Beitzah 12

My gems from this daf were making challah on the Festival and Hillel permitting the bringing of a bottle of teruma wine to the priest – apparently it was always good manners! The other gem is the concept of “Mitoch.” In the Mishnah, Beit Hillel permits carrying a child, Lulav, or Sefer Torah into public space (whereas it would be prohibited on Shabbat) on the Festival because of the principle of “Mitoch.” “Mitoch” states that since a Melachah (a form of work that is forbidden on Shabbat, but only on Shabbat) is permitted by the Torah on the festival for the sake of food preparation (because we need the festival to be a happy day and happy days = good food), that Melachah is permitted even for matters unrelated to food preparation.

Beit Hillel, they say: Since carrying out was permitted for the requirements of food preparation, it was also permitted not for these requirements.

I guess I like the idea that it’s not only Passover when we ask Mah nishtana halayla hazeh? What makes this night different from all others? We want the festivals to be different, and in particular to be joyous. There need to be restrictions to make sure we don’t make the day like every other day, but those restrictions do not need to be as restrictive as on Shabbat:

“Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the Shabbat day” (Jeremiah 17:22), from which Beit Hillel inferred: On Shabbat, yes, carrying from one domain to another is indeed prohibited; on a Festival, no, it is permitted.

So, carry your toddler, bring a bottle of wine to the priest, don’t worry about carrying your lulav in public, or dancing with the Torah in the public square. Make it joyful! Make it meaningful. Make is special, not just by what you don’t do, but more importantly, by what you DO do.