1)

(a)According to Rebbi Eliezer in a Beraisa, the beds of the Avelim should be overturned the moment the Mes leaves the house to be buried. Rebbi Yehoshua says - from the time the grave is filled.

(b)When, immediately after the burial of Raban Gamliel ha'Zaken, Rebbi Yehoshua instructed the Avelim (his wife and her family) to overturn their beds - they replied that they had already done so earlier, upon the instructions of Rebbi Eliezer.

(c)One turns back the beds (and couches) on Erev Shabbos - any time after Minchah (see Tosfos DH 'Min').

(d)Rabah bar Rav Huna rules however that ...

1. ... the Avelim are not permitted to sit on them until the advent of Shabbos.

2. ... on Motzei Shabbos - the beds must once again be overturned, even if there is only one day of Avelus left.

2)

(a)The Beraisa...

1. ... incorporates beds (and couches) that are designated for the Avel's wife and children to sit on in Kefi'as ha'Mitah...

2. ... exempts beds and couches that are used to hold vessels and not for sitting on.

(b)According to the Tana of the Beraisa, a Dargesh does not need to be overturned, only up-ended (because its surface will get dirty and spoiled). According to Raban Shimon ben Gamliel - one unties its straps and lets the surface fall out.

(c)Rabah rejects Ula's initial interpretation of a Dargesh (a couch that is meant for good Mazal [but not to sit on]) from a Mishnah in Sanhedrin, which states that a King sits Shiv'ah on a Dargesh. Now if that is what a Dargesh is, then seeing as the king never sat on it before, why should he suddenly be obligated to start sitting on it now?

(d)Rav Ashi counters Rabah's Kashya from the Din of feeding an Avel - which is just as much of a novelty as sitting on a bed that is meant for good Mazal; so if the one is obligatory (in spite of the novelty) why should the other not be?

3)

(a)The definition from the Beraisa's exemption of a Dargesh from Kefi'as ha'Mitah in that 'If a Dargesh is a couch that is meant for good Mazal, then why should it be exempt?' We refute this argument however - on the grounds that it is no different than a bed that is meant for vessels (and not for sleeping on), which is exempt. So why should a bed that is meant for Mazal not be exempt, too?

(b)We finally refute Ula's interpretation of a Dargesh from Raban Shimon ben Gamliel, who says that one simply unties the straps, allowing it to collapse by itself. Now, a bed meant for good Mazal does not have straps (in which case a Dargesh cannot be a bed meant for good Mazal).

(c)Ravin quoting Rav Tachlifa bar Ma'arva, finally defines a Dargesh - as a leather bed.

(d)Rebbi Yirmeyahu describes the (technical) difference between a Dargesh and a Mitah - in that, by a Dargesh, the straps go through holes in the bars of the frame, so that the surface is slightly sunken; whereas by a Mitah, the surface of the bed on which one lies is tied to the top of the frame (seeing as the straps are wound around the outside of the posts).

4)

(a)Rav Acha bar Yakov rules like Raban Shimon ben Gamliel with regard to the above Machlokes concerning a Dargesh in the house of an Avel. With regard to a two-poster bed in the house of an Avel - quoting Rebbi Asi, he says that one only needs to up-end it, and no more.

(b)The Beraisa rules that an Avel who sleeps on a chair, the raised cover of a pit or even on the floor has not fulfilled his obligation with regard to overturning his bed and sleeping on it (although, as we have already pointed out, this Minhag is no longer practiced). Rebbi Yochanan gives the reason for this ruling as being - because he did not fulfil the actual Mitzvah of sleeping on an overturned bed.

(c)It is permitted to sweep, settle the dust and wash the dishes in the house of an Avel. One may not however, bring incense (that was customarily brought in after the meal). The Beraisa which permits it - is speaking about the room where the Mes is actually lying.

(d)No Berachah is recited over the latter - seeing that the purpose of the spices is not to create a positive aroma, but to dispel the pervading stench (as we learned in Berachos).

5)

(a)According to the Mishnah, one does not bring food to the house of an Avel on a board, a dish or a sorting-dish made of woven palm-branches - but in wickerwork baskets made of willow twigs. Originally, they would do this for poor Avelim, serving the wealthy Avelim in silver and gold baskets. They decreed however, that all Avelim should be served in standard wickerwork baskets - to stop the poor Avelim from becoming embarrassed.

(b)On Chol-ha'Moed ...

1. ... Birchas Avelim - is not said ...

2. ... they do however, make a Shurah and comfort the mourner.

(c)Immediately after that - they send everybody home.

(d)One does not ...

1. ... put the bed down on the street (on the way to the burial) on Chol ha'Mo'ed, like one does an a weekday - because doing so serves as an invitation to deliver a Hesped, and Hespedim on Chol ha'Mo'ed are forbidden.

2. ... put the bed on which a woman is being buried down in the street (at any time, even on a weekday) - to prevent embarrassment, because sometimes, her body emits blood.

