Moed Katan 9

מותרין לישא ערב הרגל קשיא לכולהו

are permitted to marry on the eve of the pilgrimage Festival. This poses a difficulty to all of the opinions, as a wedding celebration ordinarily extends for seven days, and the majority of the celebration will coincide with the Festival.

לא קשיא למאן דאמר משום שמחה עיקר שמחה חד יומא הוא

The Gemara answers: This is not difficult, as this baraita can be reconciled with all of the opinions. According to the one who said that one may not get married on the intermediate days of a Festival because of joy, i.e., because one must not mix one joy with another, or because one may not put aside the rejoicing of the Festival and occupy himself with rejoicing with his wife, this is not difficult, as the primary joy of a wedding is only one day, and after that, the joy of the wedding will not affect the joy of the Festival.

למאן דאמר משום טירחא עיקר טירחא חד יומא הוא למאן דאמר משום ביטול פריה ורביה לחד יומא לא משהי איניש נפשיה

And according to the one who said that one may not marry on the intermediate days of a Festival due to the excessive exertion that the wedding preparations demand, it is not difficult, as the primary exertion is only one day. After the wedding, excessive exertion is not required. And according to the one who said that the reason is due to the neglect of the mitzva to be fruitful and multiply, there is no room for concern: Since there is only one day, the eve of the Festival, when he can get married and save money on the feast, a man will not delay his wedding in order to get married then, lest some unforeseen circumstance arise that will prevent him from getting married on that day. Therefore, according to all the reasons offered, there is no need to prohibit weddings on the eve of a Festival.

ודאין מערבין שמחה בשמחה מנלן דכתיב ויעש שלמה בעת ההיא את החג וכל ישראל עמו קהל גדול מלבוא חמת עד נחל מצרים [לפני ה׳ אלהינו] שבעת ימים ושבעת ימים ארבעה עשר יום ואם איתא דמערבין שמחה בשמחה איבעי ליה למינטר עד החג ומיעבד שבעה להכא ולהכא

§ The Gemara asks: With regard to the principle that one may not mix one joy with another joy, from where do we derive it? The Gemara explains that the source is as it is written with regard to the dedication of the Temple: “So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days and seven days, fourteen days” (I Kings 8:65). And if it is so that one may in fact mix one joy with another joy, he should have waited until the festival of Sukkot, which was the second set of seven days, and made a feast of seven days for this and for that, i.e., for the dedication of the Temple and for the festival of Sukkot together. The fact that he did not do so indicates that one must not mix one joy with another.

ודלמא מינטר לא נטרינן והיכא דאתרמי עבדינן איבעי ליה לשיורי פורתא

The Gemara raises a question: Perhaps, however, it may be derived from here only that we may not delay a wedding to be on a Festival, just as King Solomon did not delay the Temple dedication to be on the Festival, but nevertheless, where it happens to occur that way, we may indeed prepare a feast to celebrate both occasions together. The Gemara answers: If this were permitted, Solomon should have left a small part of the Temple unfinished until the Festival, and thereby arranged for a joint celebration of the dedication of the Temple and the festival of Sukkot.

שיורי בנין בית המקדש לא משיירינן איבעי ליה לשיורי באמה כליא עורב

The Gemara responds: One may not leave any part of the building of the Temple undone, as a mitzva should be completed as quickly as possible. The Gemara modifies its previous opinion: Solomon should have left the cubit-wide plates with spikes, which were designed to eliminate the ravens, unfinished. The roof of the Temple was fitted with sharp metal spikes to deter the ravens, who were attracted by the smell of the sacrificial meat, from perching there. Although this was not considered a part of the building itself, delaying its installation would have allowed Solomon to delay the celebration of the Temple dedication.

אמה כליא עורב צורך בנין הבית הוא אלא מדמייתר קרא מכדי כתיב ארבעה עשר יום שבעת ימים ושבעת ימים למה לי שמע מינה הני לחוד והני לחוד

The Gemara rejects this opinion as well: The cubit-wide plates with spikes to eliminate the ravens was a necessary element in the building of the Temple, and consequently Solomon could not delay its construction either. Rather, the proof is from the redundancy in the verse. Since it is written “fourteen days,” why do I need the verse to specify “seven days and seven days”? Learn from it that these seven days of celebrating the Temple dedication must be discrete, and similarly, these seven days of celebrating the Festival must be discrete, due to the principle that one may not mix one joy with another.

