[121a - 49 lines; 121b - 50 lines]

1)[line 1]בביתא דשישאB'VEISA D'SHISA- a room made of marble (into which the wind cannot penetrate)

2)[line 2](פרכיס) [ופירכס](PARKIS) [U'PIRKEIS]- and to move convulsively before death (in an excessive manner)

3)[line 2]דשחטיה בבראD'SHACHATEI B'VARA- where he killed him outside

4)[line 5]בכרמיKARMEI- the name of a place in Bavel

5)[line 5]אבי הדיאA'BEI HADYA- in the place called Bei Hadya, further down-river from Karmei

6)[line 6]בדגלתB'DIGLAS- in the Tigris River

7)[line 7]אגישרא דשביסתנאA'GISHRA D'SHAVISTENA- at the bridge of Shavistena

8)[line 7]אפומא דשושביניA'PUMA D'SHUSHVINEI- according to the testimony (lit. the mouth) of the good friend (lit. best man) of the deceased

9)[line 9]דצמתיD'TZAMSEI- that prevent the face from swelling

10)[line 11]חזייה בשעתיהCHAZYEI B'SHA'ATEI- they identify him at the time [that he is drawn out of the water] (during the first hour - KORBAN NESANEL 3:20)

11)[line 11]מיתפח תפחMITPACH TAFACH- [his facial features] swell

12)[line 20]באגמא דסמקיAGMA D'SAMKI- the swamp of Samki

13a)[line 21]תא נשמתיהTA, NESHAMTEI- Come, let us put him into Niduy (excommunicate him)

b)[line 21]נשמתיהNESHAMTEI (NIDUY)

(a)The minimum period of Niduy is thirty days in Eretz Yisrael or seven days in Bavel and elsewhere. If the Menudeh does not repent from his ways he is put into Niduy for a second thirty-day period. If he still does not repent, he is then put into Cherem. The laws of Cherem are much more stringent.

(b)No one may come within four Amos of the Menudeh, except for his wife and family. He is not permitted to eat or drink with other people, nor is he included in a Zimun or any other Mitzvah that requires a quorum of ten men. He may not wash his clothes, shave or take a haircut or wear shoes. Learning and teaching Torah, however, are permitted, as well as engaging in work. The last two are not permitted to a Muchram, who must learn by himself and engage in work to the minimum extent that will provide him daily sustenance. People may speak with the Menudeh or the Muchram unless Beis Din specifically prohibits it.

(c)Even if the time of the Cherem or Niduy has finished, a person remains in Niduy or Cherem until he is permitted by three commoners or by an expert sage (SHULCHAN ARUCH 334:27 and REMA 334:24).

14)[line 24]מיטעא טעינאMIT'A TA'INA- I made a mistake

15)[line 25]כיון דקוו וקיימיKEIVAN D'KAVU V'KEIMEI- since they [the waters of that swamp] stay in one place (there is no outlet through which the waters may flow)

16)[line 25]גליGALEI- waves

17)[line 26]גלי אשפלוGALI ASHPELU- the waves carried him far away (and he emerged alive)

18)[line 26]"לא יאונה לצדיק כל און""LO YE'UNEH LA'TZADIK KOL AVEN"- "No evil shall happen to the righteous; [but the wicked shall be filled with trouble.]" (Mishlei 12:21) - Rav did not unjustly excommunicate Rav Shila.

19)[line 27]"ותשועה ברוב יועץ""U'SESHU'AH B'ROV YO'ETZ"- "[Where there is no counsel, the people fall;] but in the multitude of counselors there is safety (salvation)." (Mishlei 11:14) - Because he asked Shmuel's advice, Rav was spared from unjustly excommunicating Rav Shila.

20)[line 27]מכמרין מכמוריןMEKEMRIN MICHMORIN- setting traps for fish

21)[line 28]מחילהMECHILAH- a small cave that serves as a fish-trap, dug out at the edge of a river. Fish that are washed into it find it difficult to get out. The cave has an airspace above water level for the fishermen to breathe when they are catching the fish that get washed into it.

22)[line 35]דסליקD'SALIK- that they emerge [from the Mayim she'Ein Lahem Sof]

23)[line 39]דף של ספינהDAF SHEL SEFINAH- the plank [from the wreck] of a ship

24)[line 39]נענעתי לו ראשיNI'ANATI LO ROSHI- I bowed my head to it (to each wave)

25)[line 43]שמטרפת ביםSHE'MITAREFES BA'YAM- that was floundering at sea, about to capsize

26)[line 44]קפוטקיאKAPOTKIYA- Cappadocia, a district of Asia Minor

27)[line 45]גל טרדני לחברוGAL TIRDANI L'CHAVERO- one wave carried me to the next

28)[line 45]עד שהקיאניAD SHE'HIKI'ANI- until it (the sea) spit me out

29)[line 48]לגוב אריותGOV ARAYOS- a lion's den

30)[line 48]לחפורהCHAFURAH- a pit

121b----------------------------------------121b

31)[line 1]חבר הואCHAVER HU- he is a snake charmer

32)[line 1]אגב איצצאAGAV ITZETZA- because of the pressure (of falling on them)

33)[line 3]ליורהYOREH- a vat

34)[line 11]"וצומו עלי ואל תאכלו ואל תשתו""V'TZUMU ALAI, V'AL TOCHLU V'AL TISHTU" - "['Go and assemble all the Jews who are found in Shushan,] and fast for me, do not eat or drink [for three days, night and day; also I and my girls will fast correspondingly; and so I will come to the king contrary to the law, and if I perish, I perish.']" (Esther 4:16) (ESTHER'S STRATEGY)

(a)Esther was initially hesitant to appear before Achashverosh uninvited, to plead with him on behalf of her people, as she had not been invited by him within thirty days (and anybody who dared to appear before the king uninvited was likely to earn the death-sentence). Mordechai, however, urged her not to remain inactive, arguing that if she would not rise to the occasion, HaSh-m certainly would find other ways of saving the people, and it would be she and her family who would perish. It was obvious that HaSh-m placed her on the throne (against all the odds) precisely in order to take action and save her people.

