Moed Katan 41

אלא מעתה (דברים כה, ח) ועמד ואמר לא חפצתי לקחתה ה"נ והא תניא בין יושב בין עומד בין מוטה

But if that is so,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the brother of the deceased husband must declare his rejection of a levirate marriage standing.');">¹</span> [the text]: And if he stand and say, I like not to take her,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXV, 8.');">²</span> [will be interpreted] similarly?

א"ל התם לא כתיב ויעמד ויאמר הכא כתיב ויקם ויקרע

But surely it is taught: [And if she loose the shoe from off the foot of a grownup levir], whether he be standing or sitting or stooping, [the ceremony is valid]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Yeb. 103a.');">³</span> - He replied: [It is because] there it is not written, 'And he stood and said';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The distinction is not clear, and texts vary; v. D.S. ad loc.');">⁴</span> whereas here [in our instance] it is written, 'And Job rose and rent his mantle'.

אמר רמי בר חמא מנין לקריעה שהיא מעומד שנאמר (איוב א, כ) ויקם איוב ויקרע דלמא מילתא יתירתא הוא דעבד דאי לא תימא הכי (איוב א, כ) ויגז את ראשו ה"נ

Rami B'Hama said: Whence [is it derived] that the rending [of a garment] is to be done standing? From what is said: And Job rose and rent his mantle. But perhaps what he did was something extra?

אלא מהכא (שמואל ב יג, לא) ויקם המלך ויקרע את בגדיו ודלמא מילתא יתירתא עביד דאי לא תימא הכי (שמואל ב יג, לא) וישכב ארצה ה"נ

For should we not say so, [what of the next thing Job did], And he shaved his head, [should we] likewise [have to conform with it]? - Rather it is [to be derived] from here: Then the king arose and rent his garments.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. XIII, 31.');">⁵</span> But here too, perhaps, what he did was something extra? For should you not say so [what of the next thing he did], And he lay on the earth,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. XIII, 31.');">⁵</span>

והתניא ישב על גבי מטה על גבי כסא על גבי אודייני (גדולה ע"ג קרקע מכולן) לא יצא ידי חובתו וא"ר יוחנן שלא קיים כפיית המטה

[should we] likewise [have to conform with it]? Whereas it is taught: 'If a mourner sat on a bed,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Without any bedding.');">⁶</span> on a chair<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Var. lec. a bench. hbhhrut');">⁷</span>

א"ל כעין ארצה

or on a stall for urns [and cans],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' is the correct form derived from the Latin urnari (um) , a low bench or stand for the urnae-cans and water buckets. This derivation fits in vhbrhg with the requirements of all the passages where this obscure word occurs. B.B. ');">⁸</span> or even goes to the extreme<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. marginal note according to Han. and Alfasi.');">⁹</span> of sleeping on the bare ground, he has not discharged his duty [to the dead]'.

ת"ר (ואלו) דברים שאבל אסור בהן אסור במלאכה וברחיצה ובסיכה ובתשמיש המטה ובנעילת הסנדל ואסור לקרות בתורה ובנביאים ובכתובים ולשנות במשנה במדרש ובהלכות ובהש"ס ובאגדות ואם היו רבים צריכין לו אינו נמנע ומעשה ומת בנו של ר' יוסי בציפורי ונכנס לבית המדרש ודרש כל היום כולו

And, explained R'Johanan, [It is] because he has not carried out the [custom of] overturning the bed? - He replied: [It means that David lay] as it were on the ground. Our Rabbis taught: The following things are forbidden to a mourner: He is forbidden to do work, to bathe or anoint himself, to have [marital] intercourse, or don sandals; he is forbidden to read the Pentateuch, Prophets or Hagiograplia, or to recite the Mishnah, or Midrash and halachoth or the Talmud or aggadoth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The study of the Torah is considered a source of joy. Cf. Ps, XIX and CXIX, e.g. vv. 14, 16, 24, 47 etc.');">¹⁰</span> If, however, the public have need of him, he need not abstain.

רבה בר בר חנה איתרעא ביה מילתא סבר דלא למיפק לפירקא א"ל ר' חנינא אם היו רבים צריכין לו אינו נמנע סבר לאוקמי אמורא עליה א"ל רב תניא ובלבד שלא יעמיד תורגמן

There was all actual case, when a son of R'Jose of Sepphoris<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Jose b. Halafta, prominent in the College of Rabbi.');">¹¹</span> died, he went into the Beth Hamidrash<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The College.');">¹²</span> and expounded there all day long; [also<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This bracketed part (which occurs in MS.M.) has accidentally fallen out through the same ending 'all day long'.');">¹³</span>

ואלא היכי עביד כי הא דתניא מעשה ומת בנו של ר' יהודה בר אילעאי ונכנס לבית המדרש ונכנס ר' חנניה בן עקביא וישב בצדו ולחש הוא לר' חנניה בן עקביא ור' חנניה בן עקביא לתורגמן ותורגמן השמיע לרבים

when a daughter of Rabbi died at Beth-Shearim, he went into the Beth Hamidrash and expounded there all day long]. Rabbah B'Bar Hanah had a bereavement [and] he thought he ought not to go out to [give] his lecture. Said Rab to him, We learned:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So MS. M.');">¹⁴</span>

