Monday, April 02, 2007

Daf Yomi - Moed Katan 25 - Highlights

The Mishna states: Only a mourner of a close relative may rend his garments, reveal their shoulders or get served the mourner’s meal. The mourner’s meal is served on an upright bed (the people who are comforting the mourner). (24b)

The Gemora states that the laws discussed in the Mishna apply to a Torah scholar that passes away, as well.

The Gemora asks: The halacha is that we rend our garments on the loss of a righteous person, as well; it is written in a braisa: One who cries and mourns over a righteous person will have all his sins forgiven; why does the Mishna state the halacha of rending garment only by a close relative? The Gemora answers: The Mishna is referring to a case where the deceased was not a righteous person.

The Gemora qualifies the Mishna further: The Mishna is referring to a case where the people were not there at the time the soul departed, for otherwise, they would be obligated to rend their garments. (25a)

When Rav Huna departed, they intended to place a sefer Torah on his bier (as if to say: He has fulfilled what was written here). Rav Chisda said to them: Shall we now act against his will? Has not Rav Tachlifha said: I once observed when Rav Huna wanted to sit down on a cot on which a sefer Torah was lying, and he turned over a pitcher on the ground, placing the sefer Torah on it and only then did he sit down? It is evident that he was of the opinion that one must not sit on a cot on which a sefer Torah is placed?

When the bier was to be removed from the house, they realized that it could not pass through the door; and they intended to remove it through the roof opening. Rav Chisda said to them: We have a tradition from Rav Huna that the proper respect for a deceased Torah scholar demands that he be removed through the door opening. They then wanted to place him on a bier of smaller dimensions, but Rav Chisda again remarked: We have a tradition from him that the proper respect for a deceased Torah scholar demands that he be removed in the first bier he was placed on. They broke open the doorway, and passed him through.

Rabbi Abba began the following eulogy: Our teacher was worthy that the Heavenly Presence should rest upon him, but the fact that he resided in Bavel prevented it. (The Gemora asks from Yechezkel who received prophecy outside Eretz Yisroel. The Gemora answers that this was an exception to the rule or that he was initially in Eretz Yisroel.)

When his corpse arrived in Eretz Yisroel, Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Assi were informed that Rav Huna had arrived. They said (under the impression that he was alive): When we were in Bavel, we could not raise our heads on account of him (we were embarrassed of ourselves on the account of his great learning), and now he has followed us here. They were then told: His coffin has arrived. Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Assi went out (to accompany the coffin). Rabbi Aila and Rabbi Chanina remained behind (they continued their studying). Others, however, said that only Rabbi Chanina remained. What was the reason of those who went out? The Gemora cites a braisa: When a coffin is being removed from one place to another, those present must form a row and must pronounce the mourning benediction and the words of consolation. The reason, however, of those who did not go out is from the following braisa: When a coffin is being removed from one place to another, those present need not form a row and they are not required to pronounce the mourning benediction and the words of consolation. The Gemora asks: These two braisos contradict each other? The Gemora answers: One braisa refers to a case where the skeleton is still intact; the other where it does not. Rav Huna's skeleton was still intact but they were not aware of that.

They then began to deliberate where to bury him and they concluded to place him alongside of Rabbi Chiya. They said: Rav Huna disseminated Torah as much as Rabbi Chiya.

The question arose: Who should enter Rabbi Chiya’s crypt in order to bury Rav Huna? Rabbi Chaga said to them: I will do it, for I was an established student at the age of eighteen. I never experienced a seminal emission, and I have served Rabbi Chiya and know his deeds. It once happened that one of his tefillin straps turned over without him realizing and he fasted forty days because of it.

Rabbi Chaga brought in the coffin into the crypt, he noticed that Yehudah, Rabbi Chiya’s older son was lying at the right of his father and Chizkiyah, Rabbi Chiya’s younger son at his left. He heard Yehudah say to his brother: Rise, for it would not be proper for Rav Huna to stand and wait to be buried. When Chizkiyah arose, a pillar of fire arose with him. Rabbi Chaga became frightened, lifted up the coffin of Rav Huna to protect himself from the fire and then left the crypt. (25a)

