Commentary for Berakhot 35:12
אמר רחבה אמר רב יהודה כל הרואה המת ואינו מלוהו עובר משום לועג לרש חרף עושהו ואם הלוהו מה שכרו אמר רב אסי עליו הכתוב אומר (משלי יט, יז) מלוה ה' חונן דל (משלי יד, לא) ומכבדו חונן אביון:
Rahbah said in the name of R. Judah : Whoever sees a body [being conveyed to burial] and does not accompany it commits a transgression because of [the injunction] "Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker" (Prov. xvii. 5). If he accompany it, what is his reward ? Rab Assi said : Of him the Scriptures state, "He that is gracious to the poor lendeth unto the Lord" (ibid. xix. 17) and "he that is gracious unto the needy honoureth Him" (ibid. xiv. 31).
Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
M. adds: a distance of four cubits.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
An act of respect shown to the dead stands in a higher scale, according to Rabbinic teaching, than to the living, because it is disinterested. On the phrase "Deal kindly and truly with me" (Gen. xlvii. 29) the Rabbis comment that "kindness of truth" is that performed to the dead; Gen. Rab. xcvi. 5.
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