Mishnayot Seder Moed: Moed Katan

(1) One may water an irrigated field on the Moed [intermedite days of the fesival] and during the Sabbatical year, whether from a new emerging spring, as well as from a spring that is not just now emerging. But they may not irrigate it from [stored] rain-water, nor from water [drawn] from a deep well; nor may they make [dig] trenches [to hold water] around vines.

(2) Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah syas, One may not make [dig] a fresh trench [conduit, or water course] on the Moed, or during the Sabbatical year. But the sages hold, that a fresh trench [water course] may be dug during the Sabbatical year, and one may repair those [conduits] which are damaged on the Moed. They may [likewise] repair water works[which are] in the public domain and clean them. They may also repair the roads, the market [public] places, and the ritual baths. All public needs may be performed. They may also mark [whitewash] graves, and even send out [inspectors to uproot] Kilayim [planting together certain plants].

(3) Rabbi Eleazar ben Yaakov says, One may draw water from tree to another, provided the entire field is not watered. Plants that have not been watered before the Moed may not be watered during the Moed. The sages permit it in both cases.

(4) One may trap moles and mice in an orchard or a white field [wheat field] in an unusual way on the Moed and during the Sabbatical year. But the sages hold that in an orchard field [one may trap them] in the usual way, but in a white -field [they ma be trapped only] in an unusual way. One may repair a breach [in a garden wall by filling it with loose stones] during the Moed and during the Sabbatical year they may repair it in the ordinary way.

(5) Rabbi Meir says, initial inspections of leprours signs may be viewed [by the priest] on the Moed for a lenient assessment [to render him clean], but not for a stringent one [to render him unclean]." But the Sages say, decide neither [the priest may not inspect] for a lenient one nor a stringent one. Furthermore, Rabbi Meir said, "A man may gather the bones of his father and mother [to re-inter them during the Moed], because it is a joy for him [relieves his mind]. Rabbi Yose says, It is mourning for him [afflicts his mind]. A man should not stir up wailing over his dead [bring professional eulogizers], nor should he eulogize him for thirty days before the festival.

(6) One may not dig kuchin [dug out graves] or [built] graves on the Moed, but one may adapt kuchin [ to the size of the dead person] on the Moed. On may make a nivrechet [a clothes washing pit] during the Moed, and [one may make] a coffin if the deceased is in the same court [so that pople know it is not an ordinary construction]. Rabbi Yehudah forbids it,unlss there were pre-sawn boards on hand.

(7) One may not marry a woman 0n the moed whether she is a virgin or a widow, nor may one perform yibum [a levirate mrriage], because it is a [cause of] joy to him, but he remarry his divorced wife. A woman may make her adorments [use cosmetics] on the Moed. Rabbi Yehudah says, She may not apply lime [chalk as a cosmetic], because it [may] cause her pain.

(8) An ordinary person [who is not a professional] may sew [make stitches] in the [regular] way, but the craftsman [whose trade it is to sew, may only do it] in a zigzag fashion. One may interlace [the ropes of the bed frame. Rabbi Yose says, They may even be tightened.

(9) One may erect an oven, or a hearth, or a mill, on the Moed [for the use of the festival]. Rabbi Yehudah says, A pair of millstones may not be roughened for the first time [on the Moed.

(10) One may make a railing around a roof or a porch in a rough manner, but not as a craftsman. Plaster may be smeared on the crevices [on the roof] and [then] flattened with a roller, or by hand or foot, but not with a flattening tool. Hinges [of a door], or sockets, beams, a lock or the key which wre broken, may be repaired on the Moed, provided he does not intend to do the work on the Moed. All [kinds of] pickled foods of which he can eat during the Moed, may be pickled.

(1) If one has turned over his olives [to soften them before pressing], and [then] mourning [for the death of parent etc.] befell him or some unforeseen circumstance befell him, or his laborers disappointed him [by not showing up to work], he may put on the beam for the first time [on the festival] and leave it there until after the festival. These are the words of Rabbi Yehudah. Rabbi Yose says, He may pour [the olives] into the press, complete the process, and seal [the casks] in the usual manner.

(2) Similarly, if one has wine is in the cistern, and [then] mourning [for the death of parent etc.] befell him or some unforeseen circumstance befell him, or his laborers disappointed him [by not showing up to work] , he may pour [the wine into casks], complete the process, and seal [the casks] in the usual manner, these are the words of Rabbi Yose. Rabbin Yehudah sais, He only has to cover the cistern with boards to pevent it from turning sour.

(3) A man may bring his produce indoors for fear of thieves, and take flax out of the soaking pool, that it not become spoiled, provided he does not intentend to do the work on the moed. All those who deliberately intended to do the work on the moed shall have it destroyed.

