Siman - Moed Katan Daf 9
- The source for not mixing simchos is learned from the celebration of the Beis HaMikdash
The Gemara asks for the source for אין מערבין שמחה בשמחה – we do not mix one simchah with another simchah, and brings a passuk regarding Shlomo’s celebration of the dedication of the Beis Hamikdash, that states: "ויעש שלמה בעת ההיא את החג" – And Shlomo made a celebration at that time, and all of Yisroel was with him, a large congregation, from the approach to Chamas until the Nachal of Mitzrayim, before Hashem our G-d, שבעת ימים ושבעת ימים ארבעה עשר יום – for seven days, and for seven more days, fourteen days. They celebrated for seven days before Succos and then celebrated for seven days during Succos, for a total of fourteen days. After the first proof from this passuk is rejected, the Gemara clarifies that the proof is from the redundancy of saying that they celebrated for fourteen days, when it had just stated they had celebrated for seven days and seven more days. שמע מינה הני לחוד והני לחוד – Learn from this that the seven days of celebrating the dedication of the Beis Hamikdash are on their own, and the seven days of Succos are on their own, meaning, that the simchos were not mixed.
- The Jews did not observe Yom Kippur the year of the celebration of the Beis Hamikdash
Referring to the celebration of the dedication of the Beis Hamikdash, Rebbe Parnach said in the name of Rebbe Yochanan: אותה שנה לא עשו ישראל את יום הכפורים – That year Yisroel did not keep Yom Kippur, והיו דואגים ואומרים שמא נתחייבו שונאיהן של ישראל כלייה – and the Jewish people were worried that perhaps the enemies of Yisroel, which is a euphemism for Yisroel, deserve destruction for this. יצתה בת קול ואמרה להם כולכם מזומנין לחיי העולם הבא – A Bas Kol went out and said to them: "You are all prepared for a life in Olam Habah". The Gemara explains how they determined that they could celebrate through Yom Kippur. They made the following kal v’chomer. מה משכן שאין קדושתו קדושת עולם וקרבן יחיד – If by the dedication of the Mishkan, whose kedushah is not everlasting, and we are dealing with the individual korbanos of the nesi’im, דוחה שבת דאיסור סקילה – yet it was docheh Shabbos, which is an issur skilah, מקדש דקדושתו קדושת עולם וקרבן צבור ויום הכפורים דענוש כרת לא כל שכן – then all the more so by the dedication of the Beis Hamikdash whose kedushah is everlasting, and the korbanos are for the tzibur, and on Yom Kippur the onesh is only kares, that their celebration should override Yom Kippur.
- מצוה שאפשר לעשותה על ידי אחרים
Rebbe Yonasan ben Asmai and Rebbe Yehudah ben Geirim were sitting and discussing the following passuk in Mishlei regarding the Torah, "יקרה היא מפנינים וכל חפציך לא ישוו בה" – It is more precious than pearls, and all of your desires cannot compare to it. From the fact that the passuk says, “all your desires” it implies, הא חפצי שמים ישוו בה – But the desires of heaven, referring to mitzvos, do compare to it. But it is written in another passuk regarding the Torah, "וכל חפצים לא ישוו בה" – and all desires cannot compare to it. They resolved the contradiction in the pesukim by explaining, כאן במצוה שאפשר לעשותה על ידי אחרים - Here, in the passuk that mitzvos do not compare to talmud Torah, it refers to a mitzvah that can be performed by others. Therefore, one who is learning, should let someone else do the mitzvah.כאן במצוה שאי אפשר לעשותה על ידי אחרים – Whereas, here, in the passuk that implies that mitzvos are equal to talmud Torah, it refers to a mitzvah which cannot be done by others. Therefore, a person learning should stop learning and perform the mitzvah.
