oneself with this chayah, with this doubt, like a chayah, and people will think that from the fact that it’s done on Yom Tov there’s something higher, there’s some higher proof that it’s actually a chayah. Because if not, one wouldn’t say that kisui is done on Yom Tov, he will think it’s a chayah and one will do kisui on Yom Tov. And during the week he will think, perhaps he knows it’s a doubt, but on Yom Tov he will think that some burden is being done here or some muktzeh is being done, I don’t know what. We need very much that people should know that this is a doubt, and therefore one is stringent both ways. But stringent in any case. An interesting stringency, an interesting decree.

Law 2 – Slaughtered on Erev Yom Tov

Speaker 1: The Rambam says further, “And similarly, one who slaughters a chayah or bird on erev Yom Tov.” He says, a person slaughtered a chayah or bird on erev Yom Tov, and now he slaughtered, let’s say, right before the time, and now he has blood that he must cover. The law is “he may not cover their blood on Yom Tov,” one may not cover the blood on Yom Tov even if one does have it prepared, because this is the matter of burden. If it was slaughtered on Yom Tov. In other words, it should have been done on erev Yom Tov. This is basically the answer, right?

Discussion: The Mitzvah of Kisui Hadam Is Not Overriding

Speaker 2: What indeed, it seems that kisui hadam can be done later? There’s no mitzvah that he will be able to wait until after Yom Tov to do kisui hadam? It was said explicitly earlier that one can.

Speaker 1: Right, so it seems, yes. Here I don’t know what it was the whole day, it seems to set. It’s a practical problem. But when it sets, one has also fulfilled the mitzvah, as if the mitzvah happens by itself.

Speaker 2: No, because here it’s forbidden to do only something that is forbidden due to burden, something that isn’t a real prohibition. So, what’s the problem? It was also forbidden even in a place where there is a mitzvah of kisui hadam. Never is the mitzvah of kisui hadam overriding the prohibitions. The only thing that is overriding is that if one slaughtered on Yom Tov one may cover it with prepared earth.

Law 2 (Continued) – Blood of Behemah and Chayah Mixed

Speaker 1: Further, “One who slaughtered behemah, chayah and bird on Yom Tov, and their blood became mixed,” the blood became mixed together. And now he has blood from things that are obligated in kisui hadam, and not doubtful, because part of it he must cover. Also “he may not cover it until evening,” because since part of it is not obligated, when he goes to make a burden, he will also make a burden for something that isn’t. Ah, as if it’s mixed together. So the only way he can fulfill the mitzvah is if he goes to cover everything, and perhaps the part that needs to be covered is the behemah. So “he may not cover it until evening.” But he must do too much, it’s too much work. Yes, “he may not cover it until evening.”

Permission: When He Can Cover Everything in One Action

Speaker 1: But he says “But if he had prepared earth or ash”? He has two conditions, both that it’s ready and that he has it, let’s say, in a large vessel, “and he can cover everything,” he won’t even take a great burden, he can do everything, with one shovel with his tool there, he will be able to cover everything. A shovel, yes? A large one, whatever, let him cover it, because then there’s no digging. Ah, digging is a… digging. A sticking, yes. A sticking, a poke, more like a… yes. You know diggers have a stick. You’ll stick the shovel in the… yes. A large one, I’ll say, one may do so, because this isn’t an extra burden.

The prohibition was that he must carry more, because there’s also a behemah here, and he covers the behemah for no reason. But he doesn’t do more actions. With the same one shovel he covers both the behemah and the bird. So there’s no problem. Like we had before, that a larger pot is no problem. It doesn’t say more burden. There is a part of the burden he may do. The remaining burden, there is the distinction, because he may do one, he must do it, because he must for the bird.

Law 3: Plucking Wool at the Place of Slaughter

The question is only the extra.

He says now, we’re learning another such prohibition, or something one must be careful about when slaughtering a behemah.

The Rambam says as follows: “One who slaughters a behemah on Yom Tov,” someone slaughters a behemah on Yom Tov, and when he goes to slaughter he must make sure that it’s a good kosher slaughter, that the knife doesn’t… So there is hair on the neck where one must slaughter, and the hair interferes. It will cause the slaughter not to be good, or it interferes with the slaughter. He wants to go shear the hair there.

But it’s not a free-for-all world. One cannot… There’s a question, what is a question of shearing or… shearing, yes. He may not go properly, for example, take a knife and shear the hair there properly.

So what may one do? “He is permitted to pluck wool at the place of slaughter with his hand.” He may take his hand and tear off the wool that is at the place of the neck. But he should only tear it off without completely removing the wool. “And he should not take the wool from its place,” he should not remove the torn wool from the place, “rather it should remain there tangled with the rest of the wool,” it should remain there tangled with the surrounding wool, he should not completely remove it.

But when he removes it, it looks exactly like shearing.

Explanation: Why Plucking by Hand Is Permitted

It’s actually interesting, because he’s doing here… he’s doing a bit of shearing, yes? He’s doing shearing from taking, he’s plucking with his hands. But it’s not noticeable, because it remains there. So this is the main prohibition he may do, if one knows if it’s not the way of shearing.

When they learned plucking with a tool it’s called shearing, I mean with the hands it’s with a change, perhaps it’s not called proper shearing, but if he goes afterward to remove the wool, it will look like proper shearing.

Distinction Between Behemah and Bird

This is for behemah. But for a bird he also wants to pluck, he must. For a behemah it’s called plucking, for a behemah it’s called plucking, removing the feathers. Also from the neck, from the area where one will slaughter, he should not pluck, remove the feathers.

