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Beitzah Chapter 1, Mishnah 10: Sending Items on Yom Tov

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The Mishnah continues to discuss sending objects to other people on Yom Tov.

Sending Garments:

The Mishnah rules that one may send garments, whether they have been sewn together and are ready to be worn or whether they have not been sewn together. Even an unsewn garment serves a purpose: in those days people would cover themselves even with a garment that was not sewn and would make use of it, so it has a practical benefit.

The Mishnah goes on to say that this is permitted even if the garment contains shaatnez, which of course renders the garment forbidden for ordinary wear. The commentators explain, however, that the Mishnah is speaking of an unusual garment - an extremely stiff garment that does not warm the body. Under such circumstances, when the material is especially stiff, it is something a person is permitted only to sit upon, and not to wear.

A Nailed Sandal:

The entire permission to send items depends on their being fit for use on Yom Tov. Therefore one may not send a sandal into which nails have been fastened, since the Sages forbade wearing such a sandal on Shabbos and Yom Tov following an incident that occurred: the government issued a decree against the Jews, and they hid in a cave. When they thought they heard the sound of an approaching enemy, they pushed against one another and killed each other with the nails in their shoes - more than the enemy had killed among them. At that time the Sages declared that a person may not wear a nailed sandal.

Although the incident took place on Shabbos, they forbade it specifically on Shabbos and Yom Tov, precisely because these are the times when people gather together, and in this way it would be clear to everyone that this incident must be remembered.

A Shoe That Is Not Ready to Be Worn:

  • A shoe that has not been sewn: One may not send it, and even if it is currently held together by wooden pegs - as the Gemara states - it is still not fit for use.

  • A white shoe that has not been dyed: Rav Yehudah says that this too may not be sent, since it still requires a craftsman to blacken it. Shoes were made from undyed leather and were dyed afterward, and as long as a shoe has not been dyed it is not ready to be worn. In Rav Yehudah's locale the practice was not to wear a white shoe until it had been blackened, and therefore he said that it may not be sent on Yom Tov.

"Zeh Ha'klal":

The Mishnah concludes with a general rule: "Zeh ha'klal... b'Yom Tov meshalchin oso" - anything from which one can derive benefit may be sent on Yom Tov. The Gemara explains that it is enough that the benefit exists on weekdays, such as tefillin, which are not worn on Yom Tov; since benefit can be derived from them during the week, they may be sent on Yom Tov.