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The Jerusalem TalmudJerusalem Talmud Moed Katan 3.7

The Jerusalem Talmud

Jerusalem Talmud Moed Katan 3.7

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

MISHNAH: Only the relatives of the deceased tear their clothes, or take them off, or are brought the first meal. One receives the first meal only on upright standing couches. Also one carries the first meal to the mourner’s house neither on a tablet, nor in a bowl, nor in a reed basket; only in sacks. On the holiday one does not recite the blessing of the mourners, but one stands in a row, consoles, and dismisses the public.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

HALAKHAH: “Only the relatives of the deceased tear their clothes, or take them off, or are brought the first meal. Rebbi Jeremiah said, only relatives who have to mourn. As this which was stated: If a Sage dies [all] are his relatives, even relatives who do not have to mourn. As the following: Rebbi Abun died on a holiday and Rebbi Mana did not participate in mourning. The Sepphoreans said, he hates him even in death. After the holiday he eulogized him. He preached and said in front of them, as was stated: If a Sage dies all are his relatives, referring to those who were present. We were not present.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

He who tears the seam or the inner seam or the shawl, it is no tear. From mending it is a tear. What is mending? Rebbi Aḥa said, any whose place is not recognizable.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Ten tears may not be mended artistically: He who tears for his father, and for his mother, and for his teacher who taught him wisdom, and for the Patriarch, and for the Chief Judge, and because of bad news, and because of blasphemy, and because of burning Torah, and for Jerusalem, and for the Temple.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

For his father, and for his mother, and for his teacher who taught him wisdom, from where? And Elisa saw, and he cried ‘my father, my father, chariot of Israel and its charioteers’. Rebbi Mattun asked before Rebbi Joḥanan: May one infer instruction from Elisa? He said to him Mattun, Mattun, just as a dead person from the moment he is deceased cannot see him, so also from the moment he disappeared he did not see him. In the same way one tears for the Sages so one tears for their students. Who is a student of the Sages? Ḥizqiah said, any who has studied practices up to the Torah. Rebbi Yose said to him, that you are saying for earlier ones. But today only practices. Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: Any who neglects his business for his learning. It was stated: Any whom one asks and he answers. Rebbi Hoshaia said, for example, we, since our instructors supervise us and we answer them. Rebbi Abba bar Mamal said, any who can explain his Mishnah. But as relates to us, even our teachers are not wise to explain our Mishnah.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

“Who is his teacher? The one who taught him first, the words of Rebbi Meïr. Rebbi Jehudah said, the one from whom he received most of his instruction. Rebbi Yose said, anyone who explained a Mishnah to him.” What means, who explained a Mishnah to him? Rebbi Abbahu came in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: Practice follows him who said, the one from whom he received most of his instruction. Why did he not explain that this follows Rebbi Jehudah? There are Tannaïm who state it switched. Rebbi Eleazar tore his garment for his first teacher. Samuel took off {his shoes} for one who had explained a Mishnah to him. What Mishnah did he explain to him? Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, “There are two keys. For one he has to go down to his arm-pit and one opens straight.” What means “for one he has to go down to his arm-pit”? He had to lower his hand under his arm-pit until it could be opened.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

From where for the Patriarch, and for the Chief Judge, and because of bad news? David grasped his garments and tore them, etc. They eulogized, and cried, and fasted for Saul, that is the Patriarch, And for his son Jonathan, that is the Chief Judge, and about the Eternal’s people and the House of Israel, for they fell by the sword; these are bad news.

8
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

For blasphemy, from where? When king Hezekias heard the words of Rab Šake, he rent his garment. Does one have to rent for a Gentile’s blasphemy? According to him who said that Rab Šake was a Gentile, one rends. According to him who said that Rab Šake was a Jew, one does not rend. Rebbi Hoshaia stated: Both one who heard blasphemy from an Israel or one who heard blasphemy from a Gentile have to rent their garment. What is the reason? Since I am the Eternal, God over all [flesh], should anything be extraordinary to me?

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Does one rend his garment nowadays? Rebbi Yose, Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: When blasphemers proliferated, they stopped rending. Does one rend for substitute names today? Let us hear from the following: Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish was travelling on the highway. He met a Samaritan who was repeatedly blaspheming, and he was rending. He dismounted from the donkey and gave him a blow on his heart saying to him: Criminal! Does your mother have garments to supply me with? This implies that one rends for substitute names and rends his garments at the present time.