This is the normal way, this is for a behemah, the usual order is to take scissors and cut, therefore tearing with the hands doesn’t mean proper shearing. But this would be called shearing, this is the normal way, this is the way one plucks feathers from a bird.

When it turns out that this would be actually transgressing a prohibition of plucking, this one may not do. As we learned that one may indeed slaughter, but one may not do other labors, even for the purpose of eating.

That is, seemingly one can slaughter without this. We say that one may not slaughter, one can find a solution. Ah, okay, yes. This makes it easier, more tasty. I don’t know the practical details. Ask a slaughterer. One must know the laws, the sharpness of the knife, perhaps only the Baal Shem Tov’s merit protects us.

One wants to slaughter a bird on Yom Tov, and one may not pluck. From this we learn? Yes, yes, yes. Perhaps it’s not so difficult. Okay, whatever. One finds a solution. There really aren’t feathers on the neck, if I remember from kapparot. One just needs to turn it around, whatever. Okay. But perhaps it depends which bird?

So until here, now we’ll learn it afterward.

Law 4: One Who Skins the Animal’s Hide — Prohibition of Salting the Hide

It’s going in order, right? We’re still at slaughter. We slaughtered a behemah. The slaughter itself is permitted, but we’re talking here about other things that usually during the week one would do labors.

The next step is skinning, after one slaughters, in the order of labors there is skinning, and here one works with the hide, one removes the hide.

So, “One who skins the hide of a behemah on Yom Tov,” when one removes the… the hide from the behemah on Yom Tov. And usually, immediately when one removes the hide, one salts it, so that the hide shouldn’t spoil. The first process of preparing the hide so that one can use it afterward is to salt it.

The Rambam says, but here, not so, one may not salt the hide, “for this is processing,” this is the prohibition of processing, one of the 39 labors is processing, working the hide. “This labor is found to be not for the purpose of eating.” The salting is only for the hide, not for the behemah itself. The behemah may be salted, the meat may be salted, the flesh. But the hide is not for the purpose of eating, it would turn out that he’s doing a labor not for the purpose of eating.

The Leniency: Beit HaDerisa

But the Chachamim did make a certain leniency. What is it? “But one may place it in the beit haderisa”. One may take the hide and lay it down on the floor, the place where people walk a lot, let’s say, the entrance to the house, which is called a beit haderisa, a place where people walk a lot. One places it there, why? “So that they will tread upon it and it will not be ruined.” So that people will step on the hide, and this will work it, make it soft, or make it so that the hide won’t start to rot.

Although, it seems this isn’t really meabeid, it isn’t, but it is indeed something of an inyan of meabeid. It’s not a complete melacha, but it’s from the family, perhaps it would be a rabbinic meabeid.

Reason for the Leniency: Because of Simchat Yom Tov

Why was this permitted? Says the Rambam, “They only permitted this matter because of simchat Yom Tov.” The reason why this was permitted is also because of simchat Yom Tov, so that one will have meat on Yom Tov, “so that he won’t refrain from slaughtering.” So that he won’t hold back from slaughtering. If he knows the next day that he’s going to lose the entire hide, he will refrain from slaughtering. So the Chachamim permitted doing what is only a half meabeid, only a rabbinic meabeid.

A Stratagem: Salting Meat for Roasting on the Hide

And they gave another piece of advice. More advice. He said one may not salt, only place it in the beit haderisa.

Now he says, there is a way how to even salt a little. He says, “And it is permitted to place meat for roasting on the hide.” The meat that one is going to cook, interestingly he says specifically the word “for roasting,” he means to say the meat that one is going to cook needs to be salted beforehand. He said, even for roasting, even for roasting which doesn’t need much salt, because the roasting itself removes the blood, so for roasting one doesn’t usually put much salt. But it seems that there is indeed something of an inyan why one does put some salt. Simply, one may, one may indeed do it.

Even… no, I’m saying, the word “for roasting” is apparently a chiddush. I want to say it, even for roasting, when one is going to cook it, then one puts a lot of salt, then it’s presumably even easier. Even for roasting where the salt isn’t so critical, one may do it.

It means, one places the meat that one is salting, one holds it over the hide, one pours a lot of salt, and afterwards a lot of salt falls onto the hide.

Says the Rambam, one may be meirim in this matter, one may use a stratagem with this, one may do the trick. It is indeed a trick, because it’s meat for roasting, it doesn’t need much salt, but he pours much more salt than he needs, or he pours it so that it will fall right afterwards onto the hide. One may do it, it’s an erma.

What does it mean? He scatters small pieces of meat here. He places small pieces of meat on the hide, and he pours here and there. Otherwise, the meat isn’t as large as the spread-out hide, it wouldn’t help. So, he may move the meat around or place small pieces of meat on other places, on the hide, so that the entire hide will be salted.

Digression: Erma – When Yes and When No

Interestingly, because earlier we learned that one may not do any hide. By Yom Tov it was stated regarding… they didn’t learn a rule, there is no rule in this. The Rishonim mean that there is a rule of erma, he doesn’t know, there are things that the Chachamim want to allow to be done, and there are things they don’t want to allow to be done.

One thing we learned earlier, one who is more clever than cleverness, that’s someone who wants to cook for after Yom Tov, and he thinks he’s fooling the system. We don’t want you to cook for after Yom Tov, but you do want to.

You want that one should be able to slaughter on Yom Tov, and a person will indeed refrain from slaughtering if he’s going to lose his entire hide, so they found a solution, he should salt the meat, and through this the hide gets salted. It’s very simple.

But this also isn’t really meabeid, right? It’s a… it’s a… it’s an erma.

