(R. Yosah): The threshold discussed [in the Beraisa above] is four [by four Tefachim] wide and it is not 10 tall. If you would say that it is 10 tall and four wide, it is a Reshus [ha'Yachid] by itself!

If you would say that it is 10 tall and not four wide, it would be like Rav Chisda said in the name of Asi, that if a stick was inserted in Reshus ha'Rabim and it is 10 [Tefachim] tall, one may transfer from it to here and here (Reshus ha'Rabim or from Reshus ha'Rabim, for it is Mekom Petur), as long as he does not transfer [from Reshus ha'Yachid to Reshus ha'Rabim via the stick].

Conclusion: Rather, we discuss when it is four wide and not 10 tall.

A threshold in front of the opening [of the house] - others say, as long as the door is open, all of it (the threshold) is like inside [the house, Reshus ha'Yachid]. When the door is closed, all of it is like outside (Reshus ha'Rabim).

Question: What is the case? If [the threshold] is covered, even if [the door] is closed, all of it is like inside! (The outer edge of the covering is considered to descend and make a fourth wall, due to Pi Tikra Yored v'Sosem.) If it is not covered, even if [the door] is open, all of it is like outside! (Rabanan forbid carrying when one side is totally open.)

Answer: The case is, half is covered and half is not covered. (When the door is closed, Pi Tikra Yored v'Sosem does not apply, for there is no Mechitzah for an area less than four by four. When it is open, Pi Tikra Yored v'Sosem applies and permits the covered part. Since part is permitted, all is permitted.)

Question: What does it mean "when it is closed, all of it is like outside''? May one transfer from it to outside (Reshus ha'Rabim), and from outside to it?! (Surely one may not. The threshold has three walls. Mid'Oraisa it is Reshus ha'Yachid!)

Answer: (It is like outside, i.e. one may not transfer between it and inside. How is this relevant when the door is closed?) The case is, there was a hole in the door. (One may not transfer from the threshold to the hole, or from the hole to it.)

R. Nasan says, if [the door] is closed, all of [the threshold] is like outside. If it is open, half is like inside, and half is like outside. (He does not say "since part is permitted, all is permitted.'')

Question: Do we not say that a threshold must be four [by four to be a Karmelis? Less than this is Mekom Petur. When the door is closed, why does he consider half like outside, to forbid transferring from it to inside? It is less than four!]

Answer: Since when he closes the door, all is like outside, even when the door is open, half is like inside, and half is like outside. (We do not say that the outer half is Batel. We explained this like HA'GAON RAV C. KANIEVSKY, SHLITA.)

(Mishnah): One may not sit in front of a barber (begin a haircut) close to [the time of] Minchah, until he prays, nor enter a bathhouse or a tannery, or begin to eat or to judge.

If one began [one of these], he need not interrupt. One interrupts to say Shma, but not for prayer.

(Gemara) Question: Our Mishnah says "close to Minchah.'' R. Chiya taught "close to dark''!

Answer #1: Our Mishnah needs also R. Chiya's teaching, and R. Chiya's teaching needs also our Mishnah;

If R. Chiya's teaching was taught, but not our Mishnah, we would have said that they said only [close to] dark, but not [close to] Minchah. Therefore, we need our Mishnah;

If our Mishnah was taught, but not R. Chiya's teaching, we would have said that all the Mishnayos that say [close to] Minchah, [we forbid close to] Minchah, and all the Mishnayos that say [close to] dark, [we forbid only close to] dark;

From this that our Mishnah taught Minchah, and R. Chiya Rabah taught dark, this shows that even when [the Mishnah] teaches dark, it means Minchah.

Answer #2 (R. Chaninah the nephew of R. Hoshayah): Our Mishnah discusses an Am ha'Aretz. R. Chiya's teaching discusses a Chaver (we need not be so stringent for a Chaver).

Answer #3 (Rabanan of Kisarin): (All forbid until the latest time for Minchah.) Our Mishnah is like R. Yehudah [who permit Minchah is until Plag ha'Minchah]. R. Chiya's teaching is like Rabanan [who permit Minchah until dark].

(Mishnah): [One may not sit] in front of a barber close to Minchah until he prays, nor enter a bathhouse.

What is the beginning of a haircut? It is from when he begins to shave [his head].

Question (Beraisa): If one sat to shave, and they came and told him that his father died, he finishes his head (for it is disgraceful if only part of his head is shaved). This applies both to the barber (if he heard that his father died, even though an Avel may not work) and to the one who is shaved.

Answer (Correction): Rather, [the beginning of a haircut] is from when he covers himself with the cloth [put on one who is shaved to keep his clothes clean].

Question: What is the beginning of [entering] a bathhouse?

Answer #1 (R. Zerikan citing R. Chaninah): It is from when he unties his belt.

