תלמוד על שביעית 3:2
Jerusalem Talmud Sheviit
If it is so, why was it said: One ploughs until the New Year5From some baraita. The statement of R. Joḥanan is a Tosephta (Ševi‘it 1:1). In the Babli (Mo‘ed qaṭan3b) the statement is attributed to R. Joshua ben Levi; in neither Talmud is it presented as a tannaïtic statement.? Rebbi Crispus in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: Rabban Gamliel and his court abolished the prohibition of the first two terms. Rebbi Joḥanan asked: Did we not state: No court may annul the words of another court unless it is greater in wisdom and numbers6Mishnah Idiut 1:5. Rabban Gamliel and his court are inferior to the Men of the Great Assembly both in stature and in numbers.? Rebbi Crispus in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: If they wanted to plough, they may plough7Since the institution of the Sabbatical year is interwoven with that of the Jubilee year and the Jubilee is possible only if the Twelve Tribes are living on their ancestral lands, the Sabbatical in the times of the Second Commonwealth is not a biblical but a rabbinic institution. It is a general rule in dealing with institutions of the Men of the Great Assembly that one is restrictive in interpretation while the Temple exists and lenient when the Temple does not exist. Since one hopes that the Temple will be re-established, the rules have to be stated in the Mishnah for future generations (Interpretation of Rav Ashi in Babli Mo‘ed Qaṭan 4a).. Then it should have been eliminated from the Mishnah! Rebbi Crispus in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: If they wanted to re-establish it, they may do so.
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