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Mishnah Moed Katan
משנה מועד קטן
The Mishna with Obadiah Bartenura by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein
http://www.sefaria.org/shraga-silverstein

Mishnah Moed Katan



Chapter 1

	A field requiring irrigation (beth hashlachin) [land that is "faint" and thirsting for water. (The targum of (Deuteronomy 25:18): "faint and weary" is "meshalhei ul'ei.")] may be watered on Chol Hamoed and on shevi'ith. [For essential work is permitted on Chol Hamoed. And beth hashlachin, from the time one begins watering it, if it is not regularly watered, it is immediately "lost." As we learn below (1:3): "Seeds which were not watered before Chol Hamoed may not be watered on Chol Hamoed," for they do not go lost. But if they were watered before Chol Hamoed, they may be watered on Chol Hamoed. And it is only an irrigated grain field which may be watered on Chol Hamoed, but not an irrigated tree field, for it will not suffer loss. And on shevi'ith it is permitted to water beth hashlachin and beth haba'al (a naturally watered field), "beth hashlachin" being stated vis-à-vis Chol Hamoed alone.] (It may be watered) both from a just started spring, and from an old one [and we do not fear that since it was just started perhaps its banks will fall in and he might come to shore it up on Chol Hamoed and exert himself unduly.] But it may be watered neither from rain water, [a decree by reason of kilon water] nor from kilon water ["kilon" is water from a deep pit in which rain water is collected, the drawing up of which entails much exertion.], and ugioth may not be made for vines. ["ugioth" are ruts dug at the roots of olive trees or vines to be filled with water.]
	R. Elazar b. Azaryah says: It is forbidden to make an amah [an irrigation ditch (so called because it is a cubit (amah) wide and a cubit high)] ab initio on Chol Hamoed [(If it were never there, it is not made ab initio on Chol Hamoed, for doing so entails undue exertion)], and on shevi'ith, [for it gives the impression that he is digging the soil on shevi'ith]. The sages say: An amah may be made ab initio on shevi'ith, and the defective ones may be repaired on Chol Hamoed [If soil fell in and impeded the flow, this may be corrected, but they (the amoth) may not be made ab initio on Chol Hamoed. The halachah is in accordance with the sages.], and water obstructions in [drinking troughs] in the public domain may be cleared and they (the troughs) may be cleansed [of pebbles, chips, and clods that fell therein.] And it is permitted to repair the roads, the thoroughfares, and the mikva'oth, and to tend to all public needs. And it is permitted to mark graves [They would crumble lime and spill it on the grave to serve as a sign to the passersby not to pass through a place of uncleanliness.], and they would also go out for kilayim. [Messengers of beth-din would go out to see if the fields had been sown with kilayim (forbidden admixtures) and to uproot them. For they received their wage from the lishkah contributions, and they could be hired cheap on Chol Hamoed, for they were idle then.]
	R. Eliezer b. Yaakov says: Water may be routed from [under one] tree to [a different] tree, [for this does not entail too much exertion], so long as he does not water the entire field. [We are speaking of a beth haba'al field, which does not deteriorate (by not being watered), for the rains suffice for it; it is just that when it is watered, it is richer.] Seeds which were not watered before Chol Hamoed, [not perishing (by not being watered)] may not be watered on Chol Hamoed. The sages permit it in both instances, [i.e., even if they were not watered, and even with a beth haba'al, the sages permitting enrichment. The halachah is in accordance with R. Eliezer b. Yaakov, for the anonymous Mishnah (1:1) is in accordance with him. However, a moist field, whose soil is viscid, may be watered on Chol Hamoed even according to R. Eliezer b. Yaakov, being akin to "seeds that were watered before Chol Hamoed."]