When Rabbah bar Huna and Rav Hamnuna died in Bavel, they were brought on camels to Eretz Yisroel. They came to a narrow bridge, where the two camels could not pass at once, the camels remained standing. An Ishmaelite merchant was surprised and asked the sages to explain to him why the camels stopped. They told him: Each of the deceased wishes to respect the other and let him go first. The merchant said: My opinion is that Rabbah bar Huna should have preference because his father was Torah scholar, as well. He had hardly concluded his remarks, when the camel bearing Rabbah bar Huna passed the bridge. As a punishment for not paying proper respect to Rav Hamnuna, the molars and front teeth of the Ishmaelite fell out. (25a – 25b)

The Gemora quotes two eulogies which were said in honor of Rabbah bar Huna and Rav Hamnuna. (25b)

Rav Ashi asked Bar Papik the eulogizer: What will you say about me when I die? He replied: I will say: If upon cedar trees a flame has fallen, what shall the hyssops of the wall do? A Livyasan was lifted from the sea with a fish hook; what shall the small fry do? Into a rushing stream dryness descended; what shall the stagnant pond waters do?

Another eulogizer, named Bar Avin, said to Bar Kipuk: Heaven forbid that a fish hook or a flame should be used in orations over the righteous. Bar Kipuk asked Bar Avin: What, then, would you say? Bar Avin replied: I would say: Weep for the mourners but not for the lost (deceased), for he is destined to go to Gan Eden and the mourners will be left sighing.

Rav Ashi felt discouraged (for one eulogizer used the words fish hook and flame and the other used the word lost, when in fact the soul of the righteous is not lost at all), and as a result, their feet became inverted. When Rav Ashi died, neither of these eulogizers came to eulogize him.

This is what Rav Ashi meant when he said: Neither Bar Kipuk nor Bar Avin are fit to perform the ceremony of chalitza. (since the Gemora Yevamos 103a states that those who have inverted feet are not fit to perform chalitza). (25b)

