Moed Katan

‘[God says], "I have set the likeness of mine image on them and through their sins have I upset it; let your couches be overturned1 on account thereof".’ What about one ‘separated’ [under a ban] and a leper overturning couches? Let this stand [adjourned]. A mourner is forbidden to engage in work, for it is written: And I shall turn your feasts into mourning;2 [hence we say] that just as it is forbidden to engage in work during a Feast [festival], so is it forbidden to engage in work during mourning. What about one ‘separated’ [under a ban] in regard to doing work? — Said R. Joseph: ‘Come and hear: "When the Sages said that it is forbidden them3 to engage in work, [about themselves, bathe, don shoes. . .], they laid this down only for the daytime, but at night it is all permitted and [the same restrictions] you find also in the case of one ‘separated’ and a mourner."4 Does not this refer to all those [restrictions]?’ — No, it is only to the other things, [but not to work]. Come and hear: ‘One "separated" [under a ban] teaches [others] and others teach him; he is hired [for work] and others are hired by him’.5 You may infer from that. What about a leper engaging in work? — Let this stand [adjourned]. A mourner is forbidden to wash himself, as it is written, And anoint not thyself with oil,6 and bathing is implied in anointing.7 What about one ‘separated’ [under a ban] bathing? — Said R. Joseph, Come and hear: ‘When the Sages said that it is forbidden then, to wash [on the fast day] they meant only in regard to washing the whole body, but one is permitted to wash one's face, hands or feet, and [the same restrictions] you find also in the case of one "separated" [under a ban] and a mourner’8 . Now, does not this refer to all the restrictions? — No, [only] to the others [but not to bathing]. What about the leper washing himself? — Let this stand [adjourned]. A mourner is forbidden to put on sandals [shoes], as the All Merciful ordained Ezekiel, And put thy shoes upon thy feet,9 which implies that for everyone else it is forbidden [to do so]. What about one ‘separated" [under a ban] putting on sandals? — Said R. Joseph, Come and hear: ‘When the Sages said that it is forbidden then, [on the fast day] to put on sandals, they meant only in town, but on the road it is permitted. When, for instance? When one sets out on the road he puts on [shoes], on entering town, he takes them off: and [the same] you find also in the case of one "separated" [under a ban]’.8 Now, does not this refer to all those [restrictions]?10 — No, [only] to the other.11 What about the leper putting on sandals? — Let this stand [adjourned]. A mourner is forbidden the use of the [conjugal] bed, as it is written: And David comforted Bath-Sheba his wife and went in unto her,12 which implies that before then13 it was forbidden [him]. What about one ‘separated’ [under a ban] in regard to the use of the [conjugal] bed? — Said R. Joseph, Come and hear: All those years that Israel spent in the wilderness they were ‘separated’ [under a ban]14 yet they used their [conjugal] beds.15 Said Abaye: But, maybe, the case of those who are ‘separated’ by [displeasure] of Heaven is different because it is less serious? [You say], ‘less serious’! But you argued [before]16 that it was more serious? — He is uncertain on the point; [if you] go [and argue] this way, he rebuts it, and if you go [and argue] the other way, he [again] rebuts it. What about a leper, in regard to the use of the [conjugal] bed? — Come and hear, for it is taught: ‘[It is written], But [he] shall dwell outside his tent seven days’,17 that is, he shall be like one ‘separated’ [under a ban] and like a mourner; and he is forbidden the use of the [conjugal] bed, as ‘[outside] his tent’ means only [apart from] his wife, as it is said: Go say to them: Return ye to your tents.18 You may infer it from that. Then could not one now by this [conclusion] solve the above question [on this point] about one ‘separated’ [under a ban]? — Said R. Huna19 son of Phineas in R. Joseph's name: Does it state [categorically] that he [the leper] is forbidden [like one ‘separated’]? It only states that he is like one ‘separated’ [under a ban] and like a mourner in respect of other things and that he be [also] forbidden the use of the [conjugal] bed.20 A mourner does not send his sacrifices [to the Temple], for it is taught: Says R. Simeon, [It is written, And thou shalt sacrifice] peace-offerings21 and eat there,22 and thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God,23 that is, one offers ‘peace-offerings’ [only] at times when one is untroubled,24 but not at a time when one is onen,25 What about one ‘separated’ [under a ban], should he [then] send his offerings? — Said R. Joseph, Come and hear: All those years that Israel spent in the wilderness they were ‘separated’ [under a ban]26 and [yet] they sent their offerings [to the Tabernacle]. Said Abaye to him: But perhaps one ‘separated’ by [the displeasure of] Heaven is different, because it is not so serious? [You say], ‘Not so serious’! But you argued [before] that it was more serious! — [Abaye] being uncertain on the point rebutted it [either way]. What about a leper, may he send his [sacrificial] offerings? — Come and hear: And after he [a defied priest] is cleansed27 — [that is, cleansed]28 after coming away from his dead near of kin — they shall reckon unto him seven days29 — those are the seven days which he has to count30 — and in the day that he goeth into the Sanctuary,31 into the inner court,32 to minister in the Sanctuary, he shall offer his sin-offering33 Weeks and Tabernacles) and after the altar rites had been performed and the priests given their due portions (Lev. VII, 29-34), the worshippers with their family group ate the remainder of the sacrificial meat in a state of ritual purity as joyous celebrants (Deut. XII, 6-7; 17-19; XXVII, 7). XIX, 11-13; 19-20. having separated from the corpse; but the use of the phrase ‘they shall reckon seven days’ instead of ‘they shall sprinkle upon him’ is taken to be reminiscent of the seven days for a leper on his recovery and his preliminary ritual cleansing, before leaving his place of Isolation (Lev. XI V, 1-8), which were followed by another seven days of ritual purification before he may proceed on the eighth day with his final purification and atonement. (Ibid. 8-11). Accordingly, the case of a leprous priest is read into the text of Ezekiel. For obviously it would be useless to cleanse a leprous priest (or layman) from his defilement by the dead while still being unclean as a leper, and as such unfit to enter the camp or sanctuary. Lev. Xlv, 52; Num. VIII, 7; XIX, 9, 12, 19). V. supra n. 3.