מועד קטן דף כז

אם יכול למעט בעסקו — ימעט, ואם לאו — יגלגל עמהן.

if he can reduce his business, he should reduce it; and if not, he may carry on with them, i.e., his business partners. He may act in partnership with the members of the group with which he is traveling, but he may not engage in business independently.

תנו רבנן: מאימתי כופין את המטות — משיצא מפתח ביתו, דברי רבי אליעזר. רבי יהושע אומר: משיסתם הגולל.

§ The Sages taught the following baraita: From when do the mourners overturn their beds? From when the corpse is taken out of the opening of his house; this is the statement of Rabbi Eliezer. Rabbi Yehoshua says: From when the tomb is sealed with the grave cover.

מעשה שמת רבן גמליאל הזקן, כיון שיצא מפתח ביתו אמר להם רבי אליעזר: כפו מטותיכם. וכיון שנסתם הגולל, אמר להם רבי יהושע: כפו מטותיכם. אמרו לו:

There was an incident in which the Nasi Rabban Gamliel the Elder died, and once his body left the opening of his house, Rabbi Eliezer said to the members of the household: Overturn your beds. And once the tomb was sealed with the grave cover, Rabbi Yehoshua said to them: Overturn your beds. They then said to him: We already overturned them in accordance with the Elder, i.e., Rabbi Eliezer.

כבר כפינו על פי זקן.

תנו רבנן: מאימתי זוקפין את המטות בערב שבת — מן המנחה ולמעלה. אמר רבה בר הונא: אף על פי כן אינו יושב עליה עד שתחשך. ולמוצאי שבת,

The Sages taught in a baraita: From when do the mourners stand their beds upright on Friday; as the rites of mourning are not observed on Shabbat, and the beds must be returned to their ordinary position beforehand? From minḥa time onward. Rabba bar Huna said: Even so, one may not sit down on his upright bed immediately. Rather, he must wait until it becomes dark to do so. And at the conclusion of Shabbat, even if he has only one more day to sit in mourning, i.e., his period of mourning concludes on Sunday, he must once again overturn his bed.

אף על פי שאין לו לישב אלא יום אחד — חוזר וכופה.

תנו רבנן: הכופה מטתו, לא מטתו בלבד הוא כופה, אלא כל מטות שיש לו בתוך ביתו הוא כופה. ואפילו יש לו עשר מטות בעשרה מקומות

The Sages taught in a baraita: With regard to one who is in mourning and must overturn his bed, he overturns not only his own bed, but rather he overturns all the beds he has in his house. And even if he has ten beds in ten different places, he overturns them all. And even if there are five brothers and one of them died, all of them overturn their beds wherever they live.

— כופה את כולן. ואפילו חמשה אחין ומת אחד — כולן כופין.

ואם היתה מטה המיוחדת לכלים — אין צריך לכפותה. דרגש — אין צריך לכפותו, אלא זוקפו. רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר: דרגש מתיר את קרביטיו והוא נופל מאיליו.

If, however, it is a bed designated for the storage of garments and not for sleeping, he is not required to overturn it. It is also not necessary to overturn a dargash, but rather he stands it upright. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: With regard to a dargash, one loosens its loops [karbitav], which hold up the pillows, and it falls on its own.

מאי דרגש? אמר עולא: ערסא דגדא.

The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the word dargash? Ulla said: It is a good-luck [gada] bed, as it was common to have ornamental beds for good luck, which were not used for sleeping.

אמר ליה רבה: אלא מעתה גבי מלך, דתנן: כל העם מסובים על הארץ, והוא מיסב על הדרגש. מי איכא מידי דעד האידנא לא אותביניה, והשתא מותבינן ליה?

Rabba said to him: However, if that is so, then the following statement with regard to a king is difficult, as we learned in a mishna (Sanhedrin 20a): When the mourner’s meal is served to the king and his family, all the people recline on the ground, and he, the king, due to his honor, reclines on a dargash. Is there anything upon which we would not have seated him until now, when he was not a mourner, but now, specifically during the mourning period, we seat him on it?

