1)

(a)The Neherda'i, commenting on the Mishnah's prohibition of placing the coffin of a woman in the street on the way to the grave, qualifies it - by restricting it to a woman who died in childbirth (and whose blood is likely to continue pouring after her death).

(b)Rebbi Elazar rejects their opinion, based on the Pasuk in Chukas "va'Tamas Sham Miriam va'Tikaver Sham" - implying that one buries all women as close to their death as possible (without putting the coffin down in the street, on the way to the grave).

(c)Rebbi Elazar learns from the 'Gezeirah-Shavah' "Sham" "Sham" from Moshe - that Miriam, like her brother Moshe, died through Misas Neshikah (a kiss from Hash-m).

(d)The Torah writes this by both Moshe and Aharon, but not by Miriam - because it is not Derech Kavod for Hash-m to say so explicitly.

2)

(a)Rav Ami learns from the juxtaposition of the death of Miriam to the Parah Adumah, and Rebbi Elazar from that of the death of Aharon to the Bigdei Kehunah - that the death of a Tzadik atones for the world just like the Parah and the Bigdei Kehunah.

3)

(a)If someone dies suddenly, the Beraisa calls it a 'Misah Chatufah'. If he dies following a one day illness, the Tana Kama refers to it as 'Misah Dechufah'. Rebbi Chananya ben Gamliel learns from the Pasuk in Yechezkel "ben Adam, Hineni Loke'ach Mimcha ... ba'Magefah" after which, his wife died the following evening - that, if someone dies after an illness lasting one day, it is called a 'Misas Magefah'.

(b)If he dies after two days, it is called a 'Misah Dechuyah'...

1. ... after three days - a 'Misas Ga'arah'.

2. ... after four days - a 'Misas Nezifah'.

(c)Dying after an illness of five days - constitutes a normal death.

(d)We learn this from the Pasuk in Vayelech (regarding the death of Moshe Rabeinu) "Hen Karvu Yamecha la'Mus" - because "Hen" (in Greek) means 'one', and "Karvu" and "Yamecha" each implies two days (making a total of five).

4)

(a)The Tana describes death at the age of fifty as Kares and fifty-two, as the death of Shmuel ha'Ramasi - because that was the age at which he died.

(b)He defined death at the age of ...

1. ...sixty as - Misah b'Yedei Shamayim.

2. ... seventy as - 'Seivah' (old age).

3. ... eighty as - 'Gevuros' (ripe old age).

(c)In reality, death between the ages of fifty and sixty constitutes Kares. The Beraisa did not mention it - in deference to Shmuel ha'Ramasi.

(d)When Rav Yosef reached the age of sixty, he organized a party - as a sign of thanks to Hash-m for having passed the possible age of Kares.

(e)He certainly realized that he could still be Chayav Kares and die on one of the days mentioned in above - only he chose to acknowledged the milestone that was relevant.

5)

(a)In spite of what we learned above (that sudden death constitutes a 'Misah Chatufah'), Rav Huna (who was certainly not Chayav Kares) died suddenly - because he had passed the age of eighty, in which case, sudden death is a sign of Misas Neshikah (death by a kiss).

(b)Rabah and Rav Chisda were both Tzadikim of great caliber, yet the former died at the age of forty, whereas the latter lived to the ripe old age of ninety-two - because life is one of the three things that do not depend on merit, but on Mazal.

(c)Likewise ...

1. ... their life-styles too, differed completely - inasmuch as Rav Chisda was extremely wealthy, whereas Rabah was extremely poor.

2. ... we demonstrate their compatibility - by pointing out that they both had the power to pray for rain.

(d)Besides life - having children and sustenance are dependant upon Mazal rather than merit.

6)

(a)Rava prayed for the wisdom of Rav Huna ...

1. ... for the wealth of Rav Chisda (his father-in-law), and ...

2. ... for the humility of Rabah bar Rav Huna.

(b)He was granted the wisdom of Rav Huna and the wealth of Rav Chisda, but not the humility of Rabah bar Rav Huna.

(c)On his death-bed, Rava asked his brother Rav Se'orim to ask the Angel of Death not to hurt him when taking his Neshamah. When his brother asked him why, seeing as he was on friendly terms with the Mal'ach ha'Maves, he not ask him personally - he replied that at the time of death, one's Mazal is down, and one's power wanes.

(d)We know that his request was granted - because before he died, his brother asked him to appear to him in a dream and tell him whether his request bore fruit. Rava did in fact, appear to Rav Se'orim in a dream, and he told him that ...

(e)... he felt - like someone feels when a blood-letter gently makes a cut in one's neck to draw blood.

