The reference numbers below that appear in parentheses (e.g., TY #43) represent vessels or parts of the structure of the Beis ha'Mikdash. The labeling follows that of the diagram of the Tiferes Yisrael. This diagram, which has been included in a separate mailing and can also be found on our site (at http://www.dafyomi.co.il/midos/mids-charts.htm), is printed both in the Tiferes Yisrael Mishnayos (Midos Chapter 2 or following Midos) and in Rav P. Kahati's Mishnayos (page 290, at the beginning of Midos).
[54a - 47 lines; 54b - 20 lines]
1)[line 1]חדרהCHADARAH- [that which had been in] an inner chamber; namely, the Aron Kodesh
2)[line 4]"[ויארכו הבדים, וַיֵּרָאוּ ראשי הבדים מן הקדש על פני הדביר, ולא יראו החוצה;] ויהיו שם עד היום הזה""... VA'YIHEYU SHAM AD HA'YOM HA'ZEH"- "[And they pulled the poles towards the east, and the tips of the poles could be seen from the Kodesh in front of the Dvir (the Kodesh ha'Kodashim), though they could not be seen,] and they remained there until this day" (Melachim I 8:8) - This verse describes how Shlomo ha'Melech, upon completing the construction of the first Beis ha'Mikdash, brought the Aron ha'Kodesh from Giv'on to Yerushalayim and how he placed it in the Kodesh ha'Kodashim. The Gemara here understands that the words "until this day" mean literally until today, implying that the Aron remains hidden in its place until today.
3)[line 6]"וְאֶת הַיְבוּסִי יֹשֵׁב יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לֹא הוֹרִישׁוּ בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן; וַיֵּשֶׁב הַיְבוּסִי אֶת בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה""V'ES HA'YEVUSI... VA'YESHEV HA'YEVUSI ES BENEI VINYAMIN BIY'RUSHALAYIM AD HA'YOM HA'ZEH"- "And the people of Binyamin did not inherit the Jebusites who dwelled in Yerushalayim; the Jebusites dwelled with the people of Binyamin in Yerushalayim until this day" (Shoftim 1:21) - This verse is in the Parshah that describes the wars and conquests of Klal Yisrael following the death of Yehoshua.
4)[line 9]דלא גלוD'LO GALU- that [the tribe of Binyamin] did not go into exile?
5)[line 11]"עַל הֶהָרִים אֶשָּׂא בְכִי וָנֶהִי, וְעַל נְאוֹת מִדְבָּר קִינָה, כִּי נִצְּתוּ מִבְּלִי אִישׁ עֹבֵר, וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ קוֹל מִקְנֶה; מֵעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעַד בְּהֵמָה, נָדְדוּ הָלָכוּ""AL HE'HARIM ESA VECHI VA'NEHI..."- "Regarding the mountains I will raise [My voice in] crying and wailing, and upon the pastures of the wilderness a lament, for they are destroyed with nary a passerby, the sound of flocks is not heard; from the birds of the heavens to the animals, they have wandered and gone" (Yirmeyahu 9:9).
6)[line 13]בהמה בגימטריא חמשין ושתים הווBEHEMAH B'GEMATRIYA...- The Beraisa understands that the word "Behemah" hints to something beyond the literal meaning since it is unnecessary. The verse has already stated that "the sound of flocks is not heard" (YA'AVETZ).
7a)[line 14]גפריתGAFRIS- sulfur
b)[line 14]מלחMELACH- salt
8)[line 15]"וְהִגְבִּיר בְּרִית לָרַבִּים שָׁבוּעַ אֶחָד""V'HIGBIR BRIS LA'RABIM..."- "And the covenant with the princes will strengthen for seven years..." (Daniel 9:27) - This verse is written regarding the destruction of the first Beis ha'Mikdash.
