Moed Katan 28 - February 9, 8 Adar 1

Today’s daf is sponsored anonymously to those who maintain the Hadran website. “During Megillah we got way behind. We started to double and triple up on dapim and are managing to celebrate Siyum Moed Katan with everyone! I wish to encourage others to not be discouraged if they get in a similar situation.” Today’s daf is sponsored by Heather Stone for the refuah shlemah of Robert Stone, Yehuda Leib ben Naftali HaLevi v'Chaya, Heather Stone and Gwen Hermann’s father. Today’s daf is sponsored by Samuel Ackerman in honor of Rachel Honeyman. “You are seen! So proud of everything you do.”  A woman's body before burial should not be left out any longer than needed – out of respect. Is this law specifically referring to pregnant women or to all women? Rabbi Elazar who holds it refers to all women derives this law from Miriam as they learn that she was buried immediately after her death. He also holds that Miriam died through a “kiss from God” like Moshe. Also, her death atones for the sins of the people as is derived from the juxtaposition of her death to the laws of the red heifer. A braita brings names for those who die immediately and those who get sick and die after a day, two days, three days, etc. One who dies at age fifty is death from karet (a God-given punishment), fifty-two is the death of Shmuel the prophet and sixty is considered death in its proper time. What about seventy or eighty? Raba died young and had many calamities in his family and lived in poverty while Rav Chisda lived a long life, celebrated many weddings, and had a lot of wealth. After seeing Raba and Rav Chisda, Rava stated that life, children and sustenance are based on luck rather than merit. Stories are told of exchanges that happened on the death beds of Rava and Rav Nachman, including each of them appearing in a dream after their death upon request by another before their death to tell them what the moment of death was like. Each of these stories, in addition to a few others, mentions encounters with the angel of death. The Mishna discusses different methods women would use to mourn/lament and which ones are permitted on holidays/Rosh Chodesh. The Gemara mentions different lamentations that were recited by women in a place called Shechnatziv. When Rabbi Yishmael’s two sons died, different rabbis came to give words of comfort. What did they each say? When one visits a mourner, one should not say anything until the mourner begins to speak. The mourner sits at the head – from where is this derived? A groom also sits at the head – this is derived from a kohen who also sits at the head.