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Why is making cheese permitted on Yom Tov as boneh while building a house is forbidden, when both fall under the same melacha? Tosafos (תוספות) identifies a fundamental contradiction: if boneh is permitted for ochel nefesh, it should be permitted she'lo letzorech ochel nefesh too. The shiur examines this classic Tosafos with its twenty-five proposed resolutions.
Rabbi Zweig presents a complex Tosafos (תוספות) that questions the logical consistency of Yom Tov melachos, specifically focusing on the melacha of boneh (building). The discussion centers on Tosafos's observation of an apparent contradiction in the halacha (הלכה). The Gemara (גמרא) permits making cheese on Yom Tov, categorizing this activity as boneh because cheese transforms from a liquid state into a solid form, which constitutes a form of building. However, one is clearly forbidden from building a house on Yom Tov, despite both activities falling under the same melacha category of boneh. The challenge becomes more pronounced when considering a fundamental principle of Yom Tov: any melacha that is permitted for ochel nefesh (food preparation) is also permitted she'lo letzorech ochel nefesh (not for the purpose of food). This principle typically allows one to perform melachos like making fire or carrying even when not directly related to food preparation, as long as the melacha itself is permitted on Yom Tov for food purposes.
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Shabbos 133b-134a
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