Mishnah Moed Katan
משנה מועד קטן
Sefaria Community Translation
https://www.sefaria.org

Mishnah Moed Katan



Chapter 1

We may water a field [requiring] irrigation during the intermediate days [of the festival] and the seventh [year], either from a spring that emerged recently or a spring that has not emerged recently. But we may not water with rain water, nor with water from a well bucket. And we may not make trenches for grape-vines.
Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah says, "We may not make a canal from scratch on the intermediate days of the festival and the seventh [year]." But the Sages says, "We may make a canal from scratch during the seventh [year], and we may fix the damages ones on the intermediate days of the festival." And we may fix waterways in the public domain and dig them out. And we may fix the roads, streets, and <i>mikvaot</i> [a gathering of water collected by natural means and immersed in for purification]. And we may perform all public necessities, and mark the graves, and go out for [checking for] <i>kilayim</i> [the product of forbidden crossbreeding by planting together certain plants].
Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya'akov says, "We may draw water from tree to tree, as long as it does water the entire field. Seeds which did not take water before the intermediate days of the festival, one may not water them during the intermediate days." But the Sages permit this and that.
We may trap moles and mice from a tree field or a grain field in an unusual manner on the intermediate days and the seventh [year]. But the Sages say, "From a tree field in the usual manner, but from a grain field in an unusual manner." And we may cover a breach on the intermediate days, and during the seventh [year] one may build in the usual manner.
Rabbi Meir says, "We may inspect incipient <i>negaim</i> [diseased patches on skin, clothes, or houses that create impurity] to be lenient, but not to be stringent." But the Sages say, "Neither to be lenient nor to be stringent." Further said Rabbi Meir, "A person may collect the bones of his father or his mother, for it is joyous for him." Rabbi Yose says, "It is mournful for him." At person should not stir up lament for his dead, nor encourage eulogies for him thirty days before the festival.
We may not dig sepulchral caves or tombs on the intermediate days, but we may adjust sepulchral caves on the intermediate days. And we may make a stone pool on the intermediate days, and a casket with a dead body in a courtyard. Rabbi Yehuda forbids, unless there are boards with him.
We may not marry women during the intermediate days: neither virgins, nor widows, nor do we perform <i>yibbum</i> [a Levirate marriage of a man to the widow of his childless brother], for it is a joyous occasion for him. But he may remarry his ex-wife. And a women may make her ornaments. Rabbi Yehuda says, "She may not paint her face with lime for it is disfiguring to her."
A non-professional may sew in the usual manner, but the professional stitches irregularly. And we may strap beds together. Rabbi Yose says, "We may tighten."
We may set up an oven, and a stove (and a mill) on the intermediate days. Rabbi Yehuda says, "We may not set up the mill from scratch." 
We may make a railing for a roof or a balcony [as long as it is] the work of a non-professional, but not the work of a professional. We may smooth the cracks and round them off with a roller, by hand, or a foot; but not with windlasses. A hinge, a socket, a beam, a lock, and a door which broke we may fix during the intermediate days; as long as one did not prepare to do his work on the intermediate days. And all marinades from which one may eat on the intermediate days, one may marinade in them. 

Chapter 2

"One who turned over his olives and had an occurrence of mourning or an uncontrollable situation, or his workers disappointed him, he may load on the [pressing] board for the first time, and leave it until after the intermediate days [of the festival]," in the words of Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Yose says, "He may pour out [the oil], finish [the process], and cork [barrels] in his usual manner."
"So too, one whose wine was in a pit and has an occurrence of mourning or an uncontrollable situation, or his workers disappointed him, may pour out [the wine], finish [the process], and cork [the barrels] in his usual manner," in the words of Rabbi Yose. Rabbi Yehuda says, "He makes shingles for it so that it will not turn to vinegar."
A person may bring his fruit inside due to thieves; and one may pull his flax from the steeping pond so it will not be ruined, as long as one does not intentionally delay his work for the intermediate days. And for any, if they intentionally delayed their work for the intermediate days, they will be destroyed.
We may not purchase houses, slaves, or cattle unless it is for the need of the festival or for the needs of the seller who does not have anything to eat. One may not remove [stuff] from one house to [another] house, but one may remove to his courtyard. We may not bring vessels from the house of the artisan. But if one is concerned for them, one may remove them to another courtyard.
We may cover packed figs with straw. Rabbi Yehuda says, "We may even condense [them]."  A salesperson of fruit, clothing, and vessels should sell in private for the need of the festival. The trappers, wheat-stampers, and the grist-makers perform [their work] in private for the need of the festival. Rabbi Yose says, "They put a stringency on themselves."

