Beitza 40 a, b

Today we complete Masechet Beitza.  I went into this masechet knowing nothing of the topic to come. An egg?  What are we going to learn in this chapter about an egg?   However, Beitza increased my understanding of how and why Festival practice is different from - and similar to - weekday and Shabbat practice.  I also learned about a number of principle and concepts that were helpful in better understanding everything that I am reading.

Looking at a new Mishna that began yesterday, the rabbis wonder how to manage gifts brought on Shabbat by a guest/s.  Should the gift be given before Shabbat altogether?  If so, can the receiver and the giver both walk together within the eiruv, of course, with the gift?  The Gemara argues about how we can determine the jurisdiction of an object in different situations.  They want us to know its ownership and where it 'belongs'.

The notion of eiruv and boundaries are fascinating.  Something physical, usually food, defines the extension of an area.  This assumes that humans are entitled to a 'home base'; a place where we can be comfortable to live without restrictions on carrying, for example. Now we learn that other individual items should have their own 'home base' as well.  

The rabbis consider a case where meat is hung on the door for a time.  If one hangs the meat himself, the meat is allowed.  If the meat is hung by someone else and thus not observed at all times by its (trustworthy) owner, it is prohibited.  The important factors include what object is being discussed, what time it might be transferred to another person or place, who owns the object, and more.

We are introduced to a final Mishna as Masechet Beitza comes to a close.  In that Mishna we are told that on Festivals, we are not to water or slaughter animals that sleep in the desert, ie. outside of the city limits.  Those animals are considered muktze, as we would not be thinking of them before the Festival begins.  However, we are to care for our animals in the city, as they are considered 'domesticated'.

The Gemara clarifies a number of points.  Watering comes before slaughtering because watering an animal before killing it will help with the removal of its skin after death. A horrible thought.  The Gemara looks to grazing habits according to the time of year and other factors to determine whether or not an animal is domesticated. 

These desert animals are thought to be similar to drying figs, which are also muktze, even thought they could be eaten earlier.   Because we know that we are drying the figs, we do not think of them as food and they are not thought of -- and thus they are muktze.  

We end where we started - with a discussion of what is muktze.  For me, the concept of muktze was new when I began this masechet.  I can say that learning the past 40 dapim have helped me to gain a better understanding of the concept of muktze.