BEITZAH - 020b – ביצה – פרק שני – יום טוב,כ ע”ב

The Rebbe's explanation of this sugya in Likkutei Sichos

and he brought all the sheep of Kedar that were in Yerushalayim, stood them in the Azarah, and said: Whoever wishes to lean, let him come and lean.^[1]

צאן קדר - they were the choicest.

That day the hand of Beis Hillel prevailed, and they fixed the halachah according to their view, and there was no one there who contested the matter at all.^[2]

It happened again that one of the disciples of Beis Hillel brought his olah to the Azarah to lean on it, and one of the disciples of Beis Shammai found him.

שוב מעשה כו' - after this incident there was an incident with a certain disciple, and so on.

He said to him: What is this leaning?

מה זו סמיכה - that you wish to lean and go against the words of Beis Shammai — do we not disagree with you?

He said to him: What is this silence?

אמר לו מה זו שתיקה - for you ought to keep silent, and you do not keep silent.

He silenced him with a rebuke, and he went away.

שתקו בנזיפה - with a scolding.

Abaye said: Therefore, a young scholar to whom his colleague says something should not answer him more than what his colleague said to him; for that one said to him “What is this leaning?” and he answered him “What is this silence?”^[3]

It was taught in a beraisa: Beis Hillel said to Beis Shammai: If, where it is forbidden for an ordinary person,^[4]

מקום שאסור להדיוט - Shabbos, when it is forbidden to do anything for an ordinary person, yet it is permitted for the Most High: the tamidim and musafim^[5].

it is permitted for the Most High, then where it is permitted for an ordinary person,

מקום שמותר להדיוט - Yom Tov, as it is written (Shemos 12:16): “only that may be done for you” — everything needed for eating.

is it not logical that it is permitted for the Most High?

אינו דין שמותר לגבוה - everything the mizbe’ach “eats,” even the olas re’iyah.

Beis Shammai said to them: Vow- and gift-offerings will prove otherwise: the day is permitted for an ordinary person, yet they are forbidden for the Most High.^[6]

נדרים ונדבות יוכיחו - for Yom Tov is a time permitted for an ordinary person, and you agree with us that they may not be offered, though they are the needs of the Most High.

Beis Hillel said to them: What of vow- and gift-offerings, which have no fixed time — can you say the same of the olas re’iyah, which has a fixed time?^[7]

Beis Shammai said to them: This too has no fixed time,

as we learned in a Mishnah: One who did not bring his festival offering on the first Yom Tov of the festival brings it throughout the whole festival, and on the last Yom Tov of the festival.^[8]

Beis Hillel said to them: This too has a fixed time,

אף זו קבוע לה זמן כו' - and there is reason to fear that he may be negligent, or be prevented, during the rest of the days of the festival, and not bring it.

as we learned: Once the festival has passed and he did not bring his festival offering, he is not liable for it.^[9]

Beis Shammai said to them: But it has already been said “for you” — and not for the Most High!^[10]

Beis Hillel said to them: But it has already been said “to Hashem” — whatever is to Hashem!^[11]

והלא כבר נאמר לה' - “and you shall celebrate it as a festival to Hashem.”

If so, what does “for you” teach?

For you, and not for gentiles; for you, and not for dogs.^[12]

Abba Shaul states it in different words:

אומרה בלשון אחרת - this kal vachomer of Beis Hillel stated above.

If, when your stove is closed, your Master’s stove is open — when your stove is open, is it not logical that your Master’s stove is open?^[13]

כירה - it has a place to hold two pots, so one can speak of it as closed or open.

And it is likewise right that your table should not be full while your Master’s table is empty.

In what do they differ?

במאי קמפלגי - Abba Shaul and the Tanna Kamma. Abba Shaul, who did not say “Beis Shammai said to them: vow- and gift-offerings will prove otherwise,” holds that according to Beis Hillel vow- and gift-offerings are offered.

One master holds that vow- and gift-offerings are offered on Yom Tov, and the other master holds that they are not offered on Yom Tov.^[14]

Rav Huna said: According to the one who says vow- and gift-offerings are not offered on Yom Tov — do not say that by Torah law they are fit,

לא תימא מדאורייתא מחזא חזו - for “to Hashem” implies whatever is to Hashem, even vow- and gift-offerings.

and it is the Rabbis who decreed against them, lest he delay.

שמא ישהה - until the festival, so that he will have meat on hand for the festival; and perhaps when the festival comes some mishap will befall him, and he will turn out to have delayed his vow.

