1)

(a)Our Mishnah forbids writing Shtarei Chov on Chol ha'Mo'ed, with two exceptions; one of them is where the creditor does not trust the debtor - the other, if the Sofer does not have what to eat for Yom Tov.

(b)The Tana Kama forbids writing Sefarim, Tefilin and Mezuzos on Chol ha'Mo'ed - a prohibition that extends to correcting Sefer Ezra, or Sefer Azarah (a corrected Sefer-Torah that was kept in the Azarah, and from which they copied other Sefarim - though it would seem, Sefer Ezra served the same purpose).

(c)Rebbi Yehudah permits ...

1. ... writing Sefarim, Tefilin and Mezuzos on Chol ha'Mo'ed - for oneself.

2. ... spinning the threads of Techeles for Tzitzis on one's thigh (and not between one's fingers as one normally does).

2)

(a)Rebbi Meir in the Beraisa holds like Rebbi Yehudah in our Mishnah (who permits writing Sefarim, Tefilin and Mezuzos for oneself on Chol ha'Mo'ed). He also permits writing them for others - provided he does so free of charge.

(b)Rebbi Yehudah in the Beraisa is more lenient - he permits 'cheating' (i.e. selling one's own Tefilin to others and then writing new ones for oneself (which he may do over and over again during Chol ha'Mo'ed [See also Tosfos DH 'Rebbi Yehudah']).

(c)Rebbi Yosi, the most lenient of all - permits writing Tefilin ... even to sell, as long as one needs the proceeds for Parnasah (including luxuries).

(d)Rav or Rabah bar bar Chanah issued Rav Chananel with a ruling - like Rebbi Yosi.

3)

(a)Rebbi Eliezer permits spinning on one's lap but not using a stone - which is normally tied to the thread as a weight to facilitate spinning.

(b)The Rabanan permit even using a stone. Rebbi Yehudah quotes Rebbi Eliezer slightly more leniently than the Tana Kama quotes him. According to him - Rebbi Eliezer permits even using a stone, but not a spindle.

(c)The Chachamim, who are the most lenient of all - permit even using a spindle.

(d)Shmuel and Rebbi Yochanan - both rule ...

1. ... like the Chachamim here, and ...

2. ... like Rebbi Yosi in the previous case.

4)

(a)According to our Mishnah, one must one have buried one's dead ...

1. ... three days before Yom Tov - in order to negate the Shiv'ah.

2. ... eight days before Yom Tov - in order to negate the Sheloshim.

(b)The latter Din incorporates - washing one's clothes, ironing them and having a haircut.

(c)With regard to the Dinim of mourning ...

1. ... Yom Tov is more lenient than Shabbos - inasmuch as Yom Tov negates the Shiv'ah and the Sheloshim (if it falls in the middle of either of them), whereas Shabbos does not.

2. ... Shabbos is more lenient than Yom Tov - inasmuch as Shabbos (which falls in the middle of the Shiv'ah) counts as one of the days of the Shiv'ah, whereas Yom Tov (which precedes the commencement of the Shiv'ah) does not.

5)

(a)Rebbi Eliezer rules - that Shavu'os after the Churban Beis Hamikdash, when it is no longer followed by seven days of Tashlumin, has the Din of Shabbos (which counts as one of the seven days of Shiv'ah, but does not negate it).

(b)Raban Gamliel says - that Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur have the Din of Yom Tov (which negate the Shiv'ah and the Sheloshim, but which, on no account, count as one of the days of mourning).

(c)The Chachamim compromise between Rebbi Eliezer and Raban Gamliel in that, according to them - Shavu'os is like Yom Tov, and Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, like Shabbos.

(d)When Rav and Rav Huna say 'Gezeiras Batlu, Yamim Lo Batlu', they mean - that, although Yom Tov negates the decree of Sheloshim (permitting the Avel to shave on Erev Yom Tov), the thirty day period remains intact, inasmuch as, if he failed to shave li'Chevod Yom Tov, he will not be permitted to shave until after the Sheloshim.

6)

(a)Rav Sheshes holds 'Afilu Yamim Nami Batlu' - meaning that, even if the Avel did not cut his hair before Yom Tov, Yom Tov will nevertheless break the Sheloshim, permitting him to shave immediately after Yom Tov.