Halacha 5: Distinction Between Salting for Roasting and for a Pot

But… sorry, in what case are we speaking… look at what… only for roasting, it must be for roasting. Ah, the opposite. “In what case are we speaking, salt for roasting,” when one salts for roasting. “Which doesn’t require much salt,” then one doesn’t need much. “But for a pot,” if one is going to cook the meat in a pot, which then one needs to do melicha beforehand to remove the blood, then one uses a lot of salt. Then one may not be molei’ach on the hide, because then he’s going to pour a lot of salt.

Perhaps because then it doesn’t remain… so then what? And what is that he needs a lot of salt? One should be able to say just the opposite. By roasting it doesn’t work out, so it’s simple that you’re really adding the salt for the hide. But by cooking in a pot you need to have the salt.

He says one doesn’t need so much, so because it remains over, because the roasting doesn’t need much salt, and one doesn’t need to salt the hide so much, one only needs to salt the hide a little. As much as one puts for the roasting plus a little, which will make it fall onto the hide. But a lot of salt, it’s closer to proper meabeid.

So he brings.

It’s not so clear.

Prohibition of Salting the Fats

Says the Rambam, “And similarly, one may not salt the fats,” one may not salt the fat, the fat of the animal. Although perhaps one did it so that one could use it for something else, I don’t know, the fat one doesn’t eat, but perhaps one can use it for something else, it makes light.

“And one may not turn them over,” one may not be busy with the fat, turning it over, or whatever thing one does with the fat. Or “and one may not dry it in the wind on boards,” to dry it out, one would hang it up, in the old days one would hang it up in the wind so the fat would dry out so that pieces would form from it.

All these things one may not do. Since it’s not fit for eating, the fat is indeed not fit for eating.

Halacha 6: Prohibition of Hirgala in Skinning the Animal

It means, although there’s no prohibition of meabeid, there’s just simply, one may not exert oneself when it’s not for eating. Okay, very good.

Now, and now we’re going to learn more matters of exertion for preparing meat.

So, “One who skins an animal, should not do hirgeil on Yom Tov.” One who skins the hide from an animal, he should not do the skinning that is called hirgeil.

Says the Rambam immediately afterwards explaining, what does hirgeil mean? There are a few ways of skinning the hide from an animal. There’s a way of skinning that isn’t an exertion, there’s a way of skinning that is with greater exertion, which is called hirgeil.

And the Rambam explains, “How does one do hirgeil? This is when he removes all the hide through one leg, so that all the hide comes out whole and doesn’t tear.” He pulls so all the hide will be… he skins, instead of skinning, it means let’s say cutting the hide, and he pulls off pieces here and pulls there, there’s a greater exertion of skinning all the hide so it remains whole, and pulling it off through one leg. That is hirgeil, from the word regel. “This is when he removes all the hide through one leg,” and he does it “so that all the hide comes out whole and doesn’t tear,” so that he’ll have a long whole hide and it won’t be torn, so one can make from it, I don’t know, a large rabbinical tallit bag.

Discussion: Why is Hirgala Forbidden?

Speaker 1: Why may one not do this? Skinning one may do, it’s a preparation for cooking, it’s a part of what one may do on Yom Tov. But this skinning in this manner with greater hirgeil, why is it forbidden?

Speaker 2: “Because this skinning involves great exertion, and there’s no need for it for the holiday.” He’s making with this a greater exertion, and he’s doing it not for the meat, but because he wants to have the hide. That means he’s made an exertion not for the need of eating.

Halacha 6 (continued): Prohibition of Beit Yad in Meat

And the Rambam continues, therefore, something else that is forbidden: “It is forbidden to make a beit yad in meat.” One may not cut into the meat so that one can hang it up, as I understood it, “which is done with a knife,” so that one can carry it, one should not make a beit yad in meat, a handle in the meat, so that one can work more easily with the meat.

Says the Rambam, this is only if he does it with a knife, because if he makes a beit yad in meat, then he’s doing something of a greater exertion, a weekday manner, “so that he shouldn’t do it in the manner that he does on a weekday.”

But if one does it without a knife, one may.

Permission to Make a Mark in Meat

But “it is permitted to make a mark in meat.” One may cut into the meat. We learned in Masechet Beitza it says there about meat that has been hidden from sight. And how does one give oneself advice? By making a mark, cutting the meat in a certain way, cutting I don’t know like a triangle. Even if it’s an exertion, but since this is needed so that one can eat it, so it won’t fall into the problem of meat that has been hidden from sight, one may make the mark in meat.

Discussion: What’s the Difference Between Beit Yad and a Mark?

Speaker 1: If one needs to get to the meat simply to be, and it’s also not so clear that it’s really so. It could be that it’s simply, it’s needed, so it won’t get mixed up with two, why should one come to a prohibition? Simply, it’s not such a great exertion, a beit yad, it’s work, one makes some kind of handle that can carry large meat. Simply, it’s obvious that he may cut the meat whichever way he wants. What’s the problem?

Speaker 2: Okay.

Further. Also, there’s the mark by which there is indeed the halacha of… what is already a mark?

Speaker 1: Okay. You see there that sometimes one makes marks so a non-Jew won’t steal, or…

Speaker 2: Very good.

Halacha 7: Removing Hair from the Head and Legs

Says the Rambam further, another thing that one may… something else that one does by slaughtering an animal, is what one does is… the head and legs of the animal, it seems that one also places it, one also eats it, or one places it together with the food, and so that it won’t have hair on it which would make it, I don’t know, it would make the meat repulsive, one skins off all the hair from the head and legs.

May one do it on Yom Tov, “one may tear off the head and the legs,” one may tear off the hide from the head and legs, “and singe them in fire,” one may also burn off not the hide. The head and legs.

