Rute 3:3 Halacá: 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.