(Beraisa): We drink 10 cups of wine in Beis ha'Evel - two before the meal, five during the meal and three after the meal. The three after the meal - one is [over which we say] Birkas ha'Mazon, one is for bestowing Chesed, and one is for consoling mourners;

After R. Gamliel died, they added three - one for the Shamash of the [Beis] ha'Keneses (who oversees needs of the Mes), one for the head of the ha'Keneses (who distributes money for burial and shrouds for Aniyim), and one for R. Gamliel (who commanded to be buried in simple linen shrouds; this ended the practice of using exorbitant shrouds, which caused great hardship for the Avelim - MAHARA FULDA).

Once Beis Din saw that people were getting drunk, they decreed and returned to the previous custom (10 cups).

Question: May a Kohen become Tamei [mid'Rabanan - HA'GAON RAV C. KANIEVSKY, SHLITA] for the honor of his Rebbi?

Answer: R. Yanai Ze'ira (a Kohen), his father-in-law died. He was his father-in-law, and he was his Rebbi. He asked R. Yosi, and he forbade him [to become Tamei].

R. Acha heard, and said 'his Talmidim should become Tamei for him.' (He was able to overturn R. Yosi's ruling, for R. Yosi was stringent due to Safek - CHAREDIM.)

R. Yosi [after he died], his Talmidim became Tamei for him, and they ate meat and drank wine.

R. Mana: You do not evade [a mistake] for one of two matters. If you are Avelim, why did you eat meat and drink wine? (Also Aninus applies to you!) If you do not conduct Aveilus, why did you become Tamei?

Question: May a Kohen become Tamei to learn Torah?

Answer: R. Yosi was sitting and teaching; a Mes was brought in. [A Kohen] who left, [R. Yosi] did not say anything to him. One who remained, he did not say anything to him. (He was unsure whether it is permitted.)

(R. Nechemyah brei d'R. Chiya bar Aba): My father (a Kohen) did not pass under the arch [of the gate of] of Kisarin (because it was an Ohel over Tum'ah, even though he went to learn Torah).

R. Ami, R. Chizkiyah, R. Kohen and R. Yakov bar Acha were going in the square of Tzipori. They reached the arch. R. Kohen separated. They reached a place of Taharah, and he returned to them.

R. Kohen: What were you engaging in (when I was away)?

R. Chizkiyah (to R. Yakov bar Acha): Do not say anything to him.

If [he said so] because he was upset with him for separating, for one may become Tamei for Talmud Torah, we do not know, or if it was because he was haughty, we do not know.

(Beraisa): A Kohen may become Tamei and go to Chutz la'Aretz (even though Chachamim decreed Tum'ah on Chutz la'Aretz) for monetary judgments, for capital cases, for Kidush ha'Chodesh, for Ibur ha'Shanah, to save a field from a Nochri, and even to protest (about it, and it is not clear whether or not he will get it) he may leave and protest about it, and to learn Torah or marry a woman;

R. Yehudah says, if he has from whom to learn [in Eretz Yisrael], he may not become Tamei.

R. Yosi says, even if he has from whom to learn Torah, he may become Tamei, for one does not merit to learn from everyone. (Perhaps he can learn only from the Rebbi in Chutz la'Aretz.)

They said about Yosef ha'Kohen that he became Tamei and went out after his Rebbi to Tzidan.

However, they said that a Kohen may not go to Chutz la'Aretz [in order to marry] unless they promised him a woman [who agreed to marry him].

Question: May a Kohen become Tamei to give Birkas Kohanim?

Answer (Magvilah the brother of R. Aba bar Kohen, in front of R. Yosi, in the name of R. Acha): A Kohen may become Tamei to give Birkas Kohanim.

R. Acha heard, and said 'I did not say anything to him!'

He retracted and said 'perhaps he heard from me like R. Yudah bar Pazi said in the name of R. Elazar - any Kohen who stands in the Beis ha'Keneses and does not give Birkas Kohanim, he transgresses an Aseh;

He thought that this Aseh overrides the Lo Sa'aseh [of Tum'as Kohanim]. I did not say anything to him [like this]! Bring him, and I will lash him [for saying in my name what I did not say].

