The day that Rebbi expired, Chachamim had decreed a fast and were praying for him;

They said that anyone who will say that Rebbi died will be put to death.

Rebbi's maid shouted from the roof, "The higher beings and the lower beings both want Rebbi. May it be Hash-m's will that the lower beings' request is done!"

After she saw how often Rebbi had to relieve himself, and how painful it was for him to remove his Tefilin and put them on again, she said, "It should be His will that the higher beings' request is done."

Chachamim continued to pray that Rebbi live. The maid took pottery and threw it to the ground. Chachamim stopped praying, and Rebbi died.

Chachamim told Bar Kapara to check how Rebbi was. He found that he had died. He tore his clothes and folded them back so they would not appear torn.

Bar Kapara: Angels and Tzadikim grabbed the Holy Ark. The angels overpowered, and took the Ark.

Chachamim: Did Rebbi die?!

Bar Kapara: You said it. I did not.

When Rebbi died, he stuck his 10 fingers towards Heaven. 'Hashem, you know that I toiled with all 10 fingers in Torah, and did not enjoy even as much as I toiled with my pinkie. May it be Your will that I will have Shalom in my eternal rest!'

A voice from Shamayim: "He will come to Shalom, they will rest on their beds."

Question: It should say that 'On your bed'!

Answer: This supports R. Chiya bar Gamda.

(R. Chiya bar Gamda): When a Tzadik leaves this world, angels tell Hash-m that he is coming. Hash-m commands the Tzadikim to greet him. Afterwards, they return to their beds.

(R. Elazar): When a Tzadik leaves this world, three groups of angels greet him. One group says 'Come in Shalom'; one group says 'He goes straightly', and the third says "He will come to Shalom, they will rest on their beds";

When a Rasha leaves this world, three groups of damaging angels greet him. One group says "Hash-m said to the wicked 'there is no Shalom'"; one says "In sadness you will lie down"; the third says, "Descend and lie with the uncircumcised."

(Mishnah - R. Meir): As long as a widow is in her father's house, she may always collect her Kesuvah. If she is in her (late) husband's house, she can collect until 25 years, for in 25 years, she does favors (for neighbors with the orphans' money) equivalent to her Kesuvah;

Chachamim say that as long as she is in her husband's house, she may always collect her Kesuvah. If she is in her father's house, she can collect until 25 years;

If she died, her heirs mention her Kesuvah within 25 years.

(Gemara - Abaye) Question Does the poorest Yisrael do favors equal to her Kesuvah in 25 years, and also the richest?!

Answer (Rav Yosef): Yes! People give proportional to their wealth.

Question: According to R. Meir, if she requests her Kesuvah within 25 years, do we deduct proportionally for the favors she has done?

This question is unresolved.

(Mishnah - Chachamim): As long as...

Question (Abaye): Do we say that if she requests her Kesuvah before dark (on the last day of the 25 years), she collects, and if she comes after dark she does not collect?!

Answer (Rav Yosef): All measures of Chachamim are that way!

(We expound that a Mikvah must be big enough for a person to immerse his entire body.) It is true that a person can immerse in 40 Sa'im of water, but if a tiny amount is lacking from this, his body will not fit?!

(Rav Yehudah): R. Yishmael b'Rebbi Yosi testified that the 25 year limit is only if she does not have her Kesuvah (the document). If she has her Kesuvah, she can always collect;

(R. Elazar): Even if she has her Kesuvah, she can collect only until 25 years.

Question (Rav Sheshes - Beraisa): A creditor collects even if he never mentioned the debt.

Question: What is the case?

If he has no document, with what does he collect?

Answer: Rather, he has a document. Only a creditor collects without having mentioned the debt, since he would not pardon the debt, but we assume that a widow pardoned the Kesuvah!

Answer (Rav Sheshes): Really, the creditor has no document. The case is, the borrower agrees that he never paid.

Question: R. Ilai said that a Beraisa says that a divorcee is like a creditor!

Question: What is the case?

If she does not have her Kesuvah, with what does she collect?

Answer: Rather, she has her Kesuvah. Only a divorcee collects, since she would not pardon the Kesuvah, but we assume that a widow pardoned the Kesuvah!

Answer: Here also, she does not have the Kesuvah. The case is, her husband agrees that he never paid.

(Rav Nachman - Beraisa): If she demanded payment of the Kesuvah, she gets another 25 years. If she has her Kesuvah, she can always collect.

Questions (Rav Nachman bar Rav Chisda): Do the Tana'im argue when she has the Kesuvah, or when she doesn't? Like whom is the Halachah?

Answer (Rav Nachman): They argue when she does not have the Kesuvah. The Halachah follows Chachamim.

(Rav Dimi): The 25 year limit applies only to the basic Kesuvah (100 or 200). She may always collect any Tosefes (addition) to the Kesuvah.

(R. Avahu): Even the Tosefes may be collected only until 25 years;

(R. Aibo): Stipulations of the Kesuvah are like the Kesuvah.

(R. Aba citing Rav Huna citing Rav): The 25 year limit is only for the basic Kesuvah. She may always collect Tosefes.

R. Aba: Did Rav really say that?

Rav Huna: Do you argue with me or commend me?

R. Aba: I argue with you.

The mother-in-law of R. Chiya Arichta married his brother. The brother died, and she lived by her father. He fed her there for 25 years; she demanded that he still feed her.

Rav Chiya Arichta: You are no longer entitled to food.

The widow: Give me my Kesuvah.

Rav Chiya: You are not entitled to food, nor the Kesuvah.

They came in front of Rabah bar Shila.

Rav Chiya: I fed her for 25 years. I swear that I personally carried the food on my shoulder!

Rabah bar Shila: Chachamim say that she may always collect in her husband's house because she is too embarrassed to demand the Kesuvah. The same applies here (because you showed such honor to her). Go pay her!

Rav Chiya Arichta did not comply. Rabah bar Shila wrote an Adrachta (a document authorizing her to collect from his property). They came in front of Rava.

Rav Chiya Arichta: Do you see how he judged me!

Rava: He judged you properly.

The widow: If so, he should return the Peiros of the property from the time the Adrachta was written.

Rava noticed that the Adrachta did not say 'It became known to us that this property belonged to the deceased.' He ruled that it was invalid.

The widow: At least give me Peiros from the end of the auction of the property until now.

Rava: You would be entitled to them if the Adrachta was valid. Here it was mistaken, so you do not receive the Peiros!

The widow: You yourself hold that if a sale document does not mention Acharayos (a commitment to compensate the buyer if a creditor will take the land), we say that this was a mistake of the scribe, and it is as if Acharayos is written in it! (Here also, the scribe should have written a proper Adrachta!)

Rava: Here, it was not the scribe's oversight. Rabah bar Shila himself thought that it makes no difference which property of Rav Chiya is used to pay the Kesuvah (even though there was a lien only on what he inherited from his brother).

This is a mistake. If she collects from his own property, she may improve the property, and he will let his brother's property depreciate, and later he will take back his improved property, and give to her the depreciated property on which her lien was!

This will cause people to scorn Beis Din (for not protecting the widow).