מתקיף לה רב אשי: מאי קושיא? מידי דהוה אאכילה ושתיה, דעד האידנא לא אוכליניה ולא אשקיניה, השתא אוכליניה ואשקיניה!

Rav Ashi strongly objects to this: What is the difficulty raised by Rabba? One can answer: The halakha is just as it is in the case of eating and drinking, that until now, before one became a mourner, we did not feed him or give him drink, but now that he is a mourner we feed him and give him drink during the first meal after the burial.

אלא, אי קשיא — הא קשיא, דתנן: דרגש אינו צריך לכפותו אלא זוקפו. ואי ערסא דגדא, אמאי אינו צריך לכפותו? הא תנן: הכופה מטתו,

Rather, if it is difficult, this is difficult, as we learned in a baraita: It is not necessary to overturn a dargash, but rather he stands it upright. But if it is a good-luck bed, why is it not necessary to overturn it? Didn’t we learn: One who is in mourning and must overturn his bed overturns not only his own bed, but rather he overturns all the beds in his house, including this good luck bed?

לא מטתו בלבד הוא כופה, אלא כל מטות שיש לו בתוך ביתו כופה!

ומאי קשיא? מידי דהוה אמטה המיוחדת לכלים. דתניא: אם היתה מטה המיוחדת לכלים — אינו צריך לכפותה.

The Gemara rejects this: And what is difficult in this? One can answer: The halakha is just as it is in the case of a bed designated for the storage of garments, as it is taught in a baraita: If it is a bed designated for the storage of garments, and not for sleeping, one is not required to overturn it. So too, one is not required to overturn a dargash, as it is a bed that is not used for sleeping.

אלא, אי קשיא הא קשיא: רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר: דרגש, מתיר קרביטיו והוא נופל מאיליו. ואי סלקא דעתך ערסא דגדא, מאי קרביטין אית ליה?

Rather if it is difficult, this is the difficulty: It was taught in a baraita: Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: With regard to a dargash, one loosens the loops that hold up the pillows, and it falls on its own. And if it enters your mind to say that a dargash is a good-luck bed, it is like other beds, so what loops does it have?

כי אתא רבין אמר ליה ההוא מרבנן, ורב תחליפא בר מערבא שמיה, דהוה שכיח בשוקא דגילדאי: מאי דרגש — ערסא דצלא.

When Ravin came from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, one of the Sages, whose name was Rav Taḥalifa from the West, and who was frequently found in the market of leather workers, said to him: What is a dargash? It is a leather bed.

איתמר נמי, אמר רבי ירמיה: דרגש — סירוגו מתוכו, מטה — סירוגה על גבה.

It was also stated that Rabbi Yirmeya said: A dargash has its interlacing from the inside, i.e., attached to loops that go through holes that are made in the bed frame itself; whereas a bed has its interlacing from the outside, i.e., the strapping itself is looped around the wood of the frame, and therefore it cannot be loosened.

אמר רבי יעקב בר אחא אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי: הלכה כרבן שמעון בן גמליאל. איתמר נמי, אמר רבי יעקב בר אחא אמר רבי אסי:

Rabbi Ya’akov bar Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel with regard to a dargash. It was also stated that Rabbi Ya’akov bar Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Asi: A bed whose posts [naklitin] extend, meaning that they are very long so that the bed will remain high off the ground even if it is overturned, may be stood upright and that is sufficient. That is to say, one is not required to overturn such a bed.

מטה שנקליטיה יוצאין — זוקפה ודיו.

תנו רבנן: ישן על גבי כסא, על גבי אודייני גדולה, על גבי קרקע — לא יצא ידי חובתו. אמר רבי יוחנן: שלא קיים כפיית המטה.

The Sages taught the following baraita: If the mourner sleeps on a chair, or on a large overturned mortar, or on the ground, he does not fulfill his obligation, even though he is uncomfortable while sleeping. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This is because he did not fulfill the mitzva of overturning the bed.

תנו רבנן: מכבדין ומרביצין בבית האבל, ומדיחין קערות וכוסות וצלוחיות וקיתוניות בבית האבל. ואין מביאין את המוגמר ואת הבשמים לבית האבל.

