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Moed Katan 14a

מועד קטן י״ד ע״א

Learn Moed Katan 14a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Moed Katan 14a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Who may groom on חול המועד: the reason for the ban, cases of being held back, overseas travelers, and a newborn

Overview

This amud finishes the משנה's list of people who may launder on חול המועד. The list includes a released מנודה, someone freed from a vow, certain towels, and people becoming טהור. Everyone else is forbidden. The גמרא explains why: the ban pushes people to groom before the רגל, just as the אנשי משמר may not groom during their week of service so they do not arrive untidy. רבי זירא asks about someone delayed by a lost item. אביי forbids it, because onlookers cannot see his reason, like the סריקין of ביתוס. The one-shirt man is allowed because his belt shows why he is laundering, and in רב אשי's version the craftsman case ends in תיקו. The גמרא then shows that רבי יהודה disagrees with the משנה about a traveler returning from overseas. רבא explains that they argue only about a trip for extra profit, and a ברייתא of רבי is reread to fit his explanation. Finally, שמואל permits a haircut for a baby born on the מועד, and רב פנחס begins a challenge from a ברייתא linking the מועד and mourning, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וּמְנוּדֶּה שֶׁהִתִּירוּ לוֹ חֲכָמִים,

and one under a ban whom the Sages released,

וְכֵן מִי שֶׁנִּשְׁאַל לְחָכָם וְהוּתַּר.

and likewise one who asked a Sage and was released.

מִטְפְּחוֹת הַיָּדַיִם

Hand towels

וּמִטְפְּחוֹת הַסְּפָרִים

and barbers' towels

The steps (21)

  1. StatementLast people on the laundering list: one released from נידוי and one released from a vow
  2. StatementTowels and people leaving טומאה may be laundered for
  3. StatementEveryone else is forbidden
  4. QuestionWhy are ordinary people forbidden?
  5. ResponseA parallel from the אנשי משמר
  6. ResponseThe reason: so people do not arrive untidy
  7. QuestionWhat about someone delayed by a lost item?
  8. Responseאביי: people will see an unfair exception
  9. ChallengeChallenge: what about the man with only one shirt?
  10. ResolutionThe belt shows why he is laundering
  11. QuestionA craftsman who lost an item before the festival
  12. ConclusionThe question stays unresolved
  13. StatementThe משנה does not follow רבי יהודה about overseas travelers
  14. Statementרבא narrows the disagreement to travel for profit
  15. Challengeרבי's ruling seems to point to the extra-profit case
  16. ChallengeThe second half points to the same case, causing a contradiction
  17. Resolutionרבי shows where each side admits the other is right
  18. Statementשמואל: a baby born on the מועד may get a haircut
  19. StatementWhat שמואל's wording implies: only a baby born on the מועד
  20. Challengeרב פנחס quotes a ברייתא linking the festival and mourning
  21. ChallengeReading the ברייתא the other way: forbidden on the festival means forbidden in mourning