## Moed Katan Daf 21b

###### Moed Katan 21b:1
[Moed Katan 21b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:1)

מִצְוָה שָׁאנֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **A mitzva is different,** and since it is a mitzva to put on phylacteries, the mourner is required to do so, even during the first three days.


###### Moed Katan 21b:2
[Moed Katan 21b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:2)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אָבֵל, שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים אָסוּר בִּמְלָאכָה, וַאֲפִילּוּ עָנִי הַמִּתְפַּרְנֵס מִן הַצְּדָקָה. מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ — עוֹשֶׂה בְּצִינְעָא בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ. וְהָאִשָּׁה טוֹוָה בַּפֶּלֶךְ בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתָהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught** the following *baraita*: **During the first three days** after his bereavement, **a mourner is prohibited from working, even if he is a poor person who is supported by charity. From this** point **forward, he may do** work **privately in his** own **home** if he needs to do so. **And** similarly **a woman may spin** thread **on a spindle in her** own **home** when she is mourning.


###### Moed Katan 21b:3
[Moed Katan 21b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:3)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אָבֵל, שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים אֵינוֹ הוֹלֵךְ לְבֵית הָאֵבֶל, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ הוֹלֵךְ, וְאֵינוֹ יוֹשֵׁב בִּמְקוֹם הַמְנַחֲמִין, אֶלָּא בִּמְקוֹם הַמִּתְנַחֲמִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Sages taught** in another *baraita*: **A mourner during the first three days** after his bereavement **may not go to** another **mourner’s house** to console him. **From this** point **forward, he may go, but he may not sit among the consolers, but rather in the place of those being consoled,** i.e., with the mourners in that house.


###### Moed Katan 21b:4
[Moed Katan 21b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:4)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אָבֵל, שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים אָסוּר בִּשְׁאֵילַת שָׁלוֹם. מִשְּׁלֹשָׁה וְעַד שִׁבְעָה — מֵשִׁיב וְאֵינוֹ שׁוֹאֵל. מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ, שׁוֹאֵל וּמֵשִׁיב כְּדַרְכּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught** in yet another *baraita*: **A mourner, during the first three days** after his bereavement, **is prohibited from extending greetings** to others. **From the third** day **to the seventh** day, **he may respond** when other people address him, **but he may not extend greetings** to them. **From this** point **forward, he may extend greetings and respond in his** usual **manner.**


###### Moed Katan 21b:5
[Moed Katan 21b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:5)

שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים אָסוּר בִּשְׁאֵילַת שָׁלוֹם? וְהָתַנְיָא: מַעֲשֶׂה וּמֵתוּ בָּנָיו שֶׁל רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, נִכְנְסוּ כׇּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהִסְפִּידוּם הֶסְפֵּד גָּדוֹל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: Is he really **prohibited** from extending **greetings during the first three** days of mourning? **But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita*: There was **an incident and the sons of Rabbi Akiva died, and all the Jews entered to eulogize them with a great eulogy.**


###### Moed Katan 21b:6
[Moed Katan 21b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:6)

בִּשְׁעַת פְּטִירָתָן, עָמַד רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא עַל סַפְסָל גָּדוֹל וְאָמַר: אַחֵינוּ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁמְעוּ! אֲפִילּוּ שְׁנֵי בָנִים חֲתָנִים — מְנוּחָם הוּא בִּשְׁבִיל כָּבוֹד שֶׁעֲשִׂיתֶם. וְאִם בִּשְׁבִיל עֲקִיבָא בָּאתֶם, הֲרֵי כַּמָּה עֲקִיבָא בַּשּׁוּק. אֶלָּא כָּךְ אֲמַרְתֶּם: תּוֹרַת אֱלֹהָיו בְּלִבּוֹ. וְכׇל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁשְּׂכַרְכֶם כָּפוּל, לְכוּ לְבָתֵּיכֶם לְשָׁלוֹם!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**When they were about to take leave, Rabbi Akiva stood on a large bench and said: Our brothers, the house of Israel, listen! Even had my two sons been bridegrooms, I would have been consoled on account of the honor you have shown** them. **If you came** to console **for the sake of Akiva, there are many Akivas in the marketplace** whom the Jews do all not come to console. **Rather,** certainly **this is what you said** to yourselves: **“The Torah of his God is in his heart”** (Psalms 37:31), and you wished to show your respect for the Torah. **All the more so is your reward doubled,** for you have consoled mourners and shown respect for the Torah. **Return** now **to your homes in peace.** This indicates that a mourner may greet other people even on the first day of his mourning.


###### Moed Katan 21b:7
[Moed Katan 21b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:7)

כְּבוֹד רַבִּים שָׁאנֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: Showing **respect for the public is different.** Rabbi Akiva was permitted to greet them to demonstrate courtesy and respect.


