1)

(a)Rami bar Chama, like Rav Ashi, learns the obligation to tear Keri'ah standing, from the Pasuk "va'Yakam Iyov va'Yikra es Me'ilo". He is forced to retract from that source however, seeing as the Pasuk there also writes "va'Yagaz es Rosho" - and there is certainly no obligation to cut off all one's hair. So we are forced to say that Iyov went beyond the letter of the law, in which case, we can say the same about tearing Keri'ah standing.

(b)We ultimately learn Keri'ah standing from a Pasuk in Shmuel II "va'Yakam ha'Melech va'Yikra es Begadav" - where David ha'Melech tore Keri'ah following his son Amnon's murder at the hand of Avshalom (another of his sons).

(c)We are almost forced to retract from that source too, due to the Pasuk there "va'Yishkav Artzah" - because an Avel is not obligated to lie on the floor (on the contrary, he is obligated to turn over his bed and sleep on it). Consequently, David, too, must have been going beyond the letter of the law, in which case the same can be said about his having torn Keri'ah standing.

(d)Only we conclude that, in fact - "va'Yishkav Artzah" means that he lay on an overturned bed (and it was considered as if he was lying on the floor), so our proof from "va'Yakam ha'Melech va'Yikra es Begadav" remains intact.

2)

(a)An Avel is forbidden to work, bathe, anoint himself, indulge in Tashmish ha'Mitah or wear shoes. He is also forbidden to learn Torah, Nevi'im, Kesuvim, Mishnah, Medrash, Halachos, Shas and Aggados - the only exception being Hilchos Avelus (which is not mentioned here [see Tosfos DH 've'Asur']).

(b)The reason that Torah-study is forbidden more than other Mitzvos is - because Torah-learning makes a person happy (as the Pasuk in Tehilim writes "Pekudei Hash-m Yesharim, Mesamchei Lev"), and is therefore the antithesis of mourning.

(c)A leader of the community is permitted to teach Torah if the community needs him (e.g. to say the communal Derashah) - but he is forbidden to employ the services of a Meturgeman (a translator).

(d)When Rebbi Yosi's son died - Rebbi Yosi nevertheless went to the Beis-ha'Medrash and Darshened all day.

3)

(a)When Rabah bar bar Chanah became an Avel ...

1. ... and initially declined to go and give the Derashah Rebbi Chanina told him - that if the community needed him, he was permitted to comply.

2. ... and he planned to use a Meturgeman (a translator), Rav told him - that this was prohibited.

(b)We reconcile this with Rebbi Yehudah b'Rebbi Ila'i, who both gave the Derashah when he was an Avel, and used a translator - on the grounds that he did so indirectly (first telling the piece to Rebbi Chananya ben Akavya, who passed it on to the Meturgeman), which is permitted.

4)

(a)Rebbi Eliezer in a Beraisa forbids an Avel to wear Tefilin for the first three days of his Avelus. This does not clash with the fact that he is also permitted to wear them from the third day and onwards (third day included) - Rebbi Eliezer holds 'Miktzas ha'Yom k'Kulo', in which case part of the third day is forbidden, and the rest is permitted.

(b)When he adds that if new visitors come to see him, he need not remove his Tefilin - he means that if, on the third day, after he has begun to put on Tefilin, visitors came, he is not obligated to take them off again.

(c)This is the opinion of Rebbi Eliezer. According to Rebbi Yehoshua ...

1. ... the number of days that an Avel may not wear Tefilin is two - and not three.

2. ... the Avel is obligated to remove his Tefilin if new visitors come to see him on the second day after he has already put them on - because we are afraid that, otherwise, the visitors will suspect him of having worn Tefilin on the first day as well.

5)

(a)According to Rav ...

1. ... Masna, Rebbi Eliezer learns from the Pasuk "va'Yitmu Yemei Vechi Evel Moshe" - that the main Avelus period is two days (the third day is only mid'Rabanan - Tosfos DH 'mi'Shelishi').

2. ... Eina, Rebbi Yehoshua learns from the Pasuk "v'Acharisah k'Yom Mar" - that the main Avelus is only one day (and the second day is only mid'Rabanan (ibid.)

(b)Rebbi ...

1. ... Yehoshua will explain the Pasuk "va'Yitmu Yemei Vechi Evel Moshe" - specifically with regard to Moshe, whose demise was a greater loss to Yisrael than that of other people.

2. Rebbi Eliezer, on the other hand, will explain the Pasuk "v'Acharisah k'Yom Mar" - specifically with reference to the bitterness of the mourning, which is strongest on the first day, though it does not have any Halachic ramifications.

