Moed Katan 22 Who Says? Rending Clothing and the Hierarchy of Mourning Rituals

Today we watch the rabbis use different explanations to justify agreed-upon mourning rituals.  The consider what should be done if the 'principal mourner' (eldest male and/or husband of the deceased) leaves the house of mourning for more than three days.  Apparently, mourning is done as a group.  The rabbis consider how to count the mourning days for a person who is joining the other mourners after their mourning time has begun.

While discussing who made a certain point, the rabbis digress and speak about which rabbi suggested that a cow with a punctured but sealed intestine is kosher.  They stay on this point for some time.  

The remainder of today's daf compares how we mourn our parents with how we mourn all others.  The rabbis share various halachot of mourning, each time noting how much more pronounced our practice should be when mourning our parents.  Some examples include wearing one's garment with one shoulder showing (men only) and avoiding social gatherings.  

The example of rending one's clothing is detailed and very telling.  It notes the differences between men and women in rending clothing; women cannot show the skin of their chests, and so they rend an inner garment and turn it around.  The outer garment is also torn - by hand, and irreparably, if done for a parent.  It seems that people layered their clothing, which is interesting in a Babylonian climate.   

Today's daf ends with a description of how to honour a Sage and a Nasi.  Sages are to be treated as fathers and thus mourned similarly. The Nasi, however, is of a different status altogether.  He is not only a descendant of Hillel the Elder, but of King David.  Thus he is mourned with even greater fervour.  

The stark difference in people's roles, expectation and status are striking when we examine these halachot of mourning.  It is difficult to understand why a woman should have fewer obligations of mourning than a man.  It is impossible for me to understand why the loss of a labourer is less important that the loss of a Sage.  The Sages continue to allot tremendous significance to themselves, both in life and in death.  Yes, they were incredibly important, but a focus on the importance of humility seems to be missing from most of their recorded conversations.