Moed Katan

— It is different in the case of a religious precept. [like phylacteries]. 1 Our Rabbis taught: A mourner is forbidden, during the first three days [to do] work, even a poor man who receives maintenance from charity; thereafter he does [his work] privately, in his house: and a woman [in mourning] plies the spindle in her house. Our Rabbis taught: A mourner should not go during the first three days to a place of mourning;2 thereafter he may go but not take a place among the comforters, but among those who are [to be] comforted. Our Rabbis taught: A mourner is forbidden during the first three days to give greeting [of peace];3 after three and to seven [days], he responds but does not give greeting [of peace]; thereafter he gives greeting [of peace] and responds in his usual manner. [It is stated above] ‘Forbidden during the first three days to give greeting of peace’. But surely it was taught: It happened, when [two]4 sons of R. Akiba, [bridegrooms],5 died, all Israel entered6 and made a great lament for them, and as the people were about to depart, R. Akiba stood on a large bench7 and addressed them: Our brethren, the House of Israel, hear ye! Even though these two sons were ‘bridegrooms’,8 I am9 consoled on account of the honour you have done [them].10 And even though you have come on account of Akiba, there is many an Akiba!11 But this it is what you said [to yourselves]: The law of God is in his heart, [his footsteps will not falter].12 All the more then, two-fold be your reward: Go home unto peace!’13 — Deference towards the public is a different matter. [It was stated above ‘After three to seven [days]; he responds but does not give greeting [of peace]; thereafter, he gives greeting [of peace] and responds, in his usual manner’. Some contrasted this statement with the following: ‘One who meets his fellow mourner within thirty days, tenders him [words of] consolation but enquires not about his peace; after the thirty days he enquires about his peace, but tenders him not [words of] consolation.14 If his [friend's] wife had died and he married another [formally],15 he is not allowed to call at his house to tender him [there,16 words of] consolation; if he meets him in the street he expresses [his condolence] to him in a low voice and with downcast looks!’17 — Said R. Idi b. Abin: The mourner enquires about the peace of others [within his period of mourning]18 because others’ are abiding in peace; others enquire not about the peace of the mourner, because he is not abiding in peace [but in sorrow].19 But then, since it states [in the former Baraitha]: [After three to seven days] ‘he responds. . .’, does this not imply that others may enquire [about the mourner's peace]?20 — Where they are unaware [of his bereavement]. If so, does not the same apply also to the other earlier period?21 — [No,] then21 he is obliged to acquaint them [of his sorrow] and makes no [further] response, whereas here22 he need not acquaint them [of it]. Thereupon some contrasted [this latter Baraitha] with the following: One who meets another mourner within a twelvemonth tenders him [words of] consolation, but does not enquire about his ‘peace’;23 after a twelvemonth, he enquires about his ‘peace and does not tender him [words of] consolation, but may refer to his sorrow indirectly.24 Said R. Meir: If one meets another mourner after a twelvemonth and tenders him [then words of] consolation, to what can he be likened? To [the case of] a man who had his leg broken and healed when a physican met him and said to him, Come to me and let me break it and set it [again], to convince you that my medicaments are good? — This offers no diffculty: This last citation refers to [the death of] father or mother, while the former refers to [the death of] other near of kin. But in that case25 too, why not tender him [words of] consolation indirectly? — Yes indeed [he may], and what means: [‘After thirty days he may] not tender him [words of] consolation’ is, [not] in one's usual manner — but he refers to his sorrow indirectly. Our Rabbis taught: A mourner who arrives home during the first three days from a place in the near vicinity, counts [his days of mourning] with them.26 If he came home from a distance, he counts on his own. Thereafter even if he came home from a place in the vicinity he counts on his own. R. Simeon says: Even if he came home on the seventh day from a place in the vicinity, he counts with them.26 The Master said: ‘During the first three days from a place in the vicinity, he counts with them’. R. Hiyya b. Abba, as citing R. Johanan said that this is done only where the chief person of the household was at home. The following question was then raised: incident among others is told at length. quotation. motherless; often it is the deceased wife's sister. He may thus marry her formally but is not to live with her as man and] wife till after the period of mourning is over. Generally a widower should wait till after the three Festivals — Passover, Weeks and Tabernacles have passed, before he marries again. Cf. infra, 23a. teaches that within the thirty days one may not greet a mourner, which is in opposition to the ruling of the former Baraitha that the mourner himself is permitted to exchange greetings once the seven days are over]. the thirty days, the latter forbids others to greet him within, that period.]