[105a - 50 lines; 105b - 50 lines]

1)[line 20]ושרי לה תיגראV'SHARI LAH TIGRA- and adjourn the case

2)[line 26]נפק דק ואשכחNAFAK, DAK, V'ASHKACH- (lit. he went out, checked, and found) he checked into the sources and found the following Beraisa

3)[line 28]נפק לקרייתאNAFAK L'KIRYASA- he went out to the villages in the farmlands [to inspect his fields]

4)[line 29]גידמתGIDEMES- a woman whose hands are cut off

5)[line 30]"אבל אגיד לך את הרשום בכתב אמת [ואין אחד מתחזק עמי על אלה כי עם מיכאל שרכם]""AVAL AGID LECHA ES HA'RASHUM BI'KESAV EMES" - "But I will tell you what has been inscribed with a true script (that cannot be changed); [and there is no angel to reinforces me against these, except Micha'el, your guardian angel.]" (Daniel 10:21) (THE CRUEL GREEKS WILL TAKE OVER FROM THE PERSIANS)

(a)In Daniel's second vision (see Background to Ta'anis 8:62), he is shown again the four world powers that will subjugate Yisrael. Rashi explains that this verse refers to the transfer of power that would occur later when the Syrian Greeks would defeat the Persians (whose subjugation of Yisrael was mild), and subjugate Yisrael with an iron fist.

6)[line 44]"[ו]לכן נשבעתי לבית עלי אם יתכפר עון בית עלי בזבח ובמנחה עד עולם""V'LACHEN NISHBATI L'VEIS ELI, IM YISKAPER AVON BEIS ELI B'ZEVACH UV'MINCHAH AD OLAM" - "Therefore, I have sworn to the house of Eli that the sin of the house of Eli will not be atoneable by means of a Korban or a Minchah, ever." (Shmuel I 3:14) (THE SONS OF ELI)

(a)Eli was the Shofet and Kohen Gadol when Shmuel ha'Navi first arrived at the Mishkan in Shiloh. He had two sons, Chofni and Pinchas, who were two of the most righteous people in the history of Klal Yisrael. Many generations earlier, when Avraham Avinu gave seven of his sheep to Avimelech, king of the Pelishtim, without asking HaSh-m beforehand if such an action was appropriate (Bereishis 21:30), HaSh-m informed him that he would receive a punishment for doing so. Seven exemplary descendants of Avraham Avinu would be destined to meet their deaths at the hand of descendants of Avimelech. Chofni and Pinchas are two of the seven descendants listed (Bereishis Rabah 54:4). Furthermore, their names were engraved upon two golden stalks rising from a golden bowl containing pure olive oil for the Menoros of the throne of Shlomo ha'Melech (TARGUM SHENI to Megilas Esther).

(b)The verses state that these Tzadikim "slept with married women" (Shmuel I 3:14). The Gemara (Shabbos 55b) states that anyone who claims that the sons of Eli sinned with married women is mistaken. Although the verse seems to state this clearly, what is meant is that they failed to make themselves sufficiently available to provide service to those who wished to offer Korbanos, and this sometimes led to a delay in married women becoming permissible again to their husbands following childbirth. On their lofty level, they were held accountable for this delay. That was their sin. Had they actually sinned with married women, the verse would never have associated them with those honorable Kohanim who descended from them, as it proudly does (Shabbos ibid.).

(c)Another verse implies that anyone who did not agree to give Chofni and Pinchas a portion of the sacrificial meat to roast before the sacrifice was completed was threatened with bodily harm (Shmuel I 2:16). Although the verses state that it was the servants of the Kohanim ("Na'ar ha'Kohen," "Chatas ha'Ne'arim") who committed the offenses (see METZUDAS DAVID), the Gemara (Sanhedrin 58a) attributes them to the sons of Eli themselves, apparently as an expression of the responsibility of Chofni and Pinchas for their servants. These great individuals certainly did not stoop to such low tactics themselves. Either a slight irreverence for the Korbanos according to their lofty level, or a slight lack of supervision on their subordinates, causes the Navi to speak of them harshly.

