Daf Yomi - Moed Katan 29 - Highlights

The Mishna states: Women may chant a funeral song during Chol Hamoed but they may not clap (hitting one hand against the other, demonstrating grief). Rabbi Yishmael says: Those that are near the coffin, they are permitted.

On Rosh Chodesh, Chanukah and Purim, they are permitted to chant a funeral song and clap.

During Chol Hamoed, Rosh Chodesh, Chanukah and Purim, they are forbidden to respond in lamentation.

One the deceased has been buried, it is forbidden to chant a funeral song or to clap.

The Mishna asks: What is innuy? When they all chant together. What is kinah (lamentation)? When one speaks and the others respond after her.

The Mishna concludes: But regarding the future to come it is written in Yeshaye [25:8]: He will eliminate death forever, and Hashem the Lord will erase tears from all faces. (28b)

The Gemora cites seven funeral songs that were sung by the women of Shechantziv. (28b)

The Gemora cites a braisa: Rabbi Meir used to say: It is written [Koheles 7:2]: It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting etc. until: And the living should take it to heart. The living should take to heart matters connected with death.

The Gemora explains the reward for those who eulogize the dead: One who eulogizes over the dead, others will eulogize over him. One who buries the dead, others will bury him. One who carries the dead, others will carry him. One who raises himself for the dead, others will raise themselves for him.

Others say: One who is modest, and troubles himself with burying the dead quietly, he will be elevated by Heaven. (28a)

The Gemora cites a braisa: When the sons of Rabbi Yishmael died, four elder sages came to comfort him: Rabbi Tarfon, Rabbi Yosi Hagelili, Rabbi Elozar ben Azarya and Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Tarfon said to the other three: You must know that he (Rabbi Yishmael) is extremely wise and he is well versed in Agados, and therefore none of you should repeat what the other has said. Rabbi Akiva said: I will be the last speaker.

Rabbi Yishmael began: His sins are many (referring to himself), his mournings have succeeded one another (one son died soon after the other), and he has inconvenienced his teachers once and twice.

Rabbi Tarfon said: It is written [Vayikra 10:6]: And your brethren, the whole house of Israel, may bewail the burning (of Nadav and Avihu, the two sons of Aharon HaKohen). If Nadav and Avihu, who observed only one commandment, nevertheless were accorded the honor that the entire congregation mourned over them; then the sons of Rabbi Yishmael who observed many mitzvos, are certainly deserving of a similar honor.

Rabbi Yosi Hagelili said: "It is written [Melachim I 14:13]: And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him. If this was done for Aviyah the son of Yerovam, who performed only one good deed, then the sons of Rabbi Yishmael who performed many good deeds, are certainly deserving of a similar honor.

The Gemora asks: What was the good thing? Rabbi Zeira and Rabbi Chinana bar Papa offer opinions: One says that he deserted his position (his father appointed him to prevent the people from traveling to the Beis Hamikdosh during the festival) and made a pilgrimage to Yerushalayim on the festival. The other says: He had abolished the guards which were established by his father to prevent the pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Rabbi Elozar ben Azarya began: It is written [Yirmiya 34:5]: In peace you shall die; and with the burnings performed for your forefathers, the former kings that were before youe, so shall they make a burning for you; and they shall lament for you: “Woe, master!” If this was done for Tzidkiyahu the king of Yehudah, who performed only one mitzva (near the end of his life, thus meriting honorable treatment by his death), namely, that he instructed to raise Jeremiah from the pit filled with mud, then the sons of Rabbi Yishmael who observed many mitzvos, are certainly deserving of a similar honor.

Rabbi Akiva began: If there was a great mourning over the death of Achab the king of Israel, who has done only one good thing, then the sons of Rabbi Yishmael who observed many mitzvos, are certainly deserving of a similar honor. (28b)

Rava asked Rabbah bar Mari: Yoshiyahu was promised that he will be buried in peace and yet we have learned that Yoshiyahu was shot by archers and so many arrows pierced his body that it resembled a sieve?

Rabbah bar Mari answered: Rabbi Yochanan answered that the promise of being buried in peace was referring to the fact that the Beis Hamikdosh was not destroyed during his lifetime. (28b)

Rabbi Yochanan said: Those who come to comfort the mourner are prohibited from speaking until the mourner begins to talk. (28b)

Rabbi Avahu said: The mourner should recline at the head of all the consolers. (28b)

Rabbi Chama bar Chanina said: The bridegroom should be seated at the head of the table. This is derived from the fact that a Kohen is seated at the head. (28b)

Rabbi Chanina said: The departure of the soul from the body is as difficult as the removal of a knotty rope from the mast of a ship. Rabbi Yochanan said: It is as difficult as the pulling of the cables (used to connect two ships) through a hole. (28b – 29a)

Rabbi Levi bar Chayasa said: When a person takes leave from a dead person (the coffin), he should not say “Go to peace,” but “Go in peace.” When a person takes leave from a living person, he should not say “Go in peace,” but “Go to peace.”

The Gemora cites the sources for the above rulings: When David told Avshalom “Go in peace,” he went and was eventually hanged. When Yisro told Moshe “Go to peace,” he went and was successful. (29a)

Rabbi Levi said: One who goes from the synagogue directly to the Beis Medrash (house of study) or from the Beis Medrash to the synagogue will merit greeting the Divine Presence. (29a)

Rabbi Chiya the son of Ashi said in the name of Rav: Torah scholars have no rest even in the World to Come (they will continue to study Torah in front of the Divine Presence).

WE SHALL RETURN TO YOU, VE’EILU MEGALCHIN

AND MESECHES MOED KATAN IS CONCLUDED