	Moles, [which ravage fields] and mice may be trapped in a tree field and in a grain field on Chol Hamoed, and on shevi'ith (but) not in the usual manner (of trapping). The sages say: In a tree field, in the usual manner, [for the loss is greater], and in a grain field, not in the usual manner. [He sticks a spit forcefully into the ground and moves it back and forth so that the hole is made "by itself" and not by digging. The halachah is in accordance with the sages. And in a grain field bordering a tree field, he digs normally, lest they cross over from the grain field and destroy the trees.] And a breach may be closed on Chol Hamoed [by placing stones one atop the other as in building, without lime. The "breach" here is that of a garden. But if the wall of one's courtyard fell, he may rebuild it in the usual manner for (protection against) thieves.] And on shevi'ith, he may rebuild it (the breached garden wall) in the usual manner.
	R. Meir says: Plague-spots are inspected [on Chol Hamoed] ab initio, for lenity [i.e., If he is clean, the Cohein says to him: "You are clean," this giving him joy], but not for stringency. [If he is unclean, the Cohein remains silent and does not declare him unclean and constrain him to leave the encampment.] The sages say: Neither for lenity nor for stringency. [Being required to see if he is clean, to the end of lenity, he is also required to declare him unclean if he finds him to be so, to the end of stringency, it being written (Leviticus 13:59): "to declare it (the plague-spot) clean or unclean," the Cohein not being permitted to remain silent — so that it is better that the Cohein not see him at all.] R. Meir said further: One may collect the bones of his father and mother [on Chol Hamoed in order to bury them in the proper place], this [seeing them buried in the ancestral graves] giving him pleasure. R. Yossi says: It (collecting their bones) causes him to grieve. [The halachah is not in accordance with R. Meir in both instances.] One may not stir up (lamentation) over his dead one [He may not bring a eulogist to stir up lamentation over his kin, who had died many days ago, by having him go around to the kin of the deceased, as was his wont, crying out: "Come and cry with me, all bitter of heart!" Whereupon those whose hearts grieved them would go and wail over their kin.], and he may not eulogize him [He may not hire a eulogist to lament his kin, who had just died] thirty days before the festival. [The gemara explains that they would start saving money for the festival exigencies thirty days before the festival, when they started hearing them (the scholars) expound the halachoth of the festival. There was a possibility, then, that one might give what he had saved to the eulogist and so deprive himself of the festival joy. And some say that the dead one is not forgotten from the heart until thirty days after the eulogy.]
	One may not dig crypts [in an underground cave] or graves [in a building] on Chol Hamoed [to bury therein one who would die later.] But crypts may be adjusted on Chol Hamoed. [If it were too long, he may shorten it; if too short, he may lengthen and widen it.] And a wash-pond [for the washing of clothing] may be made on Chol Hamoed. And a casket may be made (on Chol Hamoed) with the dead one (lying) in the courtyard (where the planks are being sawed) [but not in another courtyard, so that they not suspect him of sawing for some other purpose. This, with a man who is not well known. But with one who is well known, a casket is made for him even in the marketplace. And with us, who are so few, all men are "well known."] R. Yehudah says: It is forbidden [to bring wood to saw planks ab initio for a casket], but the planks must have been there [before yom tov. The halachah is not in accordance with R. Yehudah.]
	It is not permitted to take a wife on Chol Hamoed, neither a virgin nor a widow; and it is forbidden to enter into levirate marriage (yibum); for one derives joy therefrom, [and it is forbidden to mix another joy with the joy of the festival, viz. (Deuteronomy 16:14): "And you shall rejoice in your festival" — in your festival, and not in your wife.] But it is permitted to take back one's divorcée, [for one does not derive as much joy in that instance as he does in taking an entirely new wife.] And a woman may adorn herself on Chol Hamoed [e.g., She may paint her eyes, straighten her hair so that she not look unkempt, rouge her face, shave her pudenda, and the like.] R. Yehudah says: She may not use lime (as a depilatory), for it is painful to her. [The halachah is not in accordance with R. Yehudah.]
	A hedyot (a non-professional) sews (on Chol Hamoed) as he always does. [A hedyot is one who cannot hem a garment so that it is straight and well-aligned; but it emerges crooked, broad in one place and narrow in another.] And a professional "dog-stitches." [He makes stitches like a dog's teeth, which are not aligned, but one higher and one lower.] And beds may be girthed, [interlaced with bands]. R. Yossi says: They may be tautened. [If it had stood girthed for several days and the bands had loosened, he may tauten them; but he may not girth it. The halachah is not in accordance with R. Yossi.]