The Sages taught another baraita: One may sweep and sprinkle water on a dirt floor in the house of a mourner, and one may wash bowls, cups, jugs, and pitchers in the house of a mourner. But one may not bring incense or fragrant spices into the house of a mourner.

איני? והא תני בר קפרא: אין מברכין לא על המוגמר ולא על הבשמים בבית האבל. ברוכי הוא דלא מברכין, הא אתויי — מייתינן!

The Gemara asks: Is that so? But doesn’t bar Kappara teach the following baraita: One may not recite a blessing either over incense or over fragrant spices in the house of a mourner? From this one may infer that one may not recite a blessing over these incense or spices, but one may bring them into the house of the mourner. This appears to contradict the previous baraita.

לא קשיא: הא — בבית האבל, הא — בבית המנחמין.

The Gemara explains: It is not difficult. Here, the baraita is referring to the house of a mourner, into which spices should not be taken; there, the baraita that states that one may not recite a blessing over them, is referring to the house of the consolers, his relatives, into which spices may be brought.

מתני׳ אין מוליכין לבית האבל, לא בטבלא, ולא באסקוטלא, ולא בקנון, אלא בסלים. ואין אומרים ברכת אבלים במועד, אבל עומדין בשורה ומנחמין, ופוטרין את הרבים.

MISHNA: One does not bring the first meal after the burial to the house of mourning on a small tray [tavla], in a bowl [iskutla], or in a narrow-mouthed basket [kanon], but rather in ordinary baskets. And the mourners’ blessing is not recited on the intermediate days of a Festival, but the consolers may stand in a row when the mourners leave the cemetery and console them. And the mourners dismiss the many consolers, by telling them that they may return home after they have fulfilled the mitzva of consoling the mourners.

אין מניחין את המטה ברחוב, שלא להרגיל את ההספד. ולא של נשים לעולם, מפני הכבוד.

The bier of the deceased is not set down in the street during the intermediate days of a Festival so as not to encourage eulogies. On an ordinary weekday, people would gather in the street around the bier to eulogize the deceased, but this should be avoided during the intermediate days of the Festival. And the biers of women are never set down, even if it is not the intermediate days of a Festival, due to their honor. Blood might drip from their bodies, and it would cause them dishonor if their blood stained the street.

גמ׳ תנו רבנן: בראשונה היו מוליכין בבית האבל, עשירים — בקלתות של כסף ושל זהב, ועניים — בסלי נצרים של ערבה קלופה, והיו עניים מתביישים.

GEMARA: The Sages taught the following baraita: At first, the meal after the burial would be brought to the house of the mourner in various ways. The wealthy would bring the meal in baskets of silver and gold, and the poor would bring it in baskets of peeled willow branches. And the poor were embarrassed, as everyone would see that they were poor. The Sages instituted that everyone should bring the meal in baskets of peeled willow branches, due to the honor of the poor.

התקינו שיהו הכל מביאין בסלי נצרים של ערבה קלופה, מפני כבודן של עניים.

תנו רבנן: בראשונה היו משקין בבית האבל, עשירים — בזכוכית לבנה, ועניים — בזכוכית צבועה, והיו עניים מתביישין. התקינו שיהו הכל משקין בזכוכית צבועה, מפני כבודן של עניים.

The Sages taught a similar baraita: At first, they would serve wine in the house of the mourner during the first meal after the burial; the wealthy would do so in cups made from white glass, and the poor would serve this wine in cups of colored glass. And the poor were embarrassed, as everyone would see that they were poor. The Sages instituted that all should serve drinks in the house of the mourner in colored glass cups, due to the honor of the poor.

בראשונה היו מגלין פני עשירים ומכסין פני עניים, מפני שהיו מושחרין פניהן מפני בצורת, והיו עניים מתביישין. התקינו שיהו מכסין פני הכל, מפני כבודן של עניים.

Furthermore, at first they would uncover the faces of the wealthy who passed away and cover the faces of the poor, because their faces were blackened by famine. And the poor were embarrassed because they were buried in a different manner. The Sages instituted that everyone’s face should be covered, due to the honor of the poor.