7)

(a)Likewise, before Rav Nachman died, he had asked his Talmid Rava to make the same request of the Angel of Death. When Rava asked him why, seeing that he was Chashuv, he did not ask him personally, he replied - that at the moment of death, nobody is able to put this importance into practice.

(b)In a dream, he described the 'pain' that he felt when the Mal'ach ha'Maves took his Neshamah - 'like pulling a hair out of a bowl of milk'.

(c)He nevertheless told Rava that he would not wish to return to this world (even with an assurance that he would not suffer more the next time) - because of the terror that he experienced when confronting the Mal'ach ha'Maves.

8)

(a)Rebbi Elazar, who was a Kohen, managed to postpone his death, when the Mal'ach ha'Maves came to take his Neshamah - by pointing out to him that he was eating Terumah, which would become Tamei if he took it at that moment. The Mal'ach ha'Maves went away, granting Rebbi Elazar an extended lease of life.

(b)Rav Sheshes postponed his death until he arrived home, by arguing that he was not an animal, that he should die in the market-place. Rav Ashi managed to postpone his demise by thirty days - by asking the Mal'ach ha'Maves for thirty days in which to revise all his learning (based on the saying 'How fortunate is the person who arrives at the Heavenly Tribunal with his Torah-learning in his hand.

(c)He did not succeed in postponing it even further - because, as the Mal'ach ha'Maves explained to him, bar Nasan was destined to succeed him that very day, and 'One leader is not permitted to encroach on another even by a hairs-breadth'.

9)

(a)The Mal'ach ha'Maves was unable to take the Neshamah of ...Rav Chisda, because he was perpetually learning Torah. He finally succeeded in killing him - by making a noise in the cedar tree just outside the Beis ha'Medrash (using similar tactics to those that he used on David ha'Melech). When Rav Chisda, still immersed in his studies, climbed the tree to investigate, the Mal'ach ha'Maves cut down the tree and Rav Chisda stopped learning, just for a moment. That was when he caught him.

(b)The Mal'ach ha'Maves was unable to take the Neshamah of Rebbi Chiya - who kept him at bay with his sanctity.

(c)The Mal'ach ha'Maves tricked him by masquerading as a poor man and asking for alms.

(d)He then managed to persuade Rebbi Chiya to give up his Neshamah - by pleading for mercy, to let him do the job for which he was created. If he could display mercy to a poor man (as he had just done), then surely he could display mercy towards him too. Rebbi Chiya relented, and the Mal'ach ha'Maves took his Neshamah.

10)

(a)According to the Tana Kama of our Mishnah, women are Me'anos - (sing a dirge) on Chol ha'Mo'ed, but not Metapchos - (beat their hearts).

(b)Rebbi Yishmael qualifies the Tana Kama's latter statement. According to him - those who are standing close to the bed on which the Mes is lying, are Metapchos, too.

(c)On Rosh Chodesh, Chanukah and Purim - the women are permitted to beat their hearts.

(d)Kinah (Mekonenos) however, is forbidden even on Rosh Chodesh, Chanukah and Purim. 'Me'anos' is when they all chant in unison - whereas 'Mekonenos' is when one of them does the chanting, and the others respond.

(e)In order to conclude the Maseches with something good - the Tana concludes with the Pasuk in Yeshayah "Bila ha'Maves la'Netzach, u'Machah Hash-m Elokim Dim'ah me'al Kol Panim".

11)

(a)On Chol ha'Mo'ed, says Rav, the women would say 'Vay l'Azla, Vay la'Chavilah', meaning - 'Woe to the one who has gone, and woe to the security (his Neshamah) that he has to account for'.

(b)Rava cites a variety of dirges that the women of Shechintziv (Me'onos and Mekonenos) would chant at funerals. A typical example is' A young baby died. Warm up water in a small kettle (to bathe him)' - Pirush ha'Rosh. They would also recite 'Atof v'Kasi Turi, d'Bar Rami u'Bar Ravrevi Hu' - (Mountains! Cover yourselves well, because this man, who is about to be buried by you, is of good stock).'

(c)Death is good for a poor man - because he has run out of food.

(d)The man who spent so much energy running to make a living - eventually died penniless (he did not even leave sufficient money to buy his own shrouds).

(e)Another of their dirges is ...

1. 'Achana Tagri Azavzagi Mivdeku' - (One can really tell how much our brothers the merchants are worth, when they die, leaving no money to pay for their burial).

2. 'Mosa ki Mosa, u'Mar'in Chibula' - (He died like everybody else; the pain that he suffered though, was excessive).

12)

(a)Based on the Pasuk in Koheles "Tov la'Leches el Beis Avel ... v'ha'Chai Yiten el Libo", Rebbi Meir in a Beraisa, declared that someone who eulogizes others, buries others and carries others (to their final resting-place) - is assured that he will receive the same treatment when he dies.

