Taanit 13a — the Talmud in English

The Gemara asks: From where do we know that this is the order of events?

Let us reverse it

and say that during the first half of the day they read from the Torah and from the prophetic reading, and ask for mercy, while during the second half they examine the affairs of the city!

The Gemara explains:

That cannot be so

—do not think to say this.

As it is written

—Nehemiah, son of Hachaliah, said:

“And there gathered to me everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel because of the transgression of the exiles, and I sat appalled”

until the evening. That is, the worthy and proper people of the Jewish people came to him to tell him about the transgression and sin of the people of the exile, in order to separate them from the sin.

And it is written

later in the verse:

“And at the evening offering I arose from my fast,

with my garments and my robe torn, and I fell on my knees,

and spread out my palms to the Lord.”

And from the fact that Nehemiah prayed and pleaded toward evening, it follows that during the first half of the day they examined the affairs of the city. Rafram bar Pappa said that Rav Ḥisda said: All

it follows that during the first half of the day they examined the affairs of the city.

bathing that the Sages prohibited

because it is an expression of mourning,

such as

the fast of

Tisha BeAv,

which is due to mourning over the destruction of the Temple,

and

all the more so

a mourner

for an actual bereavement, when someone has died before him,

is prohibited

from bathing

both in

water

that is hot

and

in cold water.

But

all

bathing

that is due to

the prohibition against

pleasure, such as on a communal fast,

is prohibited specifically

in hot water,

because it gives him pleasure. But

in cold water

it is permitted,

for such bathing provides no pleasure, only cleanliness.

Rav Idi bar Avin said: We too have learned this matter in our Mishna. For concerning a communal fast the Mishna states:

“And they lock the bathhouses.”

This indicates that only bathing in bathhouses, where the water is hot, is prohibited. But bathing in cold water is permitted.

This indicates that only bathing in bathhouses, which use hot water, is prohibited. But bathing in cold water is permitted.

Abaye said to him:

What proof can be derived from the wording of the Mishna?

And if

the tannaitic sage had held that bathing

in cold water is also prohibited,

meaning that it is prohibited to bathe even in cold rivers, would

“They dam the rivers” have been what he needed to teach

?

Certainly, it would have been impossible to teach this, since there is no way to dam the rivers in order to prevent people from bathing in them.

Since in any event the tannaitic sage would have had to teach, “They lock the bathhouses,” whether bathing is prohibited only in hot water or also in cold water, no proof can be brought from the wording of our Mishna.

Rav Shisha, son of Rav Idi, said:

There truly is no proof from this wording. Rather,

my father

—Rav Idi, who was Rav Shisha’s father—

had this difficulty

with our Mishna:

Since we have already learned

at the beginning of the Mishna that

bathing is prohibited,

why do I need “They lock the bathhouses”?

Why did the tannaitic sage teach that the bathhouses must be locked? If no one bathes, the bathhouses are automatically of no use!

Rather, conclude from this:

Specifically

in hot water

in the bathhouses,

it is prohibited

to bathe. But

in cold water

it is permitted. Therefore, the tannaitic sage taught, “They lock the bathhouses,” to teach that bathing is prohibited specifically in hot water, like the water in bathhouses.

Let us say that this supports

Rav Ḥisda, who said that anything prohibited as an expression of mourning is prohibited even in cold water, from the following

beraita—a tannaitic source not included in the Mishna:

Thus we learned in a beraita:

“All those who are obligated to immerse,

such as a menstruating woman or a woman after childbirth,

immerse in their usual manner,

both on Tisha BeAv and on Yom Kippur.”

Now we must explain:

In what

kind of water do they immerse?

If you say

that they immerse

in

water

that is hot,

heated over a fire, this cannot be said. For

is there such a thing as immersion in hot water

?

Water heated in a vessel over a fire is

drawn water

—

it is drawn water —and it is prohibited to immerse in drawn water; one must immerse specifically in rainwater or spring water! Rather, it must be that the beraita is certainly speaking of cold water. And specifically those obligated to immerse— yes, they immerse in cold water even on Tisha BeAv and Yom Kippur, because immersion at its proper time is a mitzva, as one hastens to purify himself. But another person, who is not obligated to immerse, may not

bathe even in cold water!

Rav Ḥana bar Ketina said:

There is no proof from here, because it is possible to say that the beraita is speaking of immersion in hot water that was not heated in a vessel.

And

How can it be possible for water to be hot without having been heated in a vessel over a fire?

It was necessary

for the beraita to refer

as one hastens to purify himself.

only to the hot springs of Tiberias,

which are spring water and are already hot at their source. Only those obligated to immerse are permitted to immerse in hot water. But everyone else is prohibited from using hot water and is permitted to use cold water. The Gemara asks: If so, say the latter clause of the beraita. We learned there that Rabbi Ḥanina, the deputy of the priests, disagreed and said: Even those obligated to immerse do not immerse on these days, because “it is fitting for our House of God that one immersion be forfeited for its sake once a year,” even an immersion that is a mitzva.