Discussion: What Does Molegin Mean?

Speaker 1: From the hair?

Speaker 2: From the hair. Yes.

Speaker 1: No, not the hide I mean that one is going to skin, but what one is going to put on the table. You know, one has taken that which one puts on the table. If it’s something like skinning the hide because one wants the hide afterwards, it will be like the previous hide.

Speaker 2: The hair from the head. There’s no hide between the head and the hide.

Speaker 1: Okay, it doesn’t say there.

Two Permitted Methods and Two Forbidden Methods

“And removes its feathers in fire,” one may burn it off in fire. I don’t know why. There are two ways of removing the hair, either with tearing, which means pulling out I mean, or with fire. One may do it both ways.

But what may one not do? There’s another way of using chemicals, “but one may not rub it with pottery or with earth.” One may not rub the head and legs with pottery, earthenware, I don’t know, or a type of sand, so that it will be smooth, so that it will remove the hide.

“And one may not shear and one may not make a corner with it,” also one may not cut off the hair with a scissors. That’s already more exertion, or more a way how one does it in general.

Halacha 7 (continued): Cutting Vegetables

Says the Rambam further, “And similarly,” something else that one may not do the same thing, “one may not shear and one may not make a corner with vegetables” — what one may not do for fruits, one also may not do for vegetables. Vegetables that have a peel, that have on them like a hide, so you say?

Discussion: What Does Peel Mean?

Speaker 1: Why is it called a peel? Cutting, simply cutting? One may not cut? Cut off such little hairs or some not-good pieces.

Speaker 2: Yes, okay. That’s what I mean. Or cut off the parts that aren’t… but the word is further in the way of the world is with scissors. I remember, this is exactly the kenivat yerek, which means removing all that aren’t good. On Yom Kippur it was permitted. But simply so it’s something of an exertion, or perhaps it’s similar to borer, I don’t know, there it’s not borer. With the utensils that one does it was, I don’t dare, one may do it other ways. Like plucking or borer one may.

Permission with Vegetables That Have Thorns

But what may one do? “But one may prepare food that has thorns in it, such as kinars and artichokes.” I know for example artichokes have such thorns on them. Or he says artichoke. Artichoke has such thorns that one needs to cut off the thorns beforehand.

But what’s the difference with the kinars thing? It seems that the vegetable looks like one can give oneself advice without it, so one shouldn’t do it in the manner of haircutting. But the food that has thorns in it, one can’t do it with it, here one is going to get pricked, it’s thorns.

Speaker 1: Ah, that’s the word.

Speaker 2: Okay, if it’s prickly, there’s permission that one may indeed use the scissors, the machine, whatever it is that one uses.

Okay.

Halacha 8: Kneading a Large Dough

Okay, until here we learned about when one slaughters. One can learn about baking bread, various types or decrees that exist when one makes bread on Yom Tov.

Says the Rambam, “It is permitted to knead a large dough on Yom Tov.” One may knead a large dough, a big one, it’s an exertion, the more one needs to work with the hands, and a larger dough one needs to work harder. One would think that one should only take as much as one needs? No, one may take a prohibition, as we learned earlier, that one may fill a fruit. And the same thing one may make a large dough, as we learned earlier that one may put more bread in the oven because it helps the oven. A large dough is better. In short.

Halacha 8 (continued): Separating Challah on Yom Tov

Now we’re going to learn about taking challah.

So: “And one who kneaded his dough on Erev Yom Tov, one may not separate challah from it on Yom Tov.” Someone kneaded dough on Erev Yom Tov, and one separates challah from it on Yom Tov, one may not take off challah on Yom Tov.

I think it’s done like we learned that one may not take off terumot and ma’asrot on Shabbat because it’s metaken. The same thing, taking off challah is metaken.

Discussion: Why is Separating Challah Forbidden on Yom Tov?

Speaker 1: What’s the end? Because being metaken food on Yom Tov one may, no? What does it mean? One may not be metaken food on Yom Tov?

Speaker 2: On Shabbat one may not do metaken. No, not such a type of thing. This is that if one can the whole food is metaken. Preparing food is food.

Speaker 1: No, good. If one needs to, one may indeed, but if it’s Erev Yom Tov, then not.

Speaker 2: Ah, what is when one needed to do it Erev Yom Tov?

Speaker 1: Interestingly, because one may not… one may eat before one takes off challah?

Speaker 2: No, it’s simple that you won’t be able to Erev Yom Tov. You should have done it Erev Yom Tov, what will I do?

Something That Could Be Done on Erev Yom Tov

This is what one says, it’s a “thing that could be done on Erev Yom Tov, look at him not on Yom Tov.” Then, yes, one may take off challah, and one may even give it to the Kohen.

Speaker 1: Very good. So why on Erev Yom Tov doesn’t one do it?

Speaker 2: Because you need to do it Erev Yom Tov.

Impure Dough and Impure Challah

“And one separates impure dough, or if the challah became impure,” that the challah became impure and the Kohen won’t be able to eat it, “he should not bake the challah, for one may only cook on Yom Tov for eating and this is not fit and stands for burning.”

It’s like this, he has here impure dough, and the impure dough needs to be burned. One may not burn on Yom Tov, as he’s going to say in the next halacha, he also may not bake it in the oven. But the challah needs to be burned already, right? One ate the impure dough, one has every day impure dough. The challah portion needs to be burned, one may not burn it on Yom Tov, as he says, “and similarly one may not burn it on Yom Tov,” one also may not bake it.

