Dear Rabbi Kornfeld and Colleagues,
Why does the gemara refer to newly fallen dates as muktzeh and not nolad?
Shabbat Shalom,
Yehuda
Rashi on our Gemara explains that the dates are Muktzeh Machmas Isur. In other words, Muktzeh due to the fact that on Erev Shabbos at sunset it was impossible to use the dates without transgressing an Isur, in this case the Isur of Telishah.
From this we can infer that Rashi is of the opinion that the dates are not considered to be Nolad. Nolad means that at the time of sunset on Erev Shabos, the use that now awaits this article was not then awaiting it. However on Erev Shabos at sunset, these dates were awaiting to be eaten, except that it was forbidden to eat them due to Isur Telishah.
Dov Freedman
As Rav Freedman pointed out, this cannot be compared to dates that were eaten on Yom Tov, exposing their pits which then first became available for firewood, or nuts which were cracked on Shabbos, giving the shells the new status of firewood.
M. KORNFELD