Previous daf

1)

(a)

1. Rav learns from the Pasuk (regarding the servants of David ha'Melech) "le'Chol D'var ha'Machlokes Chodesh be'Chodesh ... " - that it is considered the norm (to leave home with one's wife's permission) to study or to work for one month provided that one then spends a month at home.
2. ... Rebbi Yochanan learns from the Pasuk in Melachim (regarding the building of the Beis ha'Mikdash) "Chodesh Yihyu ba'Levanon, Sh'nayim Chodashim be'Veiso" - that one must spend at least *two* months for each month that one spends away from home.

(b)

1. Rav declined to learn from Rebbi Yochanan's Pasuk - because the Binyan Beis ha'Mikdash is different, seeing as thirty thousand people participated, whereas only ten thousand at a time were needed, allowing the workers more time at home.
2. ... Rebbi Yochanan declined to learn from Rav's Pasuk - because the king compensated the workers with various extras, thereby winning the women's approval to remain at home for shorter periods.

(a)

1. Rav learns from the Pasuk "ve'Atah ben-Adam Ha'anach be'Shivron Mosnayim ... " - that sighing breaks half one's body.
2. Rebbi Yochanan learn from the Pasuk (regarding the destruction of the Beis ha'Mikdash) " ... al Mah Ata Ne'enach, ve'Amarta, el Sh'mu'ah Ki Va'ah, ve'Namas Kol Leiv, ve'Rafu Kol Yadayim, ve'Chahasah Kol Ru'ach, ve'Chol Birkayim Teilachnah Mayim" - that it breaks the entire body.

(b)

1. Rebbi Yochanan declines to learn from Rav's Pasuk - because he interprets the Pasuk to mean that the break-up begins from the loins.
2. Rav decline to learns from Rebbi Yochanan's Pasuk - because, he says, a sigh following the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash is worse than a sigh for any other reason.

(c) The Nochri mentioned the Beis ha'Mikdash to the Jew with whom he was walking - because he was unable to keep up with him, and he hoped that the sigh that the mention of the Beis ha'Mikdash was bound to elicit, would weaken the Jew sufficiently for him to be able to now keep abreast with him (seeing as we just learned that sighing breaks half the body).

(d) The Jew answered him however - that that only applied to a fresh sorrow, but not to an old one like that of the Churban Beis ha'Mikdash.

(a) "Shav Lachem Mashkimei Kum ... Ochlei Lechem ha'Atzavim" refers to people who are earning a Parnasah. But Rav Yitzchak interprets the continuation of the Pasuk "Kein Yitein li'Yedido Sheinah" - to the wives of Talmidei-Chachamim, who shake sleep from their eyes waiting for their husbands to return from the Beis-ha'Medrash late at night.

(b) This caused Abaye to reject Rava's contention that the Tayalim referred to in our Mishnah (whose Onah is every day) pertains to Talmidim who learn with their Rebbe in their hometown, and who sleep at home - because we now see that when it is bed-time for other people, the Talmidim are still in the Beis-Hamedrash, and not at home, like we first thought.

(c) So Abaye pointed to Rav Shmuel bar Shilas - who was a Melamed Tinokos (a children's Rebbe). He was the epitome of someone whose Onah is every day - because he had a good income (so he had the strength) and he slept every night at home.

(d) 've'Lo Chalif P'risteka de'Malka a'Bavei' means - that the government did not trouble him for a work-tax, because, seeing as he was not very rich, they did not have an eye on him.

(a) Ravin cited the Mefanki Ma'arva as people who were Chayav Onah every day. These were wealthy men who live in Eretz Yisrael, who ate and drank well (so they were strong and healthy) and who slept every night at home.

(b) Rebbi Avahu was supported by two Avadim in the bathhouse, and Rebbi Yochanan, by Rav Ami and Rav Asi (this should probably be Rebbi Ami and Rebbi Asi) as he climbed a ladder. Both were actually extremely strong and did not require support.

(c) We know that they were incredibly strong - because when the floor of the bathhouse caved in and Rebbi Avahu fell with his two supporters, he caught hold of a pole, and skimmed up the pole carrying them with him; and when the ladder broke under Rebbi Yochanan, he climbed to the top using one hand, whilst holding Rebbi Ami and Rebbi Asi with the other.

(d) Rebbi Yochanan explained that, in spite of his phenomenal strength, he had two men supporting him - in order to preserve his strength for his old age, when he would have more need of it.

(a) We reconcile our Mishnah ('ha'Po'alim Sh'tayim be'Shabbos') with the Beraisa which states 'Achas be'Shabbos' - by establishing the former when the worker works in his hometown, and the latter, when he works out of town (only returning home each second day).

(b) When Rav Chanan asked Abaye whether the Tana included all those cases in our Mishnah that give the Onah as less often than twice a week, in the Din of Neder, which allows a week anyway - he replied that the Din of Neder incorporates all the cases in our Mishnah.

(c) This is in spite of the fact that the Onah of a sailor, to quote the most extreme case, is only once every six months - because 'One cannot compare someone who has bread in his basket (who could perhaps come home early and be intimate with his wife within the regular time-period) with someone who does not (on account of his Neder)'.

(d) Rava bar Rav Chanan asked Abaye whether an ass-driver was permitted to became a camel-driver (seeing as, on the one hand, his earnings increased, but on the other, his Onah decreased) without his wife's permission. He replied - that a woman prefers more intimacy and less income than the other way round. Consequently, it would be forbidden.