(d)Chofni and Pinchas suffered their deaths at the hands of the Pelishtim. Based upon a later verse (Shmuel I 2:33), and as our Gemara explains, a curse was placed upon the male descendents of Eli such that without special efforts of piety, all of them would die as young men.

7)[line 45]"כי אם תכבסי בנתר ותרבי לך בורית נכתם עונך לפני""KI IM TECHABESI BA'NESER V'SARBI LACH BORIS, NICHTAM AVONECH LEFANAI"- "For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, the stain of your iniquity is yet before Me, [says HaSh-m.]" (Yirmeyahu 2:22)

8)[line 47]"דרשו...""DIRSHU..."- "Seek out HaSh-m while He may be found, [call upon Him while He is near.]" (Yeshayah 55:6)

9)[line 49]צחצוח רוקTZICHTZU'ACH ROK- a dilution of saliva

10)[last line]במוצצתB'MOTZETZES- when she sucks in order to spit

11)[last line]בשותתB'SHOSES- when the blood drips by itself

105b----------------------------------------105b

12)[line 9]עיניו למטהEINAV L'MATAH- (lit. with his eyes downward) that is, with his eyes towards the Beis ha'Mikdash, and not towards the Heavens

13)[line 10]"והיו עיני ולבי שם כל הימים""V'HAYU EINAI V'LIBI SHAM KOL HA'YAMIM" - "[And HaSh-m said to him, 'I have heard (accepted) your prayer and supplication before Me; I have sanctified this house that you built, to place My Name there forever,] and My eyes and My heart will be there all the days.'" (Melachim I 9:3) (HASH-M'S RESPONSE TO THE PRAYER OF SHLOMO HA'MELECH)

(a)Having completed the construction of the Beis ha'Mikdash, Shlomo ha'Melech beseeched HaSh-m to always be receptive to the prayers of Klal Yisrael (as well as those of other nations). His main concern was that the Beis ha'Mikdash should draw Klal Yisrael close to HaSh-m, and that this relationship should express itself in a higher quality of Mitzvah observance. Shlomo then expressed his desire that "... all the nations of the earth should know that HaSh-m is G-d; there is no other."

(b)See Background to Rosh Hashanah 16:20.

14)[line 11]"נשא לבבנו אל כפים""NISA LEVAVENU EL KAPAYIM"- "Let us lift up our heart with our hands [to HaSh-m in the heavens.]" (Eichah 3:41)

15a)[line 15]ולבו למעלהV'LIBO L'MA'ALAH- (lit. and with his heart aloft) that is, he should imagine that he is standing in the Heavens, and he should eliminate from his mind all worldly pleasures and cares (TALMIDEI RABEINU YONAH)

b)[line 15]עיניו למטה ולבו למעלהEINAV L'MATAH V'LIBO L'MA'ALAH- once a person has imagined that he is standing in the Heavens and has eliminated from his mind all worldly cares, he should then imagine that he is standing in the Beis ha'Mikdash, which is in this world. By doing so, his prayers will be more acceptable to HaSh-m (TALMIDEI RABEINU YONAH). See Insights.

16)[line 18]קליליKELILEI- lightweight, quick

17)[line 18]יתיבו בדוכתייהוYESIVU B'DUCHTAIHU- sat in their places [immediately]

18)[line 19]אגב יוקריהAGAV YUKREI- because of his weight, heaviness

19)[line 19]הוה מפסע ואזילHAVAH MEFASEI'A V'AZIL- was stepping slowly (through the students)

20)[line 20]שמפסע על ראשי עם קדושSHE'MEFASE'A AL ROSHEI AM KADOSH- who is stepping over the heads of the holy nation (the students)

21)[line 26]שקליה רבי למטרפסיהSHAKLEI REBBI L'MITRAPSEI- Rebbi received his due [because he heard them comparing him to HaSh-m and did not protest]

22)[line 27]דקאמר ליה רבך ולא רביD'KA'AMAR LEI RABACH, V'LO RABI- that Rebbi Yishmael b'Rebbi Yosi said to Avdan "your teacher" (referring to Rebbi) and not "my teacher"

23)[line 37]קום בדוכתיךKUM B'DUCHTACH- stay in your place

24a)[line 37]באותה שעה נצטרע אבדןB'OSAH SHA'AH NITZ'TARA AVDAN- at that point Avdan was stricken with Tzara'as

b)[line 37]באותה שעה נצטרע אבדןB'OSAH SHA'AH NITZ'TARA AVDAN...

