Beitza
Tractateof theTalmud | |
---|---|
Seder: | Moed |
Number ofMishnahs: | 42 |
Chapters: | 5 |
Babylonian Talmudpages: | 40 |
Jerusalem Talmudpages: | 22 |
Toseftachapters: | 4 |
Beitza(Hebrew:ביצה) orBei'a(Aramaic:ביעה) (literally "egg", named after the first word) is a tractate inSederMo'ed,dealing with the laws ofYom Tov(holidays). As such, in medieval commentaries on the Talmud, the text is sometimes referred to as "tractate Yom Tov."[1][2]
It was originally composed inTalmudic Babylon(c.450–c.550 CE).[1]Seder Mo'edis the secondseder(order) in theMishna,andBeitzais the seventh, eighth, or a later tractate withinMo'edin theTalmud Yerushalmi(Jerusalem)[3][4]and typically fourth in theTalmud Bavli(Babylon).[5]
It begins with a discussion of whether it is permitted to eat an egg laid around the time of a festival: "With regard to an egg that was laid on a Festival,Beit Shammaisay: It may be eaten, andBeit Hillelsay: It may not be eaten. "[6][1]
Structure
[edit]The tractate consists of five chapters with a total of 42 mishnayot. Its BabylonianTalmudversion is of 40 pages and itsJerusalem Talmudversion is of 22 pages.
An overview of the content of chapters is as follows:[7]
- Chapter 1 (Hebrew:בֵּיצָה,romanized:Beitzah,lit. 'Egg') has ten mishnayot. The main theme of this chapter is the law ofmuktzeh,which is "a thing laid aside" and that cannot be used at the present time. There is a difference of opinion between the schools ofShammaiandHillelas to the force of the law ofmuktzeh,specifically the application of the carrying prohibition to holy days.[8]
- Chapter 2 (Hebrew:יוֹם טוֹב,romanized:Yom Tov,lit. 'Holiday') has ten mishnayot. This chapter introduces the concept oferuv tavshilin(preparing food on Shabbat for a festival the following day) and begins to delve into what is or is not permitted at festivals, including immersing objects and bringing offerings.
- Chapter 3 (Hebrew:אֵין צָדִין,romanized:Ein Tzadin) has eight mishnayot. Continuing from the previous chapter, the third chapter discusses the permissibility of trapping, buying, and/or selling animals during a festival, along with the practice of checking firstborns for blemishes.
- Chapter 4 (Hebrew:הַמֵּבִיא,romanized:Hamevi) has seven mishnayot. The fourth chapter covers some of the labor allowed on festivals and discusses the reasoning for the permitted labor.
- Chapter 5 (Hebrew:מַשִּׁילִין,romanized:Mashelin) has seven mishnayot. It reiterates some of the discussion onmuktzeh,along with discussing laws regarding physical boundaries and travel, as well as leftovers from festivals.
References
[edit]- ^abc"Beitzah".sefaria.org.Retrieved2024-06-25.
- ^Steinsaltz, Rabbi Adin Even-Israel; Society, The Aleph (2014-04-01)."The Aleph Society- Let My People Know".The Aleph Society.Retrieved2024-06-25.
- ^"Mo'ed".jewishvirtuallibrary.org.Retrieved2024-06-25.
- ^"Talmud, Yerushalmi | Sefaria".sefaria.org.Retrieved2024-06-25.
- ^"Talmud, Bavli | Sefaria".sefaria.org.Retrieved2024-06-25.
- ^בֵּיצָה שֶׁנּוֹלְדָה בְּיוֹם טוֹב, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: תֵּאָכֵל, וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: לֹא תֵּאָכֵל. "
- ^"Summary of Tractate Beitzah".My Jewish Learning.2021.Retrieved24 June2024.
- ^Singer, Isidore;et al., eds. (1901–1906)."BEẒAH".The Jewish Encyclopedia.New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
It begins with a discussion of whether it is permitted to eat an egg laid around the time of a festival: "With regard to an egg that was laid on a Festival, Beit Shammai say: It may be eaten, and Beit Hillel say: It may not be eaten."