###### Moed Katan 21b:8
[Moed Katan 21b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:8)

מִשְּׁלֹשָׁה וְעַד שִׁבְעָה — מֵשִׁיב וְאֵינוֹ שׁוֹאֵל, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ, שׁוֹאֵל וּמֵשִׁיב כְּדַרְכּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ It was taught in the aforementioned *baraita*: **From the third** day **to the seventh** day, **he may respond** when other people address him, **but he may not extend greetings** to them. **From this** point **forward, he may extend greetings and respond in his** usual **manner.**


###### Moed Katan 21b:9
[Moed Katan 21b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:9)

וּרְמִינְהוּ: הַמּוֹצֵא אֶת חֲבֵירוֹ אָבֵל, בְּתוֹךְ שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם — מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ תַּנְחוּמִין וְאֵינוֹ שׁוֹאֵל בִּשְׁלוֹמוֹ, לְאַחַר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם — שׁוֹאֵל בִּשְׁלוֹמוֹ וְאֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ תַּנְחוּמִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** the Gemara **raises a contradiction** from another *baraita* that states: **One who finds another in mourning during the** first **thirty days** of that person’s bereavement **may** still **speak words of consolation to him, but he should not extend greetings toward him.** If he finds him **after thirty days, he may extend greetings toward him, but he should not speak words of consolation to him,** so as not to remind him of his pain.


###### Moed Katan 21b:10
[Moed Katan 21b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:10)

מֵתָה אִשְׁתּוֹ וְנָשָׂא אִשָּׁה אַחֶרֶת, אֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי לִיכָּנֵס לְבֵיתוֹ לְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ תַּנְחוּמִין. מְצָאוֹ בַּשּׁוּק — אוֹמֵר לוֹ בְּשָׂפָה רָפָה וּבְכוֹבֶד רֹאשׁ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
If it was the mourner’s **wife** who **died and he married another woman** within thirty days of his first wife’s death, **one may not enter his house to speak words of consolation with him,** so as not to offend his new wife. If, however, **he finds him** alone **in the marketplace, he may speak to him with gentle words and in a serious manner.** This indicates that the prohibition against extending greetings lasts for thirty days and not just seven.


###### Moed Katan 21b:11
[Moed Katan 21b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:11)

אָמַר רַב אִידִי בַּר אָבִין: הוּא שׁוֹאֵל בִּשְׁלוֹם אֲחֵרִים — שֶׁאֲחֵרִים שְׁרוּיִין בְּשָׁלוֹם, אֲחֵרִים אֵין שׁוֹאֲלִין בִּשְׁלוֹמוֹ, שֶׁהוּא אֵינוֹ שָׁרוּי בְּשָׁלוֹם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Idi bar Avin said:** The two *baraitot* refer to different situations: The first *baraita* is referring to the mourner **himself, who may extend greetings [*shalom*] to others** after the completion of his seven days of mourning, **as the others are at peace [*shalom*].** The second *baraita*, which speaks of a prohibition that lasts thirty days, is referring to **other people, who may not extend greetings to him, as he,** the mourner, **is not at peace.**


###### Moed Katan 21b:12
[Moed Katan 21b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:12)

וְהָא מִדְּקָתָנֵי מֵשִׁיב, מִכְּלָל דְּשָׁיְילִינַן לֵיהּ? דְּלָא יָדְעִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges: **But from** the fact **that it teaches** in a *baraita* that after the third day of his bereavement, the mourner may **respond** when other people address him, **by inference** others **may extend greetings to him.** The Gemara answers: This is referring to a case where people **did not know** that he was in mourning and unknowingly extended greetings to him.


###### Moed Katan 21b:13
[Moed Katan 21b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:13)

אִי הָכִי, הָתָם נָמֵי! הָתָם — מוֹדַע לְהוּ וְלָא מַהְדַּר לְהוּ, הָכָא — לָא צָרִיךְ לְאוֹדוֹעִינְהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **If so,** if the *baraita* speaks of a case where the people who greeted him were unaware that he was in mourning, then **there also,** during the first three days of his bereavement, he should be permitted to respond when other people address him. The Gemara answers: **There,** during the first three days, **he must inform them** that he is in mourning **and not respond** to their greetings. **Here,** after the first three days, **he need not inform them** about his bereavement, but rather he may respond to their greetings.


###### Moed Katan 21b:14
[Moed Katan 21b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:14)

וּרְמִינְהוּ: הַמּוֹצֵא אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ אָבֵל, בְּתוֹךְ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ — מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ תַּנְחוּמִין, וְאֵינוֹ שׁוֹאֵל בִּשְׁלוֹמוֹ. לְאַחַר שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ — שׁוֹאֵל בִּשְׁלוֹמוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ תַּנְחוּמִין, אֲבָל מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ מִן הַצַּד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** the Gemara **raises a contradiction** from another *baraita* that states: **One who finds another in mourning during** his **twelve months** of bereavement **may** still **speak words of consolation to him, but he should not extend greetings toward him.** If he finds him **after twelve months, he may extend greetings toward him, and he should not speak words of consolation to him. He may, however, speak to him indirectly,** i.e., he may say to him: May you be consoled, without mentioning the name of the deceased.


