the Sages." But the Sages say, "in Judah they did
work on the eves of the passovers for half a day, and in Galilee they did
nothing." And work in the night before the passover the school of Shammai
disallowed; but the school of Hillel "allowed it till sunrise."

6. Rabbi Meier said, "every work which was begun before the fourteenth day
of Nisan may be finished on the fourteenth; but it must not be commenced
on the fourteenth, even though it can be finished." And the Sages say,
"three trades can carry on business on the eves of the passovers for half
a day; and these are they--the tailors, and the barbers, and the washers."
Rabbi Jose, the son of Judah, said, "also shoemakers."

7. Persons may set hens on their nests on the fourteenth. "But if the hen
ran off?" "They may return her to her place." "And if she died?" "They may
set another instead of her." They may clear away from beneath the feet of
beasts on the fourteenth. But on the holiday (or middle-days) they put it
aside. They may carry to and bring vessels from the house of the trader,
even though they be not necessary for the holiday.

8. The men of Jericho did six things, in three they were prohibited, and
in three they were allowed. And these are they in which they were allowed:
they engrafted dates the whole fourteenth day of Nisan, and they shortened
the "Hear,"(142) and they reaped and stacked new corn before "the
sheaf"(143) was offered; and they were allowed. And in these they were
prohibited: they used the produce of what was consecrated, and they ate on
the Sabbath the fruit that had fallen down from the trees, and they
gave(144) (to the poor) the corners of the fields of vegetables. And the
Sages prohibited them from these things.(145)

9. BEREITHA--EXTERNAL TRADITION.--Hezekiah the king did six things; to three
the Sages consented, and to three they did not consent. He carried the
bones of his father (Ahaz) on a rope bed,(146) and they consented. He
powdered the brazen serpent,(147) and they consented. He concealed the
book of medicines,(148) and they consented. And to three they did not
consent: he cut off (the gold from) the doors of the temple(149) and sent
it to the Assyrian king, and they did not consent. He stopped the waters
of the upper Gihon,(150) and they did not consent. He introduced an
intercalary Nisan, and they did not consent.

Chapter V

1. The daily offering was slaughtered at half-past eight,(151) and offered
at half-past