1)

(a)'An amateur is permitted to sew normally'. According to Tana d'Bei Rebbi Yanai, an amateur constitutes someone who cannot stitch one needle-full of stitches. Rebbi Yosi b'Rebbi Chanina explains it to mean - someone who cannot stitch a straight hem on his garment.

(b)'A professional must be 'Machliv' on Chol ha'Mo'ed. According to Rebbi Yochanan, this means wide stitches; Rabah bar Shmuel ecplains it to mean - that the stitches are not in a straight line, but one higher and the next one, lower (both are apt descriptions of a dog's teeth - hence the name 'Machliv' [from the word 'Kelev']).

(c)The Tana Kama of our Mishnah says 'Mesargin es ha'Mitos', Rebbi Yosi, 'Memaschin'. Rebbi Yochanan and Chizkiyah argue over this. One of them explains 'Mesargin' to mean that one arranges the cords on the bed 'Shesi v'Arev' - criss-cross ('Shesi - the warp [like the vertical threads that one threads into the loops of the weaving-loom]; 'Arev' - the woof [like the threads that one then weaves horizontally through the threads of the two sides of the loom by means of the shuttle]). 'Memaschin' then means - to arrange the woof cords only.

(d)According to the second explanation, 'Mesargin' means stretching the cords one way only ('Shesi') in which case 'Memaschin' means - to pull the cords taut should they have come loose.

2)

(a)Rav Tachlifa bar Shaul cites a Beraisa (with reference to the Machlokes between the Tana Kama and Rebbi Yosi) 'v'Shavin she'Ein Mafshilin Chavalin l'Chatchilah' - posing a Kashya on the second of the above explanations, because if everyone already agrees that arranging the cords Shesi v'Arev is forbidden, there is hardly a need to add that making ropes is forbidden, too!

(b)Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak queries - the same opinion, based on Rebbi Meir's statement (in the Mishnah in Kelim) 'ha'Mitah mi'she'Yisrog Bah Sheloshah Batim', because we see from Rebbi Meir that 'Mesargin' means 'Shesi v'Arev'.

(c)Ravin therefore amends the Machlokes, in that - both opinions now agree that Mesargin means 'Shesi v'Arev' - and they only argue over the interpretation of 'Memaschin', as we explained before. Note: We deliberately avoided this explanation until it was forced upon us, because it means that we now have a Machlokes in extremes (which we always try to avoid): according to one of the explanations, the Tana Kama permits Shesi v'Arev, whereas Rebbi Yosi does not even allow arranging the Shesi only.

3)

(a)We query the opinion that explains 'Ein Mesargin' to mean that one may not pull the cords taut, from another Beraisa, where Rebbi Meir says 'Mesargin es ha'Mitzah, v'Ein Tzarich Lomar Memaschin. What does Rebbi Yosi say. We ask from Yesh Omrim (Rebbi Nasan), who says - 'Ein Memaschin Kol Ikar'.

(b)The problem is - on what grounds would anyone forbid merely pulling the cords tight on Chol ha'Mo'ed.

(c)We answer - that the queried opinion will attribute the prohibition to 'Tircha Yeseirah' (excessive bother), since one has the easy option of piling up vessels in the middle of the bed's frame and covering them with cushions.

4)

(a)Our Mishnah permits building from scratch a Tanur - (an oven with space on top for one pot), a Kirayim - (which has space for two), and a mill.

(b)Rebbi Yehudah says 'Ein Mechabshin es ha'Reichayim l'Chatchilah'. Rav Yehudah interprets 'Mechabshin' as 'Menaker Reichaya' - meaning roughing the mill-stone, should it have become too smooth (and therefore useless for grinding the corn).

(c)Rav Yechiel interprets it as 'Bas Eina' - making the hole in the middle into which one pours the corn.

5)

(a)Rebbi Eliezer, in the Beraisa, permits the construction of an oven on Chol ha'Mo'ed, provided one does not finish the job - the Chachamim permit even finishing it.

(b)According to Rebbi Yehudah, Rebbi Eliezer differentiates between a new oven and an old one - by restricting the former (permitting putting it up, but not 'Mechabshin'), and permitting even 'Mechabshin' by the latter.

(c)Yesh Omrim - forbids Mechabshin altogether.

6)

(a)Rebbi Yehudah's opinion by an old oven (according to Rebbi Eliezer) poses a Kashya on Rav Yechiel above (who says that Mechabshin means making a hole for the wheat), inasmuch as - if Mechabshin means making a new hole into which the corn is poured, how is it possible for the mill to have ever functioned without it?

(b)We reconcile Rav Yechiel with Rebbi Yehudah - by establishing Rebbi Yehudah not by a new hole, but by making an existing one wider.

