Pesachim 55B

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Text Excerpt

גומרה בארבעה עשר, אימתי? בזמן שהתחיל בה קודם ארבעה עשר, אבל לא התחיל בה קודם ארבעה עשר ⁠— לא יתחיל בה בארבעה עשר, אפילו צילצול קטן, אפילו שבכה קטנה. לצורך המועד ⁠— אין, שלא לצורך המועד ⁠— לא. הוא הדין דאפילו שלא לצורך נמי גמרינן, והא קא משמע לן דאפילו לצורך המועד, מיגמר ⁠— אין, אתחולי ⁠— לא.

one completes it on the 14th. When is that the case? It is when he initiated the labor prior to the 14th. However, if he did not initiate the labor prior to the 14th, he should not initiate it on the 14th, even if it is only manufacturing a small belt or even a small hairnet. The Talmud analyzes this: When it is for the purpose of the Festival, yes, one may complete this labor. However, when it is not for the purpose of the Festival, no, one may not complete it, in accordance with the third possibility above. The Talmud rejects this analysis: Actually, the same is true; we may also complete the task even when it is not for the purpose of the Festival. And this comes to teach us that even when it is for the purpose of the Festival, completing a labor, yes, one may do so, but initiating a labor, no, one may not, in accordance with the third aforementioned possibility.

תא שמע, רבי מאיר אומר: כל מלאכה שהיא לצורך המועד ⁠— גומרה בארבעה עשר, ושאינה לצורך המועד ⁠— אסור, ועושין מלאכה בערבי פסחים עד חצות במקום שנהגו. מקום שנהגו ⁠— אין, לא נהגו ⁠— לא, ושמע מינה: לצורך המועד ⁠— אין, שלא לצורך המועד ⁠— לא. שמע מינה.

Come and hear yet another resolution to the dilemma. R' Meir says: With regard to any labor that is for the purpose of the Festival, one may complete it on the 14th, and if it is not for the purpose of the Festival, it is prohibited to complete it. And one may perform labor on Passover eves until midday in a place where people were accustomed to do so. The Talmud infers: In a place where people were accustomed to perform labor, yes, one may do so. However, in a place where people were not accustomed to perform labor, no, one may not do so. And learn from it that for the purpose of the Festival, yes, one may perform labor. However, if it is not for the purpose of the Festival, no, one may not do so, in accordance with the first aforementioned possibility. The Talmud concludes: Indeed, learn from it that this is so.

Text data via Sefaria: William Davidson Edition - English and William Davidson Edition - Vocalized Aramaic, CC-BY-NC; edition provenance: Koren. Display terminology has been modernized for readability.