9)[line 16]"וְאָמְרוּ עַל אֲשֶׁר עָזְבוּ אֶת בְּרִית ה' אֱ-לֹקֵי אֲבֹתָם""V'AMRU AL ASHER AZVU..."- "And they shall say, 'Because they forsook the covenant of HaSh-m, the G-d of their forefathers...'" (Devarim 29:24) - This verse describes the reaction of the nations of the world to the sulfur and salt that will be prevalent in Eretz Yisrael at the time of its destruction, should Klal Yisrael choose to ignore their relationship with HaSh-m.
10)[line 17]"וּמֵהֶם מִן בְּנֵי שִׁמְעוֹן,הָלְכוּ לְהַר שֵׂעִיר אֲנָשִׁים חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת, וּפְלַטְיָה וּנְעַרְיָה וּרְפָיָה וְעֻזִּיאֵל בְּנֵי יִשְׁעִי בְּרֹאשָׁם. וַיַּכּוּ אֶת שְׁאֵרִית הַפְּלֵטָה לַעֲמָלֵק; וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה""U'MEHEM MIN BNEI SHIMON... VA'YESHVU SHAM AD HA'YOM HA'ZEH"- "And from them, five hundred men from the sons of Shimon went to the mountain of Se'ir, and Platyah, Ne'aryah, Refayah, and Uziel the sons of Yish'i were at their head. And they smote the remnants of Amalek, and they dwelled there until this day" (Divrei ha'Yamim I 4:42-43) - These verses, at the beginning of Divrei ha'Yamim, describe the original settlement of Eretz Yisrael.
11)[line 20]בלבל כל הארצותU'BILBEL KOL HA'ARATZOS- and jumbled all the lands. Sancheriv, king of Assyria, would relocate every nation that he conquered so that they would be disoriented and therefore that less likely to rebel.
12)[line 21]"וְאָסִיר גְּבוּלֹת עַמִּים, וַעֲתוּדֹתֵיהֶם שׁוֹשֵׂתִי""V'ASIR GEVULOS AMIM, VA'ASUDOSEIHEM SHOSEISI"- "... and I have loosened the boundaries of nations, and taken their treasures..." (Yeshayah 10:13) - These words are attributed to Ashur (Assyria).
13)[line 21]תיובתאTEYUVTA- This proof has been disproved. (This does not disprove this opinion; rather, this particular validation is no longer sound.)
14)[line 22]לשכת דיר העציםLISHKAS DIR HA'ETZIM- (TY #12) The Wood Storage Room, where firewood for the Mizbe'ach and the bonfire in the Lishkas Beis ha'Moked (see Background to Yoma 15:38) is kept. This Lishkah is located in the northeast corner of the Ezras Nashim.
15)[line 23]שהיה מתעסקSHE'HAYAH MIS'ASEK- (a) was whiling away his time (RASHI); (b) was busy checking the wood for worms (RAMBAM; TIKLIN CHADTIN to Shekalim 15b)
16)[line 23]רצפהRITZPAH- one of the marble tiles [of which the floor was made up of]
17)[line 25]ביחודB'YICHUD- for a certainty
18)[line 26]בקרדומוKARDUMO- his hatchet
19)[line 26]בעלי מומיןBA'ALEI MUMIN
(a)A Kohen who has a Mum (physical blemish) is forbidden to perform Avodah in the Beis ha'Mikdash, whether he has a Mum Kavu'a (a permanent blemish; e.g. an amputated hand or foot) or a Mum Over (a temporary blemish; e.g. boils). The RAMBAM in SEFER HA'MITZVOS maintains that these are counted as two separate negative commandments (#'s 70 and 71), while the RAMBAN rules that they are included in one Lav.
(b)There are three categories of blemishes (Bechoros 43a):
1.those that invalidate both a Kohen from performing the Avodah as well as an animal from being offered as a sacrifice upon the Mizbe'ach;
2.those that invalidate a Kohen but not an animal;
3.those that invalidate both a Kohen and an animal, but only due to Mar'is ha'Ayin - since they appear to be invalidating blemishes.