7)

(a)When Rav Huna (who clearly holds like Yesh Omrim in the Beraisa) heard a man roughing an old mill-stone on Chol ha'Mo'ed - he declared, 'Who is that, profaning his body by profaning Chol ha'Mo'ed?'

(b)Rav Chama Darshened that roughing an old mill-stone is permitted on Chol ha'Mo'ed. They said in the name of Rav that cutting the nails of a donkey ...

1. ... or a horse that one intends to ride - is permitted, because otherwise, the animal will be in pain and unable to walk.

2. ... that grinds the corn - is forbidden, because, since grinding corn is restricted to the little that one needs for Chol ha'Mo'ed (or Yom Tov), the donkey can manage easily without having its nails cut.

(c)Rav Yehudah - permitted even the latter, as well as putting up mill-stones and building a mill or its wooden stand.

(d)Included in Rav Yehudah's list is - building a stable on Chol ha'Mo'ed.

8)

(a)Rava permits combing a horse and building a manger or a stone -shelter on Chol ha'Mo'ed.

(b)He also permits bloodletting an animal on Chol ha'Mo'ed. Abaye comments - that he has a Beraisa to prove it.

(c)Rava also permits Kiskusi Kirmi - hand-washing (by rubbing the parts together - see Tosfos DH 'Kiskusi') of clothes (made of thin fabric - Aruch), which he permits because it is Ma'aseh Hedyot (unprofessional).

(d)Rav Yitzchak bar Ami Amar Rav Chisda 'Kitri Biri' (or Kitri Bei Yadi (rubbing sleeves on smooth vessels [a crude form of ironing]) - because it is professional. Kitri Biri (or Kitri Bei Yadi)

(e)Kitri Biri might also mean making pleats in the sleeves (which is professional).

9)

(a)Removing earth from a field is permitted on Chol ha'Mo'ed, as long as it is for the purpose of making a threshing-floor, but not when it is to improve the field - because it resembles plowing.

(b)We know that his intention is to facilitate plowing the field, when he takes earth from higher parts of the field and places it lower down (or vice-versa) in order to level the field. If he leaves the earth wherever it is, then he is preparing a threshing-floor (which is permitted, provided it is for Chol ha'Mo'ed or Yom Tov).

10)

(a)Sweeping twigs from the ground is permitted if it is to use the twigs as firewood, but not if it is to clear the ground for sowing. We know that the owner intends to use it for sowing - if he sweeps all the twigs, the small ones as well as the large ones (seeing as it is only the larger ones that are needed for fire-wood).

(b)One is permitted to drain water on Chol ha'Mo'ed from pools that have gathered in one's field out into the field - provided one makes two holes to begin with; one to let fish in, and the other, to let the water out. Otherwise, it is forbidden (since it is then obvious that his aim is to irrigate his field).

(c)One is permitted to prune a date-palm as long as he intends to use the cut branches as animal-food, but not if it is to prune the tree. We know that his intention is to prune the tree - if he cuts only the dry branches from both sides of the tree (because if he wanted the wood for his animals, he would cut all the branches from one side of the tree only).

11)

(a)Rava permits cutting unripe dates in half on Chol ha'Mo'ed to eat on Yom Tov. But he forbids placing a weight on them in order to squeeze out the juice - since the juice will not be ready to drink until after Yom Tov.

(b)Rav Papa disagrees. According to him - even placing a weight on them in order to squeeze out the juice is permitted, because, if one were not to do that, the dates would become wormy, and it is like business, which is permitted on Chol ha'Mo'ed, if it will spare one from a loss.

(c)Rava forbids business on Chol ha'Mo'ed. Rav Yosi bar Avin - permits all business that will entail a loss from the principal (see Tosfos DH 'u've'Davar') if it is not sold now. Note: One should not confuse saving oneself from a loss (which is permitted), with making a profit (which is not) - see Tosfos DH 'uv'Davar'.

(d)When Ravina once deliberately postponed selling goods worth six thousand Zuz until after Chol ha'Mo'ed - he succeeded in selling them after Yom Tov for twelve thousand Zuz.

12)

(a)When Ravina asked Rav Ashi about collecting a debt (see Tosfos DH 'Prakmatya') from the people of Akra d'Shan'usa on Chol ha'Mo'ed - he told him that since today he had the opportunity of collecting his debt, and not at a later date, it was no different than a business deal which results in a loss if it is not effected now, and which is therefore permitted.

(b)Rav Ashi's source is a Beraisa - which permits the purchase of animals, slaves and property on market day and then having it signed and authenticated by their courts (in spite of the fear that they will go and give thanks to their gods for the good deal), because one is saving from the gentiles what will not be possible to save on another day.