אמר רבי פרנך אמר רבי יוחנן אותה שנה לא עשו ישראל את יום הכפורים והיו דואגים ואומרים שמא נתחייבו שונאיהן של ישראל כלייה יצתה בת קול ואמרה להם כולכם מזומנין לחיי העולם הבא

§ Apropos the discussion of the celebration at Solomon’s dedication of the Temple, the Gemara relates that Rabbi Parnakh said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: That year, the Jewish people did not observe Yom Kippur, as the seven-day celebration of the dedication of the Temple coincided with Yom Kippur and all seven days were celebrated with feasting. And the people were worried and said: Perhaps the enemies of the Jewish people, a euphemism for the Jewish people themselves, have become liable to be destroyed for the transgression of eating on Yom Kippur, which is punishable by karet. A Divine Voice issued forth and said to them: All of you are designated for life in the World-to-Come.

מאי דרוש אמרו קל וחומר ומה משכן שאין קדושתו קדושת עולם וקרבן יחיד דוחה שבת דאיסור סקילה מקדש דקדושתו קדושת עולם וקרבן צבור ויום הכפורים דענוש כרת לא כל שכן

The Gemara asks: What derivation led them to conclude that it was permitted for them to eat on Yom Kippur? The Gemara explains that they based their ruling on an a fortiori inference: If at the dedication of the Tabernacle, whose sanctity is not a permanent sanctity, an individual’s offering, i.e., an offering of one of the tribal princes, overrides the prohibition of Shabbat, as the princes’ offerings were brought every day including Shabbat despite the attendant transgression of a prohibition that is punishable by stoning; then with regard to the dedication of the Temple, whose sanctity is a permanent sanctity and the offerings brought there were communal offerings, is it not all the more so clear that the dedication of the Temple overrides the prohibition of Yom Kippur, a violation that is punishable by the less severe punishment of karet?

אלא אמאי היו דואגים התם צורך גבוה הכא צורך הדיוט הכא נמי מיעבד ליעבדו מיכל לא ניכלו ולא לישתו אין שמחה בלא אכילה ושתיה

The Gemara asks: But if they had firm basis for their behavior, why were they worried? The Gemara answers that one can refute this a fortiori inference as follows: There, at the dedication of the Tabernacle, Shabbat was desecrated only for the necessities of the Temple service to God on High, i.e., by sacrificing offerings. Here, at the dedication of the Temple, they desecrated Yom Kippur by eating and drinking, which was for the need of common mortals. Based on this distinction the Gemara suggests: Here too, at the dedication of the Temple they should have performed the rites of the sacrificial offerings and they should not have eaten or drunk. The Gemara answers: There is no complete rejoicing without eating and drinking.

ומשכן דדחי שבת מנלן אילימא מדכתיב ביום הראשון וביום השביעי דלמא שביעי לקרבנות אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר קרא ביום עשתי עשר יום מה יום כולו רצוף אף עשתי עשר כולן רצופין

With regard to the proof itself, the Gemara asks: And from where do we derive that the offerings brought at the dedication of the Tabernacle overrode Shabbat? If we say it is as it is written with regard to the offerings brought by the tribal princes: “On the first day” (Numbers 7:12) and “on the seventh day” (Numbers 7:48), this is not a conclusive proof, as perhaps this refers not to the seventh day of the week but to the seventh day of sacrificial offerings. Perhaps they skipped Shabbat and did not sacrifice offerings connected to the dedication of the Tabernacle on that day. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: The verse also states: “On the day of the eleventh day” (Numbers 7:72). The repetition of the word day indicates that just as a day is all one continuous period of time, so too, the eleven days were all one continuous period of time, with no break in the middle, even for Shabbat.

