Shabbat 210

דעבדה כי כיסתא:

— If he made it [the garment] like a pocket.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi: bulging and creasing, so that part has to be torn open in order for it to be resewn. ');">¹</span> <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. HE WHO TEARS IN HIS ANGER OR [IN MOURNING] FOR HIS DEAD,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At the death of one's parents, brothers, sisters, children, wife or husband the garments are rent. ');">²</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> הקורע בחמתו ועל מתו וכל המקלקלין פטורין והמקלקל ע"מ לתקן שיעורו כמתקן שיעור המלבן והמנפץ והצובע והטווה כמלא רחב הסיט כפול והאורג שני חוטין שיעורו כמלא הסיט:

AND ALL WHO EFFECT DAMAGE ARE EXEMPT; BUT HE WHO DAMAGES IN ORDER TO REPAIR,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As in the example mentioned immediately preceding the Mishnah. ');">³</span> HIS STANDARD [FOR CULPABILITY] IS AS FOR REPAIRING. THE STANDARD OF BLEACHING [WOOL], HATCHELLING, DYEING OR SPINNING IT, IS A FULL DOUBLE SIT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi: the distance between the tips of the index finger and middle finger when held wide apart, v. Gemara. ');">⁴</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> ורמינהו הקורע בחמתו ובאבלו ועל מתו חייב ואע"פ שמחלל את השבת יצא ידי קריעה לא קשיא הא במת דידיה הא במת דעלמא

AND HE WHO WEAVES TWO THREADS TOGETHER, HIS STANDARD IS A FULL SIT. <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. But the following contradicts this: He who rends [his garment] in his anger, in his mourning or for his dead, is guilty, and though he desecrates the Sabbath, he has fulfilled his duty of rending?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. for the dead. ');">⁵</span>

והא מתו קתני לעולם במת דידיה ובהנך דלאו בני אבילות נינהו ואי חכם הוא חיובי מיחייב דתניא חכם שמת הכל קרוביו הכל קרוביו ס"ד אלא אימא הכל כקרוביו הכל קורעין עליו הכל חולצין עליו הכל מברין עליו ברחבה לא צריכא דלאו חכם הוא

— There is no difficulty: the one refers to his dead,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. those enumerated in p. 508. n. 9. Since rending is a duty there, it is an act of positive value, and he is liable. ');">⁶</span> the other to the dead in general.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though he rends his garment in grief, it is not actually necessary. ');">⁷</span>

ואי אדם כשר הוא חיובי מיחייב דתניא מפני מה מתים בניו ובנותיו של אדם כשהן קטנים כדי שיבכה ויתאבל על אדם כשר כדי שיבכה ערבונא שקלי מיניה אלא מפני שלא בכה והתאבל על אדם כשר שכל הבוכה על אדם כשר מוחלין לו על כל עונותיו בשביל כבוד שעשה לא צריכא דלאו אדם כשר הוא

But he [our Tanna] states, HIS DEAD? — After all, it does refer to his dead,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., one whom through certain circumstances it is his duty to bury. ');">⁸</span> but those for whom there is no duty of mourning?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., other than those enumerated in p. 508, n. 9. ');">⁹</span>

ואי דקאי בשעת יציאת נשמה חיובי מיחייב דתניא ר"ש בן אלעזר אומר העומד על המת בשעת יציאת נשמה חייב לקרוע הא למה זה דומה לס"ת שנשרפה לא צריכא דלא קאי בשעת יציאת נשמה

Now, if he [the dead] was a Sage, he is indeed bound [to rend his garments]? For it was taught: If a Sage dies, all are his kinsmen. All are his kinsmen! can you think so? Rather say, all are as his kinsmen, [i.e.,] all must rend [their garments] for him; all must bare [their shoulders] for him,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This was a mourning rite in former times, but is no longer practised. ');">¹⁰</span> and all partake of the [mourner's] meal for him in a public square!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first meal after the funeral is called the meal of comfort (se'udath habra'ah), and is supplied by friends of the mourner. In the case of a Sage all must partake of such a meal. ');">¹¹</span>

תינח מתו אלא חמתו אחמתו קשיא חמתו אחמתו נמי לא קשיא הא ר' יהודה הא ר"ש הא ר' יהודה דאמר מלאכה שאין צריכה לגופה חייב עליה הא ר"ש דאמר מלאכה שאין צריכה לגופה פטור עליה

— This holds good only if he was not a Sage. But [even] if he was [merely] a worthy man, one is indeed bound [to rend his garments]? For it was taught: Why do a man's sons and daughters die in childhood? So that he may weep and mourn for a worthy man? 'So that he may weep' — is a pledge taken!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the future surely not! ');">¹²</span> But because he did not weep and mourn for a worthy man, for whoever weeps for a worthy man is forgiven all his iniquities on account of the honour which he showed him! — This holds good only if he was not a worthy man. But if he stood [there] at the parting of the soul<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., at the moment of death. ');">¹³</span>

אימר דשמעת ליה לר' יהודה במתקן במקלקל מי שמעת ליה א"ר אבין האי נמי מתקן הוא דקעביד נחת רוח ליצרו וכהאי גוונא מי שרי והתניא ר"ש בן אלעזר אומר משום חילפא בר אגרא שאמר משום ר' יוחנן בן נורי המקרע בגדיו בחמתו והמשבר כליו בחמתו והמפזר מעותיו בחמתו יהא בעיניך כעובד ע"ז שכך אומנתו של יצה"ר היום אומר לו עשה כך ולמחר אומר לו עשה כך עד שאומר לו עבוד ע"ז והולך ועובד א"ר אבין מאי קראה (תהלים פא, י) לא יהיה בך אל זר ולא תשתחוה לאל נכר איזהו אל זר שיש בגופו של אדם הוי אומר זה יצר הרע

he is indeed bound? For it was taught, R. Simeon b. Eleazar said: He who stands by the dead at the parting of the soul is bound to rend [his garments]: [for] what does this resemble? A scroll of the Law that is burnt!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If one sees this he must rend his garments, and even the most ignorant and the most worthless Jew has some knowledge thereof and has fulfilled some of its precepts. ');">¹⁴</span> — This holds good only if he was not standing there at the moment of death.

