More Discussions for this daf
1. A Beis Din in Eretz Yisrael at the time of Mordechai 2. What is the proof that Mordechai was demoted? 3. Mordechai taken by Haman through Shushan
4. 10,000 Silver Talents - or the Omer? 5. Remembering Charvonah Favorably 6. Keeping a secret
7. Divrei Shalom v'Emes 8. Shirah Arech Al Gabei Leveinah or Al Gabei Arech 9. Mordechai and Politics
10. הורידו את מרדכי מגדלתו
DAF DISCUSSIONS - MEGILAH 16

Zvi Shapiro asked:

The Gemara tells us that Haman came to Mordechai to give him the royal garments to wear as he is to be taken through the city. Mordechai says let me go to the bathhouse and have a haircut. Haman bathes Mordechai and gives him a haircut. After this is done, Mordechai ascends the horse to be taken around the city.

This event occurred on the 16th of Nisan, which is the 2nd day of yontiff for chutz laretz and the first day of chol hamoed for those in the Land of Israel.

One question is how could Mordechai get a haircut on chol hamoed? Maharatz Chayetz answers that one in prison before Yontiff, and unable to have his haircut before the Yontiff, can have a haircut upon release during chol hamoed (OC 531:4). So Mordechai who was preoccupied with fasting and praying before Pesach, was unable to have his haircut before the chag, and was permitted to have his haircut on chol hamoed.

I have questions on this answer of the Maharatz Chayetz. Even if one can take a haircut on chol hamoed in these circumstances, how could Mordechai take a haircut on the 16th of Nisan when this would be the 2nd day of yontiff for chutz laretz? Since Shushan is outside of the land of Israel, Mordechai should have been prohibited from a haircut on this day? Is it allowed via a nochri to have this done? Also, how could he have bathed on yontiff? Via a nochi also? How could Mordechai ascend a horse on yontiff when riding an animal on yontiff is prohibited?

Do we say pikuach nefesh overrode these prohibitions?

Zvi Shapiro, Long Beach, CA USA

The Kollel replies:

(1) The Ye'aros Devash, by Rabbi Yonasan Eibeshitz (2:102) - cited by Anaf Yosef in the Ein Yaakov, and by Mesivta - answers that one is allowed to take a haircut and cut one's fingernails via a Nochri for the purpose of a Mitzvah (in this case the Mitzvah would be that of honoring the king and saving Klal Yisrael).

[The source of this is the Din cited by the Mishnah Berurah 340:3 that if a Nidah, who is going to the Mikvah on Shabbos, forgot to cut her fingernails before Shabbos, she may ask a Nochri to cut her fingernails with his hands, because this constitutes telling a Nochri to do a Melachah d'Rabanan which is permitted in order to perform a Mitzvah. In addition, when the Yisrael stretches out his hands so the Nochri can cut the nails this is not considered that he is doing an action because the Halachah is that Mesayei'a Ein Bo Mamash -see Makos 20b and Mishnah Berurah 328:11.]

Concerning the questions about bathing and riding on a horse on Yomtov, one can answer that both of these are d'Rabanan prohibitions and they had not yet been forbidden by the Rabbis in the time of Mordechai.

(2) Ein Yaakov cites Anaf Yosef who answers that in the time and place of Mordechai only one day of Yom Tov was observed because the Sages in the generation of Mordechai were experts in determining when Rosh Chodesh fell out. The Anaf Yosef writes that second day of Yom Tov was only introduced in the time of the second exile after the second Beis Hamikdash was destroyed. The Gemara Beitzah 4b states that even though we are expert in fixing the new Moon nevertheless we must be careful about our forefathers' custom, but this custom was only introduced in the time of the second Galus (see Rashi Sukah 44a DH b'Gvulin).

(3) I would like to suggest a third answer. This is based on the Gemara in Meilah 17a that Rebbi Reuven ben Istrobli cut his hair in the special way that the Romans did and went and sat amongst them. Tosfos Bava Kama 83a DH Hiteru writes that originally Chazal did not make a Gezeirah on this for those who were close to royal circles (see Kovetz Shiurim #98). See Beis Yosef YD near the end of #178 that for saving Yisrael, Chazal are empowered to permit prohibitions so that there should be Jews close to the King who are capable of annulling evil decrees. So even if the situation in the time of Mordechai would not have been one of immediate danger, it may still have been possible for him to waive aside these prohibitions in order to be in good favor with the king.

A Gut Chodesh

Dovid Bloom