Moed Katan 37

וטווה על יריכו תכלת לציציתו:

AND MAY SPIN ON HIS THIGH THE BLUE-WOOL FOR HIS FRINGE.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XV, 38ff.');">¹</span> <big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>Our Rabbis taught: A person [may] write [the scriptural sections for] phylacteries or mezuzoth for his own use [and spin on his thigh the blue threads for his own fringe],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This bracketed part is omitted in many texts. Cf. D.S.');">²</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> ת"ר כותב אדם תפילין ומזוזות לעצמו וטווה על יריכו תכלת לציציתו ולאחרים בטובה דברי רבי מאיר ר' יהודה אומר מערים ומוכר את שלו וחוזר וכותב לעצמו ר' יוסי אומר כותב ומוכר כדרכו כדי פרנסתו

and for others [he may do so] as a favour:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Without payment for his work. vxbrp');">³</span> this is R'Meir s view; R'Judah says, He may artfully dispose of his own and [then] write fresh ones for his own use.

אורי ליה רב לרב חננאל ואמרי לה רבה בר בר חנה לרב חננאל הלכה כותב ומוכר כדרכו כדי פרנסתו:

R'Jose says, He may write and sell [them] in his usual way enough for his [personal] requirements',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' includes 'food, raiment and home' for himself, wife and children or his father's widow. Cf. Shab. ');">⁴</span> Rab gave a decision to R'Hananel and some say, Rabbah B'Bar-Hanah to R'Hananel<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. J.M.K. III, 4.');">⁵</span>

וטווה על יריכו תכלת: ת"ר טווה אדם על יריכו תכלת לציציתו אבל לא באבן דברי ר' אליעזר וחכמים אומרים אף באבן ר' יהודה אומר משמו באבן אבל לא בפלך וחכמים אומרים בין באבן בין בפלך

- that the halachah is that one [may] write and them in his way to the extent of his requirements. AND [MAY] SPIN ON His THIGH BLUE-WOOL FOR HIS FRINGE.

אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל וכן א"ר חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן הלכה בין באבן בין בפלך והלכה כותב כדרכו ומוכר כדי פרנסתו:

Our Rabbis taught: A person [may] spin on his thigh the blue [thread] for his fringe, but [may] not do so with a stone [as a spindle-whorl]: that R'Eliezer's view; but the Sages say [he may] even with a stone. R'Judah says in his [R'Eliezer's] name: [He may] with a stone, but not with a spindle; but the Sages say, [He may] either with stone or with spindle.

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> הקובר את מתו שלשה ימים קודם לרגל בטלה הימנו גזרת שבעה שמונה בטלו הימנו גזרת שלשים

Said R'Judah as citing Samuel, and similarly R'Hiyya B'Abba said as citing R'Johanan: The halachah is that [one may spin the blue-wool for his fringe] whether with a stone [as whorl] or with a spindle;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It being for the performance of a Biblical ordinance which gives him joy.');">⁶</span> and it is also the halachah that one [may] write in his usual way and sell sufficient for his requirements.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To help him joyously to keep the festival.');">⁷</span>

מפני שאמרו שבת עולה ואינה מפסקת רגלים מפסיקין ואינן עולין

<big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>IF ONE BURIES HIS DEAD THREE DAYS<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. infra 20a. vrzd');">⁸</span> BEFORE A FESTIVAL, THE RESTRICTIONS<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' means generally a restrictive measure. (Cf. Be. 4b, 8b, 36b) . Here it refers to the abstention, during the seven days of mourning, from work and bodily comforts - bathing, anointing, footwear and fresh clean clothes, i.e., the maintenance of a neglected disconsolate appearance in honour of the deceased. The public, religious, festive rejoicing suspends, or according to some, cancels the formal observance of sorrow.');">⁹</span>

ר' אליעזר אומר משחרב בית המקדש עצרת כשבת

APPERTAINING TO HIS SEVEN DAYS' MOURNING FALL AWAY; [IF HE BURIES HIS DEAD] EIGHT DAYS BEFORE A FESTIVAL, THE RESTRICTIONS OF THE THIRTY [DAYS] FALL AWAY,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the remaining period of formal mourning down to thirty days lapses on his having duly observed the first seven days plus one day of the remaining period before the festival.');">¹⁰</span> BECAUSE THEY [THE SAGES] SAID THAT THE SABBATH ENTERS INTO COUNT BUT DOES NOT INTERRUPT,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., it neither counts as a blank day, nor does it cancel the rest. The re maining days of mourning continue after the Sabbath.');">¹¹</span>

רבן גמליאל אומר ראש השנה ויום הכפורים כרגלים וחכמים אומרים לא כדברי זה ולא כדברי זה אלא עצרת כרגלים ראש השנה ויוה"כ כשבת:

WHILE FESTIVALS INTERRUPT<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cancel the remaining days of mourning.');">¹²</span> AND DO NOT ENTER INTO COUNT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the interment took place during the festival. But v. Rashi.');">¹³</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> אמר רב גזרת בטלו ימים לא בטלו וכן א"ר הונא גזרת בטלו ימים לא בטלו ורב ששת אמר אפילו ימים נמי בטלו

R'ELIEZER SAYS, SINCE THE SANCTUARY [AT JERUSALEM] WAS LAID IN RUINS, [THE FEAST OF] 'AZERETH'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The rabbinic term for the 'Feast of Weeks' (Deut. XVI, 10) . or the Day of Bikkurim, First Fruits (of wheat; Lev. XXIII, 17) . Both terms occur in Num. XXVIII, 26. V. Targums on the last, and Mid. Lekah Tob, ad loc. p. 272; cf. also infra 24b.');">¹⁴</span> IS [RECKONED] AS AN [ORDINARY] SABBATH [DAY];<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It enters into count and does not interrupt.');">¹⁵</span>

מ"ט ימים לא בטלו שאם לא גילח ערב הרגל אסור לגלח אחר הרגל

RABBAN GAMALIEL SAYS, NEW YEAR AND THE DAY OF ATONEMENT ARE [RECKONED] AS FESTIVALS; WHILE THE SAGES SAY, [THE RULE IS] NEITHER ACCORDING TO THE STATEMENT OF THE ONE NOR ACCORDING TO THE STATEMENT OF THE OTHER, BUT AZERETH IS [RECKONED] LIKE [THE OTHER] FESTIVALS AND NEW YEAR AND THE DAY OF ATONEMENT ARE [RECKONED] AS A SABBATH [DAY]. <big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>[THE RESTRICTIONS. FALL AWAY]. Said Rab, [this means only] 'the restrictions'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., only the outer, formal observances of mourning but not the obligation.');">¹⁶</span> fall away, but the days [of mourning] do not fall away<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the period of mourning of seven or (down to) thirty days (as the case may be, according to the wording of the Mishnah) is not canceled but only deferred pending the festive time.');">¹⁷</span> and so said also R'Huna:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rab's disciple and his successor at the Academy of Sura.');">¹⁸</span> The 'restrictions fall away but the 'days' do not fall away; and R'Shesheth<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Var. lec., Samuel; v. D.S. a.l.');">¹⁹</span> said that even the days also fall away.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., they are not to be compensated after the festival to the number of the days during which the mourning formalities were suspended.');">²⁰</span> What is the meaning of, 'But the days [of mourning] do not fall away'? [It means] that if he had not cropped his hair on the day before the festival he is forbidden to crop himself after the festival