Study Moed Katan folio 15B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
דמות דיוקני נתתי בהן, ובעונותיהם הפכתיה. (כפו) [יהפכו] מטותיהן עליה. מנודה ומצורע מה הן בכפיית המטה? תיקו.
God stated: I have placed the likeness of My image [deyokan] within humans, as they were created in My image, and owing to their sins I have overturned it, as when this person died the Divine image in him was removed. Therefore, you must also overturn your beds on account of this. The Talmud asks: What is the halakha governing one who was ostracized or a metzora, with regard to overturning the bed? The Talmud has no answer, and the question should stand unresolved.
אבל אסור בעשיית מלאכה, דכתיב: ״והפכתי חגיכם לאבל״. מה חג אסור במלאכה — אף אבל אסור במלאכה.
§ The Talmud proceeds to the next topic: A mourner is prohibited from performing work, as it is written: “And I will turn your Festivals into mourning” (Amos 8:10). The Talmud infers: Just as a Festival is a time when it is prohibited to work, so too, a mourner is prohibited from performing work.
מנודה מהו בעשיית מלאכה? אמר רב יוסף, תא שמע: כשאמרו אסור בעשיית מלאכה, לא אמרו אלא ביום, אבל בלילה מותר. וכן אתה מוצא במנודה ובאבל. מאי לאו, אכולהו? לא, אשארא.
The Talmud asks: What is the halakha concerning one who was ostracized with regard to the performance of work? Rav Yosef said: Come and hear that which is taught in the following baraita: When the rabbis said that the performance of work is prohibited on a communal fast due to lack of rain, they meant only that work is prohibited during the day of the fast, but during the night of the fast it is permitted. And you find a similar halakha with regard to a person who was ostracized and with regard to a mourner. What, is it not with regard to all of the prohibitions stated that the baraita says that they apply to one who was ostracized as well, including the prohibition to engage in work? The Talmud rejects this argument: No, this is referring to the rest of the prohibitions, but not to work.