Samuela II 14:2 Halacha: Shulchan Arukh, Yoreh De'ah

In what manner is bathing [forbidden]?¹M.K. 15b, derived from, ‘And Joab sent to Tekoa and fetched thence a wise woman and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner etc… and annoint not thyself with oil’ (II Sam. XIV, 2). Bathing is implied in the prohibition of annointing. Ruth III, 3; Ps. CIX, 18; Yad, Ebel V, 3 and cf. Yoma 76b. — He is forbidden to bathe his whole body even in cold water, but his face, hands and feet he is forbidden [to wash] in warm water,²This includes even lukewarm water — P.Tesh. [but] in cold water he is permitted.³Ta‘an 13b. However, if he was soiled with mud or excrement, he may bathe in his usual way without any apprehension.⁴Yoma 77b. Cf. Ber. 16b, Tosaf. s.v. אסטניס. Gloss: And all this is forbidden legally only for seven [days], but subsequently he is permitted to bathe,⁵M.K. 19b in accord with the dictum of R. Amram citing Rab. only that nowadays it is the adopted practice to prohibit bathing throughout the thirty days,⁶R. Meir of Rothenberg, Laws of Sem. (s. 105) ; Hag. Maim. Yom Tob VII; ibid. Ebel X — G. The translation here ‘bathing throughout the thirty days,’ follows ShaK’s reading. Hence, it follows that in cold water it would be permissible during the thirty days. The undefined term רחיצה (bathing) refers to warm water (v. Y.M.K. III, 5(82d) ; cf. infra § 399 and O.H. § 549). Moreover, bathing in cold water is not considered pleasure (תענוג) — ShaK. D.Merb. and R. A. Eger maintain contra ShaK that even in cold water it is permissible to bathe only one’s face, hands and feet, but the entire body should not be bathed in cold water for thirty days. A.H. agrees with ShaK. Or Zaru‘a explains that this prohibition regarding bathing within the thirty days is on account of combing the hair, which is forbidden within the thirty days. But since we permit combing of the hair today (v. infra § 390), it would be permissible to bathe after seven days. RaShaL’s reason for the prohibition of bathing is on account of hair-cutting. Hence, bathing should be forbidden just as hair-cutting is. On Ḥol ha-Moed, however, we find that hair-cutting is forbidden and bathing is permitted. This difficulty may be removed on the grounds that on Ḥol ha-Moed the prohibition of hair-cutting applies to everyone as a result of which people will remember and be careful. Consequently, bathing is permitted. But in the case of mourning, it applies only to the individual mourner. Hence, there is fear lest he forget (cf. Mishna Shab. 147a, Rashi s.v. אבל) — TaZ. and even to cleanse the head is forbidden.⁷Infra § 390 and Or Zaru‘a — G. This refers to warm water only. And this custom should not be altered, for it is an ancient custom and was established by pious men.⁸Or Zaru‘a on the authority of RaShBA — G. One, however, who is not in good health, although he is not considered a sick person, and requires a bath, is permitted to bathe within the thirty days, since the entire prohibition is only a custom and not a binding law (v. supra n. 5). During the seven days of mourning he is forbidden to bathe unless a physician instructs him otherwise, although he is not considered a dangerously ill person — A.H. Bathing in public, however, is forbidden throughout the thirty days. Kol Bo(G) I, p. 356.

A mourner is forbidden to wash his garment during the entire seven days [of mourning],¹In Talmudic days there were two kinds of washing: a) כיבוס i.e., plain washing, and b) גיהוץ i.e., laundry work. In Ket. 10b it is stated that ‘our (i.e., Babylonian) laundry work is like their (i.e., Ereẓ Israel) washing.’ In the Land of Israel the plain washing was superior to the Babylonian, because they had either better water or better ingredients for washing. In order to procure satisfactory results, they would have to do fine laundry work in Babylonia, and that would include smoothing the cloth or garment with a stone, or according to Rashi (ibid.) with a gloss-stone. S. Krauss T.A. I, 156, 581 and cf. Ta‘an. 29b. There are two main views held among the authorities regarding these terms. 1) During the seven days of mourning every type of washing is forbidden for two reasons — a) It entails work. Hence, not only the mourner is forbidden to wash his clothes, but others are also forbidden to do this for him (v. supra § 380); b) There is a prohibition against wearing even garments that were washed prior to the time that mourning sets in. This is derived from, ‘And Joab sent to Tekoa and fetched thence a wise woman and said unto her: I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee, and annoint not thyself with oil but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead’ (II Sam. XIV, 2) — M.K. 15a. With respect to the thirty days of mourning, no prohibition against washing (כיבוס) is found in the Talmud; only the prohibition against laundry work (גיהוץ) applies then. During the entire thirty days the mourner is forbidden to wear laundried garments (M.K. 23a), and R. Eleazar b. R. Simeon forbade only new white linen clothes, and Raba (ibid.) rules in accord with the latter. also ibid. 27b; Yeb. 43a and Rashi a.l.; Yad, Ebel V, 1, 3; VI, 4. This represents the view of Rashi, Maim. and Alfasi. 