בראשונה היו מוציאין עשירים בדרגש, ועניים

Additionally, at first the wealthy would take the deceased out for burial on a dargash, and the poor would take the deceased out

בכליכה, והיו עניים מתביישין. התקינו שיהו הכל מוציאין בכליכה, מפני כבודן של עניים.

on a plain bier made from poles that were strapped together, and the poor were embarrassed. The Sages instituted that everyone should be taken out for burial on a plain bier, due to the honor of the poor.

בראשונה היו מניחין את המוגמר תחת חולי מעים מתים, והיו חולי מעים חיים מתביישין. התקינו שיהו מניחין תחת הכל, מפני כבודן של חולי מעים חיים.

Similarly, at first they would place incense under the beds of those who died with an intestinal disease, because the body emitted an especially unpleasant odor. And those who were alive with an intestinal disease were embarrassed when they understood that they, too, would be treated in this manner after their death, and that everyone would know the cause of their death. The Sages instituted that incense should be placed under everyone, due to the honor of those with an intestinal disease who were still living.

בראשונה היו מטבילין את הכלים על גבי נדות מתות, והיו נדות חיות מתביישות. התקינו שיהו מטבילין על גבי כל הנשים, מפני כבודן של נדות חיות.

Moreover, at first they would ritually immerse all the utensils that had been used by women who died while menstruating, which had thereby contracted ritual impurity. And due to this, the living menstruating women were embarrassed. The Sages instituted that the utensils that had been used by all dying women must be immersed, due to the honor of living menstruating women. And, at first they would ritually immerse all the utensils that had been used by zavin, men suffering from gonorrhea, who died, as the utensils had thereby contracted ritual impurity. And due to this the living zavin felt embarrassed. The Sages instituted that the utensils that had been used by all men must be immersed, due to the honor of the living zavin.

בראשונה מטבילין על גבי זבין מתים, והיו זבין חיים מתביישין. התקינו שיהו מטבילין על גב הכל, מפני כבודן של זבין חיים.

בראשונה היתה הוצאת המת קשה לקרוביו יותר ממיתתו, עד שהיו קרוביו מניחין אותו ובורחין. עד שבא רבן גמליאל ונהג קלות ראש בעצמו, ויצא בכלי פשתן,

Likewise, at first taking the dead out for burial was more difficult for the relatives than the actual death, because it was customary to bury the dead in expensive shrouds, which the poor could not afford. The problem grew to the point that relatives would sometimes abandon the corpse and run away. This lasted until Rabban Gamliel came and acted with frivolity, meaning that he waived his dignity, by leaving instructions that he be taken out for burial in linen garments. And the people adopted this practice after him and had themselves taken out for burial in linen garments. Rav Pappa said: And nowadays, everyone follows the practice of taking out the dead for burial even in plain hemp garments [tzerada] that cost only a dinar.

ונהגו העם אחריו לצאת בכלי פשתן. אמר רב פפא: והאידנא נהוג עלמא אפילו בצרדא בר זוזא.

אין מניחין את המטה ברחוב. אמר רב פפא: אין מועד בפני תלמיד חכם, וכל שכן חנוכה ופורים.

It is taught in the mishna: The bier of the deceased is not set down in the street during the intermediate days of a Festival, so as not to encourage eulogies. Rav Pappa said: There are no restrictions on eulogizing on the intermediate days of a Festival in the presence of a deceased Torah scholar, and therefore he may be eulogized in the ordinary manner during the Festival week. And all the more so a Torah scholar may be eulogized on the days of Hanukkah and Purim, which have less sanctity than the intermediate days of a Festival.

והני מילי בפניו, אבל שלא בפניו — לא. איני?! והא רב כהנא ספדיה לרב זביד מנהרדעא בפום נהרא! אמר רב פפי: יום שמועה הוה, וכבפניו דמי.

