R. Akiva says, even one who reads "outside" Seforim, like Sefer Ben Sira and Sifrei Ben La'anah [has no share in the world to come] but Sifrei ha'Miram and all Seforim that were written from this time and onwards, one who reads in them is like one who reads a letter. (SHIREI KORBAN - Chachamim forbade the former, for some attached them to Kisvei ha'Kodesh. There was no such concern about the latter. ALEI TAMAR - the Isur is to read in them b'Tzibur.)

What is the reason? "V'Yoser me'Hemah Beni Hizaher..." - they were given for thought, but not for exertion. (It is proper to learn the Chachmah in Seforim such as Sefer Ben Sira, but they were not written with Ru'ach ha'Kodesh, so one may not expound and deduce from them the way we do from Tanach - ALEI TAMAR.)

(Rav Huna): "Divrei Chachamim k'Darbonos" - they are like a nice gem. There (in Bavel) they call a pearl "Dirah".

Alternatively, "k'Darbonos" is like this ball among girls (who throw it to each other). It is received from hand to hand, and in the end it will rest in the hand of one of them;

So Moshe received Torah from Sinai and handed it over to Yehoshua, and Yehoshua to the Zekenim, and Zekenim to the Nevi'im, and Nevi'im to Anshei Keneses ha'Gedolah.

Alternatively, "k'Darbonos" - a plowshare has three names - Marde'a, Darban and Melamed. It is called Marde'a because it is Moreh De'ah (teaches knowledge, i.e. to go straight) to the cow. It is called Darban because it causes Binah (understanding) to rest on the cow. It is called Melamed because it teaches the cow to plow, in order to give life (grain) to its owner. (Similarly, Divrei Chachamim teach us to go on the straight path, give understanding, and give eternal life.)

(R. Chama bar Chaninah): If a person makes a Darban for his cow [lest it veer from the proper path], how much the more so [he should make a Darban] for his Yetzer ha'Ra, which veers him from life in this world and life in the world to come!

Question: Why does it say "uch'Masmeros Netu'im", and not 'uch'Masmeros Kevu'im' or 'uch'Ilanos Netu'im'?

Answer #1: They chose [a metaphor] of iron (for the strength of Divrei Torah, and regarding how solidly it is entrenched) they praised it like what is planted (it is extremely difficult to uproot).

Answer #2: "Uch'Masmeros Netu'im" - just like this nail, you fix it [in the wall], even though later you take it from its place, its place is recognized;

So, anyone against whom Chachamim stretched their hands (excommunicated), even though they returned to draw him close, in the end he will receive his punishment due to them.

Answer #3: "Uch'Masmeros Netu'im" - it is written [with a Sin, which enables us to read like] Mishmaros - just like there are 24 Mishmaros, also nails [in a wooden sandal] are 24.

Note: The Gemara never mentioned a wooden sandal! Also, after expounding the number of nails, why does it ask how many nails it has?! Perhaps the text should say like in Midrash Tanchuma (Beha'aloscha 25). It forbids reading Seforim Chitzonim, for just like there are 24 Mishmaros, Seforim [of Tanach] are 24 (and one may not add, like we explained above). The Gemara then asks about nails in a wooden sandal, for one opinion learns from the Mishmaros.

Question: How many nails must be in [a wooden sandal have, and one may wear it outside on Shabbos? ALEI TAMAR, Shabbos 6:2 - Chachamim decreed against wearing a wooden sandal on Shabbos, but a Tosefta says that if it has many nails, it is permitted. TORAH TEMIMAH (on Devarim 33:25) - it was forbidden at a time of Shmad. When things improved and they permitted it, they made a commemoration of what had been forbidden, i.e. Torah, Shabbos, the 13 Midos of expounding, or the Mishmaros.]

Answer #1 (R. Yochanan): It is five, corresponding to five Chumashim of the Torah.

Answer #2 (R. Chaninah): It is seven, corresponding to "[Barzel u'Nechoshes Min'alecha] uch'Yamecha Dav'echa" (like the seven days of the week, so seven nails support the strength of a shoe).

Answer #3 (R. Acha citing R. Chaninah): It is nine (corresponding to seven days of the week, and two for "Barzel u'Nechoshes").

Rebbi put 11 on this [sandal] and 13 on this, [in all 24] like the number of Mishmaros. (He put different amounts on each to show that he intended for this number; it was not because this many were needed for strength.)

(R. Yosi ben Chaninah): A bent nail (both ends are hammered into the wood) does not count towards the number of nails.

