Sunday, April 08, 2007

Chagiga Kickoff

Here's a nice way to start off Chagiga.
The Menoras HaMaor quotes the Medrash Tanchumah, which does not appear in our version of Tanchumah, as follows:

There was once a pious man who was secluded in a certain area and he studied Masechet Chagigah. He would study the Masechet over and over, until he learned it so well and he was so familiar with the Masechet. He did not know any other Masechet in the Talmud, and he would only study Masechet Chagigah. When he departed the world, he was alone and there was no one who knew of his passing. The apparition of a woman arrived and stood before him, and she raised her voice in wailing and eulogy. She moaned and cried so loud until a crowd gathered. She then told the people who had gathered, “Eulogize this pious man and bury him and show honor to his coffin and you will all merit the World to Come. The reason I ask you to do this is because he honored me his entire life and I was not forsaken and forgotten.” Immediately all the women came and sat with her and they made a great eulogy and the men took care of the deceased’s shrouds and all of his burial needs. They then buried him with great honor and the woman was wailing and crying. The people asked her, “What is your name?” She responded, “My name is Chagigah.” Subsequent to the man’s burial, the woman disappeared from view. Immediately the people understood that she was really Masechet Chagigah, who appeared in the image of a woman. She had appeared at the time of the man’s death so that he would be eulogized and cried over, and that he would receive an honorable burial. This was all due to the fact that he had constantly studied Masechet Chagigah and was diligent in studying it. This teaches us a kal vachomer: If this pious man who only studied one tractate received all this honor, then certainly if one studies much Torah and teaches Torah to others, and gains many students, certainly he will earn a great reward.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Before we MOVED IT TO MOed What seder what is in? Kodshim?

Anonymous said...

You know what is funny that we use a eulogy as the connection between the maSECHTOS

Anonymous said...

good vort. Tosfos end of Moed Katan writes that Chagiga is last Masechet of Moed. Is there good sevara that it should be in Kodshim?

Anonymous said...

"Tosfos end of Moed Katan writes that Chagiga is last Masechet of Moed" I THINK YOU R IN EROR SO I DOUBLE CHECKED IT SAYS mOED kaTAN IS(משום דמועד קטן הוא סוף םדר מועד). WHICH.
WHY I SAID IT ITS ABOUT A koRBON RIYAH?

Anonymous said...

i THINK THATS STILL WHEN ALL THE BABAS WHERE TOGETHER AS ONE MASECHTA THE WAY THE RAMBAM CHESHBONS THE MASECHTOS

Anonymous said...

sorry that was a mistake. I meant Moed Katan is the last masechet. On another note, why should Chagiah be in Kodshim?

Anonymous said...

Its a Korbon i saw over yom tov i quoted a bferush artscroll

Anonymous said...

true but it's specifically brought on shalosh regalim

Anonymous said...

I do not really see how your Qal wa`Homer works here. I doubt we can all study the whole Shass with as much devotion as this Tsadiq knew his only Massekhta. In depth learning is the difference here, I humbly believe.