(Beraisa - Aba Binyamin): If a person could see the Mazikin around him, he would not be able to bear the fright.

(Abaye): There are more Mazikin than people; they surround us like a furrow around a vine.

(Rav Huna): Everyone has 1,000 Mazikin on his left, and 10,000 on his right.

(Rava): They cause the cramped conditions at Kalah (gatherings of Talmidim on Shabbosim before Pesach and Sukos), weakness of knees, and knocking of feet; they sit next to (and rub against) Talmidim, causing Talmidim's garments to fray.

If one wants to verify their presence, he should put ground ashes around his bed; in the morning, he will see footprints resembling those of a chicken.

To see the Mazikin, one should burn a fetal sac of a cat (meeting certain other conditions) and put the ashes on his eye;

He should put [the remaining ashes] in an iron tube and seal it with iron, lest [Mazikin] steal it from him.

He should seal his mouth, lest [Mazikin] harm him.

Rav Bivi bar Abaye did so, and they damaged him; Rabanan prayed for him, he recovered.

(Beraisa - Aba Binyamin): A person's prayer is heard only if he prays in synagogue:

"Lishmo'a El ha'Rinah v'El ha'Tefilah" -- the place where we sing (Hash-m's praises) is the proper place for Tefilah.

Question (Ravin bar Rav Ada): What is the source that Hash-m is found in synagogues?

Answer: "Elokim Nitzav ba'Adas Kel."

This also teaches that the Shechinah is with ten people who pray together.

Question: What is the source that the Shechinah is with three who judge a case?

Answer: "B'Kerev Elokim Yishpot."

Question: What is the source that the Shechinah is with two people learning Torah together?

Answer: "Az Nidberu Yir'ei Hash-m Ish El Re'ehu va'Yakshev Hash-m..."

Question: What do we learn from the continuation, "ul'Choshvei Shemo"?

Answer (Rav Ashi): If a person Chashav (intended) to do a Mitzvah and was unable to, the verse considers it as though he did it.

Question: What is the source that the Shechinah is with even one person learning Torah?

Answer: "B'Chol Makom Asher Azkir Es Shemi Avo Elecha u'Verachticha."

Question: Since the Shechinah is with even one person learning, why must a verse teach that it is with two?

Answer: When there are two, Hash-m records their words in a Sefer, but not when there is only one.

Question: Since the Shechinah is with two, why must a verse teach about three? (Sitting in judgment is also learning Torah!)

Answer: One might have thought that judgment is merely making peace between people -- the verse teaches that it is also Torah.

Question: Since the Shechinah is with even three, why must a verse teach that it is with ten?

Answer: When there are ten, the Shechinah comes before them; when there are only three, the Shechinah does not come until they begin to judge.

Question (Ravin bar Rav Ada): What is the source that Hash-m wears Tefilin? (Obviously, His Tefilin are not physical.)

Answer: "Nishba Hash-m bi'Yemino" refers to Torah; "uvi'Zero'a Uzo" refers to Tefilin -- "Hash-m Oz l'Amo Yiten."

Question: What is the source that the Oz (strength) of Yisrael is Tefilin?

Answer (Beraisa - R. Eliezer ha'Gadol): "V'Ra'u Kol Amei ha'Aretz Ki Shem Hash-m Nikra Alecha v'Yar'u Mimeka" -- this refers to Tefilin Shel Rosh (Rashi - a "Shin" and "Dalet," two letters from the name of Hash-m, are seen from the outside.)

Question (Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak): What is written in Hash-m's Tefilin?

Answer (R. Chiya bar Avin): It says, "u'Mi k'Amcha Yisrael Goy Echad ba'Aretz."

Question: Does Hash-m aggrandize Himself with the praises of Yisrael?!

Answer: Yes -- "Es Hash-m He'emarta ha'Yom; va'Shem He'emircha ha'Yom";

Hash-m told Yisrael, you made Me unique -- "Shema Yisrael Hash-m Elokeinu Hash-m Echad" -- I will make you unique, "u'Mi k'Amcha Yisrael Goy Echad ba'Aretz."

Question (Rav Acha brei d'Rava): That accounts for one of the four compartments (of His Tefilin) -- what is written in the others?

Answer (Rav Ashi): "Ki Mi Goy Gadol," "u'Mi Goy Gadol," "Ashrecha Yisrael," "O ha'Nisa Elokim," "u'Lesitcha Elyon."

Question (Rav Acha): If so, there are six Batim -- but Tefilin have only four!

Answer (Rav Ashi): There are two pairs of similar verses, each pair is together in one Bayis -- "Ki Mi Goy Gadol" and "u'Mi Goy Gadol," and "u'Mi k'Amcha Yisrael" and "Ashrecha Yisrael."

All of these are written in the one Bayis of His hand Tefilin.

(Ravin bar Rav Ada): If one normally comes to synagogues, and one day he does not come, Hash-m inquires about him -- "Mi Vachem Yerei Hash-m... Asher Halach Chashechim v'Ein Nogah Lo";

If he went to do a Mitzvah, he will have Nogah (light); if not, he will not.

"Yivtach b'Shem Hash-m" -- this shows why he will not have light, for he should have trusted in Hash-m (that he will not lose by coming to synagogue.)

(R. Yochanan): If Hash-m comes to synagogue and does not find ten people (at the time for prayer), He gets angry -- "Madu'a Basi v'Ein Ish, Karasi v'Ein Oneh."