Why? “And similarly one may not burn it on Yom Tov, for one may only cook on Yom Tov for eating and this is not fit and stands for burning,” one may only cook what is fit for eating, and the impure challah one may not eat because it stands for burning.

“And similarly one may not burn it on Yom Tov,” also the act of burning one may not do on Yom Tov.

Reason for the Prohibition: Burning Holy Things is a Positive Commandment

Why? The Rambam explains, “for one may not burn holy things on Yom Tov,” one may not burn holy things on Yom Tov. Why? “One may not burn holy things that became impure on Yom Tov. For burning holy things that became impure is a positive commandment, as it says ‘it shall be burned in fire’,” that a thing that became impure, holy things became impure, is a mitzvah of burning.

But burning is indeed a melacha. “And doing melacha that is not for the need of eating and the like, is a positive and negative commandment.” As they learned in the laws of Yom Tov, it’s a positive and negative commandment.

Burning of Consecrated Items on Yom Tov — Laws 8-9

So the Rambam explains, that one may not burn consecrated items on Yom Tov. One may not burn consecrated items on Yom Tov. Why? One may not burn consecrated items that became impure on Yom Tov. Why? Because burning consecrated items that became impure is a positive commandment, as it states in the Torah, as it says “it shall be burned in fire,” that something that became impure, consecrated items that became impure, there is a mitzvah of burning. But burning is a melachah (forbidden labor). And performing a melachah that is not for the purpose of eating and the like is both a positive and negative commandment, as they learned in the laws of Yom Tov, it is both a positive and negative commandment regarding forbidden labor, and this is like forbidden labor. And a positive commandment does not override a negative commandment together with a positive commandment. It is indeed a positive commandment, but a positive commandment does not override a negative commandment together with a positive commandment.

Discussion: What kind of melachah is burning consecrated items?

Seemingly the same explanation would apply to why one may not perform covering of the blood. Can you say that? I need to think. But I want to understand something else. Carrying, carrying was permitted through the principle of since it was permitted for a need, it was permitted not for a need. The burning wouldn’t be called carrying. What is the prohibition of burning? Making a fire. No, it’s like cooking is a melachah. It’s not cooking, he’s burning it. It becomes consumed. No. Cooking he already said “do not cook the challah.” That one may not cook the challah. But burning doesn’t mean cooking. Burning is the prohibition seemingly that he lights a fire.

Therefore your question isn’t worth anything, so you’re the strongest. He’s really struggling. Seemingly, carrying means… what does carrying mean? Burning, carrying. So let’s say that the Ra’avad… it could be that the five minutes before it becomes completely burned is cooking, but… let’s remember, the holy Ra’avad said, this was remembered regarding carrying. The Ra’avad says, to warm hot water even simply is not necessary. The Ra’avad says, said Avraham, this is to warm hot water for his feet, to light a candle of… but… that is, when the Ra’avad interprets, it’s not clear if he disagrees with the holy one, but what we learned that it’s simple. Not for a need, I mean not for the need of eating, but for a need simply for hot water for his feet. But, says the Ra’avad, there is something called a candle of idleness, he was lighting a candle for honor, like we light candles on Yom Tov, it’s not for that thing, it’s there for honor. The Rambam brings from the Yerushalmi, the Ra’avad from the Yerushalmi, “do not do and do not permit,” it’s not a complete prohibition. You should not prohibit it and not permit it. No, if it’s not a negative commandment it’s certainly not, and a positive commandment it’s certainly not. It’s a candle of idleness, it’s a half-need, right? There is a need in this, it’s honor. But on this he brings a Yerushalmi that says he doesn’t know, not permitted and not forbidden. But it’s implied from the Ra’avad that if it were something that is completely not any need, it’s only a mitzvah like here, it would be forbidden.

Question: Why isn’t a mitzvah considered a need?

Why shouldn’t a mitzvah be called a need? Is a mitzvah less than honor? Why shouldn’t a mitzvah be called a need? A mitzvah is not a need of Yom Tov. No, it’s not a need of Yom Tov. A mitzvah is a mitzvah. It’s a great matter to do a mitzvah, but it’s not ochel nefesh (food preparation). A Jew cannot live without doing mitzvot. Honor is connected to eating, and burning is not. Certainly, it’s a certain need. But further you only brought the Ra’avad. The Rambam said that one may, in any case. Very good. Here one must say, so says the holy one… where is the Maggid Mishneh? What does the Maggid Mishneh argue? That from this one can perhaps see… I don’t see that he says, but so someone brings it somewhere. I don’t see that he speaks. From this one can perhaps see that even according to the Rambam, when he says carrying not for a need, he means with some bit of need. So says Rabbi Bluming. I saw that he says in the Maggid Mishneh, I saw that he brings it. Yes. Ah, but he says it himself. Not clear. It’s not clear.

Question: Why do we need the reason of positive commandment overriding negative and positive commandments?

Ah, one can… perhaps this is the answer, but one can do it after Yom Tov. But then one wouldn’t have needed to come to the whole positive and negative commandment, just like that. What’s wrong with burning today? One can say, I now have a positive commandment in front of me. I have through “a mitzvah that comes to your hand, do not let it become leavened.” What is the answer? We see the answer that it doesn’t override a positive commandment with a negative commandment. He says, the next piece says, how should he do? He should leave it until evening and burn it, it can be burned on motzaei. Indeed this is why the Rambam says the next piece, how should he do? He should leave it until evening and burn it.

