Jerusalem Talmud Sheviit 4.1

משנה: בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים מְלַקֵּט אָדָם עֵצִים וָאֲבָנִים וָעֲשָׂבִים מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁלּוֹ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהוּא מְלַקֵּט מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁל חֲבֵירוֹ אֶת הַגַּס הַגַּס. וּמִשֶּׁרָבוּ עוֹבְרֵי עֲבֵירָה הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהֵא זֶה מְלַקֵּט מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁל זֶה וְזֶה מְלַקֵּט מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁל זֶה שֶׁלֹּא בְטוֹבָה וְאֵין צוֹרֶךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁיִּקְצֹץ לָהֶן מִזוֹנוֹת.

MISHNAH: In earlier times they said a person may collect wood, stones, and grasses on his own property in the way he may collect on somebody else’s property, but only large pieces. But after transgressors became numerous they decreed that everybody only collect from somebody else’s without reciprocity and it goes without saying that he does not have to allot him food.

הלכה: בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים כו׳. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹנָה הָכֵין צוֹרְכָה מִיתְנֵי בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים מְלַקֵּט אָדָם עֵצִים וָעֲשָׂבִים מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁלּוֹ אֶת הַגַּס הַגַַּס כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהוּא מְלַקֵּט בְּשֶׁל חֲבֵירוֹ בֵּין דַּקִּים לְגַסִּים. נֶחְשְׁדוּ לִהְיוֹת מְלַקְּטִין וְהֵן אוֹמֵר בַּגַּסִּים לִיקַּטְּנוּ. הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהֵא זֶה מְלַקֵּט מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁל זֶה וְזֶה מְלַקֵּט מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁל זֶה שֶׁלֹּא בְטוֹבָה. נֶחְשְׁדוּ לִהְיוֹת מְלַקְּטִין בְּטוֹבָה וְהֵן אוֹמֵר שֶׁלֹּא בְטוֹבָה לִיקַּטְנוּ. הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ מֵבִיאִין מִן הַקָּרוֹב וּמִן הַמָּצוּי.

HALAKHAH: “In earlier times they said,” etc. Rebbi Jonah said, the Mishnah has to be stated as follows: In earlier times they said, a person may collect wood, stones, and grasses on his own property, but only large pieces, in the way he may collect on somebody else’s property both large and small pieces. When they suspected that people were collecting but were saying, we took only large pieces, they decreed that everybody only collect from somebody else’s property without reciprocity. When they suspected that people were collecting in reciprocity but saying, we collected without reciprocity, they decreed that one may collect only from close by and from what is in ample supply.

אָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָא רִאשׁוֹנָה רִאשׁוֹנָה מִתְקַיְימִין.

Rebbi Zeїra said, first and first are supported.

הָיְתָה בְהֶמְתּוֹ שָׁם בְּהֶמְתּוֹ מוֹכַחַת עָלָיו. הָיְתָה כִּירָתוֹ שָׁם כִּירָתוֹ מוֹכַחַת עָלָיו. לִיקֵּט בְּגַסִּין מַהוּ שֶׁיַּחֲזִיר וִילַקֵּט מִן הַגַּסִּים שֶׁבְּדַקִּים. אִם אָמַר אַתְּ כֵּן אַף הוּא מְלַקֵּט אֶת כָּל שָׂדֵהוּ בַשְּׁבִיעִית.

If his animal was there, his animal is proof for him. If his cooking stove was there, his cooking stove proves for him. If he collected the coarse pieces, may he come back and collect the coarsest of the smaller ones? If you say so, he will collect his entire field.

הָיְתָה שָׂדֵהוּ מְלֵיאָה גַסִּין תַּרְתֵּין מַתְנָיִין חָדָא אָמְרָה שָׁרֵי וְחָדָא אָמְרָה אָסוּר. הַמְּסַקֵּל שָׂדֵהוּ נוֹטֵל אֶת הָעֶלְיוֹנוֹת וּמַנִּיחַ אֶת הַנּוֹגְעוֹת בָּאָרֶץ הָדָא אָמְרָה שָׁרֵי. אֵי זֶהוּ הַמֵּידַל אַחַת אוֹ שְׁתַּיִם הָדָא אָמְרָה אָסוּר.

If his field was full of coarse pieces, there are two Mishnaiot; one said, it is permitted, one said, it is forbidden. (Mishnah 3:7) “He who clears his field from stones takes the upper ones and leaves those which touch the ground;” that means it is permitted. (Mishnah 4:4) “Who is the one who thins out? He takes one or two;” that means it is forbidden.

אַף בְּמוֹעֵד כֵּן. אַשְׁכָּח תַּנָּא תַּנֵּי מְלַקֵּט אָדָם עֵצִים וָעֲשָׂבִים מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁלּוֹ אֶת הַגַּס הַגַּס כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶהוּא מְלַקֵּט מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁל חֲבֵירוֹ בֵּין דַּקִּין בֵּין גַּסִּין. בִּשְׁבִיעִית אֲבָל לֹא בְּמוֹעֵד. אַף בָּאֲבָנִים כֵן. אַשְׁכָּח תַּנֵּי אַף בָּאֲבָנִים. הַלֵּב יוֹדֵעַ אִם לְעַקֵּל אִם לָעֲקַלְקָלוֹת. רִבִּי יוֹסָה בְשֵׁם מְנַחֵם רִבִי עֲקִיבָה עֲבַד כְּשִׁיטָּתֵיהּ. חָמָא חַד אִיזְמַר כַּרְמָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ וְלֵית אָסִיר. אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְעַקְלִין אֲנָא בָּעֵי הַלֵּב יוֹדֵעַ אִם לְעַקֵּול אִם לָעֲקַלְקָלוֹת.

Is it the same on the intermediate days of a holiday? A Tanna was found who stated: “A person may collect wood, stones, and grasses on his own property, but only large pieces, in the way he may collect on somebody else’s property both large and small pieces, in a Sabbatical year but not during he intermediate days of a holiday.” Is it the same for stones? It was found stated “including stones”. “The heart knows whether it is straight or crooked.” Rebbi Yosah in the name of Menaḥem: Rebbi Aqiba followed his own rule. He saw a person pruning his vineyard. He said to him, is that not forbidden? He said to him, I need it to make basket weave. The heart knows whether it is for basket weave or for crookedness.