Chapter 3

These may shave during the intermediate days [of the festival]: one who arrives from a land [beyond] the sea, or from a house of captivity, or one released from prison, or an excommunicated person whom the Sages have released. So too, he who has consulted a Sage and been released [from a vow], the <i>nazir</i> [a person who vows to avoid corpse impurity, refrain from cutting his hair and abstain from all grape products], and the leper who has ascended from his [state of] impurity to [his state] of purity.
These may launder on the intermediate days: one who arrives from a land [beyond] the sea, or from a house of captivity, or one released from prison, or an excommunicated person whom the Sages have released. So too, he who has consulted a Sage and been released [from a vow]. Hand towels, barber's towels, and bath towels [may be washed during the intermediate days]. The <i>zavim</i> [men who have certain types of atypical genital discharges, which render them impure], the <i>zavot</i> [women who have certain types of atypical genital discharges, distinct from their menses, which render them impure], the <i>niddot</i> [women who have menstruated and are thereby impure], those who have given birth, and all who ascend from impurity to purity these are permitted [to wash their garments]. But all other people are forbidden [to do so].
We may write these during the intermediate days: contracts of betrothing women, bills of divorce, receipts, dispositions of property, deeds of gift, <i>pruzbulim</i> [legal arrangements which avoid the mandatory Sabbatical year cancellation of personal debts by deeding them to the court, and being subsequently appointed their agent for collection], appraisals, deeds of alimony, documents of <i>chalitzah</i> [the ceremony performed to release a widow of a childless man from the obligation of Levirate marriage] and of  <i>mi'un</i> [the refusal by and orphaned girl, married off while a minor by her mother or brothers, to remain in the marriage; the marriage is ended by her refusal, without a divorce], documents of choosing [judges], decrees of the court, and government correspondences.
We may not write documents of [debt] obligation during the intermediate days. But if he [the lender] does not trust him [the borrower], or if he has nothing to eat, then it may be written. We may not write <i>sefarim</i> [books of the Tanach written in holiness, on parchment, and used for personal or public study, or for reading aloud in public. Sometimes the intent is specifically Torah scrolls], tefillin, or <i>mezuzot</i> during the intermediate days, and must not correct one letter, even in the scroll of Ezra. Rabbi Yehuda said, "One may write tefillin and <i>mezuzot</i> for himself, and spin <i>tekhelet</i> [the blue-dyed wool used for tsitsit and priestly garments] in his lap."
One who buried his dead [relative] three days before the festival, the decree of seven [days of mourning] is canceled for him; eight days [before the festival], the decree of thirty [days of mourning] is canceled for him, because they said, "The Shabbat counts [as a day of mourning], but does not supersede [and] the festivals supersede, but do not count.
Rabbi Eliezer says, "Since the destruction of the Temple, the Shavuot is like Shabbat [in respect to mourning]." Rabban Gamliel says, "Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are like festivals." But the Sages say, "Not like the words of this one, nor like the words of that one. Rather, Shavuot is like the festivals; Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are like Shabbat."
We may not tear [our garments], nor lay bare [a shoulder], nor offer a funeral meal, except for the relatives of the dead. The funeral meal is only offered on an upright couch. We do not carry [the food] to the house of mourning: not on a tray, nor in a silver tureen, nor in a dish, but in baskets. We do not say the blessing of mourners during the intermediate days, but we stand in a row, comfort [the mourners] and then dismiss the masses.
We must not set down the bier in the public thoroughfare, to not encourage eulogizing. Nor for women ever, out of respect. One the intermediate days women may wail, but not clap. Rabbi Yishmael says, "Those nearest to the bier, may clap [the palms of their hands together]."
On <i>Rashei Chodashim</i> [the first day of the new month, on which special prayers and sacrifices are offered], on Chanukah, and on Purim [women] may wail and clap, but must not sing lamentations. When the corpse is interred, they may neither wailing nor clap. What is "wailing"? When all of them wail as one. "Sing lamentations": when one recites and all of the others respond after her, as it is said, "Teach your daughters wailing and a woman her fellow a lamentation," (Jeremiah 9:19). But in the future to come he [Isaiah] says, "He will swallow death for ever, and Lord God will erase tears from all faces, etc.," (Isaiah 25:8).