10
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Because of burning Torah from where? It was when Yehudi read three or four stanzas. What means “three or four stanzas”? Three or four verses. When he came to the fifth verse, for the Eternal afflicted her for the magnitude of her sins, immediately he cut it off with a scribe’s knife and threw it, etc. But they showed no fear nor tore their garments.

11
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

He who sees a dead scholar is like him who sees a Torah scroll burned. Rebbi Abbahu said, it should come over me if I tasted anything that whole day. Rebbi Jonah was in Tyre. He heard that Rebbi Abbahu’s son had died. Even though he had eaten and drunk water he kept it as fast day that whole day. Rebbi Abba and Rebbi Huna bar Ḥiyya were sitting. An ostrich came and snatched Rebbi Huna bar Ḥiyya’s tefillin. Rebbi Abba caught it and strangled it. Rebbi Huna bar Ḥiyya said to him, we almost came to burning the Torah. He said to him, do you still hold this? So said Rav Jeremiah in the name of Rav: One only rends his garment for a Torah scroll which an Israelite king burned forcibly, as e. g. Yehoyakim ben Josia the King of Judah. Ulla from Bireh, Rebbi Eleazar in the name of Rebbi Ḥanina: He who sees a Torah scroll burned has to rend his garment separately for the parchment and for the writing. What is the reason? After the king’s burning of the scroll and the words. The scroll, this is the parchment. And the words, that is the writing.

12
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Berekhia, Rebbi Ḥelbo, Ulla from Bireh, Rebbi Eleazar in the name of Rebbi Ḥanina: In the future the Holy One, praise to Him, will lead a circular dance for the Just ones. What is the reason? Put your hearts to the walls, it is written “to its circular dance.” And the Just one will point with their finger and say, Truly, He is GOD, our Power, Forever; He will lead us beyond death! Almut, in strength; almut, in agility. Almut, like these girls. Akilas translated ’αθανασία, a world without death. And the Just one will point with their finger and say, Truly, He is GOD, our Power, Forever; He will lead us beyond death! He will lead us in this world, He will lead us in the future.

13
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

“And for Jerusalem, and for the Temple.” There came men from Sichem and from Shilo and from Samaria, eight men with shaved beards and torn garments, the first tear is one hand-breadth, the addition anything. One who was informed that Jerusalem was destroyed like one who sees Jerusalem in its destruction has to tear. He who sees Jerusalem from Mount Scopus has to tear. There are Tannaim who state, he adds to the tear. There are Tannaim who state, the first tear is one hand-breadth, the addition anything. There are Tannaim who state, the first tear is one hand-breadth, the addition three finger-breadths. Rebbi Yose, Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba; Rebbi Ḥizkiah, Rebbi Jeremiah in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: Practice follows him who said, the first tear is one hand-breadth, the addition anything.

14
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Does one have to sever the trim? Rebbi Jeremiah, Rebbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: David grasped. There is no grasping less than a hand-breadth. And tore them, Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: From here that he has to sever the trim. If a relative died, he rends. If another relative died, even if he heard about his father or his mother, or his teacher who taught him wisdom, he rends one tear for all of them. Rebbi Jehudah ben Tema says, he rends for each one separately, only that he shall not make that for his father or his mother as an addition. Is that not the first {statement}? But he may not add to that for his father or his mother. Rebbi Ḥelbo and Rav Mattana, Yose ben Manisha in the name of Rav: Practice follows Rebbi Jehudah ben Tema. If a relative died, he rends. If another relative died, he adds to the tear and rends. How far? Rebbi Ḥanina said, until he reaches to his navel. An old man stated before Rebbi Ze`ira: Even if he receives another garment during all the Seven he is obligated to rend. Rebbi Ze`ira said to him, this you are saying about other relatives. But for his father and his mother even after the Seven he is required to rend. If a relative died, he rends. If another relative died, he moves three finger-widths and rends. If the front is full he starts in the back. If the upper part is full he starts with the bottom part. If both of them are full, Rebbi Ḥiyya the son of Rebbi Ada from Yafo says, he became shabby.

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English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Ḥinena bar Pappus went to visit Rebbi Tanḥum ben Rebbi Ḥiyya. He went out to him in dishonorable garb. What is dishonorable garb? Garments which are short-sleeved. He said to him, from where do you have this? He said to him, so acted my teacher Rebbi Simon. He said to him, pray for me. He said, may your breach be fenced in. For all of this year judgment is directed towards this family, as Rebbi Joḥanan said: All Seven the sword is drawn. Up to Thirty it wavers. After twelve months it returns to its sheath. To what can this be likened? To a stone cupola. If one becomes loose, all are loose. But Rebbi Eleazar aid, if a male child was born to this family, the entire family is healed.