Challah on Yom Tov of Pesach — Law 9

The Rambam says, but if it was Yom Tov of Pesach, but if Yom Tov of Pesach comes, and then there isn’t the solution of leaving it until evening, because if he leaves it it will become chametz, the dough will become chametz on Pesach, and he will transgress with this “it shall not be seen, it shall not be found,” he should not separate his challah, then he should not remove challah from the dough. Then we indeed permitted to bake the entire impure dough, and afterwards he separates challah from the bread. So there’s another solution. That is, since on Pesach one may not leave the dough because it will become chametz, what is the prohibition that it will become chametz? A prohibition of “it shall not be seen.” “It shall not be seen,” yes. He will remain with chametz. Interesting. One must come learn the laws of chametz and matzah to see if there is such a case of “it shall not be seen,” because it’s like a passive prohibition as it were. I remember that it says about this something, I don’t remember what the rejection is. In any case, it’s not intentional. He has a solution, he has a solution. A true solution. So what is the solution? Usually it appears that the mitzvah is that one should remove challah before it’s finished. Usually one makes challah from dough. But since one is stuck, one separates challah after it’s been baked. And one may also bake the whole thing. Okay, this is simple, because one bakes the entire bread. The bread is baked, the challah is not baked. It’s all tevel. The entire dough, yes.

Discussion: The custom of challah from matzot

That’s what we do, on erev Pesach with matzot is that the problem. One takes off a piece from the baked matzah, yes? How do we do every Pesach? What? Not erev Pesach, from all of Israel. Yes, I’m not talking about baking on Yom Tov. I’m talking first of all, let’s say if someone bakes matzot on Yom Tov of Pesach at night before… no one who has done it. I’ve never heard, but… why did he do it? It was… well, in such a case one removes the challah. From the baked matzah. But I mean one does so generally. Why does one do so generally? Perhaps because one doesn’t want to make extra time from removing a piece of dough. Okay, one could further tomorrow a farmer from chametz even on erev Pesach. This is a leniency. One doesn’t know, one must look… then why the reasons that one does so. Yes. Okay, further other things that have to do with… other various things, now one can take other various things, like prohibitions that have been… various elements with the ovens. Yes, and afterwards further when one makes food. In the manner of a new furnace.

Laws of Ovens and Stoves — Laws 10-11

New Furnace

A new furnace is some kind of oven that is very hot. Interesting, we learned earlier that there are three. There is a tanur (oven), kirayim, and… what is the middle one? Kirah. A tanur, a kirah, and a… I don’t remember at the moment, something that is half and half. Kirah and kirayim. And a third ancient one, I don’t remember the name at the moment. There is such a vessel called a furni, which when it’s fresh is very hot. One may not take a fresh furni, a decree lest it burst, it gets broken sometimes. It takes a few times, it takes a few times, it becomes so… and sometimes, the first time it bursts, and it will ruin the bread, and he will be prevented from the joy of Yom Tov. There is such a recommendation.

Sweeping and Scraping

All three, all three, all three, but one already grasps that it opens up, when one may indeed sweep, grasping means sweeping? Scraping, yes, scraping away, scraping, yes, scraping the ashes so there will be enough space in the oven to cook. And if it’s impossible to scrape with a basket or with a broom then sweeping. There is space in the oven, you just need to sweep a bit, to scrape a bit, the oven is so full, you should scrape it down so it will be covered and there will be enough space. But if there is not enough space, then sweeping is indeed permitted, because for the need of eating in order to cook one may. But if there is another way, why make an effort, let it be done with less effort.

Sealing the Mouth of the Oven with Clay

Further, and sealing the mouth of the oven, when one closes the oven, one wants it to be very hot, one takes clay or mud. And one places it around at the mouth of the oven, one may seal the mouth of the oven with clay and mud that is in the surroundings of the river. One makes such a thing that is called, one makes such wet clay, yes? Wet cement, or what? Not cement, clay? What do you call it cement? I don’t know what that cement is, but wet sandy? I don’t know what children called it mud or cement. But the Rambam says, as it’s proper for the actual thing. But this is only, if he’s going to take clay and it’s a rough piece, it’s that he takes a block of clay, he won’t give himself advice and place it around. So one must make it soft. It’s not prepared already. Ah, and he spreads it or kneads it, or perhaps it’s not a matter of effort? Ah, yes, a matter of muktzeh? Why not? As we learned even sand one may not use if it’s not ready. I thought, because we’re talking here about other things, we’re talking about effort. Yes, I’m not going together with all these things. But, and he spreads it on erev Yom Tov, but regarding clay on Yom Tov it’s forbidden. To smear, to knead… ah, he goes up, one may take from the surroundings of the river, but now to take fresh sand and mix it with water and make clay, this one may not do on Yom Tov. Why is it similar to which melachah? A melachah or is it an effort? What does it mean? It’s like building or… kneading. In short, it’s not permitted. The Rav has it somewhat disputed on this law. So ay der now, one must learn further. Okay, we need to go further. Further.

Anointing an Oven with Oil, Rubbing with a Cloth, Cooling with Cold Water

New ovens and stoves, there is some procedure for a new oven one smears around with oil to strengthen or what? One may not do, one may not anoint with oil on Yom Tov. Also another thing, why is it perhaps not directly for the food, but it’s for the good of the oven. Look at the whole other thing. And one does not rub it with a cloth… one doesn’t wipe it means I think, so what does rubbing mean. One rubs it, one rubs it with a rag. Yes. And one does not cool it with cold water in order to harden it, one also may not cool the oven to make it strong. That means, one uses hot and then cold, that makes it strong. This one may not do, because all these things are ways how one helps build, one helps fix the oven. This one may not do, one may cook, because one may not fix appliances, one may not fix an oven.

