Siman - Shabbos Daf 153
- The impact of eulogy indicates if someone is destined for Olam Habah
Rav Yehudah the son of Rav Shmuel bar Shilas said in the name of Rav, מהספדו של אדם ניכר אם בן העולם הבא הוא אם לאו – From the impact of a person’s eulogy it can be determined whether or not the deceased is destined to enter Olam Habah or not.
Rashi explains that if those in attendance are moved to tears when the speaker eulogizes the deceased and describes his virtues, it is likely that the deceased was truly righteous and will enter Olam Habah.
- Do teshuvah every day
It was taught in a Mishnah that Rebbe Eliezer said, שוב יום אחד לפני מיתתך – Do teshuva one day before your death.
When Rebbe Eliezer’s talmidim asked him how that is possible to fulfill given that people do not know when they are going to die, he answered, וכל שכן, - all the more so, ישוב היום שמא ימות למחר ונמצא כל ימיו בתשובה – Let a person say to himself that he should do teshuvah today because he might die tomorrow and in this way he will find himself living all of his days in a state of teshuvah, which is ideal.
- Where to put a purse at dusk erev Shabbos
The opening Mishnah of the twenty-fourth perek states that if one was on the road at dusk erev Shabbos, he should give his purse to a nochri while it is still daytime, and if there is no nochri with him, he should place the purse on his donkey.
The Gemara identifies additional options for one in this situation and concludes the order of preference for transporting the purse is nochri, donkey, shoteh, cheiresh, and child.
Rebbe Yitzchak said that there is another method available but the Chochomim did not want to reveal it. The Gemara explains that if one has no other choice, מוליכו פחות פחות מארבע אמות – he may carry it himself in increments of less than four amos. The Chochomim did not want to reveal this method because the passuk states, כבד אלקים הסתר דבר וכבד מלכים חקר דבר – Regarding the honor of G-d you should conceal a matter; but regarding the honor of kings you should investigate a matter. Publicizing this method might threaten the honor of G-d as one might come to carry the purse a full four amos in reshus harabim.
