About this episode
Study Guide Moed Katan 11 Pictures This week's learning is sponsored by Michael Gordon in honor of his wife Avigail and daughter Tzipora's shared Hebrew birthday. "I am continually inspired by both of you." This week's daf is sponsored by Tina Senders Lamm in loving memory of her mother, Peppy Senders, Pesha Rivka bat Gershon Ha'Cohen u'Bina, whose 18th yahrzeit will be on Shabbat. "She was wise, giving and compassionate. All who knew her, loved her." Pictures More examples are brought of items that can be built/fixed as they are not considered work of a craftsman. If it is a matter of financial loss, even something that is considered work of a craftsman is permitted, as long as one did not push it off to be done on the holiday. One can preserve food only if it will be eaten on the holiday. A contradiction is brought between the Mishna that permitted fixing hinges and other parts of doors/locks and a Mishna in Maaser Sheni 5:15 that mentions Yochanan the Kohen Gadol who forbade hammering even in a case of financial loss, as it made a lot of noise and those who heard would not know whether or not it was a case of financial loss. There are several suggestions made to resolve the contradiction. There is a tannatic debate regarding issues with financial loss whether or not work can be done in its usual manner or does one need to do it in an unusual manner? A case is brought where they permitted preserving fish for after the holiday. Why? Rav mentions a number of tips he got from Ada the fisherman regarding fish preparation. If one turned over one's olives and they were ready for pressing and then one became a mourner or couldn't finish the process for some other reason and then the holiday came, one would be able on the holiday to put a beam over them to begin pressing them and finish after the holiday. That is Rabbi Yehuda's opinion, but Rabbo Yosi permits one to finish the process entirely. Two different versions of the Mishna are brought, each explaining differently the mourner and whether the mourner can work or not if there is a financial loss at stake. Are the laws of mourning the same as chol hamoed? A braita is brought to prove the opinion that one cannot work when one is in mourning. A few opinions are brought in the braita which delineate what work should one find others to do, what work can one do oneself and what work can't be done at all, even by others.