(c)Ula rules like Rebbi Eliezer, that, on the third day, the Avel does not need to remove his Tefilin when visitors arrive. With regard to an Avel wearing Tefilin on the second day - he rules that he does, like Rebbi Yehoshua.

(d)And he rules that if, on the second day, visitors arrive - he is obligated to remove them (even a hundred times if necessary), a ruling ...

(e)... which is supported by Rebbi Yehudah ben Teima in a Beraisa.

6)

(a)Rava disagrees with Ula regarding an Avel removing his Tefilin on the second day once he has already put them on. In his opinion - once the Avel has begun to put on his Tefilin, he is no longer obligated to remove them when fresh visitors arrive.

(b)We query Rava however, from his own earlier ruling which requires three days of Avelus like the Tana of our Mishnah - with regard to turning the bed upside down.

(c)We reconcile Rava's two contradictory rulings - by pointing out that Tefilin is a Mitzvah, prompting Rava to permit wearing them already at the beginning of the second day.

7)

(a)A series of Beraisos discusses the Dinim of Avelus. During the first three days of Avelus - even a poor man who is fed from Tzedakah is forbidden to work.

(b)Between then and the end of the Shiv'ah however - he is permitted to do work discreetly in his house.

(c)The Tana permits a woman to knit during that period.

8)

(a)The Tana forbids one Avel to visit another Avel - for the first three days.

(b)From then until the end of the Shiv'ah - he may, but he sits with the Avelim, and not with the comforters.

9)

(a)During the first three days, the Tana does not allow an Avel to greet or respond to a greeting.

1. Between the third and the seventh days - he is permitted to reply to someone who greets him, but not to greet first.

2. From the seventh day and onwards - he may even greet as well.

(b)We just learned that all types of greeting are prohibited to an Avel. Rebbi Akiva Nevertheless gave Shalom to the visitors who came to eulogize his sons who had just died - because it was many people who came to visit him, and greeting them was permitted because of 'Kavod Tzibur'.

(c)We point out a discrepancy between the above Beraisa (permitting an Avel to greet others after seven days) from a Beraisa which prohibits greeting an Avel up to thirty days - and if greeting an Avel is prohibited, then (we initially contend) an Avel may certainly not greet others.

(d)Rav Idi bar Avin reconciles the two Beraisos - by declaring the 'Kal va'Chomer' a fallacy, inasmuch as, even though others are forbidden to greet an Avel (who is not in a state of peace) up yo thirty days, he is permitted to greet them already after seven days.

10)

(a)According to the previous Beraisa, one comforts an Avel but does greet him - during the Sheloshim, and greets him but does not comfort him - after the Sheloshim.

(b)The Tana rules - that one is forbidden to enter the home of an Avel whose wife died and who has already remarried.

(c)Should one meet him in the street however, one may comfort in a quiet undertone.

11)

(a)Even though, as we just explained, one is not permitted to greet an Avel until thirty days, the Beraisa needs to permit him to respond to the greetings of others - in a case where people who are not aware that he is an Avel, greet him.

(b)If someone inadvertently greeted an Avel during the first three days - he must inform him that he is an Avel, and decline to respond; whereas after the first three days - he just responds in a quiet undertone.

(c)One may not greet an Avel even after thirty days - if he is an Avel for his father or mother.

(d)According to the Tana Kama of the Beraisa, if someone meets an Avel after twelve months, he comforts him without mentioning the deceased. Rebbi Meir however - compares this to someone who broke his leg, and, after it became cured, a doctor invites him to come and have it broken again and he will treat him, so that everyone should know what a capable doctor he is.

(e)Based on the Tana Kama in the previous Beraisa, when the Tana of the second Beraisa says that after thirty days, one does not comfort an Avel (implying at all) - he really means that one comforts him, but without mentioning the name of the deceased.

12)

(a)The Beraisa rules in a case where, during the first three days of Avelus, one Avel joins the other Avelim ...

1. ... from close by - he observes the remaining days of Avelus that are left together with them.

2. ... from far away - he must count the seven days from the beginning.

(b)If, in the earlier case - he arrives during the Shiv'ah after the third day ...

1. ... then, according to the Tana Kama - he counts the seven days from the beginning.

2. ... according to Rebbi Shimon - he observes the remaining time together with the Avelim, even if he arrives on the seventh day (i.e. he counts just the short time in the morning and gets-up together with them).

(c)Rebbi Chiya bar Aba Amar Rebbi Yochanan qualifies the earlier ruling (that the Avel joins the other Avelim for the days that remain) - by confining it to where the brother in question is not the oldest sibling; if he is, then he always starts from the beginning.