Siman - Megillah Daf 29
- We are mevatel Talmud Torah to escort the deceased and accompany a kallah
It was taught in a Baraisa: מבטלין תלמוד תורה להוצאת המת ולהכנסת הכלה – We are mevatel Talmud Torah to carry the dead out to burial, and to accompany a kallah to the chuppah, and it was said about Rebbe Yehudah bar Ilai that he would do so. When does this apply? בשאין שם כל צורכו אבל יש שם כל צורכו אין מבטלין – When there are not a sufficient number of people doing so, but when the number of people is sufficient, one may not be mevatel his learning. The Gemara asks what is considered a sufficient number of people to honor a deceased Talmud Chochom, and Rav Shmuel bar Inya said in the name of Rav, תריסר אלפי גברי ושיתא אלפי שיפורי – twelve thousand men and six thousand men with shofars, for a total of eighteen thousand people. Some say: Twelve thousand men, among whom are six thousand with shofars. Ulla said: If there are crowds of men from the town gate to the cemetery. Rav Sheishess said: כנתינתה כך נטילתה – Just like the Torah’s giving, so too should be its removal. מה נתינתה בששים ריבוא אף נטילתה בששים ריבוא – Just as its giving was done in front of six hundred thousand men, so too its removal should be in front of six hundred thousand men.
- The special kedushah of shuls and batei midrashim
A significant part of Amud Aleph discusses the special kedushah of shuls. The passuk states what Hashem told Yechezkel regarding the galus, "ואהי להם למקדש מעט" – I have been for them a miniature Mikdash. Rebbe Yitzchak said: אלו בתי כנסיות ובתי מדרשות שבבבל – This refers to the shuls and batei midrashim in Bavel. Rebbe Elazar said, זה בית רבינו בבבל – This refers to the house of our teacher, Rav, in Bavel. It was taught in a Baraisa: Rebbe Elazar Hakapar said: עתידין בתי כנסיות ובתי מדרשות שבבבל שיקבעו בארץ ישראל – In the future the shuls and batei midrashim of Bavel will be set in Eretz Yisroel, for it says in the passuk, "כי כתבור בהרים וככרמל בים יבוא" – For just as Har Tavor among the mountains and like Har Carmel, Pharoah will come into the sea. Rashi explains that these two mountains crossed the sea at the time of matan Torah. The Gemara makes a kal v’chomer. If Har Tavor and Har Carmel which came only temporarily to Har Sinai to learn Torah, yet were established in Eretz Yisroel, בתי כנסיות ובתי מדרשות שקורין ומרביצין בהן תורה על אחת כמה וכמה – then all the more so, the shuls and batei midrashim, in which people learn and teach Torah to others, will be established in Eretz Yisroel.
- Machlokes regarding which parshah is referred to as Parshas Shekalim
The next Mishnah states: ראש חודש אדר שחל להיות בשבת קורין בפרשת "שקלים" – Rosh Chodesh Adar that falls on Shabbos, we read the parshah of Shekalim. Rashi explains that it was read in order to announce that people should bring their shekalim in Adar, in order that the offerings that were brought in Nissan, would be from the new donations. The Gemara asks what the parshah of Shekalim is, and Rav said that it is the parshah dealing with the daily offerings and mussaf offerings, that begins, "צו את בני ישראל ואמרת אלהם את קרבני לחמי" – Command bnei Yisroel and say to them, “My offering, My food”. Shmuel said that it is the parshah discussing the machtzis hashekel, that begins, "כי תשא" – When you will count. The Gemara says that it is understandable, as Shmuel says, that the parshah of the machtzis hashekel is called Parshas Shekalim, but why would Rav would say Parshas Shekalim is the parshah of korbanos, as shekalim are not even mentioned there? The Gemara answers that the whole point of bringing the shekalim is to offer the communal korbanos. The Gemara brings numerous challenges to each opinion.
