Moed Katan

Abba Saul says, Even by one man with two women. And they [the people] do not stand in line1 on the [immature] infant's account, nor do they [need] to recite the [usual] mourners’ benediction,2 nor tender the [usual] condolence to the mourners. An infant thirty days old is taken forth [to burial] in a case.3 R. Judah says: Not a case that is borne on the shoulder, but one that is borne in the arms; and the people stand in line1 on its account, and recite the [additional] mourners’ benediction2 and tender the [usual] condolence to the mourners. One twelve months old is taken forth [to burial] on a bier; R. Akiba says, If the infant is twelve months old and its limbs are like those of one two years old, or two years old and its limbs are like those of one twelve months old, it is carried out on a bier. R. Simeon b. Eleazar says, For any one that is taken out on a bier the public [should] show their distress;4 for any one that is not taken out on a bier the public do not [need] to show their distress. R. Eleazar says, If he is known to the public at large, the public should participate in the proceedings; if he be not known to many [of the public] they do not [need] to participate. And what is the rule in respect of making lamentation for them? R. Meir in the name of R. Ishmael says: In the case of the poor lamentation is made for a child of three and in the case of the rich for a child of five.5 R. Judah speaking in his [R. Ishmael's.] name says: With the poor [they make a lament] for children of five; with the rich for children of six. And [as for] the children of ‘elders’, they are [treated] in the same way as the children of the poor.6 Said R. Giddal b. Menashia, as citing Rab,7 The halachah is as stated by R. Judah in the name of R. Ishmael. R. ‘Anani b. Sason8 gave a discourse at the door of the Prince9 [and said]: ‘One day [of mourning] before ‘Azereth10 [the Feast of Weeks] with [one day of] ‘Azereth count as fourteen days [out of the thirty].’ R. Ammi heard of this and was indignant saying. Is that his own view? It is what R. Eleazar [b. Pedath] said as citing R. Oshaia! R. Isaac the smith gave a discourse at the marquee11 of the Exilarch [and said]: ‘One day [of mourning] before ‘Azereth with the [one day of] ‘Azereth, count as fourteen days [out of the thirty]’. R. Shesheth heard of this and was indignant, saying, Is that his own view? It is what R. Eleazar said, as citing R. Oshaia! For R. Eleazar, citing R. Oshaia, said: Whence is derived the ruling that ‘Azereth [the Feast of Weeks] is allowed a supplementary extension to full seven days?12 From what is said: Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place He shall choose: on the Feast of Unleavened Bread and on the Feast of Weeks and on the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord thy God empty.13 Just as the Feast of Un leavened Bread has a supplementary [period] to full seven days [for the celebration offerings],14 the Feast of Weeks15 has likewise a supplementary extension [for festive offerings] of full seven days.16 R. Papa invited17 the elder R. Awia [to act as expositor] and he expounded [the theme]: ‘One day [of mourning] before New Year and New Year's Day [together] account for fourteen [out of the thirty days]’. Said Rabina, According to this, then, one day [of mourning] before ‘the Feast’ [of Tabernacles] together with the [seven days of the] festival and ‘the Eighth Day’ [of ‘Solemn Assembly’] account [together] for twenty-one [out of the thirty days of mourning]. Rabina turned up at Sura-on the Euphrates18 when R. Habiba of Sura-on-the Euphrates put the question to him: Did you, sir, say that one day19 before New Year and New Year's Day [together] account for fourteen [out of the thirty days]? — He replied, I did say that, arguing on [the basis of] Rabban Gamaliel's view.20 MISHNAH. NONE REND [THEIR CLOTHES] NOR BARE [THEIR SHOULDER], NOR PROVIDE A REPAST [FOR THE MOURNERS]21 SAVE THOSE [WHO ARE] NEAR OF KIN TO THE DEAD; NOR DO THEY PROVIDE A REPAST SAVE [SEATED] ON AN UPRIGHT COUCH.22 Voi I, book 3, sec. 2, pp. 36 and 142. may be done up to the seventh day after. argument is logically questioned, as thereby the one-day Feast of Weeks would be entitled to a day more than the seven-day Feast of Mazzoth; besides, it is shown that the eighth day of Tabernacles is, by virtue of its special sacrificial tariff a distinct Feast by itself. Cf. Hag. 17a and note discussion that follows. Turgeman of the occasion (cf. supra p. 133, n. 10). probably on one of the two or four Sabbaths preceding a festival — tkdhrs t,ca — when the theme was seasonal. Cf. Pes. 6a-b and more fully in Tosef. Meg. IV, 5: ‘And they enquire about the laws of Passover at Passover; the laws of Azereth at ‘Azereth; the laws of the Feast (of Tabernacles) at "the Feast" in the House of the Assembly (sguv ,hcc). And they enquire about the laws of Passover thirty days preceding the Festival’. And on the expression vhrcst v. Bez. 29a (Sonc. ed., p. III, n. 3). the lament was held. Cf. supra 5b and the formal tendering of comfort with the first repast which followed. Cf. infra 27a. Shab. 105a (Rashi), and Keth. 8b. comforters and the mourners. ‘Such was the custom; when they provided the mourners’ fare and wished to take the meal, they set up the couches erect, and after the comforters left (the house) they overturned (upset) them (again)’. V. B.M. Lewin, Otz. Ha;. IV, n. 132.