GOING BANKESS

Only two days (weekdays) in the year, this may not be done. What & When   DAF HASHAVUA SHABBOS 129b DON'T GO BANKESS ON הושענא רבה & ערב שבועות " The minhag is not to do הקזת דם  (bloodletting) on    every Erev Yom Tov " (שו"ע או"ח 468 – 10 ).* There is another type of bloodletting with a cup where no blood is removed from the body. All it does is it brings up the blood to the surface of the skin. (in Yiddish it’s called “Bankess) The משנה ברורה sk 38 writes that Bankess- Kep Zetsin (cupping therapy) is allowed on ערב יו"ט, except for,  on הושענא רבה (Yom Hadin) and on ערב שבועות  (when the שד טבוח comes out) Hence, These 2 days cupping therapy is forbidden.   *The Gemoro says on ערב שבועות a שד called טבוח came out and said “ If the yidden won’t be mekabel the Torah I will slaughter their flesh and blood. Chazal were גוזר  not to do הקזת דם every ערב יו"ט because of ערב שבועות.