Distinction: To Harden It or To Bake In It

But if he was cooling it with cold water in order to bake in it, we will yes. This means even when it’s too hot, he wants to bake something that doesn’t want to be such a high temperature, one may indeed cool the oven, because he’s not doing it to fix the oven, he’s doing it to fix the food.

Law 11 (Continued) — Stones and Furnace

Speaker 1: He wants to use stones to use as a pot, as a top, to be able to cook on it, one may not do this, because he is strengthening them, because with this one is strengthening, with this one finishes the stones so that one can use them. This means further like fixing a vessel, it’s an effort that is not directly for the food.

And one may heat and bake in a furnace. We learned about the Egyptian furnace, this one may indeed. One may heat and bake, even if it’s a large oven, it’s more than how much he needs now for his… we don’t concern ourselves with what he adds in a large oven, one may. And with hot water, we learned that one may.

One may not use a new one, earlier he said a new furnace. A new one is a proper furnace and the like. It appears the furnace is some very commercial thing, I mean it wasn’t for the purpose of cooking, it’s some special thing, but one may indeed.

Now we’re going to learn a few more things. He brings that a furnace one needs to put in more, more wood, it’s a greater effort, but one may do it.

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Law 12 — Cheese, Spices, Salt

Speaker 1: Further, the Rambam says in law 12, one may not make cheese on Yom Tov. One may not make cheese on Yom Tov. Why? Because we already learned in the laws of Shabbat that making cheese is a melachah, because he takes together small pieces and makes them into one, it’s similar to building. One may not do on Yom Tov.

Ah, we know that one may do on Yom Tov make all foods? But, one may only do that which if one would have made it on erev Yom Tov it wouldn’t have had such a good taste. Because if he made it on erev Yom Tov there is a loss of taste, it’s not… cheese that is old a day, or that was already gathered a day old, is not less tasty, therefore it’s from the things that it’s possible to make them.

But one grinds the spices in their manner, one may indeed grind the spices in their manner, because if he grinds them on erev Yom Tov their taste becomes stale, fresh spices. With a better taste one may indeed.

But salt, this is spices, for example pepper, but salt one may not grind, one may not grind on Yom Tov, because it doesn’t change the taste. Rather, there is indeed a solution how one can do it, in a different vessel, the mortar. If he does it with a change, or he doesn’t do it with a regular grinding with a mortar, but he does it with a bowl, with a plate, one may indeed in order to change it, because he does it with a change.

Why may one not do it just like that? Because if he grinds the salt on erev Yom Tov its taste doesn’t become stale. It appears that it’s not really the melachah of grinding, because then the change wouldn’t help. Spices become worse, but salt doesn’t become worse.

And one does not grind pepper in their mills. We discussed that one may grind spices, but pepper one may not do in the regular mills, rather one does it in a mortar like all spices. One should not do it with the special vessel, because the special vessel was made, I think, to make on a larger scale or what? It appears like a weekday activity.

One does not crush the groats. Groats is, I think we learned it earlier, whether it’s animal food or what? Grains of grain, one may not grind in a large mortar and grind in a large machine that one always uses for grinding. But one crushes it in a small mortar, in a smaller vessel one may indeed, because this is its change. Because I think the things here are… one may not do it as one does it during the week, it shouldn’t look now like he’s busy on a large scale, on a smaller scale with a change.

Law 12 (Continued) — Land of Israel vs. Outside the Land

Speaker 1: The Rambam says, in the Land of Israel even with a small one it’s forbidden, because their grain… The Rambam wants to speak here in praise of the Land of Israel, because their grain is good. The Land of Israel is very, very good, the grain there is very good, and there even the groats, whatever it is, the grits or I don’t know what one wants to make, even if it will be a day old, it will still be very good, and there is no loss in this. One must go up to the Land of Israel whoever wants to eat good food. Not everyone who says and not everyone who says.

So the point is that one can do it from erev Yom Tov. Therefore, it says in outside the Land it’s weak, and it’s already old, and it’s already after a day old, it’s already somewhere.

Interesting that one makes a distinction between the Land of Israel and outside the Land, because you can say that one must check the place.

Speaker 2: You’re forgetting, the holy Torah was given for actual people, not for rules. That everyone is looking for rules, that is anti-Judaism.

Speaker 1: No, but I’m saying there, a person lives now, a person doesn’t live like the Rambam lived. And in the city, what is the order? The Rambam makes a distinction between all outside the Land and all Israel. He doesn’t mean to say that. He says that in a place where the grain is very good, where the grain makes no difference. Every law. One may not rule from the Rambam, not any thing at all. If it’s something that doesn’t disturb, one makes it properly, one must make it properly, but not make it today. The principle remains the principle, and we already learned in chapter 1 the principle.

In the time of the Gemara, I don’t know, the Israeli Jews have a distinction that one makes. It’s not a law, I’m not saying any way of Israel.

Speaker 2: One can mean from what you’re saying that today also applies in the Land of Israel, it doesn’t apply. Precisely in the Land of Israel there is indeed better.

Speaker 1: I don’t know, one must check at the bakery, whether it’s indeed better or not.

Speaker 2: No, I mean in practice one was indeed stringent with things.

Speaker 1: Today it’s not decided to… maybe you say yes to grind pepper for a person. Today it’s less decided to prepare the level right at the meal. Actually the… yes, maybe better restaurants will actually grind everything, to grind the… generally people. One buys a bottle of spices, and one keeps it in the…

Speaker 2: You’re not in a bottle.

Speaker 1: At home.

Speaker 2: By you one buys everything, and by Reb Yitzchak everything is in the aspect of malchus (kingship).