(b)From the Beraisa, where the Tana Kama appears to support the opinion of Rav and Rav Huna, and Aba Shaul, that of Rav Sheshes - we corroborate the explanation that 'Yamim Lo Batlu' of Rav and Rav Huna means that if the Avel failed to shave li'Chevod Yom Tov, he will not be permitted to shave until after the Sheloshim (see also Tosfos DH 've'ha'Tanya').

(c)In spite of the fact that our Mishnah requires eight days before Yom Tov in order to negate the Sheloshim, Aba Shaul says that the Mitzvah of seven days negates the Sheloshim - because he holds that 'Miktzas ha'Yom k'Kulo' (part of the seventh day is counted as a whole day) ...

(d)'v'Yom ha'Shevi'i Oleh Lo l'Kan ul'Kan' means - that the second part of the seventh day is counted as if it was the eighth.

7)

(a)Rav Chisda Amar Ravina bar Shilo rules - like Aba Shaul.

(b)The Chachamim agree with Aba Shaul that the Avel may shave on the seventh day - when the eighth day falls on Shabbos.

(c)The basic leniency regarding the seventh day of every Avelus, that emerges from Aba Shaul's ruling is - that the moment the people who came to comfort the Avel on the seventh day get up to leave, he is permitted to get up from the Shiv'ah.

8)

(a)Abaye rules like Aba Shaul ('Miktzas ha'Yom k'Kulo') with regard to the seventh day, and, he maintains, the Chachamim agree with him with regard to the thirtieth. Rava, on the other hand - rules like Aba Shaul with regard to the thirtieth day, but not with regard to the eighth.

(b)The Neherda'i, who disagree with both Abaye and Rava - rule like Aba Shaul both as regards thirty days and as regards seven.

(c)They base their ruling on Shmuel, who maintains that - in Hilchos Avelus, the Halachah is always like the most lenient opinion.

9)

(a)We learn from ...

1. ... the Pasuk in Naso "Kadosh Yih'yeh Gadel Pera" - that 'Stam Nezirus is thirty days (because the numerical value of "Yih'yeh:" is thirty).

2. ... the 'Gezeirah-Shavah' "Rosheichem Al Tifra'u" from Nazir "Gadel Pera Se'ar Rosho" - the concept of Sheloshim by an Avel.

(b)According to Rav Huna Brei d'Rav Yehoshua, even Aba Shaul does not always hold 'Miktzas ha'Yom k'Kulo'. In his opinion, the first three days of mourning must be complete. Consequently - even if the third day falls on Erev Yom Tov, he has to wait for nightfall before being permitted to wash with cold water, or for Chol ha'Mo'ed, to wash with hot water.

(c)Rav Papa and Rav Papi - corroborate Rav Huna Brei d'Rav Yehoshua's ruling.

10)

(a)Abaye asked Rabah whether, if they buried a Mes on Yom Tov, Yom Tov will negate the Sheloshim or not, seeing as some Dinim of Avelus also apply on Chol ha'Mo'ed (such as the prohibition of ironing and shaving). The Dinim of Shiv'ah, on the other hand, do not apply on Chol ha'Mo'ed - which explains why he did not ask him the same She'eilah regarding the Shiv'ah.

(b)Rabah replied - in the negative (even as regards the Sheloshim).

11)

(a)The Beraisa maintains that, if someone buries his deceased relative two days before Yom Tov, 'Nichum Avelim' does not apply after Yom Tov, because people already performed it during Yom Tov. When the Tana says that he counts another five days after Yom Tov - he is therefore referring to the prohibition of working during the Shiv'ah.

(b)If he buried him three days before the end of Yom Tov, the same distinction applies. 'Nichum Avelim' - will apply for the first four of these days, but not to the last three (since people have already performed it during the last three days of Yom-Tom).

(c)The Beraisa concludes with 'v'Regel Oleh Lo', referring to the Din of Sheloshim. We initially think that this refers to the Seifa (where they began the Avelus only in the middle of Yom Tov) - leaving us with Kashya on Rabah, who holds that, in such a case, Yom Tov does not count as part of the Shiv'ah and Sheloshim.

(d)We refute the Kashya however - by establishing 'v'Regel Oleh Lo' on the Reisha (where Yom Tov fell in the middle of the Shiv'ah).