And if you say

that

cold water is permitted

even for everyone to use on Tisha BeAv and Yom Kippur, and that this does not constitute a violation of the honor of the House of God, why should those obligated to immerse forgo their immersion on these days?

Let them immerse in cold water!

Rather, it must be that cold water is also prohibited for everyone, and it was permitted only for those obligated to immerse. Rabbi Ḥanina disagreed and said that even those obligated to immerse should not immerse in cold water, because it is fitting for our House of God that an immersion be forfeited for its sake!

Rav Pappa said:

It is indeed possible to say that for everyone else only hot water is prohibited, while cold water is permitted; and those obligated to immerse were also permitted to use hot water. Rabbi Ḥanina did not actually come to prohibit bathing in cold water for those obligated to immerse, but only bathing in hot water. Therefore, if it is possible to immerse in cold water, the immersion is not forfeited; they should immerse in cold water.

As for what Rabbi Ḥanina said in the beraita, “It is fitting for our House of God that one immersion be forfeited for its sake,” this refers to

a place

where cold water is not commonly found,

where water suitable for immersion is unavailable.

In such a place, if immersion in hot water is prohibited, they will be unable to immerse at all. Rabbi Ḥanina therefore said that nevertheless it is fitting for our House of God that an immersion be forfeited for its sake.

if your statement is correct, that

bathing in cold water is permitted

even for everyone on Tisha Be’av and Yom Kippur, and that refraining from it does not constitute a diminution of the honor of the House of God, why should those obligated to immerse forgo their immersion on these days?

Come and hear: When the Sages said

that on a communal fast

work is prohibited, they said this only during the day.

But at night

it is permitted

to work.

where

cold water is not commonly available

where cold water in which to immerse is not readily found . In such a place, if immersion in hot water were prohibited, they would be unable to immerse at all. Rabbi Ḥanina said that despite this, it is appropriate for our Temple to forgo one immersion on its account.

даже всякому человеку мыться в Девятое ава и Йом-Кипур и в этом нет умаления почёта Дома Бога, почему обязанные погружаться лишаются своего погружения в эти дни?

Пусть моется в холодной воде!

Но вынужденно следует, что для всякого человека запрещено даже в холодной воде, и разрешили только обязанным погружаться. А рабби Ханина разошёлся во мнении и сказал, что даже обязанные погружаться не должны погружаться в холодной воде, поскольку достаточно нашему Дому Бога лишить себя ради него погружения!

Come and hear: When

And when they said

that on a communal fast

wearing sandals is prohibited, they said this only

when a person is

in the city.

But when he is walking on the road outside the city, it is permitted,

because walking in such a manner is dangerous if he does not wear shoes.

What are the circumstances?

How should travelers conduct themselves?

When he

sets out on the road, he

puts on

his sandal. And when he enters the city from his journey, he removes his sandal. And when they said that on a communal fast bathing is prohibited, they said this only with regard to bathing one’s entire body. But to wash

one’s face, hands, and feet

is permitted.

And

just as we stated these distinctions—for example, the distinction between one traveling on the road and one who is in the city with regard to wearing sandals—in the case of a communal fast, so

you find

these distinctions also

in the case of one placed under a ban

—a person whom the court placed under a ban and who must observe practices of mourning—

and in the case of a mourner.

one’s entire body.

But

washing

one’s face, hands, and feet is

permitted.

This is the end of the wording of the beraita.

Now, when the tannaitic sage taught in the beraita that the same law applies with regard to one placed under a ban and a mourner,

does this not mean

all of them—all the distinctions mentioned, including bathing? Thus, he said that even for one placed under a ban or a mourner, bathing is prohibited only when it involves the entire body, while washing the face and hands is permitted!

And in what

circumstances is this speaking?

If you say

that it is speaking of bathing

in hot water, this cannot be said. For washing

one’s face, hands, and feet

in hot water—

is it permitted

to a mourner?

But Rav Sheshet said:

A mourner is prohibited

even

from placing

his

finger in hot water!

Rather, it must be that the beraita is speaking of bathing

in cold water!

The tannaitic sage taught that bathing the entire body is prohibited, while washing only the face, hands, and feet is permitted.

It follows that on a communal fast it is prohibited to bathe one’s entire body even in cold water!

The Gemara rejects the proof:

No. The beraita is not speaking of cold water. Actually, the beraita is speaking specifically of hot water. In such a case, bathing the entire body is prohibited, while washing only the face, hands, and feet is permitted. But in cold water, one may bathe even the entire body. As for what is difficult for you from what we learned: “And likewise you find this in the case of one placed under a ban and a mourner,”

how can it be possible to say that a mourner may wash part of his body in hot water, when he is prohibited even from placing a finger in hot water—

this is not a difficulty.