Speaker 1: Okay. No, I don’t know. No, I’m saying, all these things one must know that when it doesn’t make a difference that it doesn’t make the food better, then one should do it before Yom Tov. That’s what I want to know, and it’s important, because… today’s kitchen. First of all, I mean not, my wife cooks almost nothing on Yom Tov, she doesn’t have strength, she cooked everything erev Yom Tov. But one cooks on Yom Tov, but one must know that there are certain things that one doesn’t do. And today the old technology of the kitchen isn’t all the things that exist.

One sees that it’s still somewhat of a matter that on Yom Tov one doesn’t open the stove like during the week. There isn’t a thing that doesn’t work. So how it turns out l’halacha l’ma’aseh (in practical halachic terms), I don’t know.

So the Rambam doesn’t bring at all the language of uvda d’chol (weekday activity). He doesn’t bring languages at all. The poskim (halachic authorities) generally like to use languages, nobody knows what they mean. The Rambam tries to show what it means.

Okay, a little more flour, maybe sift it erev Yom Tov.

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Halacha 13 — Meraked (Sifting Flour) Again

Speaker 1: Flour needs to be sifted. One sifted erev Yom Tov, one removed the sivin, the husks. A person will think that the melacha (forbidden labor) of meraked (sifting) has already been done, and now he only wants to do it a second time, it’s not really a melacha of meraked, one still may not.

One may not sift again on Yom Tov, unless stones fell into it, if actually dirt fell in, it must be removed because it’s unfit for eating, but just so one may not.

But if one does it with a shinui (change) it is permitted. How? What is the change? On Yom Tov one sifts from the back of the front, they turn over the sieve.

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Halacha 13 (Continued) — Molel, Mefarech, Menape’ach, Borer

Speaker 1: More melachos that one may or may not do on Yom Tov?

One may grind, one may grind with one’s hands kitniyos (legumes), or whatever grain, and one may break apart, one may break apart kitniyos on Yom Tov, and one may blow with one’s hand with all one’s strength and eat, one may blow with the hands so that the husks should go away from foods on Yom Tov. Even one may do it even with all one’s strength and eat, even with a basket or with a plate, one may even use a vessel, but not with a tavla or with a kevara, but not use the vessels that one uses during the week, but the vessels that one uses for a professional purpose. Just a plate, basically. But not the just a plate, yes. Previously one had that one may not use a sieve, and one may only use the hands, such a thing.

And likewise, one who selects kitniyos on Yom Tov, selects in his usual way in his lap or in a plate. Also to select them. Earlier we spoke about grinding them, and now we’re speaking about selecting them. Selecting them is also borer (selecting) basically. One isn’t grinding. We saw that it’s the same halacha if I remember. I don’t know if it’s different on Shabbos from Yom Tov. One isn’t selecting them, because one removes the husk, that is borer. It’s just a different part of borer. Here one removes by blowing, and borer means literally removing the not good.

Correct, one selects in his usual way in his lap with a… one may use a lap on one’s lap.

Speaker 2: With a plate.

Speaker 1: With a plate. But not in a napa, but not in a tavla or in a gar, not use the equipment that is designated for this. All these things are more labor. Previously a tavla also, both not.

When is this said, when the food is more than the waste, when he does the borer the food is more than the waste. But if the waste is more than the food, he does the opposite. Yes, but if the waste is more than the food, one selects the food and leaves the waste. Why? Because one may not do. What is more labor? One should not do. The less labor. Because the labor of selecting the waste from the food is greater than the labor of selecting the food from the waste, if that is harder, even though it’s more, it’s a difficulty. One must see it should be the least labor. Generally, it has to do with what is more, one should remove the lesser from the greater. But if that will be a greater labor for some reason, one should go the usual way.

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Halacha 13 (Continued) — Mustard Strainer, Meshemeres

Speaker 1: Now, one strains mustard in its strainer. Mustard, the small kernels from which one makes mustard, one strains with a special strainer. One should not use the special strainer, because it appears like borer, it looks like borer.

But there is another solution, one places eggs in a mustard strainer, and when the egg runs out, it looks like it takes more the smaller kernels, as presumably he means, this one may do, because this is not labor.

And if a meshemeres (wine strainer) was hanging, if the strainer is already on the vessels, it’s already lying ready…

Speaker 2: No, its strainer. You said, if the strainer…

Speaker 1: Ah, strainer, meshemeres. And if a meshemeres was hanging, it is permitted to put wine on Yom Tov. But if it’s already hanging, one may.

But what may one do? One can do a trick. And one hangs it erev Yom Tov, one will indeed hang it, for example, if one wants to put pomegranates on some vessel,

Halacha Regarding Meshemeres on Yom Tov

Meshemeres is for wine, to remove the waste from the wine. It is permitted to put wine on Yom Tov, because it’s the language of shemarim (dregs), yes. It is permitted to put wine on Yom Tov, if it’s already hanging, one may. But there is the concern that it shouldn’t appear like a weekday activity that one does normally.

And erev Yom Tov, but what may one do? One can do a trick. And erev Yom Tov one hangs it, one may indeed hang it. For example, if one wants to put pomegranates on some vessel, one may hang a meshemeres and place the pomegranates on it. And one hangs it with pomegranates. And afterwards, once he already has a hanging meshemeres, he may afterwards put on it the wine to strain the wine from the dregs.

Summary of Chapter 3

Until here we learned Chapter 3. And the principle of this chapter is that one prepares food on Yom Tov, but not entirely weekday-like, not with great labor, not things that one can do erev Yom Tov, not various things that a person will think it’s permissible and he’ll milk an animal, other than such rules.

And one must know practically to apply to our reality, that on Yom Tov one cooks, but it should remain Yom Tov-like, not too much of a production.

Yes. Would he…