Moed Katan 18 - January 30, 28 Shvat

This week’s learning is sponsored by Jay Levine in honor of Rabbi Nicki Greninger, on the occasion of her son Oren’s Bar Mitzvah. “Thank you for deepening my learning, sharing my enthusiasm for Daf Yomi, and bringing me back into Talmud study.” Today’s daf is sponsored by Arnold Shuster in loving memory of his mother Devorah Shuster. “Both her children attended Maimonides School and she was a firm believer that both boys and girls get a good education in Talmud and all limudei kodesh. Today’s daf is sponsored by Carol Robinson and Art Gould in loving memory of Art’s mother Shirley, Sarah bat Avraham v’Ziche Reicha z"l. “Today is her 8th yahrzeit. She was a life-long learner and a striver; a woman born before her time. She sewed, she made mosaics; she was always busy with something. She lives on in the tallitot and quilts she made for so many members of her family and her synagogue. Art sleeps every night under an official Shirley Gould quilt.” Can one cut one’s nails on the holiday or when in mourning? Shmuel was lenient but his brother was not. When his brother sat shiva and Shmuel questioned him on it, his brother said, “If this happened to you, you would also not cut your nails!” Soon after, Shmuel became a mourner and Shmuel blamed his brother for bringing the situation upon him by the power of suggestion as is learned from Abraham’s words to his servants when arriving at the place for the binding of Isaac. Is there a difference between cutting fingernails and toenails? Can one use scissors or only one’s fingers or teeth? Does one need to bury fingernails? Why or why not? In what situation can one shave one’s mustache while in mourning? If one who only has one garment can do laundry on chol hamoed, why was that not listed in the Mishna? Flax clothes can be washed as they are easy to launder. What types of documents can be written on chol hamoed? All of the ones that are permitted are because there is a concern for a loss. Shmuel says that one can betroth a woman on chol hamoed to ensure that someone else doesn’t come along and betroth her instead. The Gemara tries to support Shmuel’s statement from various tannaitic sources, including our Mishna, that lists documents of betrothal. Or does the Mishna not permit the betrothal itself, just the writing of the monetary commitment of the two sides after the betrothal? Is Shmuel really concerned that someone else may betroth her? Didn’t Shmuel say that matches between men and women are decreed by God? Shmuel’s statement is reinterpreted. One who is suspected of wrongdoing must be somehow connected to what they are suspected of as there is no baseless suspicion. Is that really true? The Gemara raises several questions against this assumption. As a result, they bring a number of exceptions to this rule.