Pisqa’ 135⁴⁵¹

1. “Then, on the seventh day—it is a Closure-festival ⁴⁵² refers exclusively to the early summer festival of Shavuot (also known as the “First-fruits festival”). The Closure-festivals associated in the Bible with the last day of Passover (Dt. 16:8) and the Festival of Huts (Lv. 23:36) have generally been assimilated, by name, to the preceding Common-festival days, despite still being counted as formal days of rest, on which many forms of labor are proscribed. for HASHEM your God . . . your shall do no productive work”⁴⁵³ (Dt. 16:8-21). Rabbi says: is it possible to say that a person should be cloistered (`atzur)⁴⁵⁴ with the disciple-circle for the entire day? The Teaching states: “Count for yourselves . . . seven complete weeks” (Lv. 23:15)⁴⁵⁵) in the context of festival legislation.— [for yourselves implies that leisure is permitted on a Festival]! Is it possible to say that a person should eat and drink for the entire day? The Teaching states: “It is a Closure-festival for HASHEM your God” (Dt. 16:8). Well now—how is this done? Devote part of the day to the disciple-circle, and part of the day to eating and drinking!

footnotes: ⁴⁵¹ H:177-178; JN1:326-327. ⁴⁵² In rabbinic parlance, the term Atzeret ⁴⁵³ RH includes Dt. 16:21 in the quotation. This clarifies the point of the exegesis. ⁴⁵⁴ Note the assonance with Atzeret. ⁴⁵⁵ Commentators dispute precisely which verse is cited. Candidates include: Lv. 23:36 and Nu. 29:35, each of which uses the words “for yourselves” (lakhem

2. R. Ishmael says: Since we have nowhere learned that the Common-festival days⁴⁵⁶ This refers to the intermediate days between the festival days of Sukkot and Passover. In rabbinic custom these are days of semi-rest. See M. M.Q. 3:1-4. are prohibited for productive work, on what basis do we know that the Common-festival days are prohibited for productive work?

“Six days shall you eat unleavened-bread; **then, on the seventh day—it is a Closure-festival”**⁴⁵⁷. 9. (Dt. 16:8)— is it possible to say that just as you are entirely closeted-in on the seventh day, **you should also be entirely closeted-in on the sixth day?**⁴⁵⁸

footnotes: ⁴⁵⁶ Heb: yemei mo`ed. ⁴⁵⁷ Cf. Mechilta Ishmael, paskha’, ⁴⁵⁸ //Sifre Nu. 151

just as you cease productive work on the seventh day, you should also cease productive work on the sixth day? The Teaching states: “Six days shall you eat unleavened-bread, then, on the seventh day—it is a Closure-festival for HASHEM your God” (Dt. 16:8). Thus, the seventh day is closed-down for all productive work, but the sixth day is not closed-down for all productive work.⁴⁵⁹ par. 12:4. So we see that Scripture transmits to sages alone [the right to legislate] which day is prohibited for productive work and which day is permitted; which type of work is prohibited and which type of work is permitted.

footnotes: ⁴⁵⁹ //Sifra, ‘emor,