## Moed Katan Daf 3a

###### Moed Katan 3a:1
[Moed Katan 3a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:1)

תּוֹלָדוֹת לָא אָסַר רַחֲמָנָא. דִּכְתִיב: ״וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן יִהְיֶה לָאָרֶץ שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִזְרָע וְגוֹ׳״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
whereas **the subcategories** of labor that are derived from them, e.g., watering, **were not prohibited by the Merciful One,** i.e., by Torah law, but only by rabbinic law; and in a case of loss the Sages were lenient. The source for this distinction is **as it is written: “But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land,** a sabbath for the Lord: **Your field you shall not sow,** and your vineyard you shall not prune. That which grows of its own accord of your harvest you shall not reap, nor gather the grapes of your undressed vines” (Leviticus 25:4–5).


###### Moed Katan 3a:2
[Moed Katan 3a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:2)

מִכְּדֵי, זְמִירָה בִּכְלַל זְרִיעָה, וּבְצִירָה בִּכְלַל קְצִירָה. לְמַאי הִלְכְתָא כַּתְבִינְהוּ רַחֲמָנָא?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Since pruning is included in** the principal category of **sowing,** as its objective is to encourage the plant’s growth, **and picking** grapes **is included in** the principal category of **reaping** grain, as both involve removal of produce from a plant, **for** the purpose of teaching **what *halakha* did the Merciful One write them?** Why did the Torah explicitly prohibit pruning and picking grapes, rather than sufficing with the general prohibitions against sowing and reaping?


###### Moed Katan 3a:3
[Moed Katan 3a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:3)

לְמֵימְרָא דְּאַהָנֵי תּוֹלָדוֹת מִיחַיַּיב, אַאַחְרָנְיָיתָא לָא מִיחַיַּיב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers that these were individually enumerated **to say** that only **for these subcategories** of labor **is one liable** to be flogged, while **for other** subcategories of labor, i.e., watering a field, **one is not liable.** Consequently, there are only four types of labor that are prohibited by Torah law during the Sabbatical Year: Sowing and its subcategory of pruning, as well as reaping and its subcategory of grape picking. All other subcategories of labor are prohibited only by rabbinic decree.


###### Moed Katan 3a:4
[Moed Katan 3a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:4)

וְלָא? וְהָתַנְיָא: ״שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִזְרַע וְכַרְמְךָ לֹא תִזְמוֹר״. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא זֵירוּעַ וְזִימּוּר, מִנַּיִן לְנִיכּוּשׁ וּלְעִידּוּר וּלְכִיסּוּחַ — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״שָׂדְךָ לֹא״, ״כַּרְמְךָ לֹא״. לֹא כׇּל מְלָאכָה שֶׁבְּשָׂדְךָ, וְלֹא כׇּל מְלָאכָה שֶׁבְּכַרְמְךָ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And** is there really **no** liability for other subcategories of labor? **Isn’t it taught** in a *baraita*: **“Your field you shall not sow, and your vineyard you shall not prune”** (Leviticus 25:4). **I have** derived from here an explicit prohibition **only** against **sowing and pruning. From where** do I derive that **weeding,** i.e., uprooting weeds, **hoeing, and cutting weeds,** even without uprooting them, are also prohibited? **The verse states: “Your field** you shall **not** sow” and **“your vineyard** you shall **not** prune.” This wording indicates that **no labor** may be performed **in your field, and no labor** may be performed **in your vineyard.**


###### Moed Katan 3a:5
[Moed Katan 3a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:5)

מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין מְקַרְסְמִין וְאֵין מְזָרְדִין וְאֵין מְפַסְּגִין בָּאִילָן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״שָׂדְךָ לֹא״, ״כַּרְמְךָ לֹא״. לֹא כׇּל מְלָאכָה שֶׁבְּשָׂדְךָ, וְלֹא כׇּל מְלָאכָה שֶׁבְּכַרְמְךָ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Similarly, **from where** is it derived that **one may not prune trees, and one may not trim dry branches** from trees, **and one** may **not cut large branches [*mefasegin*] from trees? The verse states: “Your field** you shall **not** sow” and **“your vineyard** you shall **not** prune,” thereby teaching that **no labor** may be performed **in your field, and no labor** may be performed **in your vineyard.**


###### Moed Katan 3a:6
[Moed Katan 3a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:6)

מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין מְזַבְּלִין וְאֵין מְפָרְקִין וְאֵין מְאַבְּקִין וְאֵין מְעַשְּׁנִין בָּאִילָן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״שָׂדְךָ לֹא״, ״כַּרְמְךָ לֹא״. כׇּל מְלָאכָה שֶׁבְּשָׂדְךָ לֹא, וְכׇל מְלָאכָה שֶׁבְּכַרְמְךָ לֹא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Similarly, **from where** is it derived that **one** may **not fertilize** fields and vineyards, **and one may not remove stones** that surround the base of a tree and impede its growth, **and one** may **not** cover exposed roots with **dust, and one may not fumigate a tree** in order to exterminate worms? **The verse states: “Your field** you shall **not** sow” and **“your vineyard** you shall **not** prune,” thereby indicating that **no labor** may be performed **in your field, and no labor** may be performed **in your vineyard.**