(4) One may not purchase houses, slaves, or cattle, unless it is for the use of the festival, or for the use of the seller who otherwise might have nothing to eat. One may not move belongings from one house to another, but he may move [his belongings] if both houses are in the same courtyard. One may not bring back vessels from the house of the craftsman, but if one is weary about leaving them [lest they get lost] he may move them to another courtyard.

(5) One may cover dried figs with straw. Rabbi Yehudah says, They may even be piled up in heaps. Sellers of fruit, garments, or utensils, may privately sell what is required for use on the moed . Hunters, grinders of cereals, and millers of grits may engage in their work in private for the requirements of the festival. Rabbi Yose says, they were strict upon themselves.

(1) These may shave during the intermediate days [of the festival]: one who arrives from a land [beyond] the sea, or from a house of captivity, or one released from prison, or an excommunicated person whom the Sages have released. So too, he who has consulted a Sage and been released [from a vow], the nazir [a person who vows to avoid corpse impurity, refrain from cutting his hair and abstain from all grape products], and the leper who has ascended from his [state of] impurity to [his state] of purity.

(2) These may launder on the intermediate days: one who arrives from a land [beyond] the sea, or from a house of captivity, or one released from prison, or an excommunicated person whom the Sages have released. So too, he who has consulted a Sage and been released [from a vow]. Hand towels, barber's towels, and bath towels [may be washed during the intermediate days]. The zavim [men who have certain types of atypical genital discharges, which render them impure], the zavot [women who have certain types of atypical genital discharges, distinct from their menses, which render them impure], the niddot [women who have menstruated and are thereby impure], those who have given birth, and all who ascend from impurity to purity these are permitted [to wash their garments]. But all other people are forbidden [to do so].

(3) We may write these during the intermediate days: contracts of betrothing women, bills of divorce, receipts, dispositions of property, deeds of gift, pruzbulim [legal arrangements which avoid the mandatory Sabbatical year cancellation of personal debts by deeding them to the court, and being subsequently appointed their agent for collection], appraisals, deeds of alimony, documents of chalitzah [the ceremony performed to release a widow of a childless man from the obligation of Levirate marriage] and of mi'un [the refusal by and orphaned girl, married off while a minor by her mother or brothers, to remain in the marriage; the marriage is ended by her refusal, without a divorce], documents of choosing [judges], decrees of the court, and government correspondences.

(4) We may not write documents of [debt] obligation during the intermediate days. But if he [the lender] does not trust him [the borrower], or if he has nothing to eat, then it may he written. We may not write scrolls [of Torah], tefillin, or mezuzot during the intermediate days, and must not correct one letter, even in the scroll of Ezra. Rabbi Yehuda said, "One may write tefillin and mezuzot for himself, and spin tekhelet [the blue-dyed wool used for tzitzit and priestly garments] in his lap."

(5) One who buried his dead [relative] three days before the festival, the decree of seven [days of mourning] is canceled for him; eight days [before the festival], the decree of thirty [days of mourning] is canceled for him, because they said, "The Shabbat counts [as a day of mourning], but does not supersede [and] the festivals supersede, but do not count.

(6) Rabbi Eliezer says, "Since the destruction of the Temple, the Shavuot is like Shabbat [in respect to mourning]." Rabban Gamliel says, "Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are like festivals." But the Sages say, "Not like the words of this one, nor like the words of that one. Rather, Shavuot is like the festivals; Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are like Shabbat."

(7) We may not tear [our garments], nor lay bare [a shoulder], nor offer a funeral meal, except for the relatives of the dead. The funeral meal is only offered on an upright couch. We do not carry [the food] to the house of mourning: not on a tray, nor in a silver tureen, nor in a dish, but in baskets. We do not say the blessing of mourners during the intermediate days, but we stand in a row, comfort [the mourners] and then dismiss the masses.

(8) We must not set down the bier in the public thoroughfare, to not encourage eulogizing. Nor for women ever, out of respect. One the intermediate days women may wail, but not clap. Rabbi Yishmael says, "Those nearest to the bier, may clap [the palms of their hands together]."

(9) On Rashei Chodashim [the first day of the new month, on which special prayers and sacrifices are offered], on Chanukah, and on Purim [women] may wail and clap, but must not sing lamentations. When the corpse is interred, they may neither wailing nor clap. What is "wailing"? When all of them wail as one. "Sing lamentations": when one recites and all of the others respond after her, as it is said, "Teach your daughters wailing and a woman her fellow a lamentation," (Jeremiah 9:19). But in the future to come he [Isaiah] says, "He will swallow death for ever, and Lord God will erase tears from all faces, etc.," (Isaiah 25:8).