Moed Katan 15

Chapter 15

א דהא עצים ואבנים בעלמא לא מטמאו והכא מטמאו

1 inasmuch as wood and stones elsewhere are not subject to [ceremonial] uncleanness whereas here [in a house affected by leprosy] they are [made] subject to uncleanness. And [on the other hand] Rabbi says [that this text] is also needed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., although Rabbi holds that delay is afforded in the case of body leprosy even for the sake of an optional matter on the analogy of leprosy of houses etc., yet he requires the verse quoted by R. Judah.');">1

ב ורבי אמר אצטריך דאי כתב רחמנא וביום הראות בו הוה אמינא לדבר מצוה אין לדבר הרשות לא כתב רחמנא וצוה הכהן

2 For had the All Merciful prescribed [only], 'And on a day when [raw flesh] shall be seen in him.' I might have said that postponement [of inspection or pronouncement on the findings] is granted only for the [due observance of a] religious obligation, but not for the sake of an optional [matter]; therefore did the All Merciful prescribe also, 'And the priest shall command'.

ג ואי כתב רחמנא וצוה הכהן הוה אמינא הני אין דלאו טומאה דגופיה אבל טומאה דגופיה אימא מיחזא חזיא ליה צריכא

3 Again, had the All Merciful prescribed only 'And the priest shall command that they empty the house. , I might have said that [postponement is granted] in the case of these effects [of the house] because the uncleanness is not that of a person, but where the uncleanness is that of a person I might say that the priest should inspect him, [without delay]: therefore it is necessary [to have both texts]. The Master said: 'There is a day when you do see it in him and there is a day when you do not see it in him.

ד אמר מר יש יום שאתה רואה בו ויש יום שאי אתה רואה בו

4 How is this implied? - Said Abaye, If it is just so,2 the Divine Law should have written: 'On a day [when]'; what then is the [import of] 'And on a day [when]'?

ה מאי משמע אמר אביי א"כ ליכתוב רחמנא ביום מאי וביום שמע מינה יש יום שאתה רואה בו ויש יום שאי אתה רואה בו

5 From this you infer that there is 'a day' when you see in him. and there is 'a day' when you do not see.

ו רבא אמר כולה קרא יתירא הוא דא"כ לכתוב רחמנא ובהראות מאי וביום שמע מינה יש יום שאתה רואה בו ויש יום שאי אתה רואה בו

6 in him. Raba said: The whole text3

ז ואביי ההוא מיבעי ליה ביום ולא בלילה

7 is redundant altogether for if it be just so,4 Divine Law might have had 'And when [raw flesh] is seen [in him]'.

ח ורבא ביום ולא בלילה מנא ליה נפקא ליה (ויקרא יג, יב) מלכל מראה עיני הכהן ואביי ההוא מיבעי ליה למעוטי סומא באחת מעיניו

8 What then is the import of the [amplification] 'And on a day'?5 From this infer that there is a day when you do see it in him and there is a day when you do not see it in him.6

ט ורבא נמי מיבעי ליה להכי אין הכי נמי

9 And Abaye?7 He needs that [to teach that the inspection is held] by 'day', and not at night.8

י ואלא ביום ולא בלילה מנא ליה נפקא ליה (ויקרא יד, לה) מכנגע נראה לי בבית לי ולא לאורי

10 And whence derives Raba this [point] 'by day and not at night'? - It is derived by him from, 'According to all the sight of the eyes of the priest'.9 And Abaye? - He needs that [text] to exclude a person blind in one eye [inspecting a leper].

יא ואביי אי מהתם הוה אמינא הני מילי טומאה דלאו דגופיה אבל טומאה דגופיה אפילו לאורו נמי קא משמע לן:

11 But does not Raba also require this text for that same point? - Yea, [he does] so also. But then, whence [does he derive the point] 'by day but not at night'? - He derives it from, 'Like as a plague was seen by me in the house',10

יב <big>מתני׳</big> ועוד אמר ר' מאיר מלקט אדם עצמות אביו ואמו מפני ששמחה היא לו

12 [that is, seen] by me, not by [the aid of] my [candle] light. And Abaye?11

יג ר' יוסי אומר אבל הוא לו

13 - If he did learn from there, I might have said that these [restrictions] obtain [only] where the uncleanness is not personal [of one's body]; but where uncleanness is that of the body, [it may be inspected] also by one's [candle] light. [Therefore] the [original] text12

