Sacred Texts Judaism Index Previous Next
Buy this Book at Amazon.com
Eighteen Treatises from the Mishna, by D. A. Sola and M. J. Raphall, [1843], at sacred-texts.com
§ 1. He whose dead lieth before him, is exempt from saying the שמע, from the תפלה [prayer], and from תפלין [phylacteries]. Those who carry the bier, those who relieve them, and those who relieve the relief,—such as go before the bier, and such as go after it [whose services] are required for the bier—are all exempt [from] saying [the שמע]. But those [whose services] are not required for the bier are bound [to say שמע]. Both are alike exempt from the תפלה [prayer].
§ 2. When they have buried the dead and return, if they have time to begin and end [any entire section of the שמע] before they
reach the files, 1 they are to begin: if not, they are not to begin. Of those who stand in the files, the inner ones are exempt, but the outer ones are bound to say the שמע.
3. Women, slaves, and minors are exempt from saying the שמע, and also from תפלין [phylacteries]; but they are bound [to observe] the תפלה [prayer] the מזוזה [inscription on the door-post], and the grace after meat.
§ 4. A man who is unclean from seminal emission [without carnal copulation], is to meditate inwardly on the שמע, but does not pronounce the benedictions before or after it. At his meals he says grace after meat, but not before. R. Jehudah saith, "He says grace both before and after meat."
§ 5. If he stands in the תפלה [prayer], and recollects that he is unclean from seminal emission, he is not to break off [at once], but to shorten [the prayer]. If he has stepped into the water [to bathe 2] should he have time [sufficient] to ascend, to cover [his nakedness], and to say the שמע before the sun shines forth [over the mountain tops], he is to ascend, to cover himself, and to say the שמע. If not, he is to cover himself with water, and to say it. But he is not to cover himself with foul water, or such water as [any substance has been] dissolved in, unless he has poured clean water to it. At what distance is he to keep from [such] foul water, or from [any] excrement? 4 amoth [cubits].
§ 6. A man who has a running issue [blenorrhagia], and experiences seminal emission; a woman who, having the flowers, emits semen והמשמשת שראתה נדה, all require to bathe; but R. Jehudah declares them exempt.
5:1 After interring the dead, those who attended the funeral used, at some short distance from the grave, to form files or rows, through which the mourners passed to receive the customary condolence.
5:2 Lev. xv. 16.