ot take his brother's wife, because he is prevented from marrying
a widow. If there happened a death in his family, he must not go
immediately behind the bier. "But when the (mourners) are concealed (in a
street), then he is discovered (to the public). They are discovered to the
public, and he is concealed in a street. And he may go with them to the
entrance gate of the city." The words of R. Meier. R. Judah said, "he must
not depart from the sanctuary"; as is said, "neither shall he go out of
the sanctuary."(381) And when he comforts others, the fashion of all the
people is to pass one after the other, and the deputy priest puts him in
the middle between himself and the people. But when he is comforted by
others, all the people say to him, "we are thy atonement." And he says to
them, "you shall be blessed from heaven." And at the first meal(382) after
a funeral, all the people recline on the ground, and he sits on a stool.

2. The king neither judges, nor is he judged. He neither bears witness,
nor is witness borne against him. He does not unloose the shoe, and the
shoe is not unloosed for his wife. He does not marry his brother's wife,
nor is his wife married by his brother. R. Judah said, "if he pleased he
may unloose the shoe, or marry his brother's wife. He is remembered in
prayer for good." The Sages said to him, "we do not hear him (the king)
(for unloosing the shoe) and his widow must not marry." R. Judah said,
"the king may marry the widow of a king, as we find with David that he
married the widow of Saul"; as is said, "And I gave thee thy master's
house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom."(383)

3. If there happened a death in his family, he goes not out from the
entrance of his palace. R. Judah said, "if he pleases to go after the bier
he may go, as we find in David that he went after the bier of Abner"; as
is said, "And King David himself followed the bier."(384) The Sages said
to him, "this only happened to pacify the people." And at the first meal
after a funeral, all the people recline on the ground, and he sits on a
sofa.

4. And he may go forth to lawful warfare by order of the supreme court of
seventy-one, and he may break down a road for himself, and none can
prevent him. The road of a king is without measure, and all the people
plunder and lay it before him. And he takes part first. He must not
multiply wives beyond eighteen. R. Judah said, "he may multiply wives for
himself so long as they do n