Rather, even by Torah law they are not fit,^[15]

מדאורייתא נמי - he holds it is forbidden, for when “to Hashem” is written it means things like “and you shall celebrate it”: olos that resemble the chagigah, whose time is fixed on the festival like it.

for the Two Loaves are an obligation of the day, and there is no room to decree “lest he delay,” yet they override neither Shabbos nor Yom Tov.^[16]

דהא שתי הלחם - of Atzeres are an obligation of the day and are not fit to be brought before it, that we should decree against them “lest he delay”; yet since he can bake them on Erev Yom Tov, the Rabbis said in maseches Menachos (95b) that their baking overrides neither Shabbos, and so on — for they are not like the chagigah, whose time of slaughter is fixed on the festival and cannot be moved earlier or later.

They asked: According to the one who says vow- and gift-offerings are not offered on Yom Tov — if he transgressed and slaughtered, what is the law?^[17]

עבר ושחט מאי - may he throw the blood?

Rava said: He throws the blood in order to permit the meat for eating.^[18]

על מנת להתיר בשר באכילה - that is: if the meat is intact, so that throwing the blood is a need of Yom Tov because he will eat the meat today, he throws; if not, he does not throw.

Rabbah bar Rav Huna said: He throws the blood in order to burn the emurim in the evening.^[19]

על מנת להקטיר אימורין לערב - even if the only purpose is to make the offering valid: he validates the offering, since he cannot throw the blood at night, while burning the emurim is valid all night; he waits until dark and burns them.

What is the difference between them?

The difference between them is where the meat became tamei or was lost:^[20]

according to Rava he does not throw,

לרבא לא זריק - even though it is not a melachah, they decreed against it as a shevus^[21].

according to Rabbah bar Rav Huna he throws.

They challenged him from a beraisa: The lambs of Atzeres^[22]

כבשי עצרת - which come with the Two Loaves, as written about Atzeres in the parsha of “an ox or a sheep”: “and you shall offer one goat as a chatas, and two lambs” and so on (Vayikra 23:19).

that he slaughtered not for their own sake,^[23]

שלא לשמן - for he must slaughter them as communal shelamim, and he slaughtered them as an olah.

or that he slaughtered either before their time

לפני זמנן - before Atzeres, when they had been set aside as lambs of Atzeres.

or after their time — the blood is thrown and the meat is eaten.

הדם יזרק והבשר יאכל - for we hold that all offerings slaughtered not for their own sake are valid to be offered and are eaten, except that they do not count for the owners toward their obligation.

And if it was Shabbos, he does not throw.^[24]

ואם היתה שבת לא יזרוק - since it is forbidden to cook or roast today, and he will not eat of the meat.

And if he threw…^[25]

ואם זרק - without asking first.

Tosafos

והביא כל צאן קדר בעזרה - this is puzzling, for one may not bring chullin into the Azarah.^[26] One may answer that “in the Azarah” is not meant precisely; rather, it was on Har Habayis.

נדרים ונדבות יוכיחו - Rashi explained: although it is permitted for an ordinary person — at a time when ordinary people may do all they need, such as Yom Tov — they may not be offered to the Most High, even shelamim, and certainly not olos. “In what do they differ? One master holds vow- and gift-offerings are not offered” — Rashi explained: the Tanna Kamma, who said “vow- and gift-offerings will prove otherwise”; “and the other master holds” — Abba Shaul — that vow- and gift-offerings are offered on Yom Tov, since he did not say “vow- and gift-offerings will prove otherwise.” Rabbeinu Shmuel^[27] explained it differently. “Vow- and gift-offerings will prove otherwise”: where an ordinary person has a share, such as shelamim, [they are permitted,] while those wholly for the Most High, such as olos, are forbidden. “In what do they differ?” The Tanna Kamma holds that vow- and gift-offerings are offered on Yom Tov, since he says “where it is permitted for an ordinary person,” meaning shelamim, which are vow- and gift-offerings; evidently the Tanna Kamma holds they are offered on Yom Tov, while what is for the Most High, such as an olah, is forbidden. But Abba Shaul, who said “if, when your stove is closed” and so on, implies even shelamim; evidently he holds vow- and gift-offerings are not offered on Yom Tov. This explanation is difficult, for in perek Elu Ovrin (Pesachim 47a) it says explicitly: “and he holds like Abba Shaul, who said: for you, and not for gentiles” — implying that vow- and gift-offerings are offered on Yom Tov, since it does not explain him as saying “for you, and not for the Most High.” Evidently Abba Shaul holds vow- and gift-offerings are offered on Yom Tov. Therefore the first explanation seems right.

