Moed Katan 14

Chapter 14

א בהסגר שני מר סבר בכהן תליא מילתא אי טהור אמר ליה טהור ואי טמא שתיק ומר סבר (ויקרא יג, נט) לטהרו או לטמאו כתיב
1 in the case of one under a second [observational] detention: one Master [R'Meir] considers that it is left to [the discretion of] the priest, so that if the patient is [found] 'clean' he declares him 'clean', and if he is [found] 'unclean' he holds his peace; while the other Master [R'Jose] considers that, [since] it is written: [Th is the law of the plague and leprosy.], to pronounce it clean or unclean,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIII, 59.');"><sup>1</sup></span> [the priest has no choice].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And he must declare one or the other, according to his findings.');"><sup>2</sup></span> The Master said: Said Rabbi, R'Jose's statement seems appropriately applied to the case of a decided leper<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To make no inspection so as to avoid the adverse decision being given in the festival week.');"><sup>3</sup></span>
ב אמר מר אמר רבי נראין דברי רבי יוסי במוחלט ודברי ר' מאיר במוסגר והתניא איפכא
2 and R'Meir's to one under [observational] detention.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The order of the statements is reversed but not the substance.');"><sup>4</sup></span> But the reverse<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Viz., that R. Jose's ruling is appropriate to a case under second observation and R. Meir's to that of a confirmed leper.');"><sup>5</sup></span> is taught [elsewhere]? - Both versions are [variant] tannaitic interpretations of Rabbi's observation.
ג תנאי היא אליבא דרבי מר סבר צוותא דעלמא עדיף ליה
3 One [authority]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The second Baraitha which regards the view of R. Meir as appropriate to a confirmed leper and that of R. Jose to a case under second detention.');"><sup>6</sup></span> is of the opinion that the patient prefers the company of the world at large<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus: R. Meir, having in mind a confirmed leper, says: 'Inspect him now to mitigate his plight. If he is still a leper, he loses nothing. If he is found cured, he can at once get back to the town by beginning his first ritual cleansing; and although he has thereupon to part from his wife for seven days, he does not mind it as he prefers to get back to his friends in town'. And R. Jose, thinking of the case of a second detention, says: 'No inspection! For if you find him a leper you must confirm him as such and send him into complete isolation, right away from everybody (save from his wife) '.');"><sup>7</sup></span> [during the Festival], while the other [authority]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first Baraitha quoted.');"><sup>8</sup></span>
ד ומר סבר צוותא דאשתו עדיפא ליה
4 holds that he prefers to retain his wife's company.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus: R. Jose, thinking of a confirmed leper says: 'No inspection! For if you examine and find him clean" (cured)="" ,="" he="" must="" at="" once="" begin="" counting="" seven="" days="" of="" his="" ceremonial="" cleansing="" (referred="" to="" infra)="" and="" live="" apart="" from="" wife.="" leave="" him="" alone,="" therefore,="" just="" now;="" prefers="" wife's="" company="" getting="" back="" the="" town'.="" r.="" meir,="" thinking="" a="" case="" second="" observation,="" says:="" 'examine="" ease="" plight.="" if="" you="" find="" "clean"="" is="" happy="" with="" favourable="" decision;="" "unclean",="" (make="" no="" pronouncement="" yet,="" or)="" even="" declare="" confirmed="" leper="" had="" be="" strictly="" isolated,="" will="" not="" much="" worse="" off,="" as="" still="" retains="" company'.');"=""><sup>9</sup></span> Is that to say that [according to Rabbi]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As implied in the discussion.');"><sup>10</sup></span> a confirmed leper may have the use of the [conjugal] bed? - [Yes], it is taught: But he shall dwell outside his tent seven days,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes . . and bathe himself in water and he shall be clean; and after that he may come (back) into the camp, but he shall dwell . ., Lev. XIV, 8.');"><sup>11</sup></span>
ה למימרא דמוחלט מותר בתשמיש המטה אין והתניא (ויקרא יד, ח) וישב מחוץ לאהלו שבעת ימים שיהא אסור בתשמיש המטה ואין אהלו אלא אשתו שנאמר (דברים ה, ל) לך אמור להם שובו לכם לאהליכם ר' יהודה אומר (יחזקאל מד, כו) שבעת ימים יספרו לו ימי ספירו ולא ימי חלוטו
5 [that is] he shall be<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Var. lec. (v. D.S., Han.) add here: 'As one under a ban and as a mourner and'; cf. infra 15b.');"><sup>12</sup></span> precluded from the use of the [conjugal] bed; for 'tent' means nothing but [living with] his wife, as it is said: Go, say unto them return ye unto your tents.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. V, 27, which is taken to mean the removal of the injunction, 'Come not near a woman' before the theophany. Ex. XIX, 14-15 and Bez. 5b.');"><sup>13</sup></span> R'Judah says:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., Rabbi, as in the texts of Sifra, ad loc. ed. Weiss, ');"><sup>14</sup></span>
ו ר' יוסי בר' יהודה אומר ז' ימי ספירו ק"ו לימי חלוטו
6 [It is written,] [And after he is cleansed] they shall reckon fo him seven days,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XLIV, 26. Although that passage speaks of the ceremonial cleansing after contact with the dead - cf. Num. XIX, II, 12ff, 19 - it is taken exegetically, as having also a bearing on the leper's ceremonial cleansing. Cf. p. 35, n. 11e. o,uh');"><sup>15</sup></span> [which implies that he is precluded only] while counting his seven days ['after he is cleansed] but not while he is a confirmed leper'. R'Jose B'Judah says: '[I take it to mean he is precluded] while counting seven days [and] all the more so while he is a confirmed leper'.'
