Friday, March 23, 2007

Moed Kattan 14a - Exemptions to Take Haircuts

The Mishna gives a list of people who couldn't take haircuts before regel and are therefore allowed to do in on regel. The reason for the issur on others to take haircuts is not bec. it is a melacha [Tosafos is mesupak if a full haircut is a melacha and the gemara may only be addressing a trim], but rather to prevent people from coming into the regel "menuval". So, What is the peshat in the heter for the people listed in the mishna: Was the issur only said as a prevention to coming into moed menuval, so one who could not take a haircut before is not included in the issur; or the issur was made across the board for concern of people coming into yom tov menuval, just that in a situation of o'nes there is a special leniency to allow them to take a haircut?
It seems to me that this is really the shaila of the gemara about one who lost an object. If the heter is just that a case where one could not do it before, is not included in the issur, then certainly one who looses an object would also qualify. But if the heter is an exemption for o'nes then chazal made a blanket issur and were only matir for a case that is clear to all that it is an o'nes, to the exclusion of one who lost an object. V'DOK.

No comments: