Siman - Taanis Daf 13
- What type of water is one forbidden to wash in when fasting
Rafram bar Pappa said in the name of Rav Chisda, regarding the prohibition of washing oneself on a fast day: כל שהוא משום אבל כגון תשעה באב ואבל – Any situation where the prohibition to wash is because of mourning, like Tisha b’av, or that of someone actually mourning , אסור בין בחמין בין בצונן – it is prohibited to wash, whether it is hot water or cold water. כל שהוא משום תענוג כגון תענית צבור – Where the prohibition to wash is because of pleasure, which Rashi explains means is a fast to abstain from pleasures בחמין אסור בצונן מותר – then washing in hot water is forbidden but in cold water is permitted. Rav Idi brought a proof for this from the Mishnah, since it stated that on a public fast day it is forbidden to wash oneself, we lock the bathhouses. If washing oneself in any type of water is prohibited, then why did the Mishnah add the requirement to lock the bathhouses? We can see from here that on a public fast day בחמין אסור בצונן מותר – specifically washing with hot water is assur but using cold water is mutar.
- What is permitted when one goes from one shivah straight into another shivah
Rebbe Abba HaKohen challenged Rav Chisda’s ruling that an אבל is prohibited to wash in cold water, from an incident where Rebbe Yose, whose sons died, washed in cold water during the shivah. The Gemara answers that his sons died one right after the other, and therefore Rebbe Yose was able to be meikel, given the fact that he was mourning for a long period of time. For it was taught in a Baraisa: תכפוהו אבליו זה אחר זה – When one goes through one shivah right after a previous shivah הכביד שערו מיקל בתער – If his hair becomes heavy and he needs a haircut because it is so long, he may cut it with a razor, ומכבס כסותו במים – and he may wash his clothing in water. We learn from here that Rebbe Yose washed himself in cold water only because of this extreme circumstance. Rav Chisda said: בתער אבל לא במספרים – The Baraisa permits cutting one’s hair with a razor but not a scissors, במים אבל לא בנתר ולא בחול – with water but not natron or sand. Rashi explains that it is the derech to use scissors, and it is the derech to whiten clothes by adding those ingredients into water. Therefore, cutting one's hair and washing one's clothes need to be done without these things, in order for there to be a shinui.
- Machlokes regarding where to insert Aneinu
The Gemara asks: צלותא דתעניתא היכי מדכרינן – Where is the tefillah of Aneinu inserted in the Shemoneh Esrei? Rav Yehudah took his son Rav Yitzchak on a walk and told him that a yachid who accepted a fast upon himself, inserts it בין גואל לרופא – between the berachah of redemption and the berachah of healing. Rav Yitzchak challenged his father, and asked וכי יחיד קובע ברכה לעצמו – May a yachid insert a berachah in Shemoneh Esrei for himself? Rather, בשומע תפילה – he inserts it in the berachah of the One who hears tefillah. Rav Sheishess also said Aneinu is included in the berachah of שומע תפילה. The Gemara goes through a lengthy discussion that extends into the next Daf, regarding Rav Yitzchak’s and Rav Sheishess ’ position of where to insert Aneinu.