The Gemara comments: But this allowance to eulogize a Torah scholar during the intermediate days of a Festival applies only when the eulogy is in the presence of the deceased, before the bier. However, giving a eulogy that is not in his presence is not permitted. The Gemara asks: Is that so? But didn’t Rav Kahana eulogize Rav Zevid from Neharde’a in his city Pum Nahara during the intermediate days of a Festival? Rav Pappa said: It was the day on which Rav Kahana received the news of Rav Zevid’s death, and a eulogy in such a situation is considered as if it is in his presence.

אמר עולא: הספד על לב, דכתיב: ״על שדים סופדים״. טיפוח ביד. קילוס ברגל.

The Gemara continues its discussion of the halakhot of mourning: Ulla said: Although hesped usually refers to a eulogy, strictly speaking, hesped is referring to striking oneself on the heart, as it is written: “Striking [sofedim] the breasts” (Isaiah 32:12). The term tipuaḥ is referring to striking with one hand against the other hand, i.e., clapping. The term killus is referring to stomping with one’s foot on the ground.

תנו רבנן: המקלס — לא יקלס בסנדל, אלא במנעל, מפני הסכנה.

The Sages taught a baraita: One who stomps his foot on the ground as a sign of mourning should not stomp with a sandal, but rather he should do so wearing a shoe, due to the danger of being hurt. Because a sandal is easily torn, it is possible that something sharp on the ground will puncture his foot, or that he will suffer some other injury.

אמר רבי יוחנן: אבל, כיון שניענע ראשו — שוב אין מנחמין רשאין לישב אצלו.

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Once a mourner nods his head to show that his grief has slightly diminished, the consolers may no longer sit next to him, as with his action the mourner shows that he no longer desires their presence.

ואמר רבי יוחנן: הכל חייבין לעמוד מפני נשיא, חוץ מאבל וחולה. ואמר רבי יוחנן: לכל אומרים להם ״שבו״, חוץ מאבל וחולה.

Rabbi Yoḥanan further said: All are obligated to stand in the presence of the Nasi, except for a mourner and one who is sick. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: To all who stand before a great person one says: Be seated, and only then may they sit down, except for a mourner and one who is sick. If they stood up they do not need permission to sit down, but rather they may do so if they wish.

אמר רב יהודה אמר רב: אבל, יום ראשון אסור לאכול לחם משלו, מדאמר ליה רחמנא ליחזקאל: ״ולחם אנשים לא תאכל״. רבה ורב יוסף מחלפי סעודתייהו להדדי.

Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: A mourner on the first day of his mourning is prohibited from eating of his own bread. From where is this derived? From what the Merciful One says to Ezekiel when the latter is in mourning: “Nor eat the bread of men” (Ezekiel 24:17), which indicates that other mourners must eat bread made by others. It was related that when Rabba and Rav Yosef were in mourning they would exchange their meals with each other.

ואמר רב יהודה אמר רב: מת בעיר — כל בני העיר אסורין בעשיית מלאכה.

And Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: When a person dies in a city, all of the residents of that city are prohibited from performing work until he has been buried.

רב המנונא איקלע לדרו מתא, שמע קול שיפורא דשכבא. חזא הנך אינשי דקא עבדי עבידתא, אמר להו: ליהוו הנך אינשי בשמתא. לא שכבא איכא במתא?! אמרו ליה:

The Gemara relates that when Rav Hamnuna once happened to come to a place called Darumata he heard the sound of a shofar announcing that a person had died in the town. When he saw some people doing work he said to them: Let these people be under an excommunication. Is there not a dead person in town? They said to him: There are separate groups in the town, each one responsible for its own dead. Knowing that the deceased was not from our group, we continued our work. He said to them: If so, it is permitted to you, and he revoked his excommunication.

חבורתא איכא במתא. אמר להו: אי הכי, שריא לכו.

ואמר רב יהודה אמר רב: כל המתקשה על מתו יותר מדאי, על מת אחר הוא בוכה. ההיא איתתא דהות בשיבבותיה דרב הונא, הוו לה שבעה בני,

And Rav Yehuda said further in the name of Rav: Anyone who grieves excessively over his dead and does not allow himself to be consoled will in the end weep for another person. The Gemara relates that a certain woman who lived in the neighborhood of Rav Huna had seven sons. One of them died and she wept for him excessively. Rav Huna sent a message to her: Do not do this. But she took no heed of him. He then sent another message to her: If you listen to me, it is well, but if not, prepare shrouds for another death. But she would not listen and they all died. In the end, when she continued with her excessive mourning, he said to her: Since you are acting in this way, prepare shrouds for yourself, and soon thereafter she died.

