Siman כ״ג
The tsitsit in the cemetery: the לועג לרש (Mishlei 17, 5 — tsitsit dragging over the graves), in their days / nowadays (בימיהם / האידנא), tsitsit uncovered / covered (מגולים / מכוסים), the ד׳ אמות of a deceased or of a grave, the talit of the deceased and the bearers
Structured review, rapid memorization, the tsitsit in the cemetery in practice
📑 Plan of the Synthesis
- The central axiom — the mother rule of the Siman
- Master table of the ד׳ seifim
- לועג לרש — the tsitsit dragging over the graves
- בימיהם / האידנא — uncovered or covered
- קשירה and ד׳ אמות — the useless knot, the four amot
- טלית של מת — the talit of the deceased and the bearers
- Golden rules — memory aid
- Mnemonic — memory aid
- Pitfalls to avoid
- The tsitsit in the cemetery in practice
- Final synthesis table
1. The Central Axiom
The siman treats the tsitsit in the cemetery: how to carry the mitsva of tsitsit in the presence of those who can no longer fulfil it. It is permitted to enter the cemetery wearing tsitsit, provided they do not drag over the graves (שלא יהא נגרר על הקברות); if they drag — forbidden, משום לועג לרש (« mocking the destitute », Mishlei 17, 5): the deceased are exempt from the mitsvot, and one does not display the mitsva before them. This held בימיהם, when the tsitsit was attached to the ordinary garment of daily use; but we (אנו), who intend it only for the mitsva (לשם מצוה) — forbidden even if the tsitsit do not drag, so long as they are uncovered (מגולים); covered (מכוסים) → permitted. Tying two tsitsit to each other serves no purpose (ולא הועילו כלום בתקנתן). The ד׳ אמות of a deceased or of a grave carry the same din as the cemetery. And where the custom is to remove the tsitsit from the talit of the deceased, if the bearers (כתפים) wear tsitsit — there is concern of לועג לרש.
- נגרר על הקברות → tsitsit dragging over the graves → always forbidden — לועג לרש
- בימיהם / האידנא → formerly permitted (garment of daily use); nowadays: uncovered → forbidden; מכוסים → permitted
- ד׳ אמות של מת או של קבר → same din as the cemetery; tying the tsitsit → useless
- טלית של מת → where its tsitsit are removed, the bearers mind their own — לועג לרש
2. Master table of the ד׳ seifim
The ד׳ סעיפים of the Mechaber group into four axes: (A) entering the cemetery wearing tsitsit — permitted if they do not drag over the graves, otherwise לועג לרש; in their days / nowadays, uncovered / covered; (B) tying two tsitsit upon entering — it serves no purpose; (C) the ד׳ אמות of a deceased or of a grave — same din as the cemetery; (D) the talit of the deceased — where its tsitsit are removed, bearers who wear tsitsit raise the concern of לועג לרש.