###### Moed Katan 3a:7
[Moed Katan 3a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:7)

יָכוֹל לֹא יְקַשְׁקֵשׁ תַּחַת הַזֵּיתִים, וְלֹא יְעַדֵּר תַּחַת הַגְּפָנִים, וְלֹא יְמַלֵּא נְקָעִים מַיִם, וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה עוּגִיּוֹת לַגְּפָנִים — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִזְרָע״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The apparent conclusion from this is that all labor in a field or a vineyard is prohibited. One **might** have thought that **one may** also **not hoe lightly under olive** trees **and one may not hoe under grapevines, and one may not fill cracks** in the ground **with water, and one may not construct circular ditches** around the bases of **grapevines** in order to collect rainwater. Therefore, **the verse states: “Your field you shall not sow.”**


###### Moed Katan 3a:8
[Moed Katan 3a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:8)

זְרִיעָה בַּכְּלָל הָיְתָה, וְלָמָּה יָצְתָה — לְהַקִּישׁ אֵלֶיהָ, לוֹמַר לְךָ: מָה זְרִיעָה מְיוּחֶדֶת עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁבַּשָּׂדֶה וְשֶׁבַּכֶּרֶם, אַף כֹּל שֶׁהִיא עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁבַּשָּׂדֶה וְשֶׁבַּכֶּרֶם!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains the derivation: **Sowing was included** in the general prohibition against performing agricultural labors during the Sabbatical Year, as the verse states “But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land” (Leviticus 25:4). **Why was** sowing **singled out** and mentioned explicitly? In order **to compare** other types of labor **to it** and to **say to you: Just as sowing is unique in that it is labor** performed both **in the field and in the vineyard, so too, any** other **labor** performed both **in the field and in the vineyard** is prohibited. However, labors performed only in the vineyard but not in the field, i.e., whose objective is merely to sustain the vines from year to year, such as the labors mentioned above, are permitted. In any case, this *baraita* indicates that many subcategories of labor are prohibited during the seventh year, and not just sowing and pruning, as Rava had stated.


###### Moed Katan 3a:9
[Moed Katan 3a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:9)

מִדְּרַבָּנַן, וּקְרָא אַסְמַכְתָּא בְּעָלְמָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this opinion: These labors, with the exceptions of sowing, pruning, grape picking, and reaping, are all prohibited only **by rabbinic law, and the verse** that is cited as a source from the Torah **is a mere support,** and not a bona fide source.


###### Moed Katan 3a:10
[Moed Katan 3a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:10)

וְקִשְׁקוּשׁ בִּשְׁבִיעִית מִי שְׁרֵי? וְהָא כְּתִיב: ״וְהַשְּׁבִיעִית תִּשְׁמְטֶנָּה וּנְטַשְׁתָּהּ״ — ״תִּשְׁמְטֶנָּה״ מִלְּקַשְׁקֵשׁ, ״וּנְטַשְׁתָּהּ״ מִלְּסַקֵּל!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Incidental to this discussion, the Gemara asks: **Is** light **hoeing** under olive trees in fact **permitted during the Sabbatical Year? Isn’t it written: “But the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow”** (Exodus 23:11), and it is taught with regard to this verse: **“You shall let it rest” from light hoeing, “and lie fallow” from clearing** the field of **stones.** This indicates that light hoeing is indeed prohibited during the Sabbatical Year.


###### Moed Katan 3a:11
[Moed Katan 3a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:11)

אָמַר רַב עוּקְבָא בַּר חָמָא: תְּרֵי קִשְׁקוּשֵׁי הָווּ. חַד אַבְרוֹיֵי אִילָנֵי, וְחַד סַתּוֹמֵי פִּילֵי. אַבְרוֹיֵי אִילָן — אָסוּר, סַתּוֹמֵי פִּילֵי — שְׁרֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ukva bar Ḥama said: There are two** types of light **hoeing, one** whose objective is **to strengthen** the **trees, and another** that is intended **to seal cracks.** There is a practical halakhic difference between them: Hoeing performed in order **to strengthen the tree is prohibited,** as it is similar to plowing in that it enhances the tree’s growth. However, hoeing undertaken in order **to seal cracks is permitted,** as by doing so one prevents damage to the tree.