	It is permitted to set up an oven, a stove, and a mill on Chol Hamoed. [It is permitted to build, set up, and repair an oven that is needed on Chol Hamoed. Because their ovens were moved from place to place, we have "set up."] R. Yehudah says: It is not permitted to sharpen [and hammer] a millstone (on Chol Hamoed) ab initio [if it is too smooth and does not grind well. The halachah is not in accordance with R. Yehudah.]
	A railing may be made for a roof and for a marpeseth [a gallery for the upper story, from which a ladder provides access to the courtyard] in a non-professional, but not in a professional, manner. Cracks [in unslanted roofs, where the rain might enter and cause damage] may be plastered, and it (the plaster) may be leveled with a ma'agilah [a round wood used for smoothing roofs], by hand or by foot, but not with a machletzayim [a wide iron implement, like a trowel, with a handle.] A tzir [the lower pivot of a door], and a socket [in the lower door-sill] and a beam [house beams, literally], and a lock, and a key, which broke [even before yom tov] may be repaired on Chol Hamoed, so long as he does not plan his work for then [i.e., so long as he does not say: "I will wait for Chol Hamoed to do it, when I don't have any other work."] And all preserves [such as fish, vegetables, and the like, which are preserved in salt and vinegar], which he can eat on Chol Hamoed [i.e., which can be quickly preserved and eaten immediately], he may preserve.

Chapter 2

	If one turned over his olives [It is the practice to turn over the olives in the vat where they are stored before taking them to the olive press; and if they are not taken there for pressing after they are turned, they spoil.], and (before Chol Hamoed) he became a mourner, [who is forbidden to work], or he had some mishap, or workers deceived him, [not coming to work — and Chol Hamoed arrived], he may load the first beam [i.e., He may place the beam of the olive press once upon the olives, so that it weighs down upon them and some of the oil is exuded and they are not spoiled; but he may not do so a second time, for they will no longer spoil], and he leaves it until after the festival. These are the words of R. Yehudah. [We learn from here that labors which are permitted on Chol Hamoed are forbidden to a mourner in the days of his mourning, it being stated: "And if (before Chol Hamoed) he became a mourner," (for which reason he waited until Chol Hamoed), "he may load the first beam" on Chol Hamoed, the implication being that in the days of his mourning he was forbidden to load even the first beam; but others may do so for him.] R. Yossi says: He may spill (zolef) [the olives on the olive press (Whatever is spilled is called "ziluf")], he may finish [their pressing and collecting (of oil) in the olive press], and he may stop up [the mouth of the (oil) containers] as is his wont. [The halachah is in accordance with R. Yossi.]
	Likewise, if one had wine in a pit [under the wine press, coated with lime for receiving the wine], and he became a mourner, or he had some mishap, or workers deceived him, he may spill, finish, and stop up as is his wont. R. Yehudah says: He makes boards so that it not turn sour. [i.e., He covers it with boards so that it not turn sour, but he may not take it out of the pit. The halachah is in accordance with R. Yossi.]
	One may gather in his fruits (to protect them) from thieves, and he may take out (sholeh) his flax from (the) soaking (trough) so that it not spoil. [Any drawing out of something from water is called "sholeh"], so long as he not plan to do so on Chol Hamoed. And all (of the above) if he planned to do them on Chol Hamoed, go lost. [Beth-din cause his gains to go lost by declaring them hefker (ownerless)].
