Study Megillah folio 29A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
מבטלין תלמוד תורה להוצאת המת, ולהכנסת הכלה. אמרו עליו על רבי יהודה ברבי אילעאי שהיה מבטל תלמוד תורה להוצאת המת ולהכנסת הכלה. במה דברים אמורים — בשאין שם כל צורכו, אבל יש שם כל צורכו — אין מבטלין.
One interrupts his Torah study to carry out the dead for burial and to escort a bride to her wedding. They said about R' Yehuda, son of R' Elai, that he would interrupt his Torah study to carry out the dead for burial and to escort a bride to her wedding. The Talmud qualifies this ruling: In what case is this statement said? Only where there are not sufficient numbers of other people available to perform these mitzvot and honor the deceased or the bride appropriately. However, when there are sufficient numbers, additional people should not interrupt their Torah study to participate.
וכמה כל צורכו? אמר רב שמואל בר איניא משמיה דרב: תריסר אלפי גברי, ושיתא אלפי שיפורי. ואמרי לה: תריסר אלפי גברי, ומינייהו שיתא אלפי שיפורי. עולא אמר: כגון דחייצי גברי מאבולא עד סיכרא.
The Talmud asks: And how many people are considered sufficient? Rav Shmuel bar Inya said in the name of Rav: 12,000 men and another 6,000 men to blow horns as a sign of mourning. And some say a different version: 12,000 men, among whom are 6,000 men with horns. Ulla said: For example: enough to make a procession of people all the way from the town gate [abbula] to the place of burial.
רב ששת אמר: כנתינתה כך נטילתה. מה נתינתה בששים ריבוא, אף נטילתה בששים ריבוא. הני מילי למאן דקרי ותני, אבל למאן דמתני — לית ליה שיעורא.
Rav Sheshet said: As the Torah was given, so it should be taken away, i.e., the same honor that was provided when the Torah was given at Mount Sinai should be provided when the Torah is taken through the passing away of a Torah scholar. Just as the Torah was given in the presence of 600,000 men, so too its taking should be done in the presence of 600,000 men. The Talmud comments: This applies to someone who read the Bible and studied halakhot for himself. But for someone who taught others, there is no limit to the honor that should be shown to him.