(b)He also says that if someone mourns others warmly, then others will mourn him warmly when he dies. According to the second Lashon - it is if he fails to mourn others warmly that they will mourn him warmly (meaning that he will soon die).

(c)When the four Tana'im went in to visit Rebbi Yishmael upon the death of his two sons, Rebbi Tarfon warned them about getting involved in Divrei Agadah (see Agados Maharsha), because Rebbi Yishmael was an expert in Agadah. Rebbi Akiva insisted on speaking last.

(d)The opening speaker - Rebbi Yishmael (the Avel, who was referring to himself, when he) said 'They are guilty of many sins, so they have to mourn again and again. They troubled their Rebbes to come and visit them twice' (see Agados Maharsha).

13)

(a)Each of the four Tana'im referred to the one Mitzvah that a famous (or infamous) person had performed. All of them were saying - that if that particular person was so warmly eulogized for the one Mitzvah that he had performed, then how much more so the sons of Rebbi Yishmael, who had performed many Mitzvos.

(b)Rebbi Tarfon referred to the one Mitzvah of Nadav and Avihu and Rebbi Yosi ha'Gelili, to the one Mitzvah of Aviyah ben Yarav'am . The one Mitzvah performed by Nadav and Avihu (on the day on which the Mishkan was inaugurated [and on which they died, Agados Maharsha]) was - the handing of the blood of the various Korbanos to Aharon for sprinkling.

(c)Rebbi Zeira and Chinena bar Papa argue over what he did. One says that he closed all the border-posts set up by his father. The other - that he closed his own border post (which his father had placed under his jurisdiction) and went to Yerushalayim.

(d)Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah to the one Mitzvah of Tzidkiyahu ha'Melech (that is explicitly written [Tosfos]) - namely, that of saving Yirmeyahu from the pit into which his enemies had thrown him.

14)

(a)Rebbi Akiva quoted the Pasuk in Zecharyah, which refers to the great Hesped of Hadadrimon in the valley of Megido. The problem Rav Yosef has with this Pasuk is - that no such Hesped ever took place.

(b)To solve the problem, he cites Targum Yonasan, who establishes the Pasuk with reference to the ultimate slaughter of the Angel of Death in the era of Mashi'ach.

(c)And he solves the problem - by establishing the Pasuk regarding, not one Hesped, but two (as we shall now see).

15)

(a)King ...

1. ... Achav - was killed by Hadadrimon (King of Syria).

2. ... Yoshiyahu - was killed by Paroh the Lame in the valley of Megido.

(b)The Mitzvah that Achav performed - was to stand erect in his charriot (in spite of being mortally wounded) until the evening, so that the Jewish army should not become panic-stricken (when they saw their king dead) and flee.

16)

(a)Rava asked Rabah bar Mari about the Pasuk in Yirmeyahu (that we quoted earlier "b'Shalom Tamus ... ") predicting that Tzidkiyahu would die in peace - from another Pasuk there that describes how Nevuchadnetzar poked out his eyes before exiling him to Bavel, in which case he died blind.

(b)Rabah bar Mari quoting Rebbi Yochanan reconciles ...

1. ... the two Pesukim - by confining the latter Pasuk specifically to the fact that he outlived his tormentor, Nevuchadnetzar.

2. ... the Pasuk in Melachim (promising King Yoshiyahu that he would die in peace) with another Pasuk there, which describes how he died after they had riddled his body with arrows - by confining the earlier Pasuk to the fact that the Beis ha'Mikdash was not destroyed in his life-time.

17)

(a)Rebbi Yochanan learns from the Pasuk in Iyov ...

1. ... "Acharei Chen Pasach Iyov es Piv ... va'Ya'an Elifaz ha'Teimani" - that the Avel should be the one to open the conversation.

2. ... "Evchar Darkam v'Eishev Rosh v'Eshkon ka'Melech ba'Gedud Ka'asher Eveilim Yenachem" - that the Avelim should sit at the head (and the comforters facing them).

(b)"Yenachem" does indeed imply the comforter, and not the mourner. However - since the word contains no 'Aleph' (see Tosfos DH 'Yenachem'), we read it "Yinachem" (meaning 'are comforted', with reference to the mourners).

(c)Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak learns this from the Pasuk "v'Sar Merzach la'Seruchim" - meaning 'The Avel becomes the head of the others'.

(d)We learn from the Pasuk ...

1. ... "v'Kidashto" - that in all matters of Kedushah, the Kohen comes first

2. ... in Yeshayah "k'Chasan Yechahen Pe'er - that a Chasan is compared to a Kohen in this regard.