Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Moed Kattan 17a - Using a Razor for a Moustache

Rabbeinu Chananel (brought in Nimukei Yosef Makos 4b b'dafei harif and Tur Y.D. 181) says that the 2 sides of the moustache are (2 out of 5 of the) areas that one is not allowed to shave with a razor. This is also brought in the Taz (181:3). L'ma'aseh we are choshesh for all the various shitos mentioned in Nimukei Yosef in Makos.
Rashi's peshat in our gemara is clearly against Rabbeinu Chananel. Rashi explains the story of the pair who came from 'chamsan', had they asked about shaving the moustache he would have been matir. Rashi explains that he would have been matir as far as the issur of "b'al Taschis p'as zikanecha". The Chasam Sofer is medayek from Rashi that he must hold like the Mordechai in the name of Rabbeinu Tam, that during aveilus it is only mutar with a shinuy (like tosafos), but he adds that this means specifically a knife rather than scissors (he seems to assume that a knife would not be a normal way to trim) and that is why there is a concern of hashchasa. The gemara says that the heter to cut the moustache is from corner to corner, which would certainly include the area mentioned by Rabbeinu Chananel. We see clearly that acc. to Rashi and other rishonim who would require the use of a knife rather than scissors, the ends of the moustache are not considered pe'os hazakan.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You mean the person who took over for rashi in this masechta real rashi is found in only one print

Avi Lebowitz said...

i mean the running commentary on moed kattan printed on the inner margin that is accepted as the primary commentary on this meseches - that is "rashi". just as the shagas aryeh refers to rashi in nazir (and i beleive nedarim as well) as "rashi".

Yossie Schonkopf said...

dear rabbi,
can you clear up some confusion on this subject?
until where is one allowed to shave on the sides? before the bone after the bone? are there different opinions? what about the hair stretching out towards the center of the face (the boots)? What about above the ear or above the bone, how short can one trim?
thanks,
confused

Avi Lebowitz said...

R' YOSSI,
this is not readers digest!
i assume that you are speaking about pe'as harosh - the beis yosef and shulchan aruch seem to follow the RIVAN (or Rashi - see earlier comment!) in Makos. His language is a bit misleading bec. first it implies the bone and then speaks about under the ear. so there is valid reason for confusion. However, if i remember correctly, it is clear from the Rivan that the point where pe'os harosh end, pe'os hazakan begins - therefore he must mean the bone and we can then me madchik that under the ear means the opening of the ear rather than the entire ugly piece of cartilage pasted onto the side of one's head (i rember hearing something along those lines from r' tzvi berkowitz in baltimore).