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Moed Katan 14b

מועד קטן י״ד ע״ב

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

Open Moed Katan 14b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

How a רגל affects people under restrictions: a baby and mourning, an אבל, a מנודה and a מצורע on the festival, and the source that an אבל may not cut his hair.

Overview

The amud opens by asking whether a baby counts as a mourner. A ברייתא shows that we tear a baby's clothes only to move the people who see him, so he is not a real mourner. In a second version, שמואל says any baby may get a haircut on the מועד, and רב פנחס's proof for this is pushed aside by רב אשי. Next the גמרא teaches that an אבל does not mourn on a רגל, because the whole community's מצוה of festival joy outweighs one person's mourning. It then asks whether a מנודה keeps his ban on the festival. רב יוסף and אביי argue back and forth over a ברייתא about the court judging on the מועד, and אביי's later proof is rejected by רבא. The גמרא also asks whether a מצורע keeps his practices on the festival, and רבא proves from a כהן גדול that he does. Finally, the גמרא learns from the command to the sons of אהרן that an אבל may not cut his hair.

Opening lines

וְאִי אָמְרַתְּ קָטָן

And if you say that a baby

אִית בֵּיהּ פְּלוּגְתָּא —

has a distinction in his law,

נִמְצֵאת אֲבֵילוּת נוֹהֶגֶת בְּקָטָן.

it turns out that mourning applies to a minor.

וְהָתַנְיָא:

But isn't it taught in a ברייתא:

The steps (24)

  1. ChallengeIf some babies can't get a haircut, would a baby be a mourner?
  2. Resolutionרב אשי: the link between the festival and mourning was never stated outright
  3. StatementSecond version: שמואל permits a haircut for any baby on the festival
  4. Proofרב פנחס quotes a ברייתא linking haircuts on the מועד to haircuts during mourning
  5. ProofWhy a baby must be allowed: a baby does not keep mourning
  6. Rejectionרב אשי rejects the proof
  7. StatementA mourner does not keep his mourning on a festival
  8. StatementWhy the festival pushes mourning aside
  9. QuestionDoes a banned person keep his ban on the festival?
  10. ProofThe court judges on the מועד and bans those who will not obey
  11. ProofIf the festival cancelled bans, the court would not ban people on it
  12. RejectionMaybe the court only looks into cases on the מועד
  13. ProofJudges who execute may not eat that day
  14. RejectionJudging on the מועד means only looking into the case
  15. ChallengeDelaying the verdict tortures the accused
  16. ResolutionDeliberate in the morning, rule at sunset
  17. ProofA מנודה was allowed a haircut on the מועד
  18. RejectionThe Sages permitted 'him', a specific person
  19. QuestionDoes a leper keep his practices on the festival?
  20. ProofProof from the נזיר and מצורע who become pure
  21. RejectionThe ברייתא uses a 'needless to say' style
  22. ProofProof from the High Priest who is a leper
  23. ConclusionThe גמרא accepts the proof
  24. StatementA mourner may not cut his hair, learned from the sons of Aaron