	It is forbidden to buy houses, bondsmen, and beasts except for the needs of the [buyer] on Chol Hamoed, [i.e., a house to dwell in, a bondsman to serve him, beasts to slaughter], or for the needs of the seller, who does not have what to eat, [and who needs the money for yom tov expenses.] It is forbidden to remove [vessels or produce] from one house to another [that is far from it, because of (the interdict against) undue exertion], but it is permitted to remove it into his courtyard [i.e., into a different house in the same courtyard, this being "discreet"; but not from one house to another by way of the public domain.] It is forbidden to bring articles from the artisan's house, [articles which are not needed for Chol Hamoed; but it is permitted to bring those which are needed, e.g., mattresses, cushions, cups, ladles, etc.]. And if he fears for them [that they might be stolen from the artisan's house, or if the artisan needs his wage and the owner of the article does not trust him (to leave the article there), fearing that he might ask to be paid a second time], he removes them to a different courtyard.
	Figs [spread out in the field to dry] may be covered with straw [against the rain]. R. Yehudah says: They may also be piled, one (layer) atop the other and made a kind of mound, so that the top ones protect those beneath.] Sellers of fruits, sheets, and vessels may sell "discreetly" for purposes of the festival. Hunters, grain-crushers [those who crush wheat for grits], and grist-makers [those who make bean-grist] may work "discreetly" for purposes of the festival. R. Yossi said: They were stringent with themselves [and did not work even "discreetly." The halachah is not in accordance with R. Yossi.]

Chapter 3

	And these may shave on Chol Hamoed: One who returns from abroad [on Chol Hamoed, who did not have time to shave before. This, only if he went abroad for trade or for some other necessity, but if he did so only to tour, it is forbidden.], one who is freed from captivity, one who is freed from prison, [even if he were imprisoned by an Israelite, who would have permitted him to shave, (notwithstanding which he did not shave), being in distress], one who is released from his excommunication by the sages [on Chol Hamoed, who could not shave before then, shaving being forbidden to one who is excommunicated]; likewise, one who was absolved of his vow [not to shave] by a sage (on Chol Hamoed) [not having been able to find a sage who could do so before then; or else, not having been able to find "an opening for absolution" until then.], and a Nazirite, [who completed his Naziritism on Chol Hamoed], and a leper who ascended from uncleanliness to cleanliness. [If his seventh day fell out on Chol Hamoed, he is permitted to shave, viz. (Leviticus 14:9): "On the seventh day, he shall shave all of his hair." (The shaving of a nethek (a blanched spot) is not mentioned, for it is a minor activity, just shaving around the spot.) The reason that all except those mentioned in our Mishnah are forbidden to shave on Chol Hamoed is that they not plan to shave then, when they are free from work, and so enter the first day of the festival unshaven. And this, too, is the reason that it is forbidden to wash clothing on Chol Hamoed.]
	And these may wash clothing on Chol Hamoed: One who returns from abroad, one who is freed from captivity, one who is freed from prison, one who is released from excommunication by the sages; likewise, one consulted a sage [on Chol Hamoed] and was absolved of his vow [not to wash clothing.] (These may be washed:) hand towels [for cleaning the hands while eating], barbers' sheets, [which must be regularly washed when the barber comes to shave those mentioned in our Mishnah as being permitted to shave on Chol Hamoed], and bath towels, [with which one dries himself when he leaves the bathhouse.] Zavin (men with a genital discharge), zavoth, niddoth, women who have just given birth, and all who ascend from uncleanliness to cleanliness [on Chol Hamoed] are permitted [to wash their clothing], and all others are forbidden (to do so). [And all flaxen garments may be washed on Chol Hamoed in that they require constant washing. Even those washed on the eve of the festival become sullied immediately and must be washed in the midst of the festival, for which reason they were not decreed against. And if one has only one robe, even if it is not of flax, he may wash it on Chol Hamoed. This, when he is standing bare (-chested) while washing it, in his leggings alone to cover his privy parts, demonstrating thereby that he has only one robe, the one he is washing.]