יד לא יעורר אדם על מתו ולא יספידנו קודם לרגל שלשים יום:

14 conveys it to us [best]. <big>MISHNAH: </big>FURTHERMORE R'MEIR SAID, A MAN MAY GATHER13

טו <big>גמ׳</big> ורמינהו המלקט עצמות אביו ואמו הרי זה מתאבל עליהם כל היום ולערב אין מתאבל עליהן ואמר רב חסדא אפילו צרורין לו בסדינו

15 HIS FATHER'S AND MOTHER'S BONES,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It was an ancient custom to give first a temporary burial, and after the flesh had decayed to transfer the bones to a reserved tomb or mausoleum, where they were kept in cedar or marble coffins. Cf. Sem. XII.');">14 SINCE THIS IS [AN OCCASION] 'OF JOY' FOR HIM;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To perform a filial duty while he is free to go and 'bring them home' to their assigned resting place. There is another possible meaning, see the discussion later.');">15

טז אמר אביי אימא מפני ששמחת הרגל עליו:

16 R'JOSE SAYS, IT IS AN [OCCASION] 'OF MOURNING'16 FOR HIM.

יז ולא יערער על מתו: מאי לא יערער על מתו אמר רב כד הדר ספדנא במערבא אמרי יבכון עמיה כל מרירי ליבא:

17 A PERSON SHOULD NOT STIR UP WAILING<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The meaning apparently is (as explained by Rab later) to join others in lamenting their dead and resuscitate ones own old grief on the occasion. A funeral in the town or village provided a good occasion for such a renewed lament, when professional funerary orators, 'lamenters' and female dirge-singers, were available.');">17 FOR HIS DEAD, NOR HOLD A LAMENTATION18

יח קודם הרגל שלשים יום: מאי שנא שלשים יום

18 FOR HIM THIRTY DAYS BEFORE A FEAST. <big>GEMARA: </big>AS IT IS A JOY FOR HIM.

יט אמר רב כהנא אמר רב יהודה אמר רב מעשה באדם אחד שכינס מעות לעלות לרגל ובא ספדן ועמד על פתח ביתו ונטלתן אשתו ונתנתן לו ונמנע ולא עלה באותה שעה אמרו לא יעורר על מתו ולא יספידנו קודם לרגל שלשים יום

19 [The following] was cited in contrast to this: 'One who gathers his father's or mother's bones holds himself in mourning for them all the day,19 but in the evening he does not hold himself in mourning for them [any longer].'

כ ושמואל אמר

20 And R'Hisda commented thereon, even if he had them by him tied up in a sheet.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even if he had not gathered them himself that day, their presence is mournful enough and it is surprising that R. Meir allowed transference and even said 'it was a joy for him'.');">20 Said Abaye, I should suggest [it means], 'because the joyousness of the feast prevails with him'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Not that it is an occasion of joy, but that the joy of the festive season prevails in dispensing with formal mourning. Or, that the performance of his filial duty will afford him a sense of satisfaction throughout the remaining festival days (J.M.K.) .');">21 A PERSON SHOULD NOT STIR UP A WAILING FOR HIS DEAD: What is the meaning of 'stirring up a wailing for one's dead'? Rab said: In Palestine [it is customary that] whenever a professional lamenter comes round people say, 'Let all those who are sore at heart weep with him. THIRTY DAYS BEFORE A FEAST. Why [just] thirty days? R'Kahana said that Rab Judah as reporting Rab told him that once it happened that a man saved money to 'go up for the feast'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On one of the three pilgrim feasts. V. Deut. XVI, 16. Cf. Ex. XXIII, 14ff. ibid. XXXIV, 23. The festival atmosphere is introduced by the study and discussion of its laws thirty days before. Pes. 6b.');">22 [to Jerusalem] when a [professional] lamenter came and stopped at his door and the wife took her husband's savings and gave them to him, and so he was prevented from going. Then it was that they [the Rabbis] said, One should not stir up a wailing for his dead, nor hold a [funerary] lament for him thirty days before a Feast; but Samuel gave another reason, namely,

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