(b)Esther accepted the directive. Acting on the urgency of the situation, she initiated a three-day (twenty-four hours a day) fast to go into immediate effect, even though the third day coincided with the night of the Pesach Seder.

(c)Realizing that merely pleading with the king (as Mordechai initially asked her to do) would not achieve the required result, she opted for a strategy that would get everybody involved. The plan she conceived would work on the Midos of Achashverosh (in a far more profound manner than merely pleading with him would) by playing on his fear and jealousy; it would make Haman complacent and boost his ego before his demise; it would galvanize Yisrael into action (to do Teshuvah) and reinforce their faith in HaSh-m to invoke HaSh-m's mercy on His people. Such a combination of factors, she reckoned, stood a good chance of success.

(d)In fact, when Esther entered the throne-room, she risked not only her life, but her chastity too. For, as Chazal explain, she knew that there was no point in asking the king for favors as long as she played frigid with him, and she would have no option but to offer him herself as a wife willingly, whereas until now she had been taken by force. This is how the Gemara in Megilah explains the verse, "... and so I will come to the king contrary to the law, and if I perish, I perish": Esther would now go to the king willingly, not by force as she had been accustomed to until now, and that just as she would be lost to her father's house, she would also be lost to Mordechai (her husband), inasmuch as she would be forbidden to return to him.

35)[line 12]נייםNAYIM- sleep

36)[line 14]כיפין על גב כיפיןKEIFIN AL GAV KEIFIN- rock formations

37)[line 15]דשישא הווD'SHISA HAVU- they were made of marble (and were slippery)

38)[line 16]מסריךMASRICH- to cling to, to adhere to [one of the rocks] (even though they are slippery)

39)[line 16]וניים פורתאV'NAYIM PURTA- and sleep a bit

40)[line 17]נחוניא חופר שיחיןNECHUNYA CHOFER SHICHIN- Nechunya, the Digger of Water Pits. See Insights to Shekalim 14:1.

41)[line 20]זכר של רחליםZACHAR SHEL RECHELIM- a male ram (the ram from the binding of Yitzchak - RASHI)

42)[line 22]"וסביביו נשערה מאד""U'SEVIVAV NIS'ARAH ME'OD"- "[HaSh-m comes, and does not keep silent; a fire devours before Him,] and there is a mighty tempest around Him." (Tehilim 50:3)

43)[line 23]מדקדק עם סביביוMEDAKDEK IM SEVIVAV- He is very exacting with those who are in His vicinity (those close to HaSh-m)

44)[line 23]"אל נערץ בסוד קדושים רבה ונורא על כל סביביו""KEL NA'ARATZ B'SOD KEDOSHIM RABAH, V'NORA AL KOL SEVIVAV"- "HaSh-m is greatly feared in the assembly of the holy ones, and held in reverence by all those who are around Him." (Tehilim 89:8)

45)[line 29]קמצאKAMTZA- a grasshopper

46)[line 30]ואסיקו ליה על שמיהV'ASIKU LEI AL SHEMEI- and they called the grasshopper or ant by the name of the person who is suspected to have died. The children, however, were referring to the demise of their pet.

47)[line 31]ספדניSAPDANEI- eulogizers

48)[line 33]השיאו את אשתוHASI'U ES ISHTO!- Allow his wife to remarry!

49)[line 36]ברביBERIBI- a great Talmid Chacham (Rebbi Oshaya)

50)[line 39]במסיח לפי תומוB'MESI'ACH LEFI TUMO- with one who speaks in passing without intent to testify

51)[line 39]מאן איכא בי חיואיMAN IKA BEI CHIVA'EI?- Who is in the house of Chiva'ei [to hear the bad news that I am bringing]?

52)[line 41]ווי ליה לפרשא זריזאVAI LEI L'FARSAH ZERIZA- Woe unto Farsah Zeriza (a Jewish strongman)!

53)[line 43]אכלו כוורי לחסאACHLU KAVREI L'CHASA- the fish have eaten Chasa

54)[line 43]מדיבוריה דרב נחמןMI'DIBUREI D'RAV NACHMAN...- Because of the words of Rav Nachman...

55)[line 46]לא מפקינן לה מיניהLO MAFKINAN LAH MINEI- we (Beis Din) do not force him to divorce her

56)[line 49]קטול אספסתאKETOL ASPASTA- cut for my animals grain in its earliest stage of growth (which is used as animal fodder)

57)[last line]וקטילתיהV'KATILTEI- and I killed him

58)[last line]שהיתא תלתא רגליSHAHISA TELASA RIGLEI- she waited for three festivals (the times when Abaye came to teach the laws of each festival) [but he did not answer her]