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When must one interrupt Torah (תורה) study to attend a funeral? The shiur analyzes whether levaya is a reshut (optional) or chiyuv (obligation), exploring the Rosh's view that it stems from ve'ahavta lerei'acha kamocha—a mitzvah (מצוה) she-efshar la'asot al yedei acheirim—versus the position that certain forms of chesed (חסד) are mandated by Chazal independent of the general din of bitul Torah for mitzvos.
This shiur analyzes Megillah 30b (though the discussion is primarily about a Gemara (גמרא) sugya dealing with bitul Torah (תורה) for levaya and hachnasas kallah). The central question is when and why one must interrupt Talmud (תלמוד) Torah to participate in a levaya (funeral escort) or hachnasas kallah (bringing a bride to her wedding canopy). The Gemara establishes that one is mevatel Torah for these purposes, and defines the shiur (measure) differently depending on the status of the deceased: for a talmid chacham the shiur is 600,000 people, for someone who is kari ve-tani (learned but didn't teach) there is no shiur, and for someone who is not a talmid chacham the shiur is kedei tzorko—the bare minimum needed. The Rosh brings a fundamental machloket among Rishonim: Is this obligation a chiyuv (mandatory) or merely a reshut (permitted but optional)? The Rosh cites several rayot for each position. One key raya is from Rabbi Yehuda ben Beriyah, who was known to be mevatel Torah for levaya. If it's a chiyuv for everyone, why single him out? The Rosh answers that even someone whose entire life was Torah shebe'al peh with no other occupation must do it—that's the chiddush. The opposing view holds it's merely a reshut, and Rabbi Yehuda ben Beriyah's conduct was his personal practice.
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Megillah 30b
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