For what we learned at the end of the beraita, that one finds the distinctions mentioned with regard to a communal fast even in the case of one placed under a ban and a mourner,

refers to the other matters

mentioned in the beraita: wearing sandals and anointing oneself.

With regard to these matters, one placed under a ban and a mourner have the same law as on a communal fast.

It is thus proven that on a public fast bathing over the entire body is prohibited even in cold water!

The Gemara rejects the proof:

But the statement in the beraita that bathing in hot water is prohibited only when it involves the entire body, while washing the face, hands, and feet is permitted, refers specifically to a communal fast. In the case of one placed under a ban and a mourner, washing even the face, hands, and feet in hot water is prohibited.

Come and hear, as Rabbi Abba the priest said in the name of Rabbi Yosei the priest: There was an incident

in which

Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina’s sons died, and he bathed in cold water throughout the seven days of mourning.

This demonstrates that a mourner is permitted to bathe in cold water!

The Gemara rejects the proof:

There, in the incident involving Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina,

his mourning periods had followed one another immediately, because his two sons died one after the other. Since his mourning period was longer than usual, he was permitted to bathe in cold water during the days of mourning.

As we find in a beraita, that when a person’s mourning periods follow one another, leniencies are granted to him:

As it was taught: If a person’s mourning periods followed one another,

and as a result

his hair became heavy

because a mourner is prohibited from cutting his hair—

he may thin it with a razor

—he is permitted to thin his hair somewhat with a razor.

вынужденно барайта говорит об омовении

в холодной воде!

But what we learned in the beraita, that the prohibition against bathing in hot water applies specifically to the entire body, while washing the face, hands, and feet is permitted, refers specifically to a public fast. But for one who has been ostracized or a mourner, washing even the face, hands, and feet in hot water is prohibited.

Come and hear, as Rabbi Abba the priest said in the name of Rabbi Yosei the priest: There was

an incident

in which the sons of Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina died, and he bathed in cold water all seven days.

We see from this that a mourner is permitted to bathe in cold water!

The Gemara rejects the proof:

There

in the incident involving Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina,

it was

when mourning followed upon mourning,

as his two sons died one after the other. Since his mourning lasted longer than usual, they permitted him to bathe in cold water even during the days of his mourning.

And as we find in a beraita, that when mourning follows upon mourning, they are lenient with him:

As it was taught: If mourning follows upon mourning, one after the other,

and for this reason

his hair became burdensome

his hair grew thick and weighed upon him, since a mourner is prohibited from having a haircut—

he may thin it with a razor he is permitted to thin his hair somewhat with a razor.

Но то, что мы учили в барайте, что запрет омовения в горячей воде относится именно ко всему телу, а лицо, руки и ноги разрешено мыть, говорится именно об общественном посте. Но у отлучённого и траурящего запрещено мыть в горячей воде также лицо, руки и ноги.

Приди и услышь, ибо сказал рабби Аба-ха-коэн от имени рабби Йоси-ха-коэна: был случай:

случился случай,

и умерли сыновья рабби Йоси, сына рабби Ханины, и он мылся в холодной воде все семь дней.

Вот нам доказательство, что траурящему разрешено мыться в холодной воде!

Гемара отвергает доказательство:

там

[там, в случае с рабби Йоси, сыном рабби Ханины]

так как трауры постигали его один за другим

[дни его траура следовали один непосредственно за другим], поскольку два его сына умерли один за другим. И поскольку его траурные дни были многочисленнее обычного, ему разрешили мыться в холодной воде даже в дни его траура.

И как мы находим в барайте, что если трауры постигали его один за другим, ему облегчают:

ибо учили: если трауры постигали его один за другим,

и поэтому

волосы отяжелели

[его волосы стали густыми и отягощали его], ведь траурящему запрещена стрижка, —

он облегчает их бритвой

[ему разрешено немного проредить свои волосы бритвой].

And

likewise, although a mourner is forbidden to wash his garments, nevertheless such a mourner, whose mourning has overtaken him,

washes his garment in water.

Rav Hisda said:

only

with a razor,

since this is an unusual manner [for ordinarily the hairs are cut with scissors], did they permit him to trim his hair.

But not

did they permit him to trim it

with scissors—

in the usual manner.

And likewise, that which they permitted him to wash his garment, this means only

in water.

And not with natron

, nor with sand,

with which it is customary to wash, because they whiten the laundry more.

Rava said: A mourner is permitted to bathe in cold water throughout all seven days, as is the case with meat and wine

[as he is permitted with meat and wine], for they are pleasurable like cold water.