(a)The CHAFETZ CHAYIM explains this episode in Shemiras ha'Lashon, Sha'ar ha'Tevunah, chapter 17. Avdan originally disgraced Rebbi Yishmael b'Rebbi Yosi for stepping over the heads of the students. He further acted improperly when he asked if Rebbi Yishmael was fit to learn Torah from Rebbi. His speech falls into the category of Ona'as Devarim, yet nevertheless he could not be punished with Tzara'as if he acted out of zealousness.

(b)Avdan was therefore immediately tested from Heaven, and the Yevamah "happened" to come before them. When Avdan stepped over the heads of the students on his way back into the Beis ha'Midrash, he showed that his words of rebuke were not the result of zealousness but were merely words of Lashon ha'Ra. He was therefore punished with Tzara'as for disgracing Rebbi Yishmael, since Tzara'as is one of the punishments for Lashon ha'Ra. Next he was shown from Heaven that his words of rebuke as to whether Rebbi Yishmael was fit to learn Torah from Rebbi were improper, since ultimately Rebbi needed the teaching that Rebbi Yishmael related in the name of his father, Rebbi Yosi. Avdan's sons died by drowning since drowning and choking (Askarah) are similar punishments (as is evidenced in Kesuvos 30b) and one of the punishments for Lashon ha'Ra is choking (Shabbos 33a).

(c)A similar concept is stated in the SEMAK (#283) in the name of the RIVA. For example, even a person who kills a Rodef, a person who is chasing after another to kill him, must afterwards be very careful not to sin in a manner that is even slightly related to the sin that the Rodef wanted to perform. If he does sin in a related manner, he is considered to have killed an innocent person. The Chofetz Chayim brings a proof from Yehu who was commanded to kill off the household of Ach'av, who were worshippers of the Ba'al and other forms of Avodah Zarah. Yehu totally wiped out the Ba'al and the house of Ach'av, and as a reward his household reigned in Shomron for four generations. Since Yehu later worshipped Avodah Zarah, even though he worshipped b'Shogeg (the Gemara (Sanherdin 102a) states that Yehu was a great Tzadik but he erred), he was punished for spilling the blood of the household of Ach'av.

(d)The Chafetz Chaim learns that this principle applies to any similar case of Bein Adam l'Chaveiro. If a person inflicts any form of punishment, such as if he hits another person or shames him or speaks Lashon ha'Ra about him, even if he was allowed to do so, he should know that if he ever does the same action for which he punished his fellow-man, he will be considered to have punished an innocent person. He will be punished as if he punished a person who fully keeps the Torah and its Mitzvos.

(e)Therefore, one who speaks Lashon ha'Ra about another person or causes him any type of sorrow or pain should be filled with trembling, because if he delves into his deeds he might find that he recently also transgressed in the same way or in a similar manner. Even he inspects his action and did not find such a thing, he should be aware that after he has spoken Lashon ha'Ra, if he will ever transgress similarly, his action will immediately be considered as a sin retroactively.

25)[line 39]דכספיה לאבדןD'CHASPEI L'AVDAN- who embarrassed Avdan

26)[line 40]ברביBERIBI- a great Talmid Chacham (Rebbi Yosi)

27)[line 40]בפעוטותB'PE'UTOS- with children of six or seven years of age (depending on their acumen)

28)[line 41]לעונת נדריםL'ONAS NEDARIM- the age when a minor can make vows that are binding. Even though, Halachically speaking, the actions of a minor have no legal standing, one year before he or she becomes an adult (at the age of thirteen for a boy and twelve for a girl), a minor's Nedarim do take effect. They can also make objects Hekdesh.

29)[line 48]אבראיAVRAI- outside [of the prison]