	And these may be written on Chol Hamoed: Betrothals of women [He writes on paper or on a shard: "You are betrothed to me," and she is betrothed even though it is not worth a p'rutah. This may be done on Chol Hamoed lest another come first and betroth her, so that she is "davar ha'aved" ("something which might go lost")], writs of divorce (gittin) [as when he wishes to leave with a caravan, and if he does not write a get now, she will remain an agunah (unmarried)], receipts [For if the debtor refuses to pay without a receipt, he is heeded and he can go (without paying), so that the creditor might lose his money.], diatiki [the gift of one who is dying. "diatiki," acronymic for "da tehei lemeikam velihyoth" ("This shall stand for confirmation.") For the words of a dying man (shechiv mera) are as written and relegated.], a gift [of a healthy man. If it is not written down, the beneficiary might lose out, for the giver might retract.], prozbolin, [that shevi'ith (the sabbatical year) not cancel the loan and he (the creditor) lose his money. "prozbol," acronymic for "proz buli uproz buti," "an amendment for the rich and an amendment for the poor." For the rich — that they not transgress (Deuteronomy 15:9): "Take heed unto yourself lest there be in your heart a thing of wickedness, etc." for the poor — that they find what to borrow. ("buli" = rich; "buti" = poor). Hillel instituted the prozbol, a writ in which the creditor states: "I relegate to you, so and so, the judges, (all monies owing me) so that I can collect any writ outstanding with so and so, whenever I wish" — whereby shevi'ith no longer releases it, it being considered as if beth-din collects his debt so that it no longer comes under (Ibid. 2): "He shall not exact it of his neighbor."], writs of assessment, [beth-din assessing the property of the debtor and giving it (the writ) to the creditor], writs of sustenance, [beth-din selling land for the sustenance of one's wife and daughters, this being recorded as an act of beth-din. Or, (a writ indicating) that one has taken it upon himself to feed his wife's daughter (by a previous marriage)], refusals [A minor who was betrothed by her mother and brothers can "refuse" her husband, saying: "I don't want this man as a husband," whereupon she leaves him without a divorce. The writ attesting to this is called a "writ of refusal" (miun)], writs of selection [of judges; each of them selecting a judge for himself and writing that they will not contest the decision of the judges], decrees [i.e., rulings] of beth-din, and writs of rashuth [edicts of the authorities, as in "Ve'al tithvada larashuth" ("Do not impose yourself upon the ruling powers."), "Hevu zehirim barashuth" ("Be heedful of the ruling powers.") Some understand it as ("letters of reshuth"), letters of greeting written by a man to his friend.]
	Writs of indebtedness are not written on Chol Hamoed, [since they can be written afterwards.] And if he does not believe him [and does not want to lend him money without such a writ, and the debtor needs the money] or if he [the scribe] does not have what to eat, he writes it [and he takes his wage, this being permitted to one who, otherwise, would not have what to eat.] And not one letter is corrected, even in the scroll of the azarah (the Temple court), [which the high-priest read on Yom Kippur, even though this is a communal need]. R. Yehudah says: One may write tefillin and mezuzoth for himself [to fulfill the mitzvah, but not to sell or to rent], and he may spin tcheleth (the purple-blue thread) on his thigh for his tzitzith [by placing it on his thigh and rubbing it with his hand so that it is spun of itself. But not with his hand between his fingers and not with a spindle as he does on a weekday. The halachah is that one may spin tcheleth for his garment both with a spindle or with a stone.]
	If one buries his dead one three days before the festival [i.e., If one of his kin died before the festival, and he observed mourning three days before the festival, the decree of shivah ("the seven days") falls off, [but not that of shloshim ("the thirty days"), i.e., the interdict of cutting his hair, so that after the festival he counts (until) thirty days including the three that he had already observed. The halachah is that if one buries his dead one even one moment before the festival, the decree of shivah falls off.] (If he buries him) eight [days before the festival], the decree of shloshim falls off. [Since one of the days of (interdicted) shaving (of the shloshim) preceded the festival, the festival comes and cancels the others entirely.] For they said: Shabbath is included [The Shabbath within the days of his mourning is included in the seven (of shivah)] and does not interrupt [It does not cancel the rest, but he sits in mourning after Shabbath.]; festivals interrupt and are not included. [If he observed mourning before the festival, the festival interrupts and cancels the decree of shloshim. And if he did not observe mourning before the festival, but began his mourning on the festival, the days of the festival are not included in the shivah, but they are included in the shloshim. The reason that Shabbath is included in the shivah is that "private" mourning obtains therein, such as the interdict against cohabitation and against uncovering the head (i.e., taking off the mourner's wrap) and bathing in warm water, these being forbidden on Shabbath. But on the festival no laws of mourning obtain, for which reason it interrupts it entirely. And if no mourning at all began before the festival, as when he buried his dead one in the midst of the festival, it is not included in the shivah, and he begins to count shivah after the festival.]