(c)The status of a Kohen, and the Avodah he performed, while he was a Ba'al Mum depends on the severity of the Mum:
1.If his Mum is one that invalidates both Kohanim and animals, then he is liable to receive Malkus (lashes) if he performed the Avodah b'Mezid according to the Rabanan, and Misah b'Yedei Shamayim according to Rebbi. His Avodah is Pesulah whether he performed it b'Shogeg or b'Mezid;
2.If his Mum is one that invalidates only Kohanim, then his Avodah is Kesheirah (RAMBAM Hilchos Bi'as Mikdash 6:6);
3.If his Mum is one that prevents him from performing the Avodah only due to Mar'is ha'Ayin, then he does not receive Malkos, and his Avodah is Kesheirah (SEFER HA'CHINUCH #275, 276).
20)[line 26]מתליעיןMASLI'IN- checking for worms
21)[line 27]ונשמטהV'NISHMETAH- and it slipped
22)[line 27]ואכלתוV'ACHLASO- and it consumed (a) the ax; (b) the Kohen who negligently let it slip (Yerushalmi; see BEN YEHOYADA)
23)[line 30]מקרעיןMEKAR'IN- ripping through
24a)[line 31]דוחקיןDOCHKIN- pressing
b)[line 31]בולטיןBOLTIN- jutting out
25)[line 31]דדיDADEI- breasts
26)[line 32]"צְרוֹר הַמֹּר דּוֹדִי לִי, בֵּין שָׁדַי יָלִין""TZEROR HA'MOR DODI LI, BEIN SHADAI YALIN"- "My beloved is as a bundle of myrrh; he shall sleep between my breasts" (Shir ha'Shirim 1:13) - As with all verses in Shir ha'Shirim, this verse allegorically describes the relationship between HaSh-m and Klal Yisrael. Our Gemara explains that "between my breasts" refers to the area between the poles of the Aron, which is where the Kohen Gadol burns the Ketores on Yom ha'Kipurim.
27)[line 33]מגלליןMEGALELIN- they would roll back
28)[line 34]מעוריםME'URIM- embracing
29)[line 34]חבתכםCHIBASCHEM- how cherished you are
30)[line 34]המקוםHA'MAKOM- HaSh-m
31)[line 35]"וְלֹא יָבֹאוּ לִרְאוֹת כְּבַלַּע אֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ, וָמֵתוּ""V'LO YAVO'U LIR'OS K'VALA ES HA'KODESH, [VA'MESU]"- "And [this way] they (the Leviyim) will not come to see the holy [vessels of the Mishkan, in which case they would die]" (Bamidbar 4:20).
32)[line 36]נרתקNARTEK- case
33)[line 38]מעשה בכהן אחדMA'ASEH B'KOHEN ECHAD...- From this incident it is clear that even in the Beis ha'Mikdash, when Klal Yisrael were presumably likened to a fully married woman, it was dangerous to view the Kelim.
34)[line 41]פרוכת דבביPAROCHES D'VAVEI- the curtains covering the entrances to the Ulam, Heichal, and the opening in the Amah Teraksin
35)[line 44]ושתים כנגדן בעליהU'SHTAYIM KENEGDAN BA'ALIYAH- and two curtains hung directly above them from the second story of the Heichal and Kodesh ha'Kodashim [serving as a partition between the differing levels of Kedushah there]
36)[line 45]וכרובים דצורתא הוו קיימיU'KERUVIN D'TZURSA HAVU KAIMEI- and figures of [embracing] Keruvim were [etched into the walls] there
37a)[line 45]"וְאֵת כָּל קִירוֹת הַבַּיִת מֵסַב קָלַע, פִּתּוּחֵי מִקְלְעוֹת כְּרוּבִים וְתִמֹרֹת וּפְטוּרֵי צִצִּים, [מִלִּפְנִים וְלַחִיצוֹן]""V'ES KOL KIROS HA'BAYIS MESAV KALA, PITUCHEI MIKLE'OS KERUVIM V'TIMOROS U'FTUREI TZITZIM, [MILI'FNIM VELA'CHITZON]"- "And all of the walls of the Beis ha'Mikdash were surrounded by designs; etched engravings of Keruvim, palm trees, and blossoming flowers, [both inside and out] " (Melachim I 6:29).
