Beitzah 4:2 - 4:3

אין נוטלין עצים מהן הסוכה – even from a booth that is not of the Mitzvah (i.e., an ordinary booth on the property – not necessarily for Sukkot) such as on Passover or Atzeret/Shavuot, we don’t take from it wood on the Festival day (see Talmud Betzah 31a) because of the tearing down/destruction of the tent.

אלא מן הסמוך לה – such as reeds that are standing near the walls that are not woven with the wall and are not abolished by the wall, therefore, we may take from them on the Festival day.

מביאין עצים – detached [wood] pieces

מן השדה – that are within the [Sabbath] limit from what is stored up/brought in.

ומן הקרפף אפילו מן המפוזר – Our Mishnah represents the opinion of a singular authority and is not Halakha. But rather, the Halakha is that one does not bring in wood other than from the that which is gathered/collected in the enclosure (especially, an enclosed space outside of a settlement). But he should not bring it in from field at all, and even from that which is collected, for his mind is not upon it, since they are not guarded there. But from the enclosure which is guarded and surrounded about, when they are brought in his mind is upon them.

כל שסמוך לעיר – in actuality, and that it has an opening, a key and is guarded, for Rabbi Yehuda requires two things – near the city and has a key/lock. But because he holds that mere enclosures have keys, because of this, he is not anxious to mention it.

ר"י אומר כל שנכנסין לו בפותחת, ואפילו בתוך תחום שבת – since he has key, he doesn’t require it to be close by, but even if it is far until it is close to the end of the Sabbath limit boundary. And if it is nearby, we don’t require a key/lock. For something nearby without a key or a key without it being nearby is permissible. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yosi.

אין מבקעין עצים מן הקורות – that are set up in the Land, in order that they do not curve, and stand for building.

ולא מן הקורה שנשברה ביו"ט – and even though that now they exist for burning, at eventide, they don’t exist for this.

ואין מבקעין לא בקרדום – Our Mishnah is deficient and should be read as follows, but they chop firewood from the beam that was broken on the eve of the Festival day, and when they chop it, they should not do so with an ax.

ולא במגרה – a sort of long knife filled with notches and cuts with it thick wood, for it is the utensil of an artisan.

מגל – this also is the tool of an artisan, and appears like [one] wanting to do work.

אלא בקופיץ – a mere hatchet (i.e., curved cutting tool) is a knife of butchers and is not the utensil of an artisan. And there are among them those which have two heads, one head is wide and is called the broadside of a double tool (see Talmud Betzah 31b), and the other head is narrow and is called the thin and pointed side of a double tool, and we don’t chop with it other than where its head is narrow and is the thin and pointed side of the double tool.

ונוטל ממקום הפחת – and we don’t say that they are in consequence of a ritual prohibition, for he is not able to make a breach/hollow it out on Yom Tov and his mind is upon them, for the hut/house that is taught In our Mishnah speaks of that which is not built with plaster and lime, but is an arrangement of stones one on top of another without plaster, and not that its breach is not forbidden according to the Torah, therefore they are not forbidden for use or handling [on Shabbat and Festivals], and since we have said regarding eatables forbidden pending the separation of sacred gifts are not forbidden for use and handing and if he transgressed and repaired it, it is made legally fit by giving priestly dues.

אף פוחת לכתחלה – for since there is no plaster there but only bricks stacked on top of the other, he does not tear them down and iit is permitted to make a breach ab initio. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Meir.