Why is baking permitted on Yom Tov but harvesting forbidden?
The Sages' test: if the task could have been done before Yom Tov without degradation, it's forbidden. Grain keeps; fresh bread doesn't. Baking must happen today for quality. Harvesting didn't need to wait.
Question 2
Can you cook on the first day of Yom Tov for the second day?
H24: The two days are NOT one long holiday — they're two separate sacred days. You cannot cook on day one for day two. Each day stands independently for ochel nefesh purposes.
Question 3
A woman fills an entire pot with meat on Yom Tov, though she only needs one piece. Is this permitted?
H10: A full pot of meat cooks better than a single piece. Since it genuinely improves today's meal, filling the pot is permitted. The permission is about quality, not quantity for storage.
Question 4
An egg is laid on Yom Tov. What is its status?
H19-20: The egg didn't exist before Yom Tov — it wasn't "prepared" (muchan). It may not be eaten OR carried. This principle gave Tractate Beitzah its name.
Question 5
The second day of Yom Tov in the diaspora is called "merely a custom." So why does violating it incur lashes?
H22: Despite being rabbinic/customary, violating the second day carries real penalties. The Sages gave established customs binding force — "merely a custom" doesn't mean "merely optional."