ז וא"ר חייא דנתי לפני רבי לימדתנו רבינו יותם לא היה לו לעוזיהו אלא בימי חלוטו אמר לו אף אני כך אמרתי
7 And' 'said R'Hiyya: 'I argued on this point before Rabbi'. Our Master! [said I], You taught that [King] Jotham could not have been born unto Uzziahu<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to calculation. V. Rashi on II Kings XV, 1; and Tosaf. s.v. .');"><sup>16</sup></span> save during the time that he was a confirmed leper,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. II Chron. XXVI, 19ff, and II Kings XV, 5.');"><sup>17</sup></span>
ח במאי קמיפלגי ר' יוסי בר' יהודה סבר גלי רחמנא בימי ספירו וכ"ש בימי חלוטו ומר סבר מאי דגלי גלי ומאי דלא גלי לא גלי
8 [to which] Rabbi replied, 'and I said so too'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That a leper may consort with his wife while a confirmed leper. This proves that Rabbi permits a confirmed leper the use of the conjugal bed.');"><sup>18</sup></span> Wherein do they differ? - R'Jose B'Judah argues that as the All Merciful has plainly indicated<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIV, 8 and Ezek. XLIV, 26.');"><sup>19</sup></span> that a convalescent leper ['shall dwell outside his tent']<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Avoid marital connection. htn');"><sup>20</sup></span>
ט למימרא דבכהן תליא מילתא אין והתניא (ויקרא יג, יד) וביום הראות בו יש יום שאתה רואה בו ויש יום שאי אתה רואה בו
9 while counting his seven days [of preliminary ritual purification] it is all the more [to be expected that he be apart from his wife] while being in the state of a confirmed leper; and the [other] Master [Rabbi] argues that what has been plainly indicated is [to be kept as] indicated and what has not been indicated is not [to be assumed as] indicated.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' There is no need or warrant to extend the restriction. V. Tosaf. s.v. .');"><sup>21</sup></span> [Reverting to Raba's explanation above], do you mean to say that [the postponement of an unfavourable pronouncement or of the time of inspection]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' During the festival week, in a case of a second observational detention, as suggested by Raba.');"><sup>22</sup></span> is [solely] dependent on the discretion of the priest?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And not on the condition of the patient, or the ruling of Holy Writ which fixes definite periods for inspection and detention.');"><sup>23</sup></span>
י מכאן אמרו חתן שנולד בו נגע נותנין לו ז' ימי המשתה לו ולביתו ולכסותו וכן ברגל נותנין לו שבעת ימי הרגל דברי רבי יהודה
10 - Yea, indeed, as it is taught [in the following]: And on a day when [raw flesh] shall be seen in him [he shall be unclean; and the priest shall lood on the raw flesh and pronounce him unclean],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIII, 14-15. The first part is rendered here according to the needs of the exposition.');"><sup>24</sup></span> which means that there is a day when you do see it in him as well as a day when you do not see it in him. Hence said they [the Sages] that if a groom developed symptoms of leprosy they grant him [delay of inspection to the end of] the seven days of the [marriage] feast,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Gen. XXIX, 27-28 with Nahmanides' commentary a.l. also J. Targum a.l.');"><sup>25</sup></span>
יא ר' אומר אינו צריך הרי הוא אומר (ויקרא יד, לו) וצוה הכהן ופנו את הבית אם ממתינים לו לדבר הרשות כל שכן לדבר מצוה
11 whether it be his person, or his house<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIV, 35-38.');"><sup>26</sup></span> or his garment<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XIII, 47,50ff.');"><sup>27</sup></span> [that is affected]; an likewise [if the symptoms developed] during a festival they grant him [the patient] all<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Mishnah, Sifra and Han. read 'all the days . ., which is more correct than our text, as Shabu'oth is shorter and Tabernacles is longer than seven days.');"><sup>28</sup></span>
יב מאי בינייהו אמר אביי משמעות דורשין איכא בינייהו ורבא אמר דבר הרשות איכא בינייהו
12 the seven days of the festival: thus R'Judah. Rabbi says: There is no need [to resort to this text] as it says: And the priest sh command that they empty the house<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Affected by symptoms of leprosy.');"><sup>29</sup></span> [before the priest goes in to see the plague that all that is in the ho be not made unclean].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIV, 36.');"><sup>30</sup></span>
יג ורבי יהודה מהתם לא גמרינן דחידוש הוא
13 Now if [the inspection is] here delayed for his convenience, which is just an optional [matter],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To save his effects in the house from becoming involved in defilement by the priest's declaration.');"><sup>31</sup></span> may it not all the more be deferred for his [due observance of a] religious obligation?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Marriage is ordained in Gen. I, 22 and II, 24; the joyous observance of festivals is ordained in Deut. XIV, 26 and XVI, 11, 14-15.');"><sup>32</sup></span> What is the [actual] issue between them? - Said Abaye: Merely the different expository results obtained by each from his text. And Rab said, it is the delay of inspection in an optional [matter]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the case of body leprosy (Rashi) .');"><sup>33</sup></span> that is the issue between them, R'Judah [holding] that from the [other] text [cited above by Rabbi]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIV, 36.');"><sup>34</sup></span> we cannot learn [this],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That inspection is delayed in an optional matter.');"><sup>35</sup></span> as it is an anomaly,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'novel', something exceptional altogether. You cannot take an exceptional instance as a basis for argument or deductions.');"><sup>36</sup></span>
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