(Mishnah): The Shi'ur to be liable for plowing, weeding, pruning [dry branches] or pruning wet branches is any amount;

If one gathered [detached] wood - If this was to improve [the tree or ground], he is liable for any amount. If it was for fuel, the Shi'ur is to cook a light egg.

If one gathered [detached] grass - if this was to improve [the ground], he is liable for any amount. If it was for animals to eat, the Shi'ur is enough to fill a kid's mouth.

(Gemara) Question: What plowing was in the Mishkan?

Answer: They plowed to plant ingredients [for Shemen ha'Mishchah].

Question: How much must one plow to be liable?

Answer #1 (R. Matanyah): It is in order to plant a leek.

Answer #2 (R. Ba bar Rav): It is enough to plant the pointy end of a wheat kernel.

(Mishnah): [If one was Motzi] two gourd seeds, he is liable. [The Shi'ur for] pumpkin seeds and Mitzri beans is two.

(Beraisa): [The Shi'ur for] wheat of Madai is two.

(R. Shmuel citing R. Ze'ira): Since wheat is cherished, [Chachamim] made it like other garden seeds that are not eaten [to be liable for a Shi'ur worthy to be seeded].

Question: Why [must it teach about grass] if this was to improve, he is liable for any amount? (This was taught about wood. We can learn this from wood!)

Answer: [This was taught along with if it was] for an animal, it is enough to fill a kid's mouth.

(Mishnah): If one writes two letters, whether he used his right or left hand, whether he wrote the same letter twice or two different letters, or two Simaniyos (symbols), in any language, he is liable.

R. Yosi says, one is liable for two letters only due to marking, for so they would mark boards of the Mishkan to know how to pair them up.

R. Yehudah says, we find [liability for] writing a small name when he intended to write a big name, e.g. he needed to write 'Shimon' or 'Shmuel' and he wrote 'Shem', or he wrote 'No'ach' in place of 'Nachor', or 'Dan' in place of 'Daniel', or 'Gad' in place of 'Gadiel'.

(Gemara): Who is the Tana who obligates for Simaniyos? It is R. Yosi.

What is of any language? It is even Aleph Alpha (a Greek letter).

Question: (According to R. Yosi, why did they use Simaniyos?) One should be concerned lest he place [the board upside down, what should be] below above, and above below! (Had they used letters, it would be clear which side faces up.)

Answer: [The boards] were made like quills (they tapered off at the top).

Note: I do not know why the Gemara gave this answer, which is only according to one opinion. All agree that the boards had protrusions at the bottom to fit into the sockets!

Question: Perhaps he will place [the side of the board that faced] inside [the Mishkan, to face] out, and [what faced] out, in! (SHIREI KORBAN - it is improper to mark the boards where it will show. Rather, they marked the boards on the thickness, so it was covered by the adjacent board. Therefore, one cannot tell from the marking which side faces in.)

Answer: The rings [that clamped boards together] proved [which side faces in].

Question: Perhaps he will switch [e.g. boards that were in the north to the south]!

Answer (R. Acha): The Simaniyos were written on a diagonal. (Each board was marked higher than the "previous'' board.)

Question: What is wrong if he switches [the place of boards or which way they face]?

Answer (R. Ami) Question: "Va'Hakemosa Es ha'Mishkan k'Mishpato'' - is there a proper way for [how to erect] wood?!

Answer: Rather, a board that merited to be put in the north will [always] be put in the north. [One that merited to be put] in the south will be put in the south.

People of R. Hoshayah's house and of Bar Pazi's house used to ascend and greet the Nasi every day. People of R. Hoshayah's house used to go first and leave first;

People of R. Pazi's house married into the Nasi's family. [Due to this] they wanted to greet the Nasi first. They asked R. Ami;

Answer (R. Ami): "Va'Hakemosa Es ha'Mishkan k'Mishpato'' - is there a proper way for [how to erect] wood?! Rather, a board that merited to be put in the north will [always] be put in the north; in the south will be put in the south. (R. Hoshayah's house will continue to go first.)

Two families in Tziporin, Balvatiya and Pagniya, used to ascend and greet the Nasi every day. Balvatiya used to go first and leave first. Pagniya merited [greatness] in Torah. [Due to this] they wanted to greet the Nasi first. They asked Reish Lakish, and Reish Lakish asked R. Yochanan.

R. Yochanan rose and expounded in the Beis Midrash of R. Beniyah - even a Mamzer Talmid Chacham and a Kohen Gadol Am ha'Aretz, the Mamzer Talmid Chacham comes before the Kohen Gadol Am ha'Aretz.

Assumption: They thought that this is to redeem, sustain and clothe, but not for sitting [in the esteemed place].

Rebuttal (R. Avun): It is even for sitting.

What is the source? We learn from "Yekarah Hi mi'Peninim'' (Torah is dearer than pearls), and even [dearer] than [a Kohen Gadol] who enters Lifnai v'Lifnim (the Kodesh ha'Kodoshim).

(Beraisa): [One is liable if he wrote] 'Gad' in place of 'Gadiel'.

Question: According to R. Yehudah, why is he is liable [for 'Shem' in place of 'Shimon' or 'Shmuel', or 'Dan' in place of 'Daniel']? He needed to write a bent (regular Nun or Mem), and he wrote a straight (final Nun or Mem)!

(Beraisa - in the name of R. Yudah): If one wrote two of the same letters, he is liable, if they are a word, e.g. Sas, Tes, Gag, Rar, Chach.

Rabanan say [that he is liable for] two [different] letters in any case.

Observation: It turns out Rabanan are lenient and stringent, and R. Yehudah is lenient and stringent;

Rabanan are more lenient when he wrote two of the same letters, and they are a name. According to R. Yehudah he is liable, and according to Rabanan he is exempt;

[R. Yehudah is] more lenient than Rabanan when he wrote two [different] letters in any case, even though they are not a name. According to Rabanan he is liable, and according to R. Yehudah he is exempt.

Question: R. Yehudah contradicts himself!

(Beraisa) Suggestion: Perhaps [he is not liable] until he writes the entire word, weaves the entire garment, or makes the entire sieve!

Rejection: "Me'Achas'' [obligates for part].

Suggestion: Perhaps "me'Achas'' [obligates] even if he wrote one letter, wove one thread, or made one house (interweaves woof reeds above and below the warp) in a sieve!

Rejection: "V'Asah Achas'' (he must do a full matter).

How [do we fulfill both of these]? He must do enough Melachah that lasts. (A Stam Sifra, i.e. a Beraisa that expounds a verse in Vayikra, is R. Yehudah.)

And here [R. Yehudah says] that Shovet or Medakdek on woven material is liable, for he evens it!