[34a - 46 lines; 34b - 50 lines]
1)[line 2]"וכבא נשאי הארון עד הירדן ורגלי הכהנים נשאי הארון נטבלו בקצה המים והירדן מלא על כל גדותיו כל ימי קציר. ויעמדו המים הירדים מלמעלה קמו נד אחד הרחק מאד מאדם העיר אשר מצד צרתן והירדים על ים הערבה ים המלח תמו נכרתו והעם עברו נגד יריחו""UCH'VO NOS'EI HA'ARON AD HA'YARDEN V'RAGLEI HA'KOHANIM NOS'EI HA'ARON NITBELU BI'KETZEH HA'MAYIM, VEHA'YARDEN MALEI AL KOL GEDOSAV KOL YEMEI KATZIR. VA'YA'AMDU HA'MAYIM HA'YORDIM MIL'MA'ALAH KAMU NEID ECHAD HARCHEIK ME'OD ME'ADAM HA'IR ASHER MI'TZAD TZARSAN, VEHA'YORDIM AL YAM HA'ARAVAH, YAM HA'MELACH TAMU NICHRESU, VEHA'AM AVRU NEGED YERICHO" - "And when those who carried the Aron came to the Jordan and the feet of the Kohanim who carried the Aron were dipped into the edge of the water, and the Jordan was full on all its banks during the entire harvest season. The water that flowed down from above then piled-up into a wall, far away from the city of Adam, which was in the direction of Tzarsan, and the water that flowed down to the sea of the plains, the Yam ha'Melach, ceased completely, and the people crossed opposite Yericho" (Yehoshua 3:15-16) (THE SPLITTNG OF THE JORDAN RIVER)
See Background to Sotah 33:22.
2)[line 5]מילMIL (MEASURES OF LENGTH AND DISTANCE)
(a)The Talmud uses the following standards for measuring distance:
1.3 Parsa'os = 24,000 Amos = 90 Ris = 12 Mil
2.1 Parsah = 8,000 Amos = 30 Ris = 4 Mil
3.1 Mil = 2,000 Amos = 7.5 Ris
4.1 Ris (or Rus) = 266.66 Amos
5.1 Amah = 2 Zerasos = 6 Tefachim
6.1 Zeres = 3 Tefachim
7.1 Tefach = 4 Etzba'os
(b)In modern-day units, the Mil is approximately 912, 960 or 1,152 meters, depending upon the differing Halachic opinions.
3)[line 9]נגדשין ועולין כיפין על גבי כיפיןNIGDASHIN V'OLIN KIPIN AL GABEI KIPIN- the waters were heaped up and piled on, [as] arches upon arches (as in a sea surge)
4)[line 17]"כי שמענו את אשר הוביש ה' את מי ים סוף מפניכם בצאתכם ממצרים ואשר עשיתם לשני מלכי האמרי אשר בעבר הירדן לסיחן ולעוג אשר החרמתם אותם. ונשמע וימס לבבנו ולא קמה עוד רוח באיש מפניכם כי ה' א-לקיכם הוא א-לקים בשמים ממעל ועל הארץ מתחת""KI SHAMANU ES ASHER HOVISH HASH-M ES MEI YAM SUF MIPNEICHEM B'TZEISCHEM MI'MITZRAYIM, VA'ASHER ASISEM LI'SHENEI MALCHEI HA'EMORI ASHER B'EVER HA'YARDEN, L'SICHON UL'OG, ASHER HECHERAMTEM OSAM. VA'NISHMA VA'YIMAS LEVAVENU, V'LO KAMAH OD RU'ACH B'ISH MIPNEICHEM, KI HASH-M E-LOKEICHEM HU E-LOKIM BA'SHAMAYIM MI'MA'AL V'AL HA'ARETZ MI'TACHAS" - "For we heard how HaSh-m dried up the water of the Yam Suf from before you when you left Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Emori who lived on the other side of the Jordan, Sichon and Og, whom you destroyed. And we heard and our hearts melted, and no spirit remained in any man before you, because HaSh-m your G-d He is G-d in the Heaven above and on the earth below" (Yehoshua 2:10-11) (RACHAV'S MESSAGE TO THE SPIES)
(a)After hiding the spies (Kalev and Pinchas) among the flax on her roof, Rachav informed the king's men who had come to look for them that they had left town a short while earlier, and she urged them to chase the spies. She told them that if they ran fast enough, they might still catch up with the spies before they reached the Jordan River. The king's men left Yericho via the town gates, which were firmly locked behind them, and pursued the spies right up to the Jordan, but, of course, they found nobody.
(b)Meanwhile, Rachav went up to the roof and spoke to the spies.
(c)See Background to Berachos 43:17.
5)[line 21]שתורישוSHE'TORISHU- that you will drive out
6)[line 22]"והורשתם את כל ישבי הארץ מפניכם ואבדתם את כל משכיתם ואת כל צלמי מסכתם תאבדו ואת כל במותם תשמידו""V'HORASHTEM ES KOL YOSHVEI HA'ARETZ MIPNEICHEM, V'IBADTEM ES KOL MASKIYOSAM, V'ES KOL TZALMEI MASECHOSAM TE'ABEDU, V'ES KOL BAMOSAM TASHMIDU"- "Then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured pavements, and destroy all their molten images, and devastate all their high places" (Bamidbar 33:52).