2) Even washing (כיבוס) is forbidden for thirty days. This is derived from Sem(H). VII, 4, where it is stated, ‘One who did not wash garments on the eve of a Festival should not wash for thirty days.’ The Talmudic texts (cited supra 1) are explained as follows: Yeb. ibid. is interpreted according to this viewpoint as referring only to those persons enumerated in Mishna, M.K. III, 2. Regarding M.K. 27b, the text should be emended to read, ‘thirty days for washing (כיבוס), and as to M.K. 15a, it should be understood as referring to washing in water only, which is permitted during the thirty days save the seven days of mourning. However, washing with natron and lye is forbidden (M.K. 23a, Tosaf. s.v. כל). — This is the viewpoint held by RIBA. Caro accepts the first viewpoint which represents the majority of the authorities. even [if washed] in water alone.²M.K. 17b, derived by R. Ḥisda from the Baraitha concerning one who suffered one bereavement immediately after another. also Ta‘an. 13a. However, after the seven [days of mourning], it is permissible.³e., all types of washing. Just as he is forbidden to wash [garments], so also is he forbidden to put on [garments] that were washed prior to this.⁴e., prior to the mourning period (v. supra n. 1). T.H. contra Rashi. Cf. M.K. 24b, Tosaf. s.v. ברכת. also O.Ḥ. § 551, 3. And after the seven [days of mourning] it is permissible, but people treat this as forbidden.⁵Thus opinion of RIBA and his followers — G. Cf. supra n. However, it is customary that another person puts them on first, after which the mourner may wear them; and [this] custom is fundamental,⁶Tur on the authority of SeMaK; Mord., Laws of Mourning and Kol Bo — G. By ‘this custom is fundamental’ is meant that we should not think that this custom has no basis. On the contrary, is has a legal basis (v. supra n. 1) in accordance with the viewpoint of RIBA. However, as far as the law is concerned, we accept the view of the majority of the authorities. Thus also B.Yos. — A.H. and this is the common practice in these countries after the seven [days of mourning]. If another person puts it [the garment] on even for an hour, it is sufficient.⁷Kol Bo and SeMaK — G. Nowadays we do not practice the custom of giving another person the garments to put on first, for we adopt a lenient view with respect to an undergarment or shirt, since they are not worn for the sake of pleasure. One may therefore, change his undershirt on account of perspiration and RIBA may be referring to other garments usually worn on the Sabbath. During the seven days of mourning, one may put on a clean undershirt, if necessary, on account of perspiration or in a case where one suffers from a skin disease. It is only in the case of a garment that is worn for the sake of pleasure that the prohibition applies on the same principle as in the case of bathing (v. supra § 381 and notes) — A.H. Needless to say that it is forbidden to put on new garments. It is also forbidden to wash the sheets and bed-covers,⁸During the seven days of mourning. or to spread out those already washed. And so too, hand-towels, although it is permissible to wash them during [Hol-] ha-Moed,⁹ Glos. On the Sabbath one is permitted to change the tablecloth (TaZ) and the hand-towels, but during the week it is forbidden — A.H. and likewise, [the garments of] all those [persons] of whom we learnt¹⁰Mishna, M.K. III, 2. that they may wash [their garments] during [Hol-] ha-Moed,⁹ Glos. On the Sabbath one is permitted to change the tablecloth (TaZ) and the hand-towels, but during the week it is forbidden — A.H. e.g., one coming out of captivity or prison, or one under a ban and was released by the Sages, or one who applied to a Sage and was released [from a vow],¹¹Not to wash garments. or one arriving from beyond the sea¹²From abroad. [for the purpose of conducting business] in order to make profit and had no opportunity to cut his hair,¹³And likewise to wash his garments — ShaK. — are forbidden [to be washed] during one's mourning,¹⁴During Ḥol ha-Moed this would be permissible on account of the honour due to the Festival — A.H. — for if one of these [aforementioned] things happened to him [the mourner] prior to the [period of his] mourning, and he [thus] entered forthwith into the [period of] mourning, — [the law is that] he is forbidden to wash [his garments], unless one of these [aforementioned] things happened to him, following which he suffered one bereavement immediately after another, [in which case only] is he permitted to wash [his garments], even in natron and lye, and even during the seven [days of mourning], provided he does it in privacy in his home; and after [the period wherein] he suffered one bereavement immediately after another [is over], he is permitted to wash [his garments] in water, but not in natron, or in the [ingredients of the] alcalic plant.