Rabah Ba bar Zavda asked R. Zeirah whether one may put nails on a shoe [and wear it on Shabbos]; he permitted (they decreed only about a sandal. We explained this and the previous teaching like KORBAN HA'EDAH.)

He asked whether one may put all [the nails] on one sandal; he permitted (Chachamim did not decree about such a case).

(Beraisa): One may not scrape old sandals and shoes [with the back of a knife, for it looks like smoothing the leather], but we may anoint and rinse them [in water].

(R. Krispa in the name of R. Yochanan): The early Talmidim of R. Chiyah Rabah used to say [in his name] that one may scrape. The later Talmidim said that one may not scrape.

They asked Rav; he said that one may not scrape (KORBAN HA'EDAH).

(R. Zeirah): One of the [early] Talmidim of R. Chiyah Rabah is missing (is unlike R. Krispa's rule, for he said that the early Talmidim permitted, but Rav forbids)!

(R. Chiya bar Ashi): We used to sit in front of Rav and anoint and rinse [shoes on Shabbos], but not scrape.

(Beraisa): One may not weasr new shoes and sandals [on Shabbos] unless he walked in them during the day (Erev Shabbos, lest they do not fit his feet well, and he will come to carry them).

Question: How much must he walk in them [before Shabbos]?

Answer #1: It is like from the great Beis Midrash of Bar Kapara until the great Beis Midrash of R. Hoshayah.

Answer #2 (Chachamim of Tzipori): It is from the Beis ha'Keneses of Bavliyim until the house of R. Chama bar Chaninah.

Answer #3 (Chachamim of Tiverya): It is from the great Beis Midrash until the store of R. Hoshayah.

(Beraisa): One may not anoint his foot when it is in a shoe, or his foot when it is in a sandal (this is like tanning). However, one may anoint his foot and put it in a shoe, or his foot and put it in a sandal.

One may anoint with oil and roll on a cooked hide without concern. One may not put [the hide] on a marble surface to roll on it (for it looks like he intends to tan it). R. Shimon ben Gamliel permits.

Answer #4 (to Question (1:d)): "Uch'Masmeros Netu'im" - when Divrei Torah leave the mouth of the one who says them properly, they are pleasant to those who hear them, like nails planted (they are below the surface, and do not pain a person);

When they leave [the mouth] jumbled, they are bitter to those who hear them, like nails.

[The above verse continues] "Ba'alei Asufos" - Asufos refers only to the Sanhedrin, like it says "Asfah Li Shiv'im Ish mi'Zoknei Yisrael." Alternatively, "Ba'alei Asufos" - they are said amidst a gathering.

Reish Lakish: If a person would say to me that there are [Drashos on] Divrei ha'Yamim in Bavel, I would go there and bring them from there;

Now (after Reish Lakish died), if all our Rebbeyim would gather, they could not bring it from there.

[The above verse continues] "Nitnu mi'Ro'eh Echad" - Hash-m said, if you heard a matter [of Torah, even] from the smallest Yisrael, and you enjoyed it, it should not be in your eyes as if you heard from a Katan, rather, like hearing from a Gadol. And it should not be like hearing from a Gadol, rather, like hearing from a Chacham. And it should not be like hearing from a Gadol, rather, like hearing from a Navi. And it should not be like hearing from a [Stam] Navi, rather, like hearing from [the faithful] shepherd;

"Shepherd" refers only to Moshe, like it says "va'Yizkor Yemei Olam Moshe Amo Ayeh ha'Ma'alem mi'Yam Es Ro'e Tzono Aye ha'Sam b'Kirbo Es Ru'ach Kodsho";

And it should not be like hearing from [the faithful] shepherd, rather, like hearing from Hash-m. It says "Nitnu mi'Ro'eh Echad" - Echad refers to Hash-m, like it says "Shma Yisrael Hash-m Elokeinu Hash-m Echad."

And one who whispers on a wound and says "all the illness that I put on Mitzrayim, I will not put it on you, for I am Hash-m your Healer" [has no share in the world to come].

(Rav): This is only if he spits.

(R. Yehoshua ben Levi): Even if he said "Nega Tzara'as Ki Sihyeh b'Adam" and he spits, he has no share in the world to come.

Aba Sha'ul says, even one who pronounces Hash-m's name with its letters (like it is written, has no share in the world to come).

(R. Mana): This refers to people like these Kusim, who swear [and say Hash-m's name like it is written].

(R. Yakov bar Acha): [Hash-m's name] is written with Yud Kei, and it is pronounced with Aleph Dalet.