(R. Chelbo): Anyone who has a fixed a place for Tefilah, the G-d of Avraham helps him; when he dies, he is called humble, a Chasid, a Talmid of Avraham.

Question: What is the source that Avraham fixed a place for Tefilah?

Answer: "Va'Yashkem Avraham ba'Boker El ha'Makom Asher Amad Sham";

"Amidah" is prayer -- "va'Ya'amod Pinchos va'Yefalel."

(R. Chelbo): One who leaves a synagogue should not take big steps (it looks like being in synagogue was a burden to him);

(Abaye): This applies to leaving, but it is a Mitzvah to run to synagogue -- "Nirdefah Lada'as Es Hash-m."

(R. Zeira): At first, when I saw Talmidim running to the Kalah (public lecture before the festival), I thought that they were disgracing Shabbos;

Later, I heard R. Tanchum teach that one should run to learn (some texts - to do a Mitzvah), even on Shabbos -- "Acharei Hash-m Yelchu k'Aryeh Yish'ag" -- now also I run.

(R. Zeira): The primary reward for hearing a Torah discourse is for running to it (because most people will not understand it well enough to repeat it);

(Abaye): The primary reward for attending the Kalah is for suffering the cramped conditions;

(Rava): The primary reward for learning is for struggling to understand;

(Rav Papa): The primary reward for visiting mourners is for being silent;

(Mar Zutra): The primary reward for a fast is the Tzedakah that one gives (afterwards to the Aniyim who fasted);

(Rav Sheshes): The primary reward for a eulogy is for making people cry;

(Rav Ashi): The primary reward for attending a wedding is for words (that gladden the Chasan).

(Rav Huna): One who prays behind a synagogue is called a Rasha -- "Saviv Resha'im Yis'halachun";

(Abaye): This is only if he does not face the synagogue (for then he faces the opposite direction from the congregation); if he faces the synagogue, it is fine.

A certain man prayed in back of a synagogue and did not face the synagogue; Eliyahu appeared to him like an Arab merchant.

Eliyahu: You make it seem like there are two powers (for you pray to the opposite direction from the congregation)!

Eliyahu killed him.

Question: What does it mean, "Kerum Zulus li'Vnei Adam"?

Answer #1 (Rav Bivi bar Abaye): This refers to things that are at the RoM (peak of importance) of the world, yet people MeZaLZeL (disgrace) them.

Answer #2 (R. Yochanan and R. Elazar): Once a person must take money from others, his face turns to Kerum.

Question: What is Kerum?

Answer (Rav Dimi): It is a coastal bird; when the sun shines on it, it turns to many colors.

(R. Ami and R. Asi): If a person must take money from others, it is as if he was punished with fire and water -- "Hirkavta Enosh l'Rosheinu Banu va'Esh uva'Mayim."

(R. Chelbo): A person should be very careful about Minchah, for this is when Eliyahu was answered -- "va'Yehi ba'Alos ha'Minchah va'Yigash Eliyahu... Aneni Hash-m Aneni";

He asked Hash-m to bring fire from the heavens to consume everything on the Mizbe'ach, and to distract people, so they will not say that it was done through witchcraft.

(R. Yochanan): A person should also be very careful about Ma'ariv -- "Tikon Tefilasi Ketores... Minchas Arev" (what I pray at night should be like a Minchah);

(Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak): A person should also be very careful about Shacharis -- "Hash-m Boker Tishma Koli."

(R. Chelbo): Anyone who benefits from a wedding feast and does not gladden the Chasan transgresses five Kolos (voices) with which Hash-m blessed Yisrael -- "Kol Sason v'Kol Simchah Kol Chasan v'Kol Kalah Kol Omrim Hodu Es Hash-m Tzevakos."

Question: If he did gladden the Chasan, what is his reward?

Answer #1 (R. Yehoshua ben Levi): He merits Torah, which was given with five Kolos -- "va'Yehi va'Yom ha'Shelishi... Kolos (plural, i.e. two) u'Verakim... v'Kol Shofar... va'Yehi Kol ha'Shofar... veha'Elokim Ya'anenu v'Kol."

Question: There are two more -- "v'Chol ha'Am Ro'im Es ha'Kolos"!

Answer: Those were before Matan Torah.

Answer #2 (R. Avahu): It is as if he offered a Korban Todah -- [the verse "Kol Sason v'Kol Simchah..." continues:] "Mevi'im Todah Beis Hash-m."

Answer #3 (Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak): It is as if he rebuilt a ruin of Yerushalayim -- "Ki Ashiv Es Shevus ha'Aretz keva'Rishonah."

(R. Chelbo): If someone fears Shamayim, his words are heard -- "Sof Davar ha'Kol Nishma Es ha'Elokim Yera";

Question: What does the end of the verse, "Ki Zeh Kol ha'Adam," mean?

Answer #1 (R. Elazar): The entire world was created for the sake of even one such person.

Answer #2 (Rav Aba bar Kahana): Such a person is worth as much as the entire world.

Answer #3 (Ben Azai): The entire world was created to accompany such a person.

(R. Chelbo): If you know that a person normally greets you with "Shalom," you should greet him first -- "Bakesh Shalom v'Radfehu."

If one gives "Shalom" and the receiver does not return it, he is called a robber -- "Gezelas he'Ani b'Vateichem" (Shalom can be "stolen" even from one who is penniless.)