ודלמא ימים הראויין כתיב קרא אחרינא ביום שנים עשר יום מה יום כולו רצוף אף שנים עשר יום כולן רצופין

The Gemara asks: But perhaps this refers only to days that are fit for an individual’s offerings, i.e., the offerings were sacrificed on eleven consecutive days that were suitable for sacrificing the offerings of an individual, but not on Shabbat. The Gemara answers: In another verse it is written: “On the day of the twelfth day” (Numbers 7:78), indicating that just as a day is all one continuous period of time, so too, the twelve days were all one continuous period of time.

ודלמא הכא נמי ימים הראויין אם כן תרי קראי למה לי

The Gemara asks again: But perhaps here too this is referring to days that are fit for sacrificing the offerings of an individual? The Gemara rejects this opinion: If so, why do I need two verses, the verse with regard to the eleventh day and the verse with regard to the twelfth day, to teach the same principle? The fact that the Torah uses repetitive phraseology in both verses indicates that all the days were consecutive, without a break for Shabbat.

ומקדש דדוחה יום הכפורים מנלן אילימא מדכתיב ארבעה עשר יום ודלמא ימים הראויין גמר יום יום מהתם

The Gemara asks: And from where do we derive that the feasting at the time of the dedication of the Temple overrides Yom Kippur, so that the people did not have to fast? If we say it is derived from that which is written: Fourteen days, perhaps this is referring to days that are fit for feasting, to the exclusion of Yom Kippur. The Gemara answers: This is derived by means of a verbal analogy between the word “day” mentioned in this context and the word “day” mentioned there, with regard to the dedication of the Tabernacle. Just as there the days were consecutive, without a break for Shabbat, so too here, the days were consecutive, without a break for Yom Kippur.

יצתה בת קול ואמרה להם כולכם מזומנין לחיי העולם הבא ומנלן דאחיל להו דתני תחליפא ביום השמיני שלח את העם ויברכו את המלך וילכו לאהליהם שמחים וטובי לב על כל הטובה אשר עשה ה׳ לדוד עבדו ולישראל עמו

It was stated above that a Divine Voice issued forth and said to them: All of you are designated for life in the World-to-Come. The Gemara asks: And from where do we derive that God pardoned them for this sin? The Gemara answers: The Sage Taḥlifa taught in a baraita that the verse states: “On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king, and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had done for David His servant and for Israel His people” (I Kings 8:66).

לאהליהם שהלכו ומצאו נשיהם בטהרה שמחים שנהנו מזיו השכינה וטובי לב שכל אחד ואחד נתעברה אשתו בבן זכר על כל הטובה שיצתה בת קול ואמרה להם כולכם מזומנין לחיי העולם הבא

This verse may be expounded as follows: The words “to their tents” indicate that they went and found their wives in a state of purity, as the terms tent and house often denote one’s wife. The term “joyful” is referring to the fact they had enjoyed the splendor of the Divine Presence, as there was a revelation of the Divine Presence when the offerings were sacrificed in the Temple. The phrase “and glad of heart” refers to the fact that each of their wives conceived a male child. The words “for all the goodness” indicate that a Divine Voice issued forth and said to them: All of you are designated for life in the World-to-Come, which is the ultimate good.

לדוד עבדו ולישראל עמו בשלמא לישראל עמו דאחיל להו עון יום הכפורים אלא לדוד עבדו מאי היא

The aforementioned verse stated: “For all the goodness that the Lord had done for David His servant and for Israel His people.” The Gemara asks: Granted, when the verse mentions the goodness that God did for Israel His people, this is referring to the fact that He pardoned them the sin of eating on Yom Kippur that year; but what is the goodness that God performed for David His servant?

אמר רב יהודה אמר רב בשעה שביקש שלמה להכניס ארון למקדש דבקו שערים זה לזה אמר שלמה עשרים וארבע רננות ולא נענה פתח ואמר שאו שערים ראשיכם וגו׳ ולא נענה

Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: When Solomon sought to bring the Ark into the Temple the gates clung together and could not be opened. Solomon uttered twenty-four songs of praise, and his prayer was not answered. He began and said: “Lift up your heads, O you gates, and be lifted up, you everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in” (Psalms 24:7), but once again his prayer was not answered, and the Temple gates remained closed.

