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Aug. 20th, 2012 11:36 amOn Daf 18 of Berachos there's a discussion of the rules of saying prayers in cemeteries, as part of an overall discussion of when a person is exempted from saying the Shema and the Tefilah. This rapidly devolves into a discussion of ghost stories, because this is the Gemara and there are few things it loves more than ghost stories. The central debate of the daf is about whether the spirits of the dead are aware of things that go on in this world. Some say they are, and bring ghost stories that offer evidence for this position. Some suggest they only know what's reported to them by other dead, and similarly offer proofs. Some suggest that the dead are cut off from our world, and offer Biblical verses from the Psalms as their evidence.
But before that debate kicks off, they discuss, as I said, the question of when one is exempted from saying prayers in a cemetery. According to the majority opinion, the reason one is not supposed to say the Shema or wear Tefillin in a cemetery is because of a Biblical prohibition on 'mocking the poor', which it interprets in this situation as referring to those with the misfortune of being dead. And it falls in this category because the dead, regardless of what other conclusions the Talmud draws about them later, are unable to say prayers or praise the Lord. Rav Chiyya goes so far as to add a prohibition specifically on dragging the fringes of your tzitzit on the ground of a cemetery, within four amot (six feet or so) of a grave (and some say anywhere in a cemetery).
And I think this is one of those times where the didactic, inspirational power of the Gemara's ghost stories is apparent. Even if we don't accept the ghost stories stam, the idea that taking the opportunities we have to praise the Lord because when we are dead we will no longer possess those opportunities is a meaningful idea. And moreover at the same time we have a beautiful kal vachomer- if we are obligated to show respect and not mock the dead, how much more so are we obligated to show respect for and not mock the living.
And the Gemera has, as usually, embedded these philosophical principles in a supremely practical halachic rule, so that as we go through the motions of our everyday life, we are reminded of our mortality and the opportunities it gives us if we choose to seize them. It turns morbid thoughts of mortality into constructive ones. As Jews of a contemporary bent we wrestle often with 'fences' around the law and how absurd they seem. Why go to the effort of safeguarding our practice by performing a safeguard against an act we would never actually do? Nobody will ever mistake chicken for red meat, so why avoid mixing milk and chicken to prevent mixing milk and meat? But this kal vachomer is a partial reason. If we build good habits, we will be prepared to confront the situation which is actually significant. If we train ourselves to show respect even to the feelings of the dead, we will be prepared when it matters to show respect to fellow members of our community. And this holds true regardless of whether you believe in ghosts.
As I contemplate the memory of my great-aunt, who passed away last Sunday evening, I find strength in the Gemara's ghost stories, and their hidden meanings.
But before that debate kicks off, they discuss, as I said, the question of when one is exempted from saying prayers in a cemetery. According to the majority opinion, the reason one is not supposed to say the Shema or wear Tefillin in a cemetery is because of a Biblical prohibition on 'mocking the poor', which it interprets in this situation as referring to those with the misfortune of being dead. And it falls in this category because the dead, regardless of what other conclusions the Talmud draws about them later, are unable to say prayers or praise the Lord. Rav Chiyya goes so far as to add a prohibition specifically on dragging the fringes of your tzitzit on the ground of a cemetery, within four amot (six feet or so) of a grave (and some say anywhere in a cemetery).
And I think this is one of those times where the didactic, inspirational power of the Gemara's ghost stories is apparent. Even if we don't accept the ghost stories stam, the idea that taking the opportunities we have to praise the Lord because when we are dead we will no longer possess those opportunities is a meaningful idea. And moreover at the same time we have a beautiful kal vachomer- if we are obligated to show respect and not mock the dead, how much more so are we obligated to show respect for and not mock the living.
And the Gemera has, as usually, embedded these philosophical principles in a supremely practical halachic rule, so that as we go through the motions of our everyday life, we are reminded of our mortality and the opportunities it gives us if we choose to seize them. It turns morbid thoughts of mortality into constructive ones. As Jews of a contemporary bent we wrestle often with 'fences' around the law and how absurd they seem. Why go to the effort of safeguarding our practice by performing a safeguard against an act we would never actually do? Nobody will ever mistake chicken for red meat, so why avoid mixing milk and chicken to prevent mixing milk and meat? But this kal vachomer is a partial reason. If we build good habits, we will be prepared to confront the situation which is actually significant. If we train ourselves to show respect even to the feelings of the dead, we will be prepared when it matters to show respect to fellow members of our community. And this holds true regardless of whether you believe in ghosts.
As I contemplate the memory of my great-aunt, who passed away last Sunday evening, I find strength in the Gemara's ghost stories, and their hidden meanings.