ת"ר אבל ג' ימים הראשונים אסור להניח תפילין משלישי ואילך ושלישי בכלל מותר להניח תפילין ואם באו פנים חדשות אינו חולץ דברי ר"א ר' יהושע אומר אבל ב' ימים הראשונים אסור להניח תפילין משני ושני בכלל מותר להניח תפילין ואם באו פנים חדשות חולץ

'And if the public have need of him he does not refrain'. He then thought of calling upon his 'expositor' [assistant].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It was the practice to call upon a competent scholar or scholars at the college to stand at the side of the Principal or lecturer of the day and expound the theme to the listeners in several groups. He was called Amora or Turgeman (Meturgeman) _ expounder, interpreter (dragoman) .');">¹⁵</span> When Rab said to him, 'We learned:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So MS. M.');">¹⁴</span>

אמר רב מתנה מאי טעמא דר"א דכתיב (דברים לד, ח) ויתמו ימי בכי אבל משה אמר רב עינא מ"ט דר' יהושע דכתיב (עמוס ח, י) ואחריתה כיום מר

'Provided only that he does not place [at his side] an expositor [assistant]'. But then how is he to do? - After the manner taught [in the following]: 'It happen ed, that when a son of R'Judah B'Il'ai died, he went into the Beth Hamidrash and R'Hananiah B''Akabia also went in and sat him down at his side: he then whispered to R'Hananiah B''Akabia and R'Hananiah B''Akabia [whispered] to the Turgeman and the Turgeman spoke aloud to the public'. Our Rabbis taught: '[During] the first three days a mourner is forbidden to put on phylacteries.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. supra 15a.');">¹⁶</span>

ורבי יהושע נמי הא כתיב ויתמו ימי וגו' אמר לך שאני משה דתקיף אבליה ור"א נמי הא כתיב ואחריתה כיום מר עיקר מרירא חד יומא הוא

From the third day onward, the third day included, he is allowed to put on phylacteries and he does not<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In Sem. VI, and J.M.K. III, 5, it is the reverse.');">¹⁷</span> [have to] take them off at the entry of fresh personages [visitors]:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Although they might be led to assume that he had donned the phylacteries also in the first two days.]');">¹⁸</span> this is R'Eliezer's opinion.

אמר עולא הלכה כר"א בחליצה והלכה כר' יהושע בהנחה

R'Joshua says, A mourner is forbidden to put on phylacteries [during] the first two days. From the second day onward, the second day included, he is allowed to put on phylacteries; but at the entry of fresh personages [visitors] he takes<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In Sem. VI, and J.M.K. III, 5, it is the reverse.');">¹⁷</span> them off.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi: on the second day; according to J.M.K. (ibid.) in the week of mourning.');">¹⁹</span>

איבעיא להו בשני לעולא חולץ או אינו חולץ

Said R'Mattena: What is the reason for R'Eliezer's view? - Because it is written: And the days of weeping in the mourning of Moses were ended.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXXIV, 8. That the main mourning is during the first three days is derived by counting the three expressions. 'days', 'weeping', 'mourning'.');">²⁰</span> Said R'Ena: What is the reason for R'Joshua's view? - Because it is written: [And I will turn your feasts into mourning. And I will make it as the mourning for an only son] and the end thereof as a bitter day.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Amos VIII, 10, which indicates that the essential mourning is but one day. .');">²¹</span>

ת"ש אמר עולא חולץ ומניח אפי' מאה פעמים תניא נמי הכי יהודה בן תימא אומר חולץ ומניח אפי' מאה פעמים

But as to R'Joshua. surely it is written: [An the days of weeping in the mourning for Moses] were ended? - He may reply. The case of Moses was different; the mourning for him was [more] intense.

רבא אמר כיון שהניח שוב אינו חולץ והא רבא הוא דאמר הלכה כתנא דידן דאמר שלשה

And what of R'Eliezer too, surely it is written, 'And the day thereof [I will make] as a bitter day'? - The poignancy of the bitterness is but on one day. Said 'Ulla: The halachah follows R'Eliezer in regard to taking off [the phylacteries]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That he need not take them off on the third day at the entry of fresh visitors.');">²²</span> and R'Joshua in regard to putting on [the phylacteries].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the second day.');">²³</span> They enquired: What of the second day [of mourning]. according to 'Ulla? Does he [at the entrance of fresh personages] have to take them off, or does he not [have to] take them off? - Come and hear: 'Ulla said: He takes them off and puts them on [the second day] even a hundred times'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Each time at the entry of new visitors, to show the visitors that he has not been disregarding the law hitherto.');">²⁴</span> Likewise it is taught: Judah B'Tema Says, He takes them off and puts them on even a hundred times. Raba said, Having put them on he does not take them off. But was it not Raba who said [above],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' ');">²⁵</span> The halachah follows our Tanna [of the Mishnah],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Supra 19a.');">²⁶</span> who says [that the minimum observance of formal mourning is] three [days]?