לכם ולא לנכרים - Beis Hillel too expound “for you, and not for the Most High,” to exclude vow- and gift-offerings, as I explained in the first perek (12a, in the comment beginning “one who slaughters”); but he mentions Kusim and dogs because for them the exclusion is absolute.

שכירתך פתוחה - Rashi explained it as an actual stove. But it seems the meaning is as in “and he prepared for them a great feast” (Melachim II 6:23).^[28]

מאי בינייהו כגון שנטמא - and if you ask: let us say the difference is where the emurim became tamei or were lost — for Rava he throws, since there is meat, and for Rabbah bar Rav Huna he does not throw, since the emurim became tamei. Rabbeinu Shimshon of Coucy^[29] answered that Rabbah bar Rav Huna agrees with Rava that one throws the blood in order to permit eating, since that is a need of food and of the rejoicing of Yom Tov, but he adds to it, saying that even if the meat became tamei he throws the blood in order to burn the emurim in the evening. But it is difficult: how will the meat be permitted to eat? For it is said there that as long as the emurim have not been burnt, the meat may not be eaten; the rule that burning the emurim is not indispensable applies only where they are gone — became tamei or were lost — but where they are present, they are indispensable. Some answer that the case here is where they became tamei or were lost. That is not convincing, for then let it say the difference is where everything is intact: for Rava he does not throw, and for Rabbah he throws. Further, just below it is implied that this holds even though they are present, as it says: “the lambs of Atzeres, and so on — the blood is thrown and the meat is eaten; and if it was Shabbos he does not throw; and if he threw, it is accepted, to burn” and so on. Evidently the case is where they are present, and nevertheless on Yom Tov the blood is thrown and the meat is eaten. One may answer that here, since he cannot burn the emurim while it is still day, it is as though they were lost or became tamei.