כיון שאמר ה׳ אלהים אל תשב פני משיחך זכרה לחסדי דוד עבדך מיד נענה באותה שעה נהפכו פני שונאי דוד כשולי קדירה וידעו הכל שמחל לו הקדוש ברוך הוא על אותו עון

Once he said: “Now therefore arise, O Lord God, into your resting place, You, and the Ark of Your strength; Let your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with victory and let Your pious ones rejoice in goodness. O Lord God, do not turn away the face of Your anointed; remember the faithful love of David Your servant” (II Chronicles 6:41–42), he was immediately answered. At that moment the faces of David’s enemies turned dark like the charred bottom of a pot, and all knew that the Holy One, Blessed be He, forgave him for that sin involving Bathsheba, as they saw that it was only in his merit that the gates of the Temple opened.

רבי יונתן בן עסמיי ורבי יהודה בן גרים תנו פרשת נדרים בי רבי שמעון בן יוחי איפטור מיניה באורתא לצפרא הדור וקא מפטרי מיניה אמר להו ולאו איפטריתו מיני באורתא

The Gemara relates that Rabbi Yonatan ben Asmai and Rabbi Yehuda, son of converts, studied the portion dealing with oaths in the study hall of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai. After completing their studies, the disciples took leave of their master in the evening, but did not yet leave the city. In the morning they went back and took leave of him a second time. He said to them: Did you not already take leave of me yesterday in the evening?

אמרו ליה למדתנו רבינו תלמיד שנפטר מרבו ולן באותה העיר צריך ליפטר ממנו פעם אחרת שנאמר ביום השמיני שלח את העם ויברכו את המלך וכתיב וביום עשרים ושלשה לחדש השביעי שלח את העם

They said to him: You have taught us, our teacher, that a disciple who takes leave of his teacher and then stays overnight in the same city must take leave of him an additional time, as it is stated at the conclusion of the dedication of the Temple: “On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king” (I Kings 8:66), and elsewhere it is written: “And on the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away” (II Chronicles 7:10). The eighth day in the verse is referring to the Eighth Day of Assembly, the twenty-second of the month of Tishrei, yet it says that he sent the people away on the next day, the twenty-third of the month.

אלא מכאן לתלמיד הנפטר מרבו ולן באותה העיר צריך ליפטר ממנו פעם אחרת

Rather, it can be derived from here that a disciple who takes leave of his teacher and then stays overnight in the same city must take leave of him an additional time, just as the Jewish people took leave of Solomon an additional time on the day after the Festival, on the twenty-third of Tishrei.

אמר ליה לבריה בני אדם הללו אנשים של צורה הם זיל גביהון דליברכוך אזל אשכחינהו דקא רמו קראי אהדדי כתיב פלס מעגל רגלך וכל דרכיך יכונו וכתיב אורח חיים פן תפלס

Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said to his son: These two people, Rabbi Yonatan ben Asmai and Rabbi Yehuda, son of converts, are men of noble form [tzura] i.e., wise and learned individuals; go to them so that they will bless you. He went and found them deep in discussion, raising apparent contradictions between verses as follows: It is written: “Make level the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established” (Proverbs 4:26), indicating that when one has the opportunity to perform more than one mitzva, he must evaluate which of them is most important. And elsewhere it is written: “Lest you level out the path of life,” (Proverbs 5:6), indicating that one must perform each mitzva as the opportunity arises, without considering its relative importance.

לא קשיא כאן במצוה שאפשר לעשותה על ידי אחרים

They explained that it is not difficult: Here, in the first verse cited above, it is discussing a mitzva that can be done by others, and therefore one must consider what is most worthwhile for him to perform himself and what he will leave to others.

כאן במצוה שאי אפשר לעשותה על ידי אחרים

There, in the other verse, it is referring to a mitzva that cannot be done by others, and therefore, one must not consider its relative importance, but rather do it immediately.

