Talmud for Moed Kattan 1:2

Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun applied these traditions from here, as we have stated³¹Mishnah Mo‘ed Qaṭan 1:2. Nonessential agricultural work is forbidden during the intermediate days of a holiday; construction work is permitted. The Sages consider building a new water canal as construction and permitted; the question is the rationale of the prohibition by R. Eleazar ben Azariah.: “Rebbi Eleazar ben Azariah said, one does not build a new water canal during the intermediate days of holidays or during the Sabbatical year.” Rebbi Zeїra said, because he would prepare its banks to be sown³²This reason would be valid both for the holidays and the Sabbatical year.. Rebbi Jeremiah, Rebbi Abun bar Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Abba bar Mamai: Because of the bad impression. They wanted to say, the one who says there “because of the bad impression” says here³³In the previous paragraph. “because of the bad impression”; the one who says “because he would prepare its banks to be sown”, what can he say here? The only answer would be “maybe there will be no more manure and it will turn out that he fertilizes that place.³⁴The second explanation offered in the previous paragraph is valid since it extends to the case of Mo‘ed Qaṭan; the first explanation has to be rejected.” What would be the difference between them³⁵Is there a practical difference where the ruling would allow one to choose between the two arguments proffered for the position of R. Eleazar ben Azariah?? If he dug to build a water canal for a building. They wanted to say, the one who says there “because of the bad impression” will say in this case “because of the bad impression,” but the one who says there "because he would prepare its banks to be sown,” here its banks will not be prepared to be sown. Everybody agrees that if he built there with lime, pebbles, stones, or cement³⁶Greek γύψος. If the banks of a water canal are of stone or mortar, it is obviously not an agricultural construction. it would be permitted.

Rebbi Ḥuna went to Tyre and forbade them a kind of irrigation. Rebbi Yose heard this and said, this is correct, is this not about [plants] connected to the ground? But did we not state (Mishnah Mo‘ed Qaṭan 1:1): “One irrigates a field in intensive agriculture both during the intermediate days of a holiday¹⁰⁵When normal agricultural work is forbidden. and during the Sabbatical year?” Rebbi Yudan said, only for the vegetables there¹⁰⁶R. Ḥuna would have permitted irrigation of plots planted with delicate plants which would die if deprived of water for any length of time. But the “kind of irrigation” he forbade was one to improve the soil.. Rebbi Mana said, then it should also be permitted to plough for them¹⁰⁷To plough not for new seeds but to loosen the earth for irrigation. This is the opinion of R. Meïr in Mo‘ed Qaṭan 1:1; one is at a loss to understand the position of the rabbis who forbid it.!

“One may sprinkle with water on white dust, the words of Rebbi Simeon; Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob forbids it.” Rebbi Simeon follows the rabbis and Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob is consistent, as we have stated there¹⁰²Mishnah Mo‘ed Qaṭan 1:3, in the name of R. Eliezer ben Jacob. During the intermediate days of a holiday, only agricultural work necessary to avoid losses is permitted. R. Eliezer ben Jacob does not permit to water a field but, if necessary, he allows one to water the depression around a tree and then to make a shallow channel from one tree to the next, on condition that the water be confined to trees and channels and not cover the entire field.: “One may continue [to draw] water from tree to tree on condition not to water the entire field.” Rebbi Mana said it anonymously, Rebbi Abin in the name of Samuel: They disagree anonymously¹⁰³Since the Mishnah is in the name of R. Eliezer ben Jacob, not anonymous, it follows that the rabbis, whose opinion is ignored in the Mishnah, must disagree. From here to the end of the Chapter, the text is found also in Mo‘ed Qaṭan 1:3 (fol. 80c).. Where are we holding? If they are widely spaced, it is forbidden according to everybody, if they are tightly planted, it is permitted according to everybody. But we deal with the case that they are planted ten to a bet seah¹⁰⁴Cf. Mishnah Kilaim 5:1. Every-where, ten trees planted on a bet seah are a model orchard. “Widely spaced” means less than ten to a bet seah, “tightly planted” more than ten.. Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob makes them widely spaced, the rabbis make them tightly planted. So the rabbis said, if they are widely spaced, it is forbidden to irrigate¹⁰⁵Irrigate the entire field at the same time.. May one continue? Let us learn the opinion of the rabbis from that of Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob. Just as Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob says, it is forbidden to irrigate but permitted to continue, so the rabbis say it is permitted to continue but forbidden to irrigate. Did we not think that according to everybody if they are widely spaced, it is forbidden; but is white dust not when they are widely spaced⁹⁵Technical term for earth in an orchard whose trees are standing sufficiently apart (not more than 10 trees per bet seah.)? But here it is the Sabbatical, there the holiday¹⁰⁶R. Eliezer ben Jacob may agree with the rabbis about the rules of a widely spaced orchard on a holiday and still disagree in matters of the Sabbatical year..