Answer #2 (Rav): It is from when he unties his shoe.

This is like R. Yehoshua ben Levi, who used to hear a Parshah from his grandson every Erev Shabbos. Once, he forgot and entered one of the bathhouses in Tiverya. He was leaning on the shoulder of R. Chiya bar Ba, and remembered that he did not hear a Parshah from his grandson. He went back and left.

Question: What was [his situation when he left]?

Answer #1 (R. Drusi): It was like [he entered. He had not removed anything.]

Answer #2 (R. Eliezer bei R. Yosi): He had [already] removed his clothes.

Question (R. Chiya bar Aba, to R. Yehoshua ben Levi): Rebbi did not teach like this [in our Mishnah! Rather,] if they began, they do not interrupt! (TOV YERUSHALAYIM - below, Chizkiyah said that anyone who is exempt, and he fulfills, he is called a commoner.)

Answer (R. Yehoshua ben Levi): Chiya my son (i.e. Talmid), is it light in your eyes that anyone who hears a Parshah from his grandson, it is as if he heard it from Har Sinai?!

What is the source of this? "V'Hodatam l'Vanecha v'Livnei Vanecha Yom Asher Amadta Lifnei Hash-m Elokecha b'Chorev.''

(R. Chizkiyah citing R. Yirmeyah citing R. Chiya citing R. Yochanan): If you can trace a teaching until Moshe (name all the Chachamim in the chain of the tradition), trace it. If not, mention only the first or last.

Note: Why did R. Chizkiyah mention all three Chachamim in the chain, unlike this very teaching?! Perhaps he means that if you cannot trace it until Moshe, it suffices to mention only the first or last, but one may mention more. The Bavli (Nazir 56b) holds that one must mention the first and last, and it is optional to mention more (even if he could trace it until Moshe.) Or, perhaps R. Chizkiyah did not cite all of them; the Gemara records that also R. Yirmeyah and/or R. Chiya said this teaching, in the name of R. Yochanan. (Yalkut ha'Makiri on Mishlei 22:24 brings a related teaching from "Chizkiyah and R. Yirmeyah and R. Chiya bar Aba citing R. Yochanan'' (although we find that each was the Talmid of the Chacham mentioned after him).

What is the source [of the first half]? "V'Hodatam l'Vanecha v'Livnei Vanecha Yom Asher Amadta'' - [if possible, trace it] until the day that you stood in front of Hash-m Elokecha on Sinai.

(Gidul): Anyone who says a teaching in the name of the author, he should picture as if the author of the teaching stands in front of him.

What is the source? "Ach b'Tzelem Yis'halech Ish'' (one should go with the image of his Rebbi in front of him. We explained this like HA'GAON RAV C. KANIEVSKY, SHLITA.)

It says "Rav Adam Yikra Ish Chasdo v'Ish Emunim Mi Yimtza.'' "Rav Adam Yikra Ish Chasdo'' refers to other people (they are not so meticulous that teachings were reported accurately). "V'Ish Emunim Mi Yimtza'' refers to R. Ze'ira;

R. Ze'ira said "we need not be concerned for teachings of Rav Sheshes, for he is a man [whose heart] is open'' (surely he did not err. R. Ze'ira had faith in his Rebbi, Rav Sheshes - R. SHLOMO SIRILIYO, Shekalim 2:5.)

Note: We find that R. Zeira was Rav Sheshes' Talmid (Chulin 121b). In the Yerushalmi he is usually called R. Ze'ira with an Ayin in his name, but they are the same (Bava Kama 4:1; we find that R. Ze'ira was initially from Bavel (below, 5:4), and R. Yirmeyah was his Talmid...) Alternatively, R. Ze'ira is called Ish Emunim, for he was concerned about Stam Amora'im, lest they erred - PF.

R. Ze'ira (to R. Yosa): Rebbi, do you know Bar Padyah, that you say a teaching in his name? (Perhaps you heard others cite him mistakenly!) R. Yosah answered, R. Yochanan said it in his name. (I rely on R. Yochanan.)

R. Ze'ira (to R. Ba bar Zavda): Rebbi, do you know Rav, that you say a teaching in his name? R. Ba answered, Rav Ada bar Ahavah said it in his name.

(Mishnah): [One may] not [enter] a tannery [close to Minchah, before he prays. If one began, he must interrupt to say Shma.]

What is the beginning of tanning? It is from when he begins his work.

Question: How can you say so? We separate from someone with a bad smell [before saying Divrei Kedushah], and you say [that he interrupts to say Shma?! They used to use excrement to tan, and tanners absorbed the stench.]

Answer (and Correction): Rather, it is from when he only wore the clothes of his trade [before he begins his work].

Note: Surely, his work clothes have a foul odor! We must say that he changes clothes, or he had purified them from their stench, e.g. through fumigation or incense...