הדר יתבי וקא מבעי להו כתיב יקרה היא מפנינים וכל חפציך לא ישוו בה הא חפצי שמים ישוו בה וכתיב כל חפצים לא ישוו בה דאפילו חפצי שמים לא ישוו בה

The two scholars, Rabbi Yonatan ben Asmai and Rabbi Yehuda, son of converts, once again sat and raised the following dilemma: In one place it is written in praise of the Torah: “She is more precious than rubies; and all of your desires are not to be compared to her” (Proverbs 3:15). One can infer from here that all human desires cannot be compared to the Torah, but the desires of Heaven, i.e., mitzvot, can indeed be compared to her. And elsewhere it is written: “For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it” (Proverbs 8:11), which indicates that even mitzvot cannot be compared to the Torah.

כאן במצוה שאפשר לעשותה על ידי אחרים כאן במצוה שאי אפשר לעשותה על ידי אחרים

They resolved this contradiction by stating that here, in the second verse, it is discussing a mitzva that can be done by others. In that case, even mitzvot cannot be compared to the Torah, and accordingly, one who is engaged in Torah study should not interrupt his studies in order to perform another mitzva. However, there, in the first verse, it is discussing a mitzva that cannot be done by others. In that case Torah study is not more important than the mitzva, and one should interrupt his studies in order to perform the mitzva.

אמרו ליה מאי בעית הכא אמר להו דאמר לי אבא זיל גבייהו דליברכוך אמרו ליה יהא רעוא דתזרע ולא תחצד תעייל ולא תיפוק תיפוק ולא תעייל ליחרוב ביתך וליתוב אושפיזך לבלבל פתורך ולא תחזי שתא חדתא

When Rabbi Yonatan ben Asmai and Rabbi Yehuda, son of converts, noticed Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai’s son, they said to him: What do you want here? He said to them: Father told me: Go to them so that they should bless you. They said to him as follows: May it be God’s will that you should sow and not reap, that you should bring in and not take out, that you should take out and not bring in, that your house should be destroyed and your lodging place should be inhabited, that your table should become confused, and that you should not see a new year.

כי אתא לגבי אבוה אמר ליה לא מבעיא דברוכי לא בירכן אבל צעורי צעורן אמר ליה מאי אמרו לך הכי והכי אמרו לי אמר ליה הנך כולהו ברכתא נינהו תזרע ולא תחצד תוליד בנים ולא ימותו תעייל ולא תיפוק תעייל כלתא ולא לימותו בנך דליפקון תיפוק ולא תעייל תוליד בנתא ולא ימותו גוברייהו וליהדרו לותיך

When he came back to his father, he said to him: Not only did they not bless me, but they even caused me pain with their negative words. His father said to him: What exactly did they say to you? He answered: They said to me such and such. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said to his son: These are all blessings, uttered in a cryptic manner, and this is what they meant: When they said that you should sow and not reap they meant that you should bear sons and they should not die. Their statement that you should bring in and not take out means that you should bring in brides for your sons and your sons should not die, which would cause their wives to leave. When they said you should take out and not bring in they meant that you should have daughters and their husbands should not die, which would cause your daughters to return to you.

ליחרוב ביתך וליתוב אושפיזך דהאי עלמא אושפיזך וההיא עלמא ביתא דכתיב קרבם בתימו לעולם אל תקרי קרבם אלא קברם

When they said that your house should be destroyed and your lodging place should be inhabited, this should be interpreted allegorically. As this world is compared to your lodging place, and the World-to-Come is compared to your house, as it is written: “Their inward thought [kirbam], is that their houses shall continue forever” (Psalms 49:12), and the Sages said: Do not read it as “their inward thought [kirbam]”; rather read it as their graves [kivram]. According to this reading, one’s grave is considered his permanent house. The Sages gave Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai’s son a blessing that he should dwell in his temporary home rather than his permanent home, i.e., he should live a long life.

לבלבל פתורך בבני ובנתא ולא תיחזי שתא חדתא דלא תמות אנתך ולא תנסב אינתתא אחריתי

When they said that your table should become confused, they meant that you should be blessed with many sons and daughters, so that there will be noise and confusion at your table. When they said that you should not see a new year, they meant your wife should not die and as a result you should not have to marry another woman, about which it says: “When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business; he shall be free at home for one year” (Deuteronomy 24:5).

