Monday, October 30, 2006

Daf Yomi - Beitza 3 - Eating and Handling the Egg

The Gemara cites a Baraisa that rules that when there is a doubt, one is not permitted to eat the egg. The Gemara assumes that the doubt is where the egg was laid on Yom Tov or prior to Yom Tov. According to Rabbah, who maintains that an egg that is laid on Yom Tov is prohibited because of the principle of hachanah, i.e. preparation, then we can understand why the Baraisa rules that in a case of doubt the egg is prohibited. This is because the principle of hachanah is biblical in nature and we always rule stringently regarding biblical uncertainties.

The Rashba in Avodas HaKodesh rules that one is forbidden to eat an egg that was laid on Yom Tov, thus rendering the egg muktzeh, and one is prohibited from handling the egg on Yom Tov. The Eimek Bracha asks on the Rashba from our Gemara because it would appear from the Baraisa that in the case when there is a doubt if the egg was laid on Yom Tov and the Baraisa rules that it is forbidden, one is also prohibited from handling the egg. The Gemara can ask on Rabbah that Rabbah rules that one is biblically prohibited from eating an egg which was laid on Yom Tov and therefore in a case of doubt, it will also be forbidden. Regarding handling the egg, however, which in a case of certainty is only rabbinically forbidden, it should not be forbidden to handle the egg. The Emek Bracha wants to prove from this Gemara that the reason of hachanah will biblically prohibit one from eating the egg and from handling it and that is why in a case of doubt, it will be forbidden to eat and to handle the egg.

Bais HaLevi, cited in sefer Matikei Shemuah, writes that when the Baraisa rules that the egg is forbidden in a case of doubt, that only refers to the prohibition of eating the egg, as it is biblically prohibited to eat an egg which was not prepared prior to Yom Tov. It is permitted to handle the egg, however, as handling the egg is only a rabbinical decree and we are not stringent in a case of doubt.

Reb Dovid Newman in his sefer Avodas Yom Tov offers two answers to the question on the Rashba.

The Shach (Yoreh Deah 110) rules that when there is a case of doubt and there are two halachic ramifications, we must either rule stringently or leniently regarding both applications. We cannot rule stringently regarding one halacha and leniently regarding another. For this reason, since the ruling in our case is that the egg is forbidden to eat, it must follow that the egg cannot be handled even though it is only a rabbinical prohibition.

Another answer is that once it is decided that the egg cannot be eaten because it might not have been prepared prior to Yom Tov, the egg automatically becomes muktzeh. We are not ruling that it cannot be handled because of the uncertainty. Rather, once it has been decided that the egg cannot be eaten, the egg is rendered muktzeh for certain and subsequently the egg cannot be handled.

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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

If the egg that was nolad on Yom Tov is mutzeh on Yom Tov, then I would think that putting a plate over it to protect it would be preparation for after Yom Tov and prohibited in and of itself.



I discussed a similar situation with another rabbi concerning lulav & esrog. After you have taken lulav the first day, and you have no intention for anyone else to use your lulav besides yourself, why can you wrap the aravos in the wet paper towel? Isn’t that preparation for the next day?

Avromi said...

Gemora Eruvin 38 rules that one can be koneh shvisa with his feet on Yom Tov for Shabbos and the reason is because it is not evident to all that he is preparing - nonetheless he is prohibited from stating his purpose.

Perhaps in your two cases as well.

Avromi said...

More importantly, there is confusion between Rabba's hachana and your cases. Rabbas hachana is min hatorah and that is when something is changed, your cases and mine is drobonon and that there are more leniencies.

tosfos asks that cooking should be prohibited on yom tov for its changing? he answers that an egg being laid is new completely and a cooked item is just a little fixing.

DovBear said...

Hi, it would be a kindness if you changed the layout of this blog so that the text is a darker color than the background. It's hard to read, the way you have it now.
Chazak.

Avromi said...

ok will try