Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Moed Kattan 5a - Tziyun Kevaros

Rashi explains that the purpose of grave marking is to prevent terumah eaters from becoming tomei and then eating teruma b'tumah without realizing. It seems that Rashi prefers this concern rather than the issur of being metamei l'mais bec. it includes not only kohanim but even their wives and daughters. But why does rashi in d.h. metzaynin and d.h. asu mishmeres, say that the concern is for terumah eaters, but in d.h. lifnei, rashi says the concern is for terumah and taharos carriers?
Based on the gemara in avodah zarah 14a says that we are only concerned for lifnei iver, but we are not concerned with lifne d'lifnei. Meaning that if it is more that one step removed, it is not a violation of lifnei iver. Therefore, Rashi explains that the main concern is terumah eaters who would eat terumah temeiah, but by the esmachta of lifnei iver teruma eaters would not be a problem bec. it is an indirect michshol - meaning, by not marking the grave they will be tomei and then go home to eat terumah. Instead Rashi explains that there is a concern of a direct michshol that someone will be carrying terumah/taharos and it will become tomei when it is passed over the kever.

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