R. Avahu was sitting and teaching in the great (CHAREDIM) Beis ha'Keneses of Kisarin. There was a Mes there. The time for Birkas Kohanim came, and they did not ask him. The time to eat came, and they asked him. (HA'GAON RAV C. KANIEVSKY, SHLITA - they would need to pass by a house with a Mes, and become Tamei mid'Rabanan due to 'Sof Tum'ah Latzeis.')

R. Avahu: You did not ask me about Birkas Kohanim (a Mitzvah), but to eat, you ask me?!

Once they heard this, each one slipped away by himself and went away (amidst shame).

(R. Yanai): A Kohen may become Tamei to see a king.

When Duklitainus the king came to here, he saw R. Chiya bar Aba stepping over graves [of Nochrim] of Tzur, in order to see him. (Normally he was stringent; in order to see the king, he relied on R. Shimon, who says that they have no Tum'as Ohel. - MASA D'YERUSHALAYIM.)

(R. Chizkiyah and R. Yirmeyah, citing R. Yochanan): It is a Mitzvah to see Gedolim of the [Nochri] kingdom, so when the kingdom of Beis David will come, he will know to distinguish between kingdom and kingdom.

Question: May a Kohen become Tamei for the honor of the Nasi?

Answer: When R. Yudan Nesi'ah died, R. Yanai announced 'there is no Kehunah today' (Kohanim may engage in his Levayah).

When R. Yuda Nesi'ah, the grandson of R. Yudah Nesi'ah died, R. Chiya bar Aba pushed R. Ze'ira in the Beis ha'Keneses in the vineyard in Tziporin, and made him become Tamei.

When R. Nehurai, the brother of R. Yehudah Nesi'ah died (he was Nasi after R. Yehudah Nesi'ah), R. Chanina sent for R. Mana to come [to participate in the Levayah], and he did not come. (We explained this like CHAREDIM.)

R. Mana: If in the lifetime [of Nesi'im] we do not become Tamei for them (to honor them), all the more so [we do not become Tamei mid'Oraisa] in their death! (The primary honor is in their lifetime.)

Rebuttal (R. Nasa): In [Nesi'im's] death, Chachamim made them like a Mes Mitzvah. (We explained this like MAHARA FULDA.)

Question: May a Kohen become Tamei [mid'Rabanan] for the honor of his father and mother [in their lifetime]?

Answer: R. Yosa heard that his mother was coming to Botzrah. He went and asked R. Yochanan if he may go out [to Chutz la'Aretz to greet her];

R. Yochanan: If it is due to danger on the road (it is dangerous for her to be alone), go. If it is due to Kivud Av v'Em, I do not know.

He pressured R. Yochanan [to permit him to go - AHAVAS TZIYON. R. Yochanan] said, if you resolved to go, come [back] in peace!

Objection (R. Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak): It is still a question. (R. Yochanan did not resolve that it is permitted, he merely blessed R. Yosa because he saw that he resolved to go.)

Defense (R. Elazar): [His Brachah] is the ultimate permission! (Surely R. Yochanan permits.)

Question: May a Kohen [Avel] become Tamei for the honor of the Rabim (who are going with him to console him)?

Answer (Beraisa): If there were two roads - one is long and Tahor, and one is short and Tamei - if the Rabim were going on the long road, he goes on the long road. If not, he goes on the short road, due to honor of the Rabim.

Question: [Perhaps] this is only for Tum'ah mid'Rabanan. Is it even for Torah Tum'ah?

Answer: Since R. Ze'ira said, great is honor of the Rabim, that it overrides a Lo Sa'aseh temporarily, this teaches that it is even for Torah Tum'ah.

(R. Yonah citing R. Yosi Geliliya citing R. Yosa bar Chanina): We do not ask Halachah in front of the bier of a Mes.

