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Siman - Moed Katan Daf 29

Rabbi Avraham Goldhar
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  • Analogies for the neshamah leaving the body

Rebbe Chanina said: קשה יציאת נשמה מן הגוף כציפורי בפי הוושט – The leaving of the soul from the body is as painful as knotted ropes pulled through a hole. Rashi explains that it is like the removal of a knotted rope from the mast of a ship, which can only be accomplished with force. Rebbe Yochanan says: כפטירי בפי וושט – It is like cables pulled through a hole. Rashi explains that these are cables that are used to connect two ships.

  •  When to say "לך בשלום" and "לך לשלום"

Rebbe Levi bar Chayasa said: הנפטר מן המת לא יאמר לו לך לשלום – One who takes leave of a dead person should not say to him, “Go to peace,” אלא לך בשלום – but “Go in peace.” הנפטר מן החי לא יאמר לו לך בשלום אלא לך לשלום – One who takes leave of a living person should not say, “Go in peace,” but “Go to peace.” The source for saying "לך בשלום" – “Go in peace” to a dead person, is the passuk where Hakadosh Boruch Hu said to Avraham, "ואתה תבוא אל אבתיך בשלום" – You shall come to your ancestors in peace. The source for not saying "לך בשלום to the living, but rather saying "לך לשלום" – “Go to peace,” is learned from when Dovid said to Avshalom, “לך בשלום”,  he went and was hanged, whereas when Yisro said to Moshe,"לך לשלום" , he went and was successful. 

  •  ילכו מחיל אל חיל

Rebbe Levi said: כל היוצא מבית הכנסת לבית המדרש ומבית המדרש לבית הכנסת – Whoever goes directly from shul to the Beis Hamidrash, and from the Beis Hamidrash to shul, זוכה ומקבל פני שכינה – will be zocheh to greet the face of the Shechinah, as it is written, "ילכו מחיל אל חיל יראה אל אלקים בציון" – They go from multitude to multitude, each appears before Hashem in Tziyon. The Maharsha (Brachos 64a) explains that one who davens with a multitude and learns with a multitude, meaning that he learns with a group and not alone, will be zocheh to be with the multitude of Jews appearing before Hashem in the Beis Hamikdash on the regalim. Rav Chiya bar Ashi said in the name of Rav, תלמידי חכמים אין להם מנוחה אפילו לעולם הבא – Talmidei Chochomim have no rest even in Olam Habah, as it is written, "ילכו מחיל אל חיל יראה אל אלקים בציון" – They go from multitude to multitude, each appears before Hashem in Tziyon. The multitudes in the passuk refers to those who will be learning Torah before Hashem in Olam Habah.