###### Moed Katan 3a:12
[Moed Katan 3a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:12)

אִיתְּמַר: הַחוֹרֵשׁ בַּשְּׁבִיעִית, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, חַד אָמַר: לוֹקֶה, וְחַד אָמַר: אֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה. לֵימָא בִּדְרַבִּי אָבִין אָמַר רַבִּי אִילְעָא קָמִיפַּלְגִי. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אָבִין אָמַר רַבִּי אִילְעָא: כׇּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כְּלָל בַּעֲשֵׂה וּפְרָט בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה — אֵין דָּנִין אוֹתוֹ בִּכְלָל וּפְרָט וּכְלָל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **It was stated** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Elazar** disagreed with regard to **one who plows during the Sabbatical Year. One said: He is flogged** for doing so, **while the** other **one said: He is not flogged.** The Gemara suggests: **Let us say that they disagree with regard to** the principle that **Rabbi Avin** said that **Rabbi Ile’a said,** and one accepts this principle while the other does not. **As, Rabbi Avin said** that **Rabbi Ile’a said: Wherever a generalization is stated** in the Torah **as a positive** mitzva, **and a detail** relating to that generalization is stated **as a negative** mitzva, **one does not apply** the hermeneutical principle of **a generalization, and a detail, and a generalization,** according to which the *halakha* under discussion is expanded to all cases that resemble the detail.


###### Moed Katan 3a:13
[Moed Katan 3a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:13)

מַאן דְּאָמַר לוֹקֶה — לֵית לֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי אָבִין אָמַר רַבִּי אִילְעָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains: **The one who said** that one who plows during the Sabbatical Year **is flogged does not** accept the principle **that Rabbi Avin** said that **Rabbi Ile’a said.** Accordingly, he expounds the verses as follows: The verse “But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land” (Leviticus 25:4) is a generalization stated as a positive mitzva. The continuation of the verse is “Your field you shall not sow,” which is a detail stated as a negative mitzva. This is followed by another generalization: “For it shall be a year of rest for the land” (Leviticus 25:5). By applying the principle of a generalization, a detail, and a generalization, one can derive that there is a prohibition against performing any agricultural task that is similar to sowing, including plowing.


###### Moed Katan 3a:14
[Moed Katan 3a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:14)

וּמַאן דְּאָמַר אֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה — אִית לֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי אָבִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And the one who said** that **one is not flogged** for plowing **holds** in accordance with the ruling **that Rabbi Avin** stated in the name of Rabbi Ile’a. Therefore, the prohibition stated as a detail, i.e., the prohibition against sowing, is not extended to include any other labor. One who plows violates the positive command to let the land rest, but does not transgress a Torah law phrased as a negative mitzva, and therefore he is not flogged.


###### Moed Katan 3a:15
[Moed Katan 3a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:15)

לָא, דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא לֵית לֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי אָבִין אָמַר רַבִּי אִילְעָא, מַאן דְּאָמַר לוֹקֶה — שַׁפִּיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this suggestion: **No,** one can say that **everyone** holds that the *halakha* **is not** in accordance with the principle **that Rabbi Avin** said that **Rabbi Ile’a said.** According to **the one who said he is flogged,** all is **well,** as he applies the hermeneutical principle of a generalization, a detail, and a generalization to derive a prohibition for plowing.


###### Moed Katan 3a:16
[Moed Katan 3a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:16)

וּמַאן דְּאָמַר אֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה, אָמַר לָךְ: מִכְּדִי זְמִירָה בִּכְלַל זְרִיעָה וּבְצִירָה בִּכְלַל קְצִירָה, לְמַאי הִלְכְתָא כַּתְבִינְהוּ רַחֲמָנָא? לְמֵימַר דְּאַהָנֵי תּוֹלָדוֹת הוּא דְּמִיחַיַּיב, אַתּוֹלָדָה אַחֲרִינָא לָא מִיחַיַּיב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And the one who said** that **he is not flogged** could have **said to you: Since pruning is** included **in** the primary category of **sowing, and** grape **picking is** included in the primary category **of reaping, for** the purpose of teaching **what *halakha* did the Merciful One write them?** They were individually enumerated **to say** that only **for these** specific **subcategories** of labor **is one liable** to be flogged, but **for** performing **other subcategories** of labor **one is not liable.** According to this opinion, the verse comes to teach that one is not liable to be flogged for performing any labor not explicitly enumerated in the Torah, including plowing.


