Study Chagigah folio 10B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
מלאכת מחשבת אסרה תורה, ומלאכת מחשבת לא כתיבא.
The Talmud answers: The Torah prohibited only planned, creative labor on Shabbat. An act of labor that is not intended, or whose result is unintended, or whose consequence is destructive, is not included in this category. Therefore, one who performs labor in this manner is exempt. And limitation of the prohibition against creative labor is not written anywhere in the Torah with regard to the laws of Shabbat. Admittedly, this principle is written in connection with the Tabernacle, and there is an established exegetical link between the building of the Tabernacle and Shabbat. Nevertheless, as this fundamental principle concerning the halakhot of Shabbat does not appear explicitly, it is compared to mountains suspended by a hair.
חגיגות. מיכתב כתיבן! לא צריכא, לכדאמר ליה רב פפא לאביי: ממאי דהאי ״וחגותם אותו חג לה׳״ — זביחה? דלמא ״חוגו חגא״ קאמר רחמנא!
§ The Mishnah taught that the halakhot of Festival peace-offerings are like mountains suspended by a hair. The Talmud asks: But they are written in the Torah. The Talmud answers: No, it is necessary to say this in accordance with that which Rav Pappa said to Abaye: From where is it derived that this verse: “And you should celebrate it as a Festival [veḥagotem] to YHWH” (Leviticus 23:41), is referring to an animal offering? Perhaps God is simply saying: Celebrate a Festival.
אלא מעתה, דכתיב ״ויחוגו לי במדבר״, הכי נמי דחוגו חגא הוא? וכי תימא הכי נמי, והכתיב: ״ויאמר משה גם אתה תתן בידינו זבחים ועולות״.
Abaye responded: However, if that is so, consider that it is written: “Let My people go, that they may hold a feast [veyaḥogu] to Me in the wilderness” (Exodus 5:1). So too, the meaning of this verse is that they will merely celebrate a Festival, and not bring an offering. And if you would say that is indeed so, that this means that they should celebrate a Festival, but isn’t it written: “And Moses said: You must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt-offerings, that we may sacrifice to YHWH our God” (Exodus 10:25)? This shows that the command is referring to offerings.