Translation:Mishnah/Seder Moed/Tractate Shabbat/Chapter 1/2

Hebrew Text

 * לא יישב אדם לפני הספר סמוך למנחה, עד שיתפלל,
 * ולא ייכנס לא למרחץ, ולא לבורסקי, ולא לאכול, ולא לדון.
 * ואם התחילו, אין מפסיקין.
 * מפסיקין לקרית שמע, ואין מפסיקין לתפילה.

English Translation

 * A man may not sit before the barber close to [the time of] mincha,
 * And may not enter either a bath-house, a tannery, [or enter] to eat, or for judgment [in court].
 * But if [individuals] began, they do not [need to] interrupt.
 * We interrupt for the recitation of Shema, but we do not interrupt for prayers.



Close to the time of mincha
The mishnah is refering to the afternoon mincha prayers. Once the time of the mincha prayers begins, one may not in general begin any new activity before praying. The mishnah deals with the situation where one wants to begin a new activity shortly before the time of mincha arrives.

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