| Axis | Seif | Heart of the halakha | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Entering the cemetery |
① | It is permitted to enter the cemetery wearing tsitsit, provided they do not drag over the graves; if they drag — forbidden משום לועג לרש. במה דברים אמורים: בימיהם, when the tsitsit was attached to the garment worn לצורך עצמם; but we, who intend it only for the mitsva — forbidden even if they do not drag; וה״מ when the tsitsit are uncovered (מגולים), but covered (מכוסים) → permitted. | לועג לרש |
| B. Tying the tsitsit |
② | Some have the custom of tying two tsitsit of two corners to each other upon entering the cemetery — ולא הועילו כלום בתקנתן: their precaution serves no purpose. | ולא הועילו כלום |
| C. ד׳ אמות של מת |
③ | One who enters within the ד׳ אמות of a deceased or of a grave — his din is like one who enters the cemetery. | ד׳ אמות |
| D. טלית של מת |
④ | Where the custom is to remove the tsitsit from the talit of the deceased at the house: if the bearers (כתפים) wear tsitsit — איכא למיחש בהו משום לועג לרש (there is concern regarding them of לועג לרש). | טלית של מת |
⚖ The structure of the siman at a glance
The ד׳ סעיפים of the Mechaber trace the conduct of the tsitsit in the cemetery: (A) permitted to enter if the tsitsit do not drag over the graves — otherwise לועג לרש; and the reversal of the eras: בימיהם permitted, nowadays (a garment dedicated to the mitsva) forbidden once the tsitsit are uncovered — covered → permitted; (B) tying the tsitsit serves no purpose; (C) the ד׳ אמות of a deceased or of a grave = same din; (D) the talit of the deceased — the concern of לועג לרש for the bearers. The Shulchan Aruch HaRav (the Alter Rebbe) unfolds this siman into ה׳ סעיפים: the לועג לרש, in their days / nowadays and uncovered / covered, the ד׳ אמות, the useless knot and the talit of the deceased.3. לועג לרש — the tsitsit dragging over the graves
The principle of לועג לרש
The siman opens with a delicate regard: the respect due to the deceased. One who rests in the cemetery is exempt from the mitsvot — « among the dead, free » — and coming to drag over the graves the tsitsit, a living sign of the mitsva, would amount to mocking the destitute: לועג לרש חרף עשהו (Mishlei 17, 5). Therefore one may enter the cemetery wearing tsitsit only if they do not drag over the graves; once they drag — forbidden. The Talmudic foundation (Berachot 18a) and its other applications (tefillin, study near a deceased) are developed in Level 2; the psak, in Level 4 (refer to the Rav).
4. בימיהם / האידנא — uncovered or covered
5. קשירה and ד׳ אמות — the useless knot, the four amot
The din of the ד׳ אמות
Two clarifications frame seif 1. First, the knot: some, upon entering the cemetery, tie two tsitsit of two corners to each other, thinking thereby to « suspend » the mitsva — ולא הועילו כלום בתקנתן: it serves no purpose, the garment remains a garment of mitsva. Then, the measure: the din is not limited to the cemetery enclosure — one who enters within the ד׳ אמות of a deceased or of a grave, even an isolated one, has the same din as one who enters the cemetery: tsitsit covered. The reason the knot is ineffective and the delimitation of the four amot are developed in Level 2; the psak, in Level 4.
6. טלית של מת — the talit of the deceased and the bearers
The yesod of the talit of the deceased
The last seif turns the gaze around: no longer the visitor to the cemetery, but the deceased himself. Where the custom is to remove the tsitsit from the talit of the deceased already at the house, the deceased is carried without tsitsit — and if the bearers (כתפים) then wear visible tsitsit, איכא למיחש בהו משום לועג לרש: there is concern that this contrast wounds the honour of the deceased, stripped of the mitsva that his bearers display. The same delicacy therefore directs the bearers to cover their tsitsit. The customs surrounding the talit of the deceased (see also siman 15) and their reason are developed in Level 2; the psak, in Level 4 (refer to the Rav).
7. Golden rules — Memory Aid
- לועג לרש — tsitsit dragging over the graves → always forbidden (Mishlei 17, 5).
- האידנא — garment dedicated to the mitsva: מגולים → forbidden even if not dragging; מכוסים → permitted.
- ד׳ אמות — of a deceased or of a grave: same din as the cemetery; tying the tsitsit serves no purpose.
- טלית של מת — where its tsitsit are removed: the bearers (כתפים) cover their own.
8. Mnemonic — Memory Aid
- Loeg larash (לועג לרש) — tsitsit dragging over the graves → forbidden; nowadays, uncovered → forbidden.
- Kesher (tying the tsitsit) — ולא הועילו כלום: the knot serves no purpose.
- Arba amot (ד׳ אמות) — of a deceased or of a grave: same din as the cemetery.
- Talit of the deceased (טלית של מת) — bearers wearing tsitsit → concern of לועג לרש.
- אם הוא נגרר על הקברות אסור משום לועג לרש — a tsitsit dragging over the graves is forbidden
- אבל אנו שאין אנו מכוונים בהם אלא לשם מצוה אסור אפילו אינם נגררים
- הנכנס תוך ד׳ אמות של מת או של קבר דינו כנכנס לבית הקברות
9. Pitfalls to Avoid
→ The seif: we, who intend the garment only for the mitsva — forbidden even if they do not drag, so long as they are מגולים (seif 1).
→ The seif: ולא הועילו כלום בתקנתן — it serves no purpose (seif 2).
→ The seif: the ד׳ אמות של מת או של קבר — same din as the cemetery (seif 3).
→ The seif: tsitsit covered (מכוסים) → permitted (seif 1).
→ The seif: if the כתפים wear tsitsit — concern of לועג לרש (seif 4).
10. The tsitsit in the cemetery in practice
| Step | Conduct | Base halakha |
|---|---|---|
| ① Before entering the cemetery | Cover the tsitsit (tuck in the threads of the talit katan) | מכוסים מותר |
| ② Tsitsit uncovered | Nowadays: do not enter thus, even if they do not drag | אסור אפילו אינם נגררים |
| ③ Tying the tsitsit | Do not rely on it: the knot does not change the din | ולא הועילו כלום |
| ④ Near an isolated grave | Keep the same conduct within the four amot of a deceased or of a grave | ד׳ אמות |
| ⑤ Talit of the deceased, customs, fine cases | Bearers, local customs, azkara at the cemetery: refer to the Rav | SA HaRav — ה׳ סעיפים |
11. Final Synthesis Table
| Aspect | Rule | Marker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| נגרר על הקברות | Tsitsit dragging over the graves → always forbidden — לועג לרש | Seif 1 | |
| בימיהם / האידנא | Formerly permitted (garment of daily use); nowadays: מגולים forbidden, מכוסים permitted | Seif 1 | |
| קשירה · ד׳ אמות | Tying the tsitsit serves no purpose; the 4 amot of a deceased or of a grave = cemetery | Seifim 2–3 | |
| טלית של מת | Where its tsitsit are removed: bearers with tsitsit → concern of לועג לרש | Seif 4 | |
✦ ❖ ✦ The 3 Practical Commandments of Siman כ״ג in Brief
- Cover your tsitsit — in the cemetery and within the ד׳ אמות of a deceased or of a grave: מכוסים → permitted; מגולים → forbidden nowadays.
- Do not rely on the knot — tying two tsitsit to each other: ולא הועילו כלום; only covering counts.
- Guard the honour of the deceased — לועג לרש (Mishlei 17, 5); where the tsitsit are removed from the talit of the deceased, let the bearers cover their own (SA HaRav, ה׳ סעיפים).
🎓 Recap of the Study Path
| Level | Content | Acquired |
|---|---|---|
| 🌱 Level 1 — Base | Text of the ד׳ סעיפים, fluent translation, explanation | Overall understanding |
| ⚡ Level 2 — Lamdan | לועג לרש (Berachot 18a), בימיהם / האידנא, מגולים / מכוסים, ד׳ אמות של מת, טלית של מת | In-depth pilpul |
| ✨ Level 3 — Synthesis | Master table of the ד׳ סעיפים, schemas, golden rules, mnemonic, the tsitsit in the cemetery in practice | Practical mastery + review |
- Reread Siman כ״ג in the original Shulchan Aruch (Hebrew)
- Study Level 4 — Daat HaRav (the Alter Rebbe): the shitah of the Shulchan Aruch HaRav (ה׳ סעיפים) on this siman
- Read the Mishna Berura and the Beur Halakha on this siman for the practical nuances (laws of tsitsit: simanim 8, 15, 18, 21, 24)
- Meditate on the לועג לרש: the honour due to the deceased, exempt from the mitsvot
DAAT · רב יוסף חיים סממה
סימן כ״ג · Level 3 — Master Synthesis
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