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Haggos Yosef Daf- (כה)-Moed Katan
Daf Blurbs
-Two ways to learn in Chalitzah one from a Rashi in Gemara in Shabbos Daf Kuf Heh Amud Beis :That you tear the shirt at the shoulder, A second Pshat is the Ran That you remove Arm from sleeve and show shoulder as certain people do with the jackets when putting on Tefillin
-Seduas Havrah.
We learn it out from Yechezikel Hashem tells him don’t eat from others everyone else should, the word Havrah comes from Shmuel Beis "Lhavros Es Dovid Lechem" Havros: means food.
There is a Machlokes how to learn our Gemara According to the Rambam, Ramban and Ran it is talking about on Chal Hamoed .This means that other people on Chal Hamoed do not join in by doing things symbolic of mourning along with the Relatives. The Ritva and Tosfos based on a Yerushalmi say there is no Seduas Havrah on Chal Hamoed so it must be talking about a regular weekday. This means we have two Arguments here According to the Rambam, Ramban and Ran This means that other people Should physically join in the mourning, but according to Ritva and Tosfos there is no Idea of joining in on the Physical part of aveilus (Ex. visitors also ripping Kriyah) Also according to Tosfos way of learning the Gemora the 5 Relatives do not practice Aveilus on Chal Hamoed. Halacha Lmaseh The Mechaber says we do, The Ramah says depends on the rest of the relatives no, on a mother and father yes. The Gesher HaChaim Points out that in this case even the Sephardim in Eretz Yisroel hold like the Ramah.
-Flipped Beds
-A reason I had not previously mentioned is that Before the Sin of the Eitz Hadas we lived forever we did the Aveirah and therefore flipped it that now we die so we flip the beds as a reminder after a death.
-We are not eat in the street to show Aveilus.
-Adam Kosher
Shulchan aruch describes him as someone who is not suspected of any Aveirah and there are no bad rumors about him ever ,Maharsha explains why we take a child an Adam kosher is not known for any sin, so Hashem Takes a child who is free of sin because he is your own Adam kosher to make sure you mourn .
-The death of a person is like The Burning of a Sefer Torah
Torah Is Ner Neshomah is also a Ner (Rashi)
We mourn the loss of the torah he would have learnt in the future, all his future torah dies with him (Rashi on Rif)
-"The Parchment is burning and the letters are flying in the air" so to a human he is the parchment and his Neshomah is flying in the air to Heaven.
-Rashi in Shabbos says because even the lowest among them is filled with Mitzvahs like a pomegranate so to the torah is filled with mitzvahs
-Difference in Halacha from the theories mentioned above, if you are there when a women dies do you tear Kriyah? If it is for the Torah no she is not commanded if it's for the mitzvah's then yes.
-We are not in the custom of tearing Kriyah only for a Rebbi Muvak.
-Being there for Yetizas Neshomah we rip for everyone men or women
-Taking out body with Sefer Torah
-Like Chizkiyahu HaMelech ("Zeh Shomar Mah Shekasav Bzeh") Rif says they wanted to but Sefer on stretcher with him to allude to it but not that the said it Chizkiyahu was a lot greater. "When he was alive he would not sit on the bed with a Sefer you will make him do it now?
-The Shach in Yoreh Deah says there should be a separation of 10 Tefachim(4 fingers per Tefach) from a person sitting to a Sefer torah if not 3 the least is 1 Tefach.
-The Taz says our Seforim even though they are printed have the same din and therefore we do not sit on a chair that a Sefer is on.
-The Eulogy
What do we learn from היה?Rashi says It was a temporary resting of the Shechinah, or He got it in Eretz Yisroel and bought it to Chutz Laretz, but to get it in Chutz Laretz is Impossible
Why where the asking question in middle of funeral? They believed that if you over do it it is a lie, and it says a person who hears the eulogy and the person who gives it and the departed are punished he did not want that. The Shulchan Aruch says you can slightly lie. ("Mah LI Sheker Godol, Mah Li Sheker KOton?")
-Going out to greet the body
Shildo: According to almost everyone is a skeleton, according to Rambam it’s the backbone.
-Both Spread Torah
-It says that when Rav Hunah Gave shiur the sun was blocked out because so many Talmidim got up at once the dust could be seen for miles.
Rav Chiyah in Gemora Baba Metziah Daf: Peh Heh Amud Beis says how he spread torah. Rav Chaninah said I could bring back the torah with Pilpul Rav Chiyah said I did cause the torah not to be forgotten You have potential to save the torah I did do it I am greater. He did it by growing Flaxseed and making nets out of it and catching deer with it the meat he feed to Orphans and the hides he used to write Chumash on. He would go out to the towns take 5 children teach each one a Chumash and then take six children and teach them one Seder of Mishnayos, He would then tell them to teach it to each other. The Maharsha there says his greatness was it was entirely lishmah he did not even use money for Tzeddakah which Hashem would pay him back for used seeds to grow flax all purely Lishmah ,He even skinned animals which is an lowly job all for the torah. Hence the two people who spread torah where meant to be buried together
. רב חגא
This is Rav Chagi in The Yerushalmi when this story happened people thought he wants to be buried with the Tzaddikim so he is willing to bury him so if he dies he gets buried with great people so he set up what the Zohar say that the Kohen Godol did on Yom Kippur he tied a rope around him so if he dies they can pull him out to prove it was lishmah in this Zechus the Gemora Yerushalmi says he lived 160 years.
-If your Retzuah flips the Shulchan Aruch brings down there is an Inyan to fast.
-The fire coming over the grave according to the Meiri is allegorical telling us its not so simple to move body around once they are buried
-The Arab
-The Matzeves Moshe on Ein Yackov says he was punished because he said Gavrah and not Gavrah Rabba because of disrespect he was punished. The Ein Yackov girsa says he said according to our judgment. The second Pshat is he was a Talmid who Poskined in front of his Rebbi
-Another Pshat is the Arab is Eliyahu Hanavi (which explains why his Psak was accepted)
-Sefer Milchamas
-Every day fighting the Yetzer Harah to learn Hence Sefer Milchamas: Milchamas Hatorah
-Called a Sefer Milchamas because we see it just killed an Arab
ככלה חדשה
Why is it called a ככלה חדשה Reb Isser Zalman Meltzer answered we are talking about a second wife before the husband goes down to the Chupah he goes and cries. Why? he is going to marry a new girl, but as we know sometimes when she has her own children the original children are ignored so to HaShem is in this ככלה חדשה situation he is happy on one hand that he got back their Neshomah clean but what will be with his children who are left without Chochomim to lead them.
-Eulogies
Why was he upset about being called an Aveidah? Maharsha answers It Implies he is lost to the world but "Tzaddikim Bmisasam Kruyim Chaim" he left us with Talmud Bavli.
-The Rashbah has a different answer he expected them to say what do you
Mean you’re the godol Hador we give you a Bracha you should live until a hundred and twenty instead they just read him his Hesped
The sun setting in the afternoon What is that worse? When it sets at night he rises somewhere else,so to when a Tzaddik dies Hashem sends another to take over but if it sets in the afternoon no sun will rise somewhere else there will be no more Tzaddik