What is a Mes Mitzvah? It is any case in which he calls, and people of the city do not come. If [a Kohen or Nazir] became Tamei, and people of the city came, he refrains (from further exposure to Tum'as Mes).

Question: How many [must there be, and the Kohen or Nazir refrains]?

Answer: It is enough to carry the bier, and Chilufeihen (those who alternate with them), and Chilufei Chilufeihen.

Note: KORBAN HA'EDAH says that Chilufeihen is in order to enable everyone to engage in the Mitzvah. How can that permit Tum'as Kohen or Nazir?! Perhaps, rather, they must carry the Mes a long way, and they need to alternate because it is too heavy! (PF)

Limitation: This is when they do not need more (to bury the Mes promptly), but they are needed, it was not [said that the Kohen or Nazir refrains].

Limitation: This is when they do not know [the Mes], but if they know him, it was not said. (Such people must come even if not needed to bury him promptly.)

Limitation: This is when his honor does not warrant this (that more come), but if his honor warrants this, it was not said (that strangers must come only if needed to bury him promptly). The Nasi, his honor warrants this.

Question: May a Kohen become Tamei for the honor of the Nasi? (We just said that the Nasi's honor warrants this! BEIS YOSEF (YD 374:3), citing TOSFOS - before, we discussed Tum'ah mid'Rabanan. Here we ask about Tum'ah mid'Oraisa.)

Answer: When R. Yudan the Nasi (Rebbi's grandson) died, R. Yanai announced 'there is no Kehunah today' (also Kohanim may become Tamei in his burial. We do not discuss Rebbi here, for when he died, R. Yanai was young, and not one of the greatest Chachamim who would give a ruling for the Tzibur.)

When R. Yudan the Nasi died, the grandson of R. Yudan the Nasi [mentioned above], R. Chiyah [bar Aba] pushed R. Ze'ira bar Ba in the Beis ha'Keneses in the vineyard in Tziporin, and was Metamei him. (We explained this like DOROS RISHONIM, Sof Yemei ha'Tana'im, Sof Perek 3.)

When R. Nehurai, the brother of R. Yudan the Nasi died (R. Nehurai was Nasi after him), R. Chanina sent for R. Mana to come [to participate in the Levayah], and he did not come. (We explained this like CHAREDIM, Brachos 3:1.)

R. Mana: If in the lifetime [of Nesi'im] we do not become Tamei for them (to honor them), all the more so [we do not become Tamei mid'Oraisa] in their death! (The primary honor is in their lifetime.)

Rebuttal (R. Nasa): In [Nesi'im's] death, Chachamim made them like a Mes Mitzvah. (We explained this like MAHARA FULDA, Brachos 3:1.)

Question: May [a Kohen] become Tamei [mid'Rabanan] for the honor of his Rebbi?

Answer: R. Yanai Ze'ira, his father-in-law died; he was his father-in-law and his Rebbi. He asked R. Yosi, and he forbade him [to become Tamei]. R. Chama heard, and said 'his Talmidim should become Tamei for him.'

R. Yosi (when he died), his Talmidim became Tamei for him, and they ate meat and drank wine.

R. Mana: You do not evade [a mistake] for one of two matters. If you are Avelim, why did you eat meat and drink wine? (Also Aninus applies to you!) If you do not conduct Aveilus, why did you become Tamei?

Question: May a person (Kohen) become Tamei to learn Torah?

Answer: R. Yosi was sitting and teaching; a Mes was brought in. [A Kohen] who left, [R. Yosi] did not say anything to him. One who remained, he did not say anything to him. (He was unsure whether it is permitted.)

(R. Nechemyah brei d'R. Chiya bar Aba): My father did not pass under the arch [of the gate of] of Kisarin (because it was an Ohel over Tum'ah, even though he went to learn Torah). R. Ami passed [under. Both of them were Kohanim.]

R. Chizkiyah, R. Kohen and R. Yakov bar Acha were going in the square of Kisarin. They reached the arch. R. Kohen separated. They reached a place of Taharah, and he returned to them.

R. Kohen: What were you engaging in (when I was away)?

R. Chizkiyah (to R. Yakov bar Acha): Do not say anything to him.

If [he said so] because he was upset with him for separating, for one may become Tamei for Talmud Torah, we do not know, or if it was because he was haughty, we do not know.

