The gemara asks why we there is no mitzva to say hallel on rosh chodesh, since it is called a mo'ed. (The answer is that there is no issur melacha.) Rashi indicates that the source for calling rosh chodesh a mo'ed is eicha: "kara li mo'ed", and that the mo'ed element of rosh chodesh refers to an extra day of rosh chodesh Av (a malei month of Tamuz) in the relevant year in the midbar. We have many minor variations in the davening on Tisha B'Av, based on the assumption that "kara li mo'ed" refers to Tisha B'Av itself. Is there another source that conflicts with our gemara? (There wouldn't be much of a nafka mina, since our gemara only needs "mo'ed" for a hava amina regarding rosh chodesh.)
Marc Diamond, Providence, RI USA
Greetings Marc,
Your perseverence is impressive -- you sent us a similar question nearly six years ago! ;-) Below is your question and what we wrote at that time. We will get back to you if we have any additional insights on the issue.
All the best,
Yisroel Shaw
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Pesachim 077a: "Mo'ed" - Rosh Chodesh or Tisha b'Av?
Marc Diamond asked:
Today's daf quotes Abaye, without any contradictory opinion, that "Kara Li Mo'ed" in Eicha refers to the extra day in a malei Tamuz in the midbar--i.e., what we would call the first day of Rosh Chodesh, but in reality erev Rosh Chodesh. In hilchos Tisha B'Av there are a few minor changes in the davening because the same word "Mo'ed" in Eicha is applied to Tisha B'Av itself. Are the two drashos ompatible?
Marc Diamond
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The Kollel replies:
Good question. The most simple answer is that the word "Mo'ed" in the verse cited by Abaye (Eichah 1:15) refers to Rosh Chodesh, while the word "Mo'ed" in another verse (such as Eichah 2:7 or 2:22) refers to Tisha b'Av, as is implied by the context. In the Halachos of Tisha b'Av (TUR OC 559 and SHULCHAN OC 559:4), the source for the practice not to say Tachanun on Tisha b'Av is the MORDECHAI (Ta'anis #635, 636) and the HAGAHOS ASHIRI (Ta'anis), and although they say that the reason is because Tisha b'Av is called a "Mo'ed," they do not quote an exact verse.
Otherwise, it may be suggested that the two Derashos are indeed from the same verse; the Mordechai's Derasha is based on the simple meaning of the verse (although it is not the way Rashi learns it) while our Gemara's Derasha is based on the "Drash."
Best wishes,
Mordecai Kornfeld