	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.]
	Only the close kin of the dead one rend (their garments), bare (their shoulders), and are given the mourners' meal [on Chol Hamoed. (The above are performed for) father and mother, son and daughter, brother and sister, and wife. These are the seven for whom one must mourn. One does not rend his garments on Chol Hamoed for other kin, for whom he is not obligated to mourn. This, only if he were not a sage or a G d - fearing man and a doer of mitzvoth. But all are the kin of a sage who died, and all rend their garments over him, even on Chol Hamoed, and, likewise, for one who was known to be upstanding and saintly. And all who stand at the expiration of the soul of any Jew must rend their garments, even on Chol Hamoed. Rending for father and mother is (rending of) all his garments, until he bares his heart. He tears with his hand and separates the upper edge of the garment and rends it from the outside, not inserting his hand beneath his garments as he does so. He may baste them after thirty days, but he may never sew them together. And so, with his teacher who taught him Torah. But for his other kin he tears a handbreadth of the outer garment alone. And he may rend with an instrument if he desires and he need not separate the edge, and he may insert his hand under his garments when he rends. And he bastes after shivah and sews together after shloshim. Rending is done only while standing. And there is no baring of arms and shoulders on Chol Hamoed. The mourners' meal is the first meal (after the burial), which the mourner may not prepare for himself and which others provided for him in the open place of the city. And on Chol Hamoed only his kin have the meal (and not in the open place, but) in his house.] And the mourners' meal is eaten only on an upright bed. [Even in his house, he is not served the mourners' meal on an overturned bed. For all of his kin and close acquaintances would regularly eat (the mourners' meal) with him on an overturned bed; but on Chol Hamoed they would eat it only on an upright bed.] The mourners' meal is not brought [to the mourner's house] on a tray ["honorifically"] or on a salver [of silver, gold, or glass. I have heard (it interpreted as) a silver dish.], or in a reed basket, but in a basket [of peeled willow, so as not to embarrass the poor who come to bring the meal and who have neither tray nor salver.] And the mourners' blessing is not recited on Chol Hamoed, but they stand in a row and console (the mourners), and those assembled there are permitted to leave immediately.
	The litter is not placed outside [on Chol Hamoed] so as not to arouse eulogizing (which is forbidden then). And the litter of women is never placed outside, for (considerations of) dignity. [("never":) even on Chol Hamoed, viz. (Numbers 20:1): "And Miriam died there and she was buried there" — immediately after death, burial.] Women may lament on Chol Hamoed, but they may not clap (in mourning). R. Yishmael says: Those near the litter may do so.
	On Rosh Chodesh, Channukah, and Purim, the women lament and clap hands together, but they do not keen. Once the body has been buried, they neither lament nor clap. Which is "lamenting" (inui)? All answering (onoth, i.e., lamenting) as one. (Which is) "keening" (kinah)? One speaking and the others answering after her, viz. (Jeremiah 9:19): "And teach (lamednah) your daughters lamentation, and a woman her neighbor, kinah." ["lamednah" (feminine plural, for "lamentation") indicates (by contrast) that with "kinah," one speaks and the other responds.] But, in time to come, (Isaiah 25:8): "He will swallow up death for all eternity, and the L rd G d will wipe the tear from every face, etc." [And all will respond in song, there being no death and no tear. This verse (Isaiah) is adduced here by reason of (Koheleth 8:3): "Do not stand at (i.e., conclude with) an evil thing."]