Beitzah 40b (מ:) — the Talmud in English

He said to him

Rabbi to his son:

There is no muktzeh according to Rabbi Shimon

except for dried figs and raisins,

which were initially fit for eating, but he actively set them aside in order to dry them, and they are no longer fit for eating until they dry. Therefore, even if they subsequently become fit for eating on Shabbat, they continue to be muktzeh, because the setting aside that he performed actively is an absolute setting aside; and with regard to an absolute setting aside, Rabbi Shimon concedes that even an item fit for eating is muktzeh.

But he did not actively set aside these date shoots, and there are those who eat them as they are.

We have thus learned from Rabbi’s statement, in which he debated the opinion of Rabbi Shimon, that his view is like that of Rabbi Shimon: muktzeh should not be prohibited with regard to an item fit for eating, except in the case of dried figs and raisins, which he sets aside from himself with an absolute setting aside. But this does not apply to desert animals that are fit for eating and that he did not actively set aside from using them?!

The Gemara offers three answers to this difficulty:

a.

Alternatively,

he can tell you the following answer:

these too,

even the desert animals that do not enter settled areas at all,

are comparable to dried figs and raisins,

since he actively sets them aside from himself with an absolute setting aside when he sends them into the wilderness; and even Rabbi Shimon concedes with regard to them.

b.

Alternatively:

Rabbi himself does not hold like Rabbi Shimon, and therefore he prohibits the desert animals. His debate concerning the opinion of Rabbi Shimon

was only according to Rabbi Shimon’s position,

as he

said,

but

as for him,

Rabbi himself,

he does not hold

like Rabbi Shimon.

c.

Alternatively:

Indeed, Rabbi himself does not hold that muktzeh is prohibited even with regard to the desert animals. His dispute with the Sages concerning the nature of the desert animals

was only according to the position of the Sages,

as he

said to them.

And this is what he said to them:

As for me, there is no muktzeh

at all except for dried figs and raisins, and even completely desert animals are not prohibited.

But as for you,

who hold that muktzeh is prohibited,

at least concede to me

that the animals are not prohibited

when they go out and graze on Passover and enter at the first rainfall,

since

these

animals

are domesticated,

and there is no basis for prohibiting them according to everyone.

And the Sages said to him: No,

it is not as you said. Rather, even those that enter at the first rainfall

are desert animals,

and they are prohibited according to our view.

We shall return to you, chapter “Mashilin” concerning produce, and the tractate Beitza is completed.