R. Eliezer says: From the time of the destruction of the Temple, [i.e., Now that the festival offerings of Shavuoth cannot be made up all seven days, it is not considered a festival, but] Shavuoth is like Shabbath, [which does not interrupt [mourning. But in the time of the Temple, when one who did not celebrate the first day of Shavuoth, could celebrate all seven, as with Pesach, Shavuoth was like Pesach even vis-à-vis mourning.] R. Gamliel says: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are like the festivals. The sages say: Neither as this one nor as the other; but Shavuoth is like the festivals and Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are like Shabbath. [As to the halachah: Shavuoth, nowadays, is like the festivals (Pesach and Succoth), as are Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. If one's kin died even a moment before one of these, the decree of shivah falls off. And if he died seven days before one of these yomim tovim, the decree of shloshim falls off, as stated. And the seven days of the festival are included in the shloshim. For even though we learned: "Festivals interrupt and are not included," they are not included in the shivah, but they are included in the shloshim — making fourteen days. And Shemini Atzereth is a festival in itself and counted as if it were seven days — making twenty-one days; so that he counts another nine days and this suffices (to complete the shloshim). The decree of shivah: A mourner, all seven days, may not bathe, even part of his body, in warm water, and all of his body, in cold water. He is forbidden to wash his clothing, to anoint himself, to wear shoes, to cohabit, to do work, and to greet people. He must wrap his head (in mourning), he must turn over all of the beds in the house on the ground and sleep in them and not on an upright bed. He may not cut his nails with an instrument, nor the hair of his moustache, even if it interferes with his eating. He is forbidden to read in the Torah, both the written or the oral. He may not baste the rent of his garment. The decree of shloshim: From shivah until shloshim he may not wear a new garment or an ironed white garment, he may not cut his hair, he may not partake of a mundane (non-mitzvah) repast, he may not go out to trade with his friends, he may not take a wife if he already has a wife and children, and he may not sew up his (mourner's) rent.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Moed Katan
משחרב בית המקדש – For Shavuot/Atzeret has no payment of indemnity all seven days of the sacrifice, the laws of the Festival are abrogated, and it is a Shabbat which does not interrupt it, but at the time of the Temple, he who did not make the Festival offering on the First Day of Shavuot would offer it throughout the seven days, like the Festival of Matzot; Azeret was like the Festival of Matzot even as regards mourning. And the final result of this matter regarding the Halakhic decision is that Atzeret in this time is like the Festivals, and Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are like the festivals. He who suffered a loss prior to one of these, even one hour, the decree of [sitting] Shivah is abrogated. And if [the person] died prior to one of these Holy Days, the decree of thirty days is abrogated from him, as we have stated; and the seven days of the Festival count towards the number thirty, which is fourteen days. And Shemini Atzeret/The Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly is a festival unto itself, and is considered as if it is seven days, that makes twenty-one days. We count another nine days until the thirty and that is enough. And the decree of seven as we have stated is that he that was a mourner all seven days is prohibited in washing in hot water, even for part of his body, and in cold [water] all of his body, and he is prohibited from laundering his clothing, and in anointing and in wearing leather [shoes] and in doing work and in greeting others. And he is obligated in wrapping his head in mourning garb , and in turning over his bed, so that all of the beds that are in his house would be turned over on the ground and he should sleep on them, but not upon a bed standing upright. And it is prohibited to cut his nails with a utensil nor the hair of his mustache, even if it prevents him from eating. And it is prohibited to read from the Torah, whether from the Written Torah or from the Oral Torah. And he cannot re-stitch the tear that is upon him. And the decree of thirty is that from the seventh day until the completion of the thirtieth [day], it is prohibited to wear new clothing, or a white ironed garment, and it is prohibited to cut one’s hair, and to enjoy an optional banquet and to go shopping with one’s friends, and to marry another woman, if he has a wife and children, and he cannot sew together the tear that is upon him.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Moed Katan
Introduction
The festivals which most clearly put an end to shivah and shloshim are Pesah and Sukkot since they are both seven or if you include Shmini Atzeret (the last day of Sukkot), eight days long. In contrast, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur last only one day. Further complicating the matter, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are holidays, but not actually festivals. “Festival” in Hebrew (regel) refers only to the three pilgrimage holidays Pesah, Shavuot and Sukkot, when one was supposed to visit the Temple. Due to these complications, our mishnah contains a debate over where these one day holidays are treated like Shabbat or like Pesah and Sukkot.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Moed Katan
Rabbi Eliezer says: From the time the Temple was destroyed, Atzeret ( is like Shabbat. Atzeret is the word used in the Mishnah to refer to Shavuot. When the Temple still stood, Atzeret was similar to the other festivals. One who did not bring the appropriate sacrifice on Atzeret itself could bring it for the following six days. Hence, in a sense Atzeret was a seven day holiday, even though it was only fully observed for one day. When the Temple still stood, it would interrupt mourning. Once the Temple was destroyed and sacrifices could no longer be brought, Atzeret ceased being a seven day holiday and hence is treated like Shabbat when it comes to mourning.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Moed Katan
Rabban Gamaliel says: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are like festivals. According to Rabban Gamaliel Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are like festivals. Assumedly, his reasoning is that anything that is not Shabbat counts as a festival. He would therefore disagree with Rabbi Eliezer. Today the halakhah follows Rabban Gamaliel. Only Shabbat does not interrupt mourning.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Moed Katan
The sages say: [the rule is] not according to the words of this one nor that one, rather Atzeret is like the festivals and Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are like Shabbat. The other sages disagree with both Rabban Gamaliel and Rabbi Eliezer. The category of festivals includes all pilgrimage holidays, and even Atzeret after the destruction of the Temple. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are not “festivals” and hence they function like Shabbat. The sages’ opinion seems to be a literal interpretation of the last clause of yesterday’s mishnah which stated that festivals interrupt. The sages interpret this to mean only festivals and not other holidays.