7)[line 24]אותיכםOSEICHEM- this word represents the correct Girsa in the Tosefta (8:3) and our Gemara interprets it homiletically (MAHARSHA)
8)[line 26]"... והרימו לכם איש אבן אחת על שכמו למספר שבטי בני ישראל""... V'HARIMU LACHEM ISH EVEN ACHAS AL SHICHMO L'MISPAR SHIVTEI [VNEI] YISRAEL"- "[And Yehoshua said to them, 'Pass over before the Ark of HaSh-m, your G-d, into the midst of the Jordan,] and every one of you shall lift up a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of Bnei Yisrael" (Yehoshua 4:5) - The word "v'Gomer" seems unnecessary, since the Gemara has quoted the end of this verse and immediately brings the next verse.
9)[line 27]"למען תהיה זאת אות בקרבכם כי ישאלון בניכם מחר לאמר מה האבנים האלה לכם?""L'MA'AN TIHEYEH ZOS OS B'KIRBECHEM KI YISH'ALUN BENEICHEM MACHAR LEIMOR, 'MAH HA'AVANIM HA'EELEH LACHEM?'"- "That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in times to come, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?'" (Yehoshua 4:6) - "v'Gomer" must be referring to the next verse, which contains the answer to this question.
10)[line 38]ושיערוםV'SHI'ARUM- and they estimated their size
11)[line 38]שקולה כארבעים סאהSHEKULAH K'ARBA'IM SE'AH- equal to the weight of forty Se'in (regarding the contents of this weight of forty Se'in and the practice of using measurements of volume as measurements of weight, see Midos v'Shi'urei Torah 29:1, 2 by Chaim P. Beinish, Bnei Brak, 5760)
12)[line 39]וגמיריU'GEMIREI- and we know by tradition
13a)[line 39]דטעונא דמדלי איניש לכתפיהD'TE'UNA D'MADLI INISH L'CHASPEI- that the burden that a person lifts up (by himself) on his shoulder
b)[line 40]תילתא דטעוניה הויTILSA D'TE'UNEI HEVI- is a third of the total load that he can carry [when he is loaded by someone else]
14)[line 41]לאשכולL'ESHKOL- for the cluster of grapes that the spies brought back from Eretz Kena'an
15)[line 41]"ויבאו עד נחל אשכל ויכרתו משם זמורה ואשכול ענבים אחד וישאהו במוט בשנים ומן הרמונים ומן התאנים""VA'YAVO'U AD NACHAL ESHKOL, VA'YICHRESU MI'SHAM ZEMORAH, V'ESHKOL ANAVIM ECHAD, VA'YISA'UHU VA'MOT BI'SHENAYIM; U'MIN HA'RIMONIM U'MIN HA'TE'ENIM"- "And they came to the brook of Eshkol, and cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bore it between two on a pole; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs" (Bamidbar 13:23).
16)[line 43]טורטני וטורטני דטורטניTURTANI V'TURTANI D'TURTANI- a combination of balancing poles [for four couples of carriers] (a Turtani is a balance scale)
17)[line 45]באותה עצהB'OSAH ETZAH- with that [evil] scheme [of the spies]
34b----------------------------------------34b
18)[line 1]כחנייתןK'CHANAYASAN- in the same formation as their camp, the area of which was 12 Milin by 12 Milin
19)[line 5]שלח לך מדעתךSHELACH LECHA, MI'DA'ATCHA- "Send for you" - that is, according to your will
20)[line 5]וכי אדם זה בורר חלק רע לעצמו?!V'CHI ADAM ZEH BORER CHELEK RA L'ATZMO?!- Does a person choose for himself a portion that is bad?! i.e. the Creator, who knew that the results of sending the spies would be catastrophic, would not have commanded to send them
21)[line 7]"[נשלחה אנשים לפנינו] ויחפרו לנו את הארץ""[NISHLECHAH ANASHIM LEFANEINU] V'YACHPERU LANU ES HA'ARETZ"- "[Let us send men before us] so that they may search out the land for us" (Devarim 1:22).
22)[line 9]לבושתהVOSHTAH- its shame
23)[line 11]"וחפרה הלבנה""V'CHAFRAH HA'LEVANAH"- "Then the moon shall be embarrassed, and the sun ashamed, when HaSh-m shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Yerushalayim, and before his elders gloriously" (Yeshayah 24:23).