רבי שמעון בן חלפתא אפטר מיניה דרב אמר ליה אבוה זיל לגביה דליברכך אמר ליה יהא רעוא דלא תבייש ולא תתבייש אתא גבי אבוה אמר ליה מאי אמר לך אמר ליה מילין בעלמא הוא דאמר לי

Apropos a blessing with an obscure meaning, the Gemara relates: Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta took leave of Rav. His father said to him: Go to him so that he should bless you. When Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta returned to him for a blessing, Rav said to him: May it be God’s will that you should not shame others and that you should not feel ashamed. He came home to his father, who said to him: What did he say to you? He said to him: Mere words he said to me, i.e., he did not say anything of significance.

אמר ליה ברכך ברכתא דברכן קודשא בריך הוא לישראל ותנא בה דכתיב ואכלתם אכול ושבוע והללתם וגו׳ ולא יבושו עמי לעולם וידעתם כי בקרב ישראל אני וגו׳ ולא יבושו עמי לעולם:

After Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta repeated what Rav had said, his father said to him: He blessed you with the blessing with which the Holy One, Blessed be He, blessed Israel and then repeated the blessing, indicating that is a very great blessing, as it is written: “And you shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the Name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and My people shall never be ashamed. And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and there is none else; and My people shall never be ashamed” (Joel 2:26–27).

ועושה אשה תכשיטיה: תנו רבנן אלו הן תכשיטי נשים כוחלת ופוקסת ומעבירה סרק על פניה ואיכא דאמרי מעברת סרק על פניה של מטה

§ It was taught in the mishna: And a woman may engage in all of her usual cosmetic treatments on the intermediate days of a Festival. The Sages taught in a baraita: These are the cosmetic treatments of women that are permitted: She may paint her eyelids, she may remove unwanted hair [pokeset], and she may put rouge on her face. And some say: She may pass a comb over her lower face, i.e., she may remove the hair from her pubic area.

דביתהו דרב חסדא מקשטא באנפי כלתה יתיב רב הונא בר חיננא קמיה דרב חסדא ויתיב וקאמר לא שנו אלא ילדה אבל זקנה לא

The Gemara relates that Rav Ḥisda’s wife would adorn herself on the intermediate days of a Festival in the presence of her daughter-in-law, i.e., when she already had a married son. Rav Huna bar Ḥinnana sat before Rav Ḥisda, and he sat and said: They taught only that a woman is permitted to engage in cosmetic treatments on the intermediate days of a Festival only with regard to a young woman, as such treatments bring her joy, but in the case of an old woman, no, the treatments are not permitted, as she does not need them.

אמר ליה האלהים אפילו אמך ואפילו אימא דאימך ואפילו עומדת על קברה דאמרי אינשי בת שיתין כבת שית לקל טבלא רהטא:

Rav Ḥisda said to him: By God! Even your mother, and even your mother’s mother, and even a woman so old that she is standing at the edge of her grave are all permitted to adorn themselves. As people say in the popular adage: A woman of sixty years, like one of six, runs at the sound of the timbrel [tavla], implying that women of all ages are young in spirit; since they all take pleasure in their adornments, they are allowed to adorn themselves, regardless of age.

רבי יהודה אומר לא תסוד: תניא רבי יהודה אומר אשה לא תסוד מפני שניוול הוא לה ומודה רבי יהודה בסיד שיכולה לקפלו במועד שטופלתו במועד שאף על פי שמצירה היא עכשיו שמחה היא לאחר זמן

§ It was taught in the mishna that Rabbi Yehuda says: She may not apply lime to her skin because it renders her temporarily unattractive and she will be distressed during the Festival. It is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yehuda says: A woman may not apply lime to her skin on the intermediate days of a Festival because it is temporarily a disgrace to her, as she appears unattractive until it is peeled off. But Rabbi Yehuda concedes that with regard to lime that she can peel off during the Festival, she may apply it on the intermediate days of the Festival, as even though she is distressed now, as the lime renders her appearance unattractive, she will be happy afterward, when the lime is removed and she sees the results.

ומי אית ליה לרבי יהודה האי סברא והתנן

The Gemara asks: But does Rabbi Yehuda accept this reasoning that it is permitted, despite the fact that it causes distress, because it will cause joy later? Didn’t we learn elsewhere in a mishna (Avoda Zara 2a): On the three days before the holidays of idolaters, it is prohibited to do business with them, so as not to cause them to thank their idols for their success. Similarly, it is prohibited on these days to lend to them, to borrow from them, to repay a debt to them, or even to collect a debt from them.