לא צריכא דקא עביד למירמא אימתא אאינשי ביתיה כי הא דרב יהודה שליף מצבייתא רב אחא בר יעקב תבר מאני תבירי רב ששת רמי לה לאמתיה מוניני ארישא רבי אבא תבר נכתמא

Now, that is well in respect to his dead. But [the two statements concerning tearing] in one's anger are contradictory? — These too cause no difficulty: one agrees with R. Judah, the other with R. Simeon. One agrees with R. Judah, who maintained: One is liable in respect of a labour which is not required per se, the other with R. Simeon, who maintained: One is exempt in respect of a labour which is not required per se.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. supra 30a. ');">¹⁵</span> But you know R. Judah [to rule thus] in the case of one who repairs? do you know him [to rule thus] in the case of one who causes damage? — Said R. Abin: This man too effects an improvement, because he appeases his wrath. But is it permitted [to effect this] in such a manner? Surely it was taught, R. Simeon b. Eleazar said in the name of Halfa b. Agra in R. Johanan b. Nuri's name: He who rends his garments in his anger, he who breaks his vessels in his anger, and he who scatters his money in his anger, regard him as an idolater, because such are the wiles of the Tempter: To-day he says to him, 'Do this'; to-morrow he tells him, 'Do that,' until he bids him, 'Go and serve idols,' and he goes and serves [them].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since then this is forbidden, he cannot be held to effect an improvement. ');">¹⁶</span>

אמר ר"ש בן פזי א"ר יהושע בן לוי משום בר קפרא כל המוריד דמעות על אדם כשר הקב"ה סופרן ומניחן בבית גנזיו שנאמר (תהלים נו, ט) נודי ספרתה אתה שימה דמעתי בנאדך הלא בספרתך א"ר יהודה אמר רב כל המתעצל בהספדו של חכם ראוי לקוברו בחייו שנאמר (יהושע כד, ל) ויקברו אותו בגבול נחלתו בתמנת סרח אשר בהר אפרים מצפון להר געש מלמד שרגש עליהן הר להורגן א"ר חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן כל המתעצל בהספדו של חכם אינו מאריך ימים מדה כנגד מדה שנאמר (ישעיהו כז, ח) בסאסאה בשלחה תריבנה

R. Abin observed: What verse [intimates this]? There shall be no strange god in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LXXXI, 10. ');">¹⁷</span> who is the strange god that resides in man himself? Say, that is the Tempter!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This shows that no real separate identity was ascribed to the source of evil, of which the Tempter is merely a personification; cf. Joseph, M., 'Judaism as Creed and Life', pp. 65-68. ');">¹⁸</span>

איתיביה ר' חייא בר אבא לר' יוחנן (יהושע כד, לא) ויעבדו העם את ה' כל ימי יהושע וכל ימי הזקנים אשר האריכו ימים אחרי יהושע א"ל בבלאי ימים האריכו שנים לא האריכו אלא מעתה (דברים יא, כא) למען ירבו ימיכם וימי בניכם ימים ולא שנים ברכה שאני

— This holds good only where he does it in order to instil fear in his household, even as Rab Judah pulled the thrums [of his garment;]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To show his anger. ');">¹⁹</span> R. Aha b. Jacob broke broken vessels; R. Shesheth threw brine on his maidservant's head; R. Abba broke a lid.

וא"ר חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן אחד מן האחין שמת

R. Simeon b. Pazzi said in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi in Bar Kappara's name: If one sheds tears for a worthy man, the Holy One, blessed be He, counts them and lays them up in His treasure house, for it is said, Thou countest my grievings: Put thou my tear into thy bottle; Are they not in thy book?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LVI, 9. ');">²⁰</span> Rab Judah said in Rab's name: He who is slothful to lament a Sage deserves to be buried alive, because it is said, And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim; on the north of the mountain of Gaash:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Josh. XXIV, 30. 'Gaash' is derived from a root meaning to tremble or rage. ');">²¹</span> this teaches that the mountain raged against them to slay them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because they did not fittingly lament him. ');">²²</span> R. Hiyya b. Abba said in R. Johanan's name: He who is slothful to lament a Sage will not prolong his days, [this being] measure for measure, as it is said, In measure, when thou sendest her away, thou dost contend with her.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XXVII, 8. ');">²³</span> R. Hiyya b. Abba objected to R. Johanan: And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who prolonged their days after Joshua?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Josh. ibid. 31. Thus they lived long in spite of their failure to mourn for Joshua. ');">²⁴</span> — O Babylonian! answered he, they prolonged 'their days',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' (Maharsha: Their days seemed prolonged on account of the difficult times they experienced, v. however Rashi.] ');">²⁵</span> but not years. If so, that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XI, 21. ');">²⁶</span> [does that mean] days but not years! — A blessing is different.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The length of days in the case of a blessing can be only another expression for length of years, cf. n. 6.] ');">²⁷</span> R. Hiyya b. Abba also said in R. Johanan's name]: When one of brothers dies,