1)

BURNINGS UPON DEATH (Yerushalmi Halachah 2 Daf 3a)

יום גנוסיא של מלכים ויהי ביום השלישי יום הלדת את פרעה.

(a)

The Mishnah taught that amongst their festivals are the (memorial of the) coronation day (and the birthday of the king.). A source for their celebration of the king's birthday is the pasuk (Bereishis 40:20), "And it was on the third day, the birthday of Paroh".

יום הלידה ויום המיתה

(b)

The Mishnah taught: The king's birthday and day of death.

עד כאן לציבור מיכן ואילך ליחיד.

(c)

Question: Until now, we have been discussing a community. But as for the law of the following Mishnah that the festival on the day that he shaves his beard and his Bluris (crest of hair on the top of his head, running from his forehead back to his neck), it is a private festival for that particular idolater.

וכתי' בשלום תמות ובמשרפות אבותיך הראשונים וגו'.

(d)

Question: The Mishnah taught that any death of such an important person that involves burning his clothes and possessions is considered a festival of idolatry. But doesn't the pasuk state (Yirmiyah 34:5), "You shall die in peace and with the burnings of your forefathers", which shows that burnings were the custom of Jewish kings as well?

כיני מתניתא כל מיתה שיש בה עישון ושריפה יש בהן ע"ז ושאין בה עישון ושריפה אין בה ע"ז:

(e)

Answer: Rather, the Mishnah means that any death that involves smoking (i.e. burning up incense to idols) and burning (of the person's possessions) is a festival of idolatry.

2)

A PRIVATE FESTIVAL (Yerushalmi Halachah 3 Daf 3b)

משנה יום תגלחת זקנו ובלוריתו יום שעלה בו מן הים יום שיצא בו מבית האסורים ונכרי שעשה משתה לבנו אינו אסור אלא אותו היום ואותו האיש:

(a)

(Mishnah): The day on which he shaves his beard and his Bluris, the day that he was saved from drowning at sea, the day that he left prison and if an idolater made a banquet for his son, in all of these cases, only that man and only that day is prohibited.

גמרא מה אותו היום בלבד או אותו היום בכל שנה.

(b)

(Gemara): What does the Mishnah mean by "only that day"? Only the day it happened or every year on the same day of the year?

והתני תגלחתו ותגלחת בנו אסורה

(c)

Question (Beraisa): The day of his shaving and the shaving of his son are prohibited. (It is understandable if it is observed the same day every year, so it is possible that his son shaved on the same day as his shaving, many years later. But if it is observed only the first year, how could his son have shaved on the same day as him?)

תיפתר שגילחו שניהן כאחת.

(d)

Answer: They were shaved at the same time.

והתני משתהו ומשתה בנו אסורה

(e)

Question (Beraisa): His wedding day and his son's wedding day are prohibited. (Asking as before, that if it observed only the first year, how could his son have married on the same day as him?)

תיפתר שגילחו שניהן כאחת שנשאו נשים.

(f)

Answer: They both shaved and then married on the same day.

והתני לידתו ולידת בנו אסורה אית לך מימר שנולדו שניהן כאחת.

(g)

Question (Beraisa): His birthday and his son's birthday are prohibited. Could you say here that they were born on the very same day? (How could they be father and son?!)

תיפתר בההוא דלא אספיק מיעבר ביומיה עד דאיתיליד ליה בר ועבד כחדא.

(h)

Answer: When he didn't manage to celebrate the festival until his son was born and he then celebrated both occasions. (Note: The Gemara does not answer the original question.)

OTHER D.A.F. RESOURCES
ON THIS DAF