רבי יהודה אומר נפרעין מהן מפני שמצר אמרו לו אף על פי שמצר עכשיו שמח הוא לאחר זמן

Rabbi Yehuda says: One may collect a debt from them during this period, due to the fact that the gentile is distressed when he makes the payment. The Rabbis said to him: Even though he is distressed now, he will be happy afterward, as he is relieved of the debt, and therefore, it is prohibited to collect a debt from him during the three days before his holiday. In this mishna, Rabbi Yehuda considers only the immediate distress and does not consider the joy that will be experienced after some time.

אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק הנח להלכות מועד דכולהו מצר עכשיו ושמח לאחר זמן נינהו

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Leave aside the halakhot governing a Festival, which cannot be compared to other areas, as all of the labors that are permitted on a Festival are permitted because even though one is distressed by them now, he will be happy about them afterward. For example, cooking and baking are permitted even though preparing food involves effort and trouble, because eating the food after it is prepared provides pleasure and enjoyment.

רבינא אמר גוי לענין פרעון לעולם מצר

Ravina said a different explanation: According to Rabbi Yehuda, with regard to repaying a debt, a gentile is always distressed, even after he repays a debt. However, in general, even Rabbi Yehuda accepts the principle of taking into account the joy that will be experienced at a later time.

אמר רב יהודה בנות ישראל שהגיעו לפירקן ולא הגיעו לשנים עניות טופלות אותן בסיד עשירות טופלות אותן בסולת בנות מלכים בשמן המור שנאמר ששה חדשים בשמן המור

With regard to applying lime to one’s body, Rav Yehuda said: The daughters of Israel who reached physical maturity, but had not yet reached the age of majority, i.e., girls that were less than twelve years of age, and therefore embarrassed by their precocious physical development, would seek to remove the excess hair from their bodies. The poor among them would smear their skin with lime in order to remove the hair. The wealthy ones would smear themselves with fine flour for this purpose, and the daughters of kings would smear themselves with shemen hamor. As it is stated with regard to the women who were brought to King Ahasuerus: “Six months with shemen hamor” (Esther 2:12).

מאי שמן המור רב הונא בר חייא אמר סטכת רב ירמיה בר אמי אמר שמן זית שלא הביא שליש

The Gemara asks: What is shemen hamor? Rav Huna bar Ḥiyya said: This is the perfume called setaket. Rav Yirmeya bar Ami said: It is olive oil extracted from an olive that has not yet reached one-third of its growth; the acidic oil is effective as a depilatory.

תניא רבי יהודה אומר אנפיקינון שמן זית שלא הביא שליש ולמה סכין אותו שמשיר את השער ומעדן את הבשר

It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda says: Wherever the Mishna mentions anpikinon, it is referring to olive oil from an olive that has not yet reached one-third of its growth. And why do women spread it on the body? It is due to the fact that it removes the hair and pampers the skin.

רב ביבי הוה ליה ברתא טפלה אבר אבר שקל בה ארבע מאה זוזי הוה ההוא גוי בשבבותיה דהוה ליה ברתא טפלה בחד זמנא ומתה אמר קטלא ביבי לברתי אמר רב נחמן רב ביבי דשתי שיכרא בעיין בנתיה טפלא אנן דלא שתינן שיכרא לא בעיין בנתין טפלא:

It was related that Rav Beivai had a daughter, and he spread lime on her limb by limb, which caused her hair to fall out and her skin to whiten. She became so beautiful that when marrying her off, he took four hundred dinars for her. There was a certain gentile in his neighborhood who also had a daughter and wanted to do this as well. He spread her entire body with lime all at once, and she died. That gentile said: Beivai killed my daughter. Rav Naḥman said: Rav Beivai, who regularly drinks beer, his daughters require that they be smeared with lime, as beer causes hair growth, but we who do not drink beer, our daughters do not require that they be smeared with lime, as they have little hair even without this treatment.