16
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

From where that the mourner has to rend while standing? As it is written, Job rose, rent his coat, and shore his head. Rebbi Judah bar Pazi in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: From here that the mourner has to rend while standing. As Rebbi Joḥanan said, Rebbi Yasa instructed to patch up the next day. When Rebbi Yasa died, Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba instructed to wear shoes on the same day. Rebbi Ze`ira said, they do not disagree. He who says to patch up the next day, one shall wear shoes the next day. He who says to wear shoes today one patches the same day.

17
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

They told him, Reuben died, and he rent. After that they said to him, it was Simeon. He already fulfilled his obligation tearing. They told him, Reuben died, and he rent. After that they said to him, he was alive but then died. There are Tannaim who state, he fulfilled his obligation tearing. There are Tannaim who state, he did not fulfill his obligation tearing. He who said, he fulfilled his obligation tearing; already he rent. He who said, he did not fulfill his obligation tearing, did he not rent about a living person? Furthermore, from what was stated: He rent but then his soul returned. If immediately, he does not have to rend. If after a delay he has to rend. What is immediately? The time for speech. What is the time for speech? Rebbi Simon in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: up to a greeting from one person to another. Abba bar bar Ḥana in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: up to a greeting from a student to his teacher, that he would say: “peace be with you, my teacher.”

18
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

Rebbi Joḥanan was leaning on Rebbi Jacob bar Idi when Rebbi Eleazar saw him and hid himself before him. He said, these two things this Babylonian does to me: First, that he does not greet me, and second, that he does not teach the traditions in my name. He said to him, thus they behave among themselves; the younger one does not greet the older since they observe Boys see me and hide themselves, and old people rose and stood. As they were walking, he saw a Bet Midrash. He said to him: Here Rebbi Meïr sat and reported traditions in the name of Rebbi Ismael but he never reported traditions in the name of Rebbi Aqiba. He answered: Everybody knows that Rebbi Meïr was the student of Rebbi Aqiba. He retorted, everybody knows that Rebbi Eleazar is the student of Rebbi Joḥanan. May one pass by the water statue? He said to him, do you want to honor it? Pass it by and blind its eyes! He said to him, Rebbi Eleazar did well that he did not pass before you. He said to him: Rebbi Jacob bar Idi, you know how to pacify. But Rebbi Joḥanan required that traditions should be reported in his name. Also David begged for divine mercy in this respect, may I dwell in Your tent forever! Rebbi Phineas, Rebbi Jeremiah, in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan; Could David think of living forever? Rather, David meant: May I have the merit that my words will be mentioned in my name in synagogues and houses of study. What profit does he have from this? The son of Tira said: If someone mentions a tradition in the name of its author, the latter’s lips whisper with him in the grave. What is the reason? Dripping from the lips ofthe sleeping ones. Like that bunch of grapes which drips by itself. Rebbi Ḥinena bar Pappus and Rebbi Simon, one said, like one who drinks spiced wine, the other said, like one who drinks old wine, even though he consumed it, its taste remains in his mouth.

19
English · Heinrich W. Guggenheimer

There is no generation without scoffers. What did the hooligans of that generation do? They went to David’s windows and said to him: David, when will the Temple be built, when will we go to the Eternal’s house? But he said, even though they intend to enrage me, it comes over me that I am happy, I enjoy it when they say to me: let us go to the Lord’s house. When your days will be complete to go to your fathers; Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman said, the Holy One, praise to Him, said to David: `I am counting full days for you, I am not counting missing days for you. Will not your son Solomon build the Temple to sacrifice? Law and justice that you are upholding is more to my liking than sacrifices.’ What is the reason? Upholding justice and law is preferred by the Eternal to sacrifice.

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Jerusalem Talmud Moed Katan 3.7English
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The Jerusalem Talmud, edition, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015). CC BY. Text from Sefaria (sefaria.org); commentary notes omitted. · Source ↗

Hebrew/Aramaic text: The Jerusalem Talmud, edition by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015), via Sefaria (sefaria.org). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Changes: footnotes and HTML formatting removed.

The Jerusalem Talmud, edition, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015). CC BY. Text from Sefaria (sefaria.org); commentary notes omitted. · Source ↗

English translation: The Jerusalem Talmud, translation and commentary by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer (Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999–2015); commentary notes omitted, via Sefaria (sefaria.org). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Changes: footnotes and HTML formatting removed.

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