(Mishnah): If a field had its thorns removed during Sheviis to prepare it for planting, it may be planted after Sheviis. If it was plowed or a pen was made in it (to fertilize the ground), it may not be planted after Sheviis.

If a field was plowed - Beis Shammai say that one may not eat from its produce (that grew naturally) in Sheviis; Beis Hillel permit it.

Beis Shammai say that one may not eat from its produce and have gratitude (to the field owner); Beis Hillel permits it, even with gratitude.

(R. Yehuda): It's the opposite - Beis Shammai are lenient and Beis Hillel are stringent.

(Gemara): "If a field had its thorns removed etc.'' In Bavel they understand the word "Niskavsah'' to mean removing thorns; in Eretz Yisrael they said that it means to plow.

How do Rabbanan of Eretz Yisrael then understand the second phrase "Nitayvah''? Everyone else usually plows once and he plows twice.

Question: Did they permit everyone to plow once in Sheviis to remove the thorns?

Answer (R. Yosi bei R. Bun): There (in Bavel), the government aren't forcing them; in Eretz Yisrael, the government are forcing them, so Chazal allowed plowing once.

Originally, when the government was forcing it, R. Yannai instructed that they may do the first plowing. One evildoer worked his field in Sheviis. He saw people removing stones from fields on Sheviis. He said, "Just because they permitted you to plow, does that mean that you can remove stones?''

Question (R. Yaakov bar Zavdi to R. Abahu): (Why would the government forcing them allow them to plow?) Didn't R. Zeira and R. Yochanan say in the name of R. Yannai and R. Yirmiyah and R. Yochanan say in the name of R. Shimon ben Yehutzedek that in the attic of the house of Netaza in Lod, they determined - Throughout the Torah, what is the source to say that if an idolater tells a Yisrael to transgress one of the Mitzvos, aside from idolatry, immorality and murder, that he should transgress rather than be killed?

Conclusion of question: This is referring to when he spoke to him privately, but if it was in public, even for a lenient Mitzvah, he should not agree to transgress. For example, Lulainus and his brother Papus were given a colored glass utensil from which to drink (which was the custom of idolaters) and they refused it. (If so, how could R. Yannai permit plowing, if the government made a public decree?)

Answer: The law that one must lay down one's life rather than transgress was only said about a decree of religious persecution. Here, they only intended to charge taxes.

Question: How many is considered 'in public'? The Rabbanan of Kisarin said ten, as the pasuk states (Vayikra 22:32), "I shall be sanctified amidst the children of Yisrael''.

People once saw R. Avunah Zeirah running after a donkey on Shabbos. (This involved the Torah prohibition of Mechamer - causing an animal to work on Shabbos. He did this because he was forced by the idolaters for their own benefit.) R. Yona and R. Yosi once permitted baking bread for the head of the army and his soldiers on Shabbos, since their lives were in danger.

(R. Mana): I asked my father R. Yona - Didn't R. Zeira and R. Yochanan say in the name of R. Yannai and R. Yirmiyah and R. Yochanan say in the name of R. Shimon ben Yehutzedek that in the attic of the house of Netaza in Lod, they determined - Throughout the Torah, what is the source to say that if an idolater tells a Yisrael to transgress one of the Mitzvos, aside from idolatry, immorality and murder, that he should transgress rather than be killed?

Conclusion of question: This is referring to when he spoke to him privately, but if it was in public, even for a lenient Mitzvah, he should not agree to transgress. For example, Lulainus and his brother Papus were given a colored glass utensil from which to drink (which was the custom of idolaters) and they refused it.

Answer (R. Yona): It wasn't an act of religious persecution - they just wanted hot bread.

Question: How many is considered 'in public'? The Rabbanan of Kisarin said ten, as the pasuk states (Vayikra 22:32), "I shall be sanctified amidst the children of Yisrael''.