(Beraisa): A Kohen may become Tamei and go to Chutz la'Aretz (even though Chachamim decreed Tum'ah on Chutz la'Aretz) for monetary judgments, for capital cases, for Kidush ha'Chodesh, for Ibur ha'Shanah, to save a field from a Nochri, to learn Torah, or to marry a woman;

R. Yehudah says, if he has from whom to learn [in Eretz Yisrael], he may not become Tamei.

R. Yosi says, even if he has from whom to learn Torah, he may become Tamei, for one does not merit to learn from everyone. (Perhaps he can learn only from the Rebbi in Chutz la'Aretz.)

They said about Yosef Kohen that he became Tamei and went out after his Rebbi to Tzaidan.

However, they said that a Kohen may not go to Chutz la'Aretz [in order to marry] unless they promised him a woman [who agreed to marry him].

Question: May a Kohen become Tamei for (to give) Birkas Kohanim?

Answer (Gevilah the brother of R. Ba bar Kohen, in front of R. Yosah, in the name of R. Acha): A Kohen may become Tamei for Birkas Kohanim.

R. Acha heard, and said 'I did not say anything to him!'

He retracted and said 'perhaps he heard from me like R. Yudah bar Pazi said in the name of R. Eliezer - any Kohen who stands in the Beis ha'Keneses and does not give Birkas Kohanim, he transgresses an Aseh;

He thought that this Aseh overrides the Lo Sa'aseh [of Tum'as Kohanim]. I did not say anything to him [like this]! Bring him, and I will lash him [for saying in my name what I did not say].

R. Avahu was sitting and teaching in the great (CHAREDIM, Brachos 3:1) Beis ha'Keneses of Kisarin. There was a Mes there. The time for Birkas Kohanim came, and they did not ask him [if they may go to Duchan]. The time to eat came, and they asked him. (HA'GAON RAV C. KANIEVSKY, SHLITA, Brachos 3:1 - they would need to pass by a house with a Mes, and become Tamei mid'Rabanan due to 'Sof Tum'ah Latzeis.')

R. Avahu: You did not ask me about Birkas Kohanim (a Mitzvah), but to eat, you ask me?!

Once they heard this, each one slipped away by himself and went away (amidst shame).

(R. Yanai): A Kohen may become Tamei to see a king.

When Duklainus the king came to here (Eretz Yisrael), he saw R. Chiya bar Aba stepping over graves [of Nochrim] of Tzur, in order to see him. (Normally he was stringent; in order to see the king, he relied on R. Shimon, who says that Nochrim do not have Tum'as Ohel. - MASA D'YERUSHALAYIM, Brachos 3:1.)

(R. Chizkiyah, R. Yirmeyah and R. Chiyah, citing R. Yochanan): It is a Mitzvah to see Gedolim of the [Nochri] kingdom, so when the kingdom of Beis David will come, he will know to distinguish between kingdom and kingdom.

Question: May a Kohen become Tamei [mid'Rabanan] for the honor of his father and mother [in their lifetime]?

Answer: R. Yosa heard that his mother was coming to Botzrah. He went and asked R. Yochanan if he may go out [to Chutz la'Aretz to greet her];

R. Yochanan: If it is due to danger on the road (it is dangerous for her to be alone), go. If it is due to honor of your mother, I do not know.

R. Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak (to R. Yosa): R. Yochanan is unsure. (If you ask again, he will investigate and clarify the matter.)

[R. Yosa] imposed on R. Yochanan (repeated to ask him. R. Yochanan) said, if you resolved to go, come [back] in peace!

R. Elazar heard, and said [his Brachah] is the ultimate permission! (Do not say that R. Yochanan did not resolve that it is permitted, he merely blessed R. Yosa because he saw that he resolved to go. Surely, R. Yochanan permits.)

Question: May a person (a Kohen Avel) become Tamei for the honor of the Rabim (who are going with him to console him)?

Answer (Beraisa): If there were two roads - one is long and Tahor, and one is short and Tamei - if the Rabim were going on the long road, he goes on the long road. If not, he goes on the short road, due to honor of the Rabim.

Question: [Perhaps] this is only for Tum'ah mid'Rabanan. Is it even for Torah Tum'ah?

Answer: Since R. Ze'ira said, great is honor of the Rabim, that it overrides a Lo Sa'aseh temporarily, this teaches that it is even for Torah Tum'ah.