b)[line 46][וכתיב] "[וְקָלַע כְּרוּבִים וְתִמֹרוֹת, וּפְטֻרֵי צִצִּים;] וְצִפָּה זָהָב, מְיֻשָּׁר עַל הַמְּחֻקֶּה"[U'CHESIV] "[V'KALA KERUVIM V'SIMOROS U'FTUREI TZITZIM;] V'TZIPAH ZAHAV MEYUSHAR AL HA'MECHUKEH"- [and it is written,] "[He engraved figures of Keruvim, palm trees, and blossoming flowers;] and he covered them with gold that was flattened into the etchings" (Melachim I 6:35).
38)[last line]"[וַיְפַתַּח עַל הַלֻּחֹת, יְדֹתֶיהָ, וְעַל מִסְגְּרֹתֶיהָ, כְּרוּבִים אֲרָיוֹת וְתִמֹרֹת;] כְּמַעַר אִישׁ וְלוֹיוֹת [סָבִיב]""... K'MA'AR ISH V'LOYOS [SAVIV]"- "[And he etched upon the tablets, its handles, and its frames figures of Keruvim, lions, and palm trees,] all attached firmly together" (Melachim I 7:36).
54b----------------------------------------54b
39)[line 1]כאיש המעורה בלוייה שלוK'ISH HA'ME'UREH BA'LEVIYAH SHELO- like a man embracing his wife
40)[line 5]הזילוםHIZILUM- they belittled them
41)[line 6]"כָּל מְכַבְּדֶיהָ הִזִּילוּהָ כִּי רָאוּ עֶרְוָתָהּ""KOL MECHABDEHA HIZILUHA KI RA'U ERVASAH"- "All those who honored her (Tziyon) scorned her, for they saw her nakedness" (Eichah 1:8).
42)[line 8]הושתתHUSHTAS- founded
43)[line 9]מאמצעיתוME'EMTZA'ISO- from its center
44)[line 9]"בְּצֶקֶת עָפָר לַמּוּצָק, וּרְגָבִים יְדֻבָּקוּ""B'TZEKES AFAR LA'MUTZAK, U'REGAVIM YEDUBAKU"- "When dirt solidified to form a core, and clods were stuck together" (Iyov 38:38) - Rebbi Eliezer understands that the "core" refers to the center of the world, and the "clods" to that which was subsequently added.
45)[line 11]"כִּי לַשֶּׁלֶג יֹאמַר הֱוֵא אָרֶץ; וְגֶשֶׁם מָטָר, וְגֶשֶׁם מִטְרוֹת עֻזּוֹ""KI LA'SHELEG YOMAR, 'HEVEI ARETZ;' V'GESHEM MATAR, V'GESHEM MITROS UZO"- "For He says to the snow, 'Fall to the ground!,' and [also] to the rain and the storm..." (Iyov 37:6) - Rebbi Yehoshua derives from the four words "Geshem Matar v'Geshem Mitros" that HaSh-m first formed four distinct points and then "filled in the gaps," as it were. "Geshem," rain, is related to "Gashmiyus," which describes anything with physical substance. "Matar," which also refers to rain, carries a similar connotation (similar to the English word "matter"). The terms for rain are related to physicality since life is impossible without rain.
46)[line 12]ירהYARAH- threw
47)[line 13]"עַל מָה אֲדָנֶיהָ הָטְבָּעוּ, אוֹ מִי יָרָה אֶבֶן פִּנָּתָהּ""AL MAH ADANE'HA HOTBA'U, O MI YARAH EVEN PINASAH?"- "Into what are its bases sunken, or who laid (lit. threw) its cornerstone?" (Iyov 38:6).
48)[line 14]ממנו מוכלל יפיו של עולםMINENU MUCHLAL YAFYO SHEL OLAM- in it lay the potential of the world's beauty
49)[last line]מחויMECHAVEI- demonstrated