6)

(a)We learned in a Beraisa that wealthy Avelim were served drinks, in vessels made of white glass (crystal) and poor ones in vessels of colored glass. They changed this custom (that from now on, they would serve all Avelim in vessels made of colored glass) - to stop the poor from becoming embarrassed.

(b)For the same reason, they instituted that ...

1. ... the faces of all dead bodies should be covered. Previously - they had tended to cover only the faces of the poor, because, as a result of acute hunger, they had turned black.

2. ... all dead bodies should be carried out on a stretcher (in Eretz Yisrael) - instead of carrying out the rich on a Dargesh, as had been the custom previously.

3. ... incense should be placed underneath all dead bodies - instead of restricting it the bodies of those who had suffered from stomach-trouble (to prevent the stench).

(c)In similar vein - they used to Tovel only the clothes of women who died Nidos and men who died Zavin, until, due to the fact that the Nidos and Zavin became embarrassed, they instituted that the clothes of all Meisim should be Toveled.

(d)Initially, the poor, who could not afford the expensive shrouds that were customarily used, used to leave the Mes unburied and flee - until Raban Gamliel set a precedent, ordering that they bury him in cheap linen shrouds.

(e)Rav Papa commented that nowadays - it is customary to bury the dead in shrouds made of cheap hemp worth no more than a Zuz.

7)

(a)When Rav Papa said 'Ein Mo'ed bi'Fenei Talmid-Chacham' - he meant that the prohibition of delivering a Hesped on Chol ha'Mo'ed does not apply to a Talmid-Chacham (and certainly not on Chanukah and Purim).

(b)Rav Papa's principle only applies to a Chacham in his presence - but not when he is not there.

(c)Rav Papi reconciled this with Rav Kahana, who eulogized Rav Zevid from Pum Nahara on Chol ha'Mo'ed (even though it was not in his presence) - by pointing out that it was the day that they first heard the news, which is considered as if it was in his presence.

(d)'Hesped' entails banging one's heart ...

1. ... Tipu'ach - clapping one's hands, and ...

2. ... 'Kilus' - stamping one's feet.

(e)Someone who performs Kilus should wear shoes and not 'sandals' - which can swivel round to the front of the foot, leaving his foot exposed, creating the risk that he damages his foot, when stamping hard.

8)

(a)Rebbi Yochanan issued three rulings with regard to the conduct of an Avel. When the Avel nods his head - it signifies that the guests should leave.

(b)Besides an Avel - a sick person is exempt from rising when the Nasi enters the room.

(c)Similarly - anyone else, other than an Avel and a sick person, require permission from the Nasi to sit down.

9)

(a)Rav Yehudah Amar Rav too, issued three rulings in connection with an Avel. He learns from the Pasuk in Yechezkel "v'Lechem Anashim Lo Sochal" - that, on the first day of his Avelus, an Avel should not eat his own food. Rabah and Rav Yosef - exchanged meals when they were Avelim (like they did to fulfill the Mitzvah of Shelach Manos on Purim).

(b)Rav Yehudah Amar Rav says that, in a town where there is a Mes - everyone is obligated to stop work and to accompany him.

(c)Rav Hamnuna issued a Niduy on the people of Darumta who were working in spite of the fact that the Shofar had announced that someone had died that day. He rescinded the Niduy however - when he was told that the town had a Chevra Kadisha.

10)

(a)The third ruling of Rav Yehudah Amar Rav concerned crying excessively for one's deceased relative. Someone who does that - he declared, will end up crying over another Mes.

(b)When Rav Huna warned that woman with seven children who was crying excessively when one of them died, to control her emotions - she ignored him. When she ignored a second more explicit warning, one son after the other died. Finally, he warned her that if she did not stop, she too, would die. She continued crying, and she died.

(c)Based on the Pasuk in Yirmeyahu "Al Tivku l'Mes, v'Al Tanudu Lo", the time-period for ...

1. ... crying - is three days.

2. ... eulogizing (mourning) - seven days.

3. ... ironing and not cutting one's hair - thirty days.

(d)It is not correct to extend any of these beyond the prescribed time - because one should not try to be more merciful than Hash-m Himself.

11)

(a)In the Pasuk in Yirmeyahu "Bechu Bacho la'Holech Ki Lo Yashuv Od ...", Rav Yehudah interprets the word "la'Holech"- to mean - someone who dies childless.

(b)Consequently - Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi would only visit the house of an Avel whose relative had died childless.

(c)Rav Huna, interpreting the above Pasuk in connection with someone who performs the same sin twice, therefore made the statement - that once someone has performed a sin for the second time, he considers the sin to be permitted (and will never do Teshuvah).

12)

(a)According to Rebbi Levi ...

1. ... during the first three days - an Avel should consider that a sword is placed between his thighs (or shoulder-blades).

2. ... between then and the end of the Shiv'ah - as if the sword was placed in a corner.

3. ... between after the Shiv'ah and the end of the first year - as if it was passing before him in the street.