6)

(a) Rav B'runa Amar Rav rules like Rebbi Eliezer (in our Mishnah), who gives all the prescribed Shiurim for Onah. According to Rav Ada bar Ahavah Amar Rav, the Chachamim permit Talmidim to go and learn away from home for even as long as two or three years, without permission.

(b) The Rabbanan relied on Rav Ada bar Ahavah's ruling. Rav Rechumi, Rava's Talmid in Mechuza, used to arrive home from Yeshivah each year - on Erev Yom-Kipur.

(c) He was once sitting on the roof and the roof caved-in, killing him - as a punishment for the tears that his wife shed when he failed to arrive that year on Erev Yom Kipur, because he became deeply involved in his learning.

(a) Rav Yehudah Amar Shmuel gives the Shiur Onah for Talmidei-Chachamim - as every Friday night.

(b) Rav Yehudah (or Rav Huna or Rav Nachman) learns from the Pasuk "Asher Piryo Yitein be'Ito" - that a Talmid-Chacham who follows the ruling of Rav Yehudah Amar Rav will have children.

(c) Rebbi Yanai told the people of his household to overturn his son-in-law's bed one Erev Shabbos - when the pillar of fire, that normally preceded his arrival home from Yeshivah, failed to appear. This led Rabbi Yanai to believe that he had died (In fact, he was still alive, and, like Rav Rechumi, he had become deeply involved in his learning, and had therefore failed to leave the Yeshivah for home).

(d) When Rebbi Yanai said what he said, it was "ki'Shegagah she'Yotzei mi'Pi ha'Shalit" - and his son-in-law did indeed die.

(a) When, as Rebbi's son was about to marry the daughter of Rebbi Chiya, the latter died - Rebbi suggested that there must be a flaw in Rebbi Chiya's family (because he was not a direct offspring of the family of Malchus Beis David - see Agados Maharsha).

(b) Sh'fatyah ben Avital was a son of David ha'Melech (since Avital was one of his wives). Rebbi Chiya, on the other hand, descended from Shim'a Achi David, who was not from Malchus Beis David (see also Agados Maharsha).

(a) In the end Rebbi chose the daughter of Rebbi Yossi ben Zimra for his son, on condition that he would first spend twelve years in Yeshivah. When they led the girl in front of the Chasan the first time, he was so enamored by her, that he asked to reduce the twelve years in Yeshivah to six; and when they did so a second time, he asked to marry her immediately, and to go to Yeshivah afterwards.

(b) Rebbi quoted the two Pesukim "Tevi'eimo ve'Sita'eimo" and " ve'Asu Li Mikdash ... " - to point out that his son was no different than Hashem (Kevayachol), who also initially intended to build the Beis Hamikdash only after Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael, and then became so enamored by Klal Yisrael, that he ordered them to build it already in the desert (a proof for the Ramban, who maintains that the Mishkan was not merely to atone for the sin of the Golden Calf, but an institution in its own right [see Agados Maharsha]).

(c) So he married her first and went to Yeshivah afterwards. By the time he returned however, his wife had become barren - because a woman who lives ten years without a husband, or without her husband (nor does she expect him before ten years), tends to become barren.

(d) Rebbi Davened for his daughter-in-law's recovery, and his prayer was answered. He would not have prayed for a miracle unless he had to. His son could not simply ...

1. ... have divorced her - because it would not have been correct to repay his wife (who had waited faithfully for his return) in this fashion.
2. ... marry a second wife - because then people would have referred to his second wife as his wife and his first wife as his prostitute.

(a) When Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai asked Rebbi Chanina ben Chachinai to wait for the end of his son's Sheva B'rachos, so that they could go to Yeshiva together - he responded by leaving for Yeshivah immediately, on his own.

(b) Upon his return, he sat on a bridge - because the town had changed so drastically that he did not know the way to his own house. So he sat on the bridge and waited.

(c) He eventually discovered the way to his house - by following a girl whom people referred to as bas Chachinai, and who must therefore have been his daughter.

(d) His wife, who was sifting flour when he arrived unexpectedly, looked up and died from shock when she saw him - Rebbi Chanina ben Chachinai prayed for Divine mercy, because, he said, she deserved a better reward than that for having suffered all the years that he was away, and she came back to life.

(a) Rebbi Chama bar Bisa also went to Yeshivah for twelve years. To avoid making the same mistake as Rebbi Chanina bar Chachinai - he sent a message to his family that he had arrived, before actually going home.

(b) When Rebbi Oshaya his son (whom he did not recognize) came and sat before him and began plying him with strong Kashyos - he expressed regret at having gone to Yeshivah instead of learning with his son, who would have turned out to be as astute as that young man.

(c) When, after Rebbi Chama bar Bisa arrived home, Rebbi Oshaya entered, he stood up - because he still did not know who he was, and thought that he had followed him home in order to ask him more Kashyos. His wife commented at the phenomenon of a father standing up for his son.

(d) Rami bar Chama quoted the Pasuk "ve'ha'Chut ha'Meshulash Lo bi'Meheirah Yinasek" - in connection with the family that had now produced three consecutive generations of Talmidei-Chachamim, Rebbi Bisa, Rebbi Chama and himself. The Pasuk was a tribute to Rebbi Oshaya, the third generation.