Moed Katan

Now if you say that there is a difference here in the case of the infant,1 you are this implying that [the observance of] mourning obtains in the case of a minor, whereas it is taught: ‘A minor's garment is rent out of grief of soul’?2 R. Ashi said [that the negative inference is faulty, for] does it [actually] state ‘but those who are forbidden’?3 Perhaps [it means to state] that some there are who are forbidden4 and some others who are permitted.5 Amemar, or some say. R. Shisha son of R. Idi, taught thus: ‘Samuel said: "An infant may be cropped in the festival [week]: it makes no difference whether he was born during the festival [week] or was born before".’ Said R. Phineas: We learned this also [indirectly] from [the following]: ‘Every one of those mentioned [by the Sages] as being permitted to crop during the festival [week] may likewise crop his hair during the [thirty] days of his mourning’; which means conversely, but every one of those who is forbidden to crop during the festival [week] is likewise forbidden to crop during the [thirty] days of his mourning. Now if you say that a [newly-born] infant is forbidden [to be cropped] you find yourself [implying] that [the observance of] mourning obtains in the case of a minor; whereas it is taught [distinctly]: ‘The garment of a minor is rent [merely] out of grief of soul’? — Said R. Ashi: [That negative inference is faulty for] does it [actually] state, ‘But he who is forbidden [in the festival week] is also forbidden during his [thirty] days of mourning? Probably it means that some there are who are forbidden and some others who are permitted. A mourner does not deport himself as one in mourning during a festival, as it is said: And thou shalt rejoice in the feast.6 [For], if his mourning began before [the festival], a positive precept incumbent on the community7 overrides one incumbent on him as an individual;8 and if his mourning began just then [during the festival], an individual's function cannot come and put off that of the public. Now what about one separated [under a ban]? Should he deport himself as one in ‘separation’ during a festival? — Said R. Joseph: Come and hear: ‘They [the Courts] deal with capital offenses, with [offenses involving judicial] floggings9 and monetary suits,10 [during the festival week]’. [This implies that] if one heeds not the [court's] decision, we put him under a ban.11 Now if you presume that he should not deport himself during the festival like one under ‘separation’, [then] seeing that where one is already fallen under a ban, the festival comes and suspends [the ban],12 shall we pronounce him banned in the first instance [during the festival]? Abaye replied: Perhaps [the object of the adjudication is] to examine the charge against him.13 For, should you not say thus, then ‘capital offenses’ therein mentioned would likewise mean indeed that they would have him slain; but surely thereby they [the judges] themselves would be debarred from ‘rejoicing in the feast’ [as is Scripturally ordained], as it is taught:14 Says R. Akiba: Whence may it be shown that a Sanhedrin [Court] that put a [sinning] soul to death do not taste [food] all that day? From the instructive text ‘Ye shall not eat on the blood’.15 Therefore [I say] it must be only to examine the charge against him, and likewise here it is only to examine the charge against him. Said R. Joseph to him: If [you explain it] so, the result is that you delay the execution of his sentence [which is forbidden]?16 But [I take it], they come early in the morning and examine the charges against him; then they go home and eat and drink all that day17 and, coming back with the setting sun, they do give a final decision and [also] have him put to death.18 Said Abaye: Come and hear:19 OR ONE UNDER A BAN TO WHOM THE SAGES HAVE GRANTED ABSOLUTION.20 Said Raba: Does it state: ‘Whom the Sages granted absolution’? It says: OR ONE UNDER A BAN TO WHOM THE SAGES HAVE [JUST] GRANTED ABSOLUTION, [that is] where he [the offender] went and appeased the plaintiff and then came before our Rabbis21 and they then set him free [from restraints].22 What about a leprous person; does he deport himself as a leper during the festival?23 — Said Abaye: ‘Come and hear: AND [ALSO] A NAZIR OR LEPER EMERGING FROM HIS [STATE OF] IMPURITY TO [BEGIN] HIS PURIFICATION [may crop his hair and wash his garments],24 which implies that during the days of his impurity he does deport himself [as a leper]’! — [No]; the Tanna considered that this goes without saying [and is to be understood thus]: It goes without saying that he does not deport himself [as a leper] during the festival.25 But when [he is emerging] into his state of cleanness we might [be inclined to] restrict him, in case he might defer26 making his [preliminary] offerings [of purification].27 Therefore he informs us [that he may, nevertheless].28 Said Raba: Come and hear:29 ‘[It is taught]: And the leper. [in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent and the hair of his head shall be loose . . .],30 that is meant to include a High Priest [in this rule]’. Now [we learned] a High Priest all through the year is on a par with any other person on a festival, as we learned: The High Priest may make sacrifice [on the altar] even when he be onen,31 without however eating thereof! From this [latter restriction of even a High Priest] you can infer [about the former] that he should deport himself as a leper during the festival. — Infer that. A mourner is forbidden to cut his hair, because since the Divine Law ordained the sons of Aaron:32 Let not the hair of your heads go loose,33 we infer that for everybody else [cutting the hair] is forbidden consequently on the principle just enunciated he may not be cropped on his days of mourning. of grief among the mourners by including the young, unknowing child in the sorrow. (thirty) days of mourning’. Mak., Sonc. ed. p. 90, n. 1. disobedient and consequently proves that the regulations of the ban are in force on the festival week.] the festival from the disabilities of a ban. after the festival. V. Ritba. bring them on the last day of the festival when a private sacrifice may not be offered. after which he washed his clothes and shaved his body and was to return to the camp’ (home) and after another seven days to complete his ‘purification and atonement by sacrifice at the Temple. is’ still, the wording is taken to include especially the otherwise exceptional person of the High Priest, who may never grow long hair or wear torn clothes, even when a mourner. Lev. XXI, 10. experience of Aaron who lost two of his soils on the day of his induction as High Priest. He then offered up the sacrifices, but did not partake of the holy meat. V. Lev. X, 16; 16-20. Cf. Hor., Sonc. ed. pp. 90 and 93. Any other priest may not officiate during the state of onen, except on festivals when the law of onen does not apply.