Bava Batra

a public road,  sixteen cubits; the road to the cities of refuge,  thirty two cubits. R. Huna said: From what Scriptural text [may this be inferred]? — From the text, Thou shalt prepare thee the way;  [instead of], 'a way' [it is written], 'the way'. THE KING'S HIGHWAY HAS NO LIMIT[s], because a king may break a wall to make a way for himself and no one may prevent him. THE PATH OF A FUNERAL CORTEGE HAS NO LIMIT[s], in deference to the dead. THE HALTING PLACE HAD, SAID THE JUDGES OF SEPPHORIS, AN AREA OF FOUR KAB etc. Our Rabbis taught: If a person has sold his [family] grave, the path to [this] grave, his halting place  or his house of mourning, the members of [his] family may come and bury him perforce,  in order [to avert] a slight upon the family. Our Rabbis taught: No less than seven halts and sittings  are to be arranged for the dead, corresponding to  Vanity of vanities. saith Koheleth; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.  R. Aha the son of Raba said to R. Ashi: What was their procedure? He replied unto him: As it has been taught; R. Judah said, At first they provided in Judea no less than seven halts and sittings for the dead in the [following] manner: [The leader called out after the escort had sat down on the ground]. 'Stand, dear [friends], stand up'; [and after they had walked for some distance he again called out]. 'Sit down, dear [friends], sit down'.  They  said unto him: If so,  such [procedure] should be permitted on the Sabbath  also! The sister of Rami b. Papa was married to R. Iwya. [When] she died he arranged [in] her [honour]  a 'halting and sitting'. R. Joseph said: He erred on two [points]. He erred [in] that [the ceremony of halting and sitting] is to be held with near [relatives]  only, and he held it even with distant [ones]; and he [further] erred [in] that they were instituted only for the first day [of the burial], and he arranged [them] for the second day. Abaye said: He also erred on the following [point]. These  [were instituted] to take place in the grave-yard only, and he arranged [them] within the town. Raba said: He also erred on the following [point]. These  may be arranged only where they are the local practice, but there, these were not the practice. An objection was raised: [It has been stated that] they said unto him, 'If so, such [procedure] should be permitted on the Sabbath also'. Now, if it is said [that the ceremonial is to take place] in the graveyard and on the first day [only], [for] what [purpose] is the graveyard required on the Sabbath?  — In [the case of] a town which is near a graveyard [and the dead] was brought [to burial] at twilight. MISHNAH. IF ONE SELLS A PLOT [OF GROUND] TO ANOTHER AS A [FAMILY] GRAVE AND, LIKEWISE, IF ONE ACCEPTS [AN ORDER] FROM ANOTHER TO CONSTRUCT FOR HIM A [FAMILY] GRAVE, THE CENTRAL SPACE  OF THE GROTTO MUST HAVE [AN AREA OF] FOUR CUBITS BY SIX.  AND EIGHT SEPULCHRAL CHAMBERS ARE TO OPEN OUT INTO IT; THREE FROM [THE WALL ON] ONE SIDE.  THREE FROM [THE WALL ON] THE OTHER,  AND TWO [FROM THE WALL] IN FRONT.  THE CHAMBERS MUST BE FOUR CUBITS IN LENGTH, SEVEN [HANDBREADTHS] IN HEIGHT,