###### Moed Katan 21b:15
[Moed Katan 21b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:15)

אָמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר: הַמּוֹצֵא אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ אָבֵל לְאַחַר שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ, וּמְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ תַּנְחוּמִין, לְמָה הוּא דּוֹמֶה? לְאָדָם שֶׁנִּשְׁבְּרָה רַגְלוֹ וְחָיְתָה, מְצָאוֹ רוֹפֵא וְאָמַר לוֹ: כְּלָךְ אֶצְלִי שֶׁאֲנִי שׁוֹבְרָהּ וַאֲרַפְּאֶנָּה, כְּדֵי שֶׁתֵּדַע שֶׁסַּמְמָנִין שֶׁלִּי יָפִין!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Meir said: One who finds another in mourning after twelve months and speaks to him words of consolation, to what may** this situation **be likened? To a person who broke his leg and it healed,** and afterward a physician **found him and said to him: Come to me, for I will break it** a second time **and** then **I will heal it, so that you may know how good my medicines are** and how well they work. One who consoles his friend after so much time has passed acts in a similar fashion, stirring up an old wound and then trying to heal it. In any event, it appears that one must not extend greetings to a mourner during the entire twelve-month mourning period.


###### Moed Katan 21b:16
[Moed Katan 21b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:16)

לָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא בְּאָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ, הָא בִּשְׁאָר קְרוֹבִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **This is not difficult. This** *baraita*, which says that one must not extend greetings to a mourner for twelve months, is referring to one who lost **his father or mother. That** *baraita*, which teaches that a mourner may be greeted after seven days, is referring to one who is in mourning over **other relatives.**


###### Moed Katan 21b:17
[Moed Katan 21b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:17)

הָתָם נָמֵי, יְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ תַּנְחוּמִין מִן הַצַּד? אִין הָכִי נָמֵי. וּמַאי אֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ תַּנְחוּמִין — כְּדַרְכּוֹ, אֲבָל מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ מִן הַצַּד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **There too,** in the case of other relatives after thirty days, **let him speak words of consolation to him indirectly.** Why does the *baraita* say that after thirty days he should not speak words of consolation to him at all? The Gemara answers: **Yes, it is indeed so. And what** is meant by the words: **He should not speak words of consolation to him?** This means that he may not console him **in his** usual **manner, but he may speak to him indirectly.**


###### Moed Katan 21b:18
[Moed Katan 21b:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:18)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אָבֵל, שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, בָּא מִמָּקוֹם קָרוֹב — מוֹנֶה עִמָּהֶן, בָּא מִמָּקוֹם רָחוֹק — מוֹנֶה לְעַצְמוֹ. מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ, אֲפִילּוּ בָּא מִמָּקוֹם קָרוֹב — מוֹנֶה לְעַצְמוֹ. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: אֲפִילּוּ בָּא בְּיוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מִמָּקוֹם קָרוֹב — מוֹנֶה עִמָּהֶן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught** the following *baraita*: If **a mourner comes** to the house of mourning **from a nearby place during the first three days** of mourning, **he counts** his days of mourning **with** the other mourners from the time of the burial and completes his mourning with them. This is the case even if he may end up observing mourning for only five or six days. But if **he came from a distant place, he counts on his own** seven complete days from the time that he was informed of his relative’s death. **From this** point **forward,** i.e., after the first three days of mourning, **even if he came from a nearby place, he counts** seven days **on his own. Rabbi Shimon says: Even** if **he came on the seventh day from a nearby place, he counts** and completes the seven-day period of mourning **with** the other mourners.


###### Moed Katan 21b:19
[Moed Katan 21b:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:19)

אָמַר מָר: שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, בָּא מִמָּקוֹם קָרוֹב — מוֹנֶה עִמָּהֶן. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: וְהוּא שֶׁיֵּשׁ גְּדוֹל הַבַּיִת בַּבַּיִת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Master said,** citing the *baraita*: If **a mourner comes** to the house of mourning **from a nearby place during the first three days** of mourning, **he counts** his days of mourning **with** the other mourners and completes his mourning with them. **Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This is** in a case **where the principal** member **of the household is in the house,** and therefore all the other family members follow his mourning. If, however, it is the principal member of the family who comes home, he certainly does not follow the other members, but rather he counts seven days on his own.


###### Moed Katan 21b:20
[Moed Katan 21b:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Moed%20Katan/r/21b:20)

אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**A dilemma was raised before** the scholars: