Leaving Learning For Levayos
by Rabbi Yehuda Spitz
In Parshas Vayechi we are told of the colossal levayah (funeral) for YaakovAvinu, from Egypt all the way up to his final resting place, Ma’aras HaMachpella in Chevron. Indeed, the respect and honor accorded to Yaakov Avinu on his passing was universal, and we find that even the Canaanite Kings, no friends of Bnei Yisrael, nonetheless joined in the massive levayah[1].
Although we cannot fathom such a gathering for a funeral, nevertheless, the recent spate of Levayos for Gedolim that engendered public turnout in the hundreds of thousands of mourners has left even the most jaded of secular pundits speechless. The passing of such Gaonim as Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel zt”l, Rav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg zt”l, mv”r Rav Yaakov Blau zt”l, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe zt”l, and Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, over the last several years, has exemplified how much of a priority it is for us to pay our respect and show our esteem and reverence for these luminaries, as testament to their vast accomplishments as Gedolei HaDor.
Their vastly different backgrounds and constituents notwithstanding, each of these giants’ Levayos had attendance well into the tens and hundred thousands, consisting of the full spectrum of religious Jewry.
Indeed, the rewards for attending a levayah, and not just for Gedolim, are many. In fact, this Gemillas Chessed Shel Emes is referred to as a mitzvah that is ‘keren kayemes l’olam haba’ah’, an eternal one with rewards both in This World and the World to Come, with no diminished returns[2].
Deceased’s Needs Fulfilled?
Yet, we find that according to the Gemara and codified as halacha, although ‘Talmud Torah Kenneged Kulam’, Torah study is the greatest of all Mitzvos[3], nevertheless, one is obligated to leave his Torah study in order to properly escort one who has passed on[4].
Although the Gemara qualifies this rule, and asserts that it is relevant only to one who does not have ‘kol tzorcho’, his required needs, nowadays this is fulfilled with a ‘Chevra Kadisha’, a Burial Society, and one should not abandon his Torah study to attend a random levayah when basic requirements are being met[5].
However, continues the Gemara, different people have different needs regarding their levayos. A basic minyan is deemed sufficient only for one who is not learned[6]. Yet, for one who is learned, his basic needs for a levayah is an astounding 600,000 attendees, the same number as those present at Kabbolas HaTorah! This is due to the dictum of ‘Netilasah K’Nisinasah’; the same number present at Kabbolas HaTorah should be present when the Torah departs, meaning when one who is filled with Torah passes away.
Lest one think that this halacha is referring to a Gadol HaDor or at the very least, a famous Rosh Yeshiva, the Rema explains that in his time, anyone with at least a rudimentary Jewish education (in Chumash and Mishna) is included in this category! Although the Aruch Hashulchan felt that this was possibly only true in the Rema’s time, conversely, the Minchas Elazar of Munkacs remarked that in his day (around 85 years ago) this was certainly true; as ‘who doesn’t sit in shul over Shabbos and recite shnayim mikra v’echad targum?!”[7]
The Gemara concludes that for one who teaches Torah to others, also not referring exclusively to a Gadol Hador or Rosh Yeshiva, but even a Rebbi, Rav, Posek, Maggid Shiur, or Rosh Chaburah, there is no limit, and everyone is obligated to attend his levayah[8]!
Limud or Levayah?
If so, why do we find such numbers of mourners only at Gedolim’s levayos? In large cities wouldn’t everyone be required to stop their talmud Torah many times a day, simply to escort their fellow man, whom they may not have ever met, to his eternal rest?
Although there are several approaches and rationales given to answer this question, it is important to note that many Gedolim grappled with this issue, implying that the question is still better than the answer[9].