Mishnah 7. In this mishnah too we return to the conduct and rulings of Rabban Gamliel. In the previous mishnah we listed three stringencies that he adopted in accordance with the view of Beis Shammai, and in contrast to them Rabban Gamliel stated three matters in which one may be lenient on Yom Tov.
"Mechabdin bein hamitos" - one may sweep between the couches:
The couches mentioned here are the reclining couches on which people in ancient times would eat their meals. The sweeping was done on a dirt floor, and hence the concern: sweeping is liable to level out hollows, since the depressions in the floor will be filled in and evened out, and this would fall under the labor of building on Yom Tov.
Rabban Gamliel, however, ruled that this concern applies to sweeping the entire house, and not to sweeping between the couches alone. Since we are dealing with a small area, which is swept only so that dust should not settle on those reclining to eat, we may assume that there are no hollows there that need leveling. After all, that spot was swept regularly, day after day, and so any depressions there were already leveled out during the weekdays, and it is unlikely that depressions will be found there on Yom Tov. For this reason he permitted it.
"Umanichin es hamugmar b'Yom Tov" - and one may set down the incense on Yom Tov:
The second leniency is to take incense and place it on coals on Yom Tov in order to produce fragrant smoke. The rule in this matter is that one may permit a pleasure that involves a forbidden labor only if it is a pleasure that everyone enjoys; but something reserved for certain particular and fastidious people alone may not be permitted. The Sages held that burning incense is not included among the permitted pleasures, while Rabban Gamliel ruled that this is a common and sufficiently widespread pleasure, and therefore permitted it on Yom Tov.
"V'osin g'di mekulas b'leilei Pesachim" - and one may prepare a whole roasted kid on the nights of Pesach:
This halachah, although it occurs on Yom Tov, does not concern the laws of Yom Tov as such, but rather the matter of the korban Pesach. A 'mekulas' is a lamb or a young goat roasted whole, and Rabban Gamliel permitted preparing one on the night of Pesach even outside Yerushalayim, even though it is not an offering at all.
The concern of the Sages was for appearances, that it would look as though one were offering and eating sacrificial meat outside, beyond Yerushalayim, which is of course a serious problem. But Rabban Gamliel permitted it, since once these are not sacrificial meat at all, there is no need to be concerned merely for the appearance of sacrificial meat.
In summary: In all three of these matters the Sages disagreed with him - "V'chachamim osrin" - and the Sages forbid: one may not sweep even between the couches, one may not place the incense on the coals on Yom Tov, and one may not prepare a whole roasted kid on the nights of Pesach.