24)[line 17]מךMACH- weak
25)[line 19]שפיסע על מדותיוSHE'PISE'A AL MIDOSAV- that he disregarded (lit. skipped over) the attributes of HaSh-m
26)[line 20]"ויעלו בנגב ויבא עד חברון ושם אחימן ששי ותלמי ילידי הענק; וחברון שבע שנים נבנתה לפני צען מצרים""VA'YA'ALU VA'NEGEV VA'YAVO AD CHEVRON, V'SHAM ACHIMAN SHESHAI V'SALMEI YELIDEI HA'ANAK; V'CHEVRON SHEVA SHANIM NIVNESAH LIFNEI TZO'AN MITZRAYIM"- "And they went up through the Negev (south) and came to Chevron, and there were Achiman, Sheshai, and Talmei, the children of the giant; and Chevron was built seven years before Tzo'an of Egypt" (Bamidbar 13:22) - The Gemara below emends the translation of the word "Mevuneh" and translates the end of this verse as, "and Chevron was seven times as productive as Tzo'an of Egypt."
27)[line 21]שפירשSHE'PIRESH- that he separated himself
28)[line 22]ונשתטחV'NISHTATE'ACH- and he prostrated himself
29)[line 29]מיומן שבאחיוMEYUMAN SHEB'ECHAV- the choicest, strongest of his brothers
30)[line 30]כשחתותK'SHACHASOS- like pits (because of his heavy footsteps)
31)[line 31]תלמים תלמיםTELAMIM TELAMIM- like rows of furrows of the plough
32)[line 31]ענתANAS- possibly Beis Anas in the portion of Naftali, mentioned in Yehoshua 19:38
33)[line 32]אלשALASH- possibly one of the stations of Bnei Yisrael in the desert (Bamidbar 33:13, according to the PEIRUSH YONASAN to TARGUM YONASAN BEN UZIEL)
34)[line 32]תלבושTALBOSH- possibly Ptlolemais, an ancient name for Ako (Acre)
35)[line 33]שמעניקין חמה בקומתןSHE'MA'ANIKIN CHAMAH B'KOMASAN- who make the "window of the sun" (the place in the sky at the eastern and western horizons where the sun appears to exit and enter the sky) seem to be their necklace because of their great height
36)[line 36]"ובני חם כוש ומצרים ופוט וכנען""U'VNEI CHAM, KUSH U'MITZRAYIM U'FUT U'CHENA'AN"- "And the sons of Cham [were] Kush and Mitzrayim and Put and Kena'an" (Bereishis 10:6) - From this verse it is clear that Kena'an, for whom Chevron was built, was younger than Mitzrayim, for whom Tzo'an was built."
37)[line 37]מבונהMEVUNAH- productive; flawless
38)[line 37]בצועןTZO'AN- This is identified with Tanis (Targum, Septuagint), a city in Egypt south of the Nile River Delta. Tanis was the capital of the Hyksos.
39)[line 38]טרשיםTERASHIM- rugged, stony ground
40)[line 39]דקברי בה שיכביD'KAVREI BAH SHICHVEI- that they buried the deceased there
41)[line 44]"ויהי מקץ ארבעים שנה ויאמר אבשלום אל מלך אלכה נא ואשלם את נדרי אשר נדרתי לה' בחברון. כי נדר נדר עבדך בשבתי בגשור בארם לאמר אם ישוב ישיבנו ה' ירושלים ועברתי את ה'""VA'YEHI MIKETZ ARBA'IM SHANAH VA'YOMER AVSHALOM EL HA'MELECH: ELCHAH NA VA'ASHALEM ES NIDRI ASHER NADARTI LA'HASH-M B'CHEVRON. KI NEDER NADAR AVDECHA B'SHIVTI BI'GESHUR BA'ARAM LEIMOR, 'IM YASHUV YESHIVENI HASH-M LI'YERUSHALAYIM V'AVADTI ES HASH-M'" - "And it was at the end of forty years that Avshalom said to the king: Let me go and fulfill the vow that I made to HaSh-m in Chevron. For your servant made a vow when I was residing in Geshur in Syria, saying, 'If HaSh-m returns me to Yerushalayim, I will serve HaSh-m'" (Shmuel II 15:7) (AVSHALOM'S REBELLION)
(a)It was when David consented to Avshalom's request that the rebellion began. (See Background to Sotah 9:36.)
(b)The verse records how he had 200 men accompanying him in total innocence (having no idea of the plot that was about to unfold). These he obtained through trickery, by means of a signed note from his father, permitting any two men to accompany him to Chevron. Taking full advantage of that note, he asked two men at a time (without them knowing that he had already asked two men before them), until he had amassed a group of 200 men.
42)[line 49]מינהMINAH- from it itself (your attempted rebuttal) there is a proof for my opinion
43)[line 49]איידי דקלישא ארעאAIDI D'KELISHA AR'A- since the earth is thin
44)[line 49]עבדה רעיאAVDAH RA'AYA- it produces [grass for] pasture
45)[last line]ושמן קניינאV'SHAMEN KINYANA- and the cattle, livestock becomes fattened
46)[last line]"וישבו מתור הארץ [מקץ ארבעים יום]""VA'YASHUVU MI'TUR HA'ARETZ [MIKETZ ARBA'IM YOM]"- "And they returned from spying out the land [at the end of forty days]" (Bamidbar 13:25).