Beitza 9 a, b

Is separating challah on a Festival or Shabbat subject to the same rules as covering blood on a Festival or Shabbat?  The rabbis debate the similarities and differences between these two actions.  They note the importance of planning in advance for an action to be taken on Festivals/Shabbat.  They also note differences in and outside of Eretz Yisroel.

After a very long discussion in Gemara, we begin a new Mishna.   We learn that Beit Shammai say that  one cannot carry a ladder from one dovecoat to another (used for reaching doves).  One is permitted to move the ladder slightly; tilting it so that one can reach other windows within the same dovecoat.  Beit Hillel say that one may carry the ladder.

The rabbis look at whether this conversation might apply only in the public domain, for it would be permitted in the private domain.  This brings the rabbis to a detailed debate regarding what is allowed in the public versus the private domain.  Perhaps anything that is prohibited because of an appearance of prohibition should in fact be prohibited in private, as well.  The example of drying clothes in the sun exemplifies this principle: we may not dry our clothes in the sun on Shabbat to prevent others from believing that laundering is permitted on Shabbat.  And we are prohibited from drying our clothes in private, as well.  

The rabbis wonder whether we might be speaking about other types of ladders in addition to dovecoat ladders.  They question the specificity of the Mishna: are we allowed to shuffle with the ladder? What about more than two windows?  Rav Chiyya's sons seems to have great interest in this particular Mishna, for they continue to argue with regard to its meaning.  Were they perhaps benefiting from the ruling in some way or another?

The Sages go on to discuss rejoicing.  Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai cannot be in disagreement about whether or not to rejoice on the Festival; all people know that we are to rejoice!  They must be arguing about whether the requirement to rejoice is important enough to encourage a lenient ruling over a possible prohibition.   The rabbis even question whether or not the Mishna somehow reversed the great Sages' opinions.  If so, this would be one of the rare leniencies by Beit Shammai listed in Masechet Eduyyot.  We learn about the possibility of an embedded shovel and other details that might make Shammai.  Notes by Steinsaltz tell us more about this possibility.

Interesting that we spend so much time on what seems like an 'aside'.  In truth, the rabbis are walking us through larger principles.  Paying attention to this conversation, we learn about their decision-making and the practical applications of these principles.