###### Moed Katan 3a:17
[Moed Katan 3a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:17)

וְלָא? וְהָתַנְיָא: ״שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִזְרַע וְכַרְמְךָ לֹא תִזְמוֹר״, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא זֵירוּעַ וְזִימּוּר. מִנְיָן לְעִידּוּר וּלְקִישְׁקוּשׁ וּלְכִיסּוּחַ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״שָׂדְךָ לֹא״, ״כַּרְמְךָ לֹא״. לֹא כׇּל מְלָאכָה שֶׁבְּשָׂדְךָ וְלֹא כׇּל מְלָאכָה שֶׁבְּכַרְמְךָ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And** is there really **no** liability for other subcategories of labor? **Isn’t it taught** in a *baraita* with regard to the verse **“Your field you shall not sow, and your vineyard you shall not prune”** that **I have** derived from here an explicit prohibition **only** against **sowing and pruning? From where** do I derive that **weeding, hoeing, and cutting weeds** are also prohibited? **The verse states: “Your field** you shall **not** sow and **your vineyard** you shall **not** prune” (Leviticus 25:4). By placing the word “not” immediately following the words “field” and “vineyard,” the verse indicates that one may **not** perform **any labor that** is generally performed **in your field, and** one may **not** perform **any labor that** is generally performed **in your vineyard.**


###### Moed Katan 3a:18
[Moed Katan 3a:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:18)

וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין מְקַרְסְמִין, וְאֵין מְזָרְדִין, וְאֵין מְפַסְּגִין בָּאִילָן תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״שָׂדְךָ לֹא״, ״כַּרְמְךָ לֹא״: כׇּל מְלָאכָה שֶׁבְּשָׂדְךָ לֹא כׇּל מְלָאכָה שֶׁבְּכַרְמְךָ לֹא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Similarly, **from where** is it derived that **one may not prune trees, and one may not trim dry branches** from trees, **and one** may **not cut large branches from trees? The verse states: “Your field** you shall **not** sow and **your vineyard** you shall **not** prune,” indicating that **any labor** that is generally performed **in your field may not** be performed during the Sabbatical Year, **and any labor** generally performed **in your vineyard may not** be performed during the Sabbatical Year.


###### Moed Katan 3a:19
[Moed Katan 3a:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:19)

מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין מְזַבְּלִין וְאֵין מְפָרְקִין וְאֵין מְעַשְּׁנִין בָּאִילָן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״שָׂדְךָ לֹא״, ״כַּרְמְךָ לֹא״. כׇּל מְלָאכָה שֶׁבְּשָׂדְךָ לֹא, וְכׇל מְלָאכָה שֶׁבְּכַרְמְךָ לֹא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**From where** is it derived that **one may not fertilize** fields and vineyards, **and one may not remove stones** from around the base of a tree that impede its growth, **and one may not fumigate a tree** in order to exterminate worms? **The verse states: “Your field** you shall **not** sow and **your vineyard** you shall **not** prune,” thereby indicating that **any labor** that is generally performed **in your field may not** be performed during the Sabbatical Year, **and any labor** generally performed **in your vineyard may not** be performed during the Sabbatical Year.


###### Moed Katan 3a:20
[Moed Katan 3a:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:20)

יָכוֹל לֹא יְקַשְׁקֵשׁ תַּחַת הַזֵּיתִים, וְלֹא יְעַדֵּר תַּחַת הַגְּפָנִים, וְלֹא יְמַלֵּא נְקָעִים מַיִם, וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה עוּגִיּוֹת לַגְּפָנִים — תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִזְרָע״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
One **might** have thought that **one may** also **not hoe** lightly **under olive** trees **and one may not hoe under grapevines, and one may not fill cracks** in the ground **with water, and one may not construct circular ditches** around the bases of **grapevines** in order to collect rainwater. Therefore, **the verse states: “Your field you shall not sow.”**


###### Moed Katan 3a:21
[Moed Katan 3a:21](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:21)

זְרִיעָה בַּכְּלָל הָיְתָה, וְלָמָּה יָצְתָה — לְהַקִּישׁ אֵלֶיהָ, לוֹמַר לָךְ: מָה זְרִיעָה מְיוּחֶדֶת עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁבַּשָּׂדֶה וְשֶׁבַּכֶּרֶם, אַף כֹּל שֶׁהִיא עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁבַּשָּׂדֶה וְשֶׁבַּכֶּרֶם!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Sowing was included** in the general prohibition against performing agricultural labors during the Sabbatical Year. **Why was** sowing **singled out** and mentioned explicitly? In order **to compare** other types of labor **to** it and to **say to you: Just as sowing is unique in that it is labor** performed both **in the field and in the vineyard, so too, any other labor** performed both **in the field and in the vineyard** is prohibited. However, labor performed only in the vineyard, but not in the field, i.e., whose objective is merely to sustain the vines from year to year, is permitted. In any case, this *baraita* indicates that many labors are prohibited during the seventh year, and not just sowing and pruning.


###### Moed Katan 3a:22
[Moed Katan 3a:22](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/3a:22)

מִדְּרַבָּנַן, וּקְרָא אַסְמַכְתָּא בְּעָלְמָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this opinion: These labors, with the exceptions of sowing, pruning, grape picking, and reaping, are all prohibited only **by rabbinic law, and the verse** that is cited as source from the Torah **is a mere support,** and not a bona fide source.