Question: R. Yochanan asked R. Yanai in front of the bier of R. Shmuel ben Yotzadak, if one was Makdish his Olah to Bedek ha'Bayis [does it get Kedushas Bedek ha'Bayis?], and he answered him!

Answer: We can say that he was [four Amos] distanced, or the eulogies had finished.

Question: R. Yirmeyah asked R. Ze'ira in front of the bier of R. Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak!

Answer: We can say that he was distanced, he would answer him. When he was close, he would not answer him.

Those who carry [the Mes] on the shoulder are forbidden to wear sandals, lest one of their sandals snap, and he will delay (to fix it, and lose) the Mitzvah.

R. Ze'ira fell while talking. They wanted to straighten him, and they found him weak (MAHARA FULDA, GILYONEI HA'SHAS). They said to him, why is this? He told them, because [I was engaging in eulogy, and] "veha'Chai Yiten El Libo."

(Mishnah): After they buried the Mes and returned, if they can begin Shema and finish before reaching the Shurah (rows of people consoling the mourners), they begin. If not, they do not begin.

Those on the inside of the Shurah are exempt. Those on the outside are obligated.

(Gemara - Beraisa): We do not take out the Mes close to the time of Keri'as Shma, unless they take it out a while before the time, or a while after the time, to enable people to recite [Shma] and pray.

Question (Mishnah): After they buried the Mes and returned, [if they can begin Shema.... This shows that burial was shortly before the time for Shma!]

Answer: They thought that there is time [to bury it before the time], and there was not time.

(Tosefta): The eulogizer and all engaged in the eulogy interrupt for Keri'as Shma, but not for Tefilah. A case occurred and our Rebbeyim interrupted for Keri'as Shma and Tefilah.

Question (Mishnah): If [people in the line] can begin and finish [Shma before the Avelim reach them... if not, they do not begin. How can you say that we interrupt?]

Answer: The Mishnah discusses the first day [of burial]. The [Tosefta] teaches about [a eulogy] on the second day.

(R. Shmuel bar Avduma): One who enters the Beis ha'Keneses and finds people standing in Tefilah (Shemoneh Esre), if he knows that he can finish before the Shali'ach Tzibur will begin [Chazaras ha'Shatz, so he will be able] to answer Amen, he prays [with them]. If not, he does not pray [until after answering. MAHARA FULDA - 'before the Shali'ach Tzibur begins' is not precise; it suffices if he will be able to answer Amen.]

Which Amen [did he discuss]? Two Amora'im [argued about this] - one said the Amen of ha'Kel ha'Kadosh, and one said of Shome'a Tefilah.

(R. Pinchas): They do not argue. The one who said the Amen of ha'Kel ha'Kadosh, this is on Shabbos. The one who said Amen of Shome'a Tefilah, this is on a weekday. (All permit to start only if he will answer to ha'Kel ha'Kadosh, and on a weekday, he may start after that Amen only if he will answer to Shome'a Tefilah - HA'GAON RAV C. KANIEVSKY, SHLITA.)

(Beraisa - R. Yehudah): If they were all standing in the line - those standing for honor [of the Avelim] are obligated [to recite Shma. Those] due to Aveilus (relatives of the Mes) are exempt.

When they began to eulogize - those who see [the Avelim, i.e. they stand] in the inner row are exempt. Those who do not see inside are obligated.

. What was taught that people on the inside are exempt, and people on the outside are obligated, and what was taught that those standing for honor are obligated, and those due to Aveilus are exempt, this is Mishnah Rishonah. (The ones on the outside did not console, they merely stood for honor.)

What was taught that when [the Kohen Gadol] consoles others, everyone passes one after the other, and the Memuneh is between him and everyone - this is Mishnah Acharonah.

(R. Chaninah): Initially, families stood and the Avelim passed. When quarrels arose (those on the outside wanted to be inside, and do the Mitzvah) in Tziporin, R. Yosi ben Chalafta enacted that families pass and the Avelim stand. (We explained this like HA'MASHBI'ACH.)

(R. Shimon of Tosefta): The matters returned to the old (custom).