Study Moed Katan folio 11A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
ליריד של גוים, ולוקחים בהמה, עבדים ושפחות, בתים, שדות וכרמים, וכותב ומעלה בערכאות שלהן, מפני שהוא כמציל מידן.
to a fair of pagan non-Jews held on a day they have designated for idol worship and buy animals, slaves, female slaves, houses, fields, and vineyards from them. And he may write the necessary deeds and confirm them in their courts [arkaot] by verifying the signatures on the documents to prevent the sellers from appealing and retracting the sale. Although this behavior might be construed as a display of respect for the non-Jews and their idols, it is nevertheless permitted because it is as if he were rescuing his property from their hands, as he would not have another opportunity to acquire these items. This indicates that time-sensitive transactions are considered like cases where one might suffer financial loss, and are permitted.
רב שרא לחייא בר אשי למיגדל אוהרי בחולא דמועדא. מאי טעמא — מעשה הדיוט הוא, אבל איזלי — אסור. מאי טעמא — מעשה אומן הוא.
It was related that Rav permitted Ḥiyya bar Ashi to weave simple traps [oharei] on the intermediate days of a Festival. The Talmud explains: What is the reason for this? It is because it is the work of a layman. However, complex nets [izlei] are prohibited. What is the reason? It is the work of a craftsman, which is prohibited on the intermediate days of a Festival.
רב יהודה שרא לאמי תנוראה למיגדל תנורי, ולרבה בר עשבי למיגדל מהולתא. איני? והא תני רבה בר שמואל: ושוין שאין גודלין תנור לכתחילה! לא קשיא: כאן בימות החמה, כאן בימות הגשמים.
It was further related that Rav Yehuda permitted Ami the oven maker to construct ovens on the intermediate days of a Festival and Rabba bar Ashabi to craft sieves. The Talmud asks: Is that really so? Didn’t Rabba bar Shmuel teach the following baraita: And they all agree that one may not construct a new oven on the intermediate days of a Festival. The Talmud answers that this is not difficult: Here, where Rav Yehuda permitted constructing an oven, he was referring to the summer, i.e., when the weather is hot and dry, so the oven can dry out and already be fit for use on the Festival; there, where the baraita prohibits constructing an oven, it is referring to the winter, i.e., when the weather is such that the oven will not be ready for use on the Festival.