Notes

1. 1. The story of Hillel’s olah continues from 20a. The sheep of Kedar were the finest available. Bava ben Buta, himself a disciple of Shammai, brought them in so that many people would lean on offerings that Yom Tov, showing everyone that the halachah follows Beis Hillel.
2. 2. From that day the halachah was fixed like Beis Hillel: the olas re’iyah is brought on Yom Tov, and the owner leans on it. The Rebbe explains this sugya in Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 28, Chag HaShavuos, section 5 onward: since “it happened again with one disciple” was an exceptional case, it is evident that even after the halachah was fixed like Beis Hillel, most Jews, including Beis Hillel’s own disciples, did not bring their olos on Yom Tov. The reason: by strict law the essence of the mitzvah of the olas re’iyah is on Yom Tov itself, but on Atzeres, when all agree that “for you” is also required, Beis Hillel followed Beis Shammai and offered it the next day, to show through food and drink that the day the Torah was given is pleasing and welcome to the Jewish people. This is how the day after Shavuos became the Yom Tavo’ach, as the Alter Rebbe writes in his Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 494:19).
3. 3. On “he silenced him with a rebuke, and he went away”: in Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 28, Chag HaShavuos, note 37, the Rebbe explains that it can be said it was the disciple of Beis Hillel who went away and postponed his offering to the next day. This seems implied by Abaye’s words: had the disciple of Beis Shammai been the one to go away, what proof would Abaye have that one should not answer more? The disciple of Beis Hillel may have said no more only because the other had left. But since it was the disciple of Beis Hillel who went away and said nothing further, it is evident that one should not answer further. (See also Chochmas Mano’ach on Beitzah there.)
4. 4. “An ordinary person” (hedyot) means a person’s own needs; “the Most High” (Gavoha) means the needs of the mizbe’ach, the offerings. Beis Hillel argue a kal vachomer: if on Shabbos, when no labour is allowed for one’s own needs, offerings are brought, then on Yom Tov, when cooking for food is allowed, surely the olas re’iyah may be brought.
5. 5. The tamid is the communal olah offered every day, morning and afternoon. The musafim are the additional offerings of Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh and Yom Tov.
6. 6. Beis Shammai refute the kal vachomer: even Beis Hillel agree that vow- and gift-offerings are not brought on Yom Tov, though the day is permitted for one’s own needs. So the argument does not hold.
7. 7. Beis Hillel distinguish: the olas re’iyah belongs to the festival, so it must be allowed then, while a vow or gift can be brought on any ordinary day.
8. 8. The Mishnah is in Chagigah 9a. One who missed bringing his festival offerings on the first day may make them up on any day of the festival (tashlumin). So, Beis Shammai argue, the olas re’iyah can be put off to chol hamoed and need not override Yom Tov.
9. 9. Once the festival ends, the obligation lapses — so its time is fixed after all. Rashi adds that if he puts it off to chol hamoed, he may be careless or prevented and never bring it.
10. 10. The verse is Shemos 12:16: “only what is eaten by every person, that alone may be done for you.” Labour for food is permitted on Yom Tov “for you” — for people’s needs, not for the needs of the mizbe’ach.
11. 11. Beis Hillel cite “and you shall celebrate it as a festival to Hashem” (Shemos 12:14): what is “to Hashem” — the festival offerings — is also permitted on Yom Tov.
12. 12. For Beis Hillel, “for you” excludes cooking for gentiles and dogs: one may not cook on Yom Tov for their sake.
13. 13. Abba Shaul puts Beis Hillel’s argument as a parable. On Shabbos “your stove is closed” and you do not cook, yet “your Master’s stove” — the mizbe’ach — is open. On Yom Tov, when your stove is open, surely your Master’s is open too.
14. 14. On Rashi’s reading: in the Tanna Kamma’s version Beis Shammai argue from vow- and gift-offerings and Beis Hillel accept the premise, so for him they are not offered; Abba Shaul leaves that argument out, so for him they are offered. Tosafos below brings the Rashbam’s opposite reading.
15. 15. Rav Huna’s point: for the view that vows and gifts are not offered on Yom Tov, this is not merely a rabbinic decree — to stop people holding back their vows until the festival and so violating bal te’acher — but a Torah prohibition.
16. 16. The Two Loaves (shtei halechem) are two leavened loaves of the new wheat, the special offering of Shavuos. There is no fear of delay with them, yet they may not be baked on Yom Tov — so the prohibition must be from the Torah, not a decree.
17. 17. Zerikah, throwing the blood on the mizbe’ach, is the essential service of an offering. The question: if someone wrongly slaughtered a vow- or gift-offering on Yom Tov, may he now complete it by throwing its blood?
18. 18. The meat of an offering may be eaten only after its blood is thrown. Throwing it therefore serves the Yom Tov meal, and is permitted.
19. 19. The emurim are the fats and parts burnt on the mizbe’ach. Blood may be thrown only by day, but the emurim may be burnt all night; so he throws now, by day, to be able to burn them once Yom Tov is over.
20. 20. If the meat became tamei or was lost, there will be no eating. For Rava the throwing then serves no Yom Tov need, so he does not throw; for Rabbah bar Rav Huna it still allows the emurim to be burnt, so he throws.
21. 21. A shevus is a rabbinic prohibition on Shabbos and Yom Tov. Throwing blood is not itself a forbidden labour, but the Rabbis forbade it when it serves no need of the day.
22. 22. The lambs of Atzeres are two lambs offered as communal shelamim together with the Two Loaves on Shavuos. The Gemara uses this beraisa to challenge Rabbah bar Rav Huna.
23. 23. “Not for their own sake” (shelo lishmah) means slaughtered with intent for a different offering. The general rule in kodashim is that such an offering is still valid, but it does not count toward the owner’s obligation.
24. 24. On Shabbos the meat cannot be cooked or eaten, so the blood is not thrown — even though the emurim could be burnt that night. That is the difficulty for Rabbah bar Rav Huna.
25. 25. The beraisa continues on 21a.
26. 26. It is forbidden to bring an unconsecrated animal (chullin) into the Azarah. Tosafos answers that Bava ben Buta stood the sheep on Har Habayis, the large area surrounding the Mikdash.
27. 27. Rabbeinu Shmuel is the Rashbam, Rabbi Shmuel ben Meir, Rashi’s grandson. He reads the dispute the other way: for the Tanna Kamma vows and gifts are offered on Yom Tov, and for Abba Shaul they are not. Tosafos rejects this from a sugya in Pesachim.
28. 28. In that verse the word means a feast. For Tosafos, “your stove” here means your meal and your table, not the stove you cook on.
29. 29. Rabbeinu Shimshon of Coucy was one of the French Tosafists. The question Tosafos works through is whether emurim not yet burnt hold up the eating of the meat: when they are present they do; when they became tamei or were lost they do not.