מית חד מינייהו, הוות קא בכיא ביתירתא עליה. שלח לה רב הונא: לא תעבדי הכי! לא אשגחה ביה. שלח לה: אי צייתת — מוטב,

ואי לא — צבית זוודתא לאידך מית, ומיתו כולהו. לסוף אמר לה: תימוש זוודתא לנפשיך, ומיתא.

״אל תבכו למת ואל תנודו לו״. ״אל תבכו למת״ — יותר מדאי, ״ואל תנודו לו״ — יותר מכשיעור. הא כיצד? שלשה ימים לבכי, ושבעה להספד, ושלשים לגיהוץ ולתספורת.

The Sages taught in a baraita with regard to the verse that states: “Weep not for the dead, neither bemoan him” (Jeremiah 22:10): “Weep not for the dead” is referring to excessive mourning; “neither bemoan him” more than the appropriate measure of time. How so? What is the appropriate measure? Three days for weeping, and seven for eulogizing, and thirty for the prohibition against ironing clothing and for the prohibition against cutting hair. From this point forward the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: Do not be more merciful with the deceased than I am. If the Torah commands one to mourn for a certain period of time, then that suffices.

מכאן ואילך — אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא: אי אתם רחמנים בו יותר ממני.

״בכו בכו להולך״, אמר רב יהודה: להולך בלא בנים. רבי יהושע בן לוי לא אזל לבי אבלא אלא למאן דאזיל בלא בני, דכתיב:

It is stated in the continuation of the verse: “Weep sore for him that goes away.” Rav Yehuda said: This is referring to one who leaves the world without children to survive him, since mourning for him is much more intense. It was related that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi would go to a house of mourning only for one who passed away without children, as it is written: “Weep sore for him that goes away; for he shall return [yashuv] no more, nor see his native land” (Jeremiah 22:10). Rav Huna disagreed with the interpretation of the verse and said: “Him that goes” is one who committed a transgression and then repeated it, i.e., one who sins constantly and does not repent [yashav], and therefore loses his portion in the World-to-Come, his “native land.”

״בכו בכו להולך כי לא ישוב עוד וראה את ארץ מולדתו״. רב הונא אמר: זה שעבר עבירה ושנה בה.

רב הונא לטעמיה, דאמר רב הונא: כיון שעבר אדם עבירה ושנה בה — הותרה לו. הותרה לו סלקא דעתך?! אלא אימא: נעשית לו כהיתר.

The Gemara notes that Rav Huna conforms to his standard line of reasoning, as Rav Huna said: Once a person commits a transgression and repeats it, it becomes permitted to him. The Gemara questions the wording used here: Does it enter your mind that it is actually permitted? How could it possibly be permitted for him to sin? Rather, say instead: It becomes as though it were permitted, for after doing it twice he no longer relates to his action as the violation of a serious prohibition.

אמר רבי לוי: אבל, שלשה ימים הראשונים יראה את עצמו כאילו חרב מונחת לו בין שתי יריכותיו. משלשה עד שבעה — כאילו מונחת לו כנגדו בקרן זוית,

Rabbi Levi said: A mourner during the first three days of his mourning should see himself as though a sword were lying between his two thighs, meaning that he too may be facing imminent death. During this period he should live in dread. From the third to the seventh days he should conduct himself as if the sword were lying opposite him in the corner, but still threatening him. From this point forward it is as if the sword was moving before him in the marketplace, and the fear is not as great.

מכאן ואילך — כאילו עוברת כנגדו בשוק.

ולא של נשים לעולם מפני הכבוד. אמרי נהרדעי: לא שנו

§ The mishna teaches: And the biers of women are never set down, due to their honor. The Sages of Neharde’a say: They only taught this