Pisqa’ 135451H:177-178; JN1:326-327. 1. “Then, on the seventh day—it is a Closure-festival452In rabbinic parlance, the term `Atzeret refers exclusively to the early summer festival of Shavuot (also known as the “First-fruits festival”). The Closure-festivals associated in the Bible with the last day of Passover (Dt.16:8) and the Festival of Huts (Lv. 23:36) have generally been assimilated, by name, to the preceding Common-festival days, despite still being counted as formal days of rest, on which many forms of labor are proscribed. for HASHEM your God . . . your shall do no productive work”453RH includes Dt.16:21 in the quotation. This clarifies the point of the exegesis. (Dt.16:8-21). Rabbi says: is it possible to say that a person should be cloistered (`atzur)454Note the assonance with `Atzeret. with the disciple-circle for the entire day? The Teaching states: “Count for yourselves . . . seven complete weeks” (Lv.23:15)455Commentators dispute precisely which verse is cited. Candidates include: Lv. 23:36 and Nu. 29:35, each of which uses the words “for yourselves” (lakhem) in the context of festival legislation.— [for yourselves implies that leisure is permitted on a Festival]! Is it possible to say that a person should eat and drink for the entire day? The Teaching states: “It is a Closure-festival for HASHEM your God” (Dt.16:8). Well now—how is this done? Devote part of the day to the disciple-circle, and part of the day to eating and drinking!
2. R. Ishmael says: Since we have nowhere learned that the Common-festival days456Heb: yemei mo`ed. This refers to the intermediate days between the festival days of Sukkot and Passover. In rabbinic custom these are days of semi-rest. See M. M.Q. 3:1-4. are prohibited for productive work, on what basis do we know that the Common-festival days are prohibited for productive work? The Teaching states: “Six days shall you eat unleavened-bread; then, on the seventh day—it is a Closure-festival”457Cf. Mechilta Ishmael, paskha’,. 9. (Dt.16:8)— is it possible to say that just as you are entirely closeted-in on the seventh day, you should also be entirely closeted-in on the sixth day?458//Sifre Nu. 151
Or [perhaps this is the proper inference]: just as you cease productive work on the seventh day, you should also cease productive work on the sixth day? The Teaching states: “Six days shall you eat unleavened-bread, then, on the seventh day—it is a Closure-festival for HASHEM your God” (Dt.16:8). Thus, the seventh day is closed-down for all productive work, but the sixth day is not closed-down for all productive work.459//Sifra, ‘emor, par. 12:4. So we see that Scripture transmits to sages alone [the right to legislate] which day is prohibited for productive work and which day is permitted; which type of work is prohibited and which type of work is permitted.
וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי עֲצֶרֶת לַה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ, רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: יָכוֹל יְהֵא אָדָם עָצוּר בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ כָּל הַיּוֹם כֻּלּוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (במדבר כט לה): ״לָכֶם״. יָכוֹל יְהֵא אָדָם אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה כָּל הַיּוֹם כֻּלּוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: עֲצֶרֶת לַה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ. הָא כֵּיצַד? תֵּן חֵלֶק לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְתֵן חֵלֶק לַאֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה.
Pisqa’ 135451H:177-178; JN1:326-327.
1. “Then, on the seventh day—it is a Closure-festival 452In rabbinic parlance, the term `Atzeret refers exclusively to the early summer festival of Shavuot (also known as the “First-fruits festival”). The Closure-festivals associated in the Bible with the last day of Passover (Dt.16:8) and the Festival of Huts (Lv. 23:36) have generally been assimilated, by name, to the preceding Common-festival days, despite still being counted as formal days of rest, on which many forms of labor are proscribed. for HASHEM your God . . .
your shall do no productive work”453RH includes Dt.16:21 in the quotation. This clarifies the point of the exegesis. (Dt.16:8-21).
Rabbi says:
is it possible to say that
a person should be cloistered (`atzur)454Note the assonance with `Atzeret. with the disciple-circle
for the entire day?
The Teaching states:
“Count for yourselves . . . seven complete weeks” (Lv.23:15)455Commentators dispute precisely which verse is cited. Candidates include: Lv. 23:36 and Nu. 29:35, each of which uses the words “for yourselves” (lakhem) in the context of festival legislation.—
[for yourselves implies that leisure is permitted on a Festival]!
Is it possible to say that
a person should eat and drink
for the entire day?
The Teaching states:
“It is a Closure-festival for HASHEM your God” (Dt.16:8).
Well now—how is this done?
Devote part of the day to the disciple-circle,
and part of the day to eating and drinking!
רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר: לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁיְּמֵי מוֹעֵד אֲסוּרִים בִּמְלָאכָה, מִנַּיִן לִימֵי מוֹעֵד שֶׁאֲסוּרִים בִּמְלָאכָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֹּאכַל מַצּוֹת וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי עֲצֶרֶת, מַה שְּׁבִיעִי עָצוּר – אַף שִׁשִּׁי עָצוּר.
2. R. Ishmael says:
Since we have nowhere learned
that the Common-festival days456Heb: yemei mo`ed. This refers to the intermediate days between the festival days of Sukkot and Passover. In rabbinic custom these are days of semi-rest. See M. M.Q. 3:1-4.
are prohibited for productive work,
on what basis do we know that
the Common-festival days
are prohibited for productive work?
The Teaching states:
“Six days shall you eat unleavened-bread;
then, on the seventh day—it is a Closure-festival”457Cf. Mechilta Ishmael, paskha’,. 9. (Dt.16:8)—
is it possible to say that
just as you are entirely closeted-in on the seventh day,
you should also be entirely closeted-in on the sixth day?458//Sifre Nu. 151
אוֹ מָה שְׁבִיעִי עָצוּר מִכָּל מְלָאכָה, אַף שִׁשִּׁי עָצוּר מִכָּל מְלָאכָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֹּאכַל מַצּוֹת וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי עֲצֶרֶת לַה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ״, שְׁבִיעִי עָצוּר מִכָּל מְלָאכָה, וְאֵין שִׁשִּׁי עָצוּר מִכָּל מְלָאכָה. הָא לֹא מְסָרוֹ הַכָּתוּב אֶלָּא לַחֲכָמִים, לוֹמַר אֵיזֶה יוֹם אָסוּר וְאֵיזֶה יוֹם מֻתָּר, אֵיזוֹ מְלָאכָה אֲסוּרָה וְאֵיזוֹ מְלָאכָה מֻתֶּרֶת.
Or [perhaps this is the proper inference]:
just as you cease productive work on the seventh day,
you should also cease productive work on the sixth day?
The Teaching states:
“Six days shall you eat unleavened-bread,
then, on the seventh day—it is a Closure-festival for HASHEM your God” (Dt.16:8).
Thus, the seventh day is closed-down for all productive work,
but the sixth day is not closed-down for all productive work.459//Sifra, ‘emor, par. 12:4.
So we see that
Scripture transmits to sages alone
[the right to legislate]
which day is prohibited for productive work
and which day is permitted;
which type of work is prohibited
and which type of work is permitted.