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1)

(a) 'Ma'n d'Amar Rachmana Vatran Hu, Yivatru B'nei Ma'oy' - means that someone who says that Hashem blindly forgives everybody, will find that 'the strings that tie his stomach in place will become untied and they will spill out amidst great suffering'.

(b) We learn from the Pasuk "u'Sevivav Nis'arah Me'od" - that Hashem is particularly strict with those who are close to Him .

(c) Others learn that from the Pasuk "ve'Nora Hu al Kol Sevivav" - which means that Hashem casts more fear on those who surround Him (i.e. are close to Him) than on those who are far.

(d) The connection between all this and the fact that Nechunya Chofer Sichin u'Me'aros' son died of thirst - is that we can incorporate in this concept the fact that it is precisely when someone is particularly strong in one area, Hashem expects great things from him in that area, and is extremely strict with him if he does live up to those expectations. This explains why Rebbi Nechunya's son died of thirst (because, at his supreme level of Chesed, Rebbi Nechunya had been lax in some point, and that is where Hashem punished him).

(a) When that Chasid refused to be comforted after his daughter fell into the river - Rebbi Pinchas ben Yair queried his Chasidus, since a genuine Chasid does not query Hashem's Midas ha'Din.

(b) The people defended him by pointing out to Rebbi Pinchas ben Yair that his piety regarded providing everyone with water, and that it was inconceivable that Hashem should punish him in that very same area.

(c) He replied that, if that was the case, they were right.

(d) Immediately, a rumor spread that the girl had arrived, and she did. Some say that she grabbed hold of a branch and pulled herself out of the water, others, that an angel resembling Rebbi Pinchas ben Yair, came down and saved her.

(a) Gevini used to awaken the Kohanim each morning, and set the Avodah in motion. He would announce 'Get up Kohanim, to do the Avodah, Levi'im to your Duchan (where they used to sing) and Yisrael, to your Ma'amados'.

(b) King Agripas gave him many gifts - when he heard his voice from a distance of eight Parsah (some say that this took place at night-time, and it may well be that he was lost, and he rewarded him for helping him to find his way - ha'Rav Kornfeld).

(c) When Rav Shilo asked Rav why he translated 'Kara ha'Gever' as the man called, and not as 'the rooster crowed', he replied that, in his opinion, 'Kara ha'Gever' clearly referred to the officer called 'Gever' in our Mishnah, and could hardly mean a rooster.

(a) Rebbi Yossi quoted Ben Bavi to the people of Kufri - because they refused to accept positions as community leaders (which they considered degrading). So he pointed out to them how Ben Bavi, who was an ordinary person who was in charge of nothing more important than twisting the wicks; yet, because he assumed a minor form of leadership, he merited to be listed with such an array of prestigious men as we find in our Mishnah. How much so should one not decline to be appointed to such important posts as community leaders.

(b) Ben Arza set the music in motion by clashing the symbols - as soon as he saw the deputy-Kohen Gadol waving cloths.

(c) Hugras ben Levi was able to produce beautiful, but very loud, sounds by placing his thumb in his mouth - when he did that, all his friends would give a start.

(a) Beis Garmu knew how to remove the awkwardly-shaped loaves from the oven without spoiling them. Consequently, they were able to let them bake directly in the oven (not in their baking-tins), as a result of which they were well-baked and did not go bad in the course of the week.

(b) The Chachamim quoted the Pasuk "Kol Po'al Hashem Lema'neihu" - when Beis Garmu refused to teach the art to any successors, with the result that experts from Alexandria were brought in. However, unable to remove the loaves from the oven without spoiling them, they baked them in the baking- tins. Consequently, they were not sufficiently baked and they went bad during the week. So Chazal castigated Beis Garmu - by quoting the Pasuk "Kol Po'al Hashem Lema'aneihu", meaning that everything that Hashem made is for His honor (even knowledge), and they should have used their expertise to enhance Hashem's honor, and not for their own.

(c) Beis Garmu returned to take charge of the baking (though they still refused to teach the art to others) - when they were offered double wages (from twelve Manah to twenty-four, according to Rebbi Yehudah, from twenty- four to forty-eight).

(a) Beis Garmu's motive for refusing to teach their art - was because they were afraid that, after the Churban (which they knew would eventually occur) - the art would fall into the hands of idolaters.

(b) Beis Garmu evoked the praise of the Chachamim - because they never used clean white-bread (so that no-one could suspect them of having taken some of the Lechem ha'Panim).

(c) Beis Avtinus' expertise lay in their ability to prepare the spices in such a way that the smoke would go up straight, without spreading to the sides. They did this, by adding the herb called 'Ma'leh-Ashan', which nobody else was able to identify.

(d) The Chachamim praised Beis Avtinus too, for never allowing a woman to leave their house wearing perfume, so that nobody should be able to say that they had benefited from the Ketores. Even women who married into their family could only do so if they expressly stipulated (before the marriage) that they would follow this custom.

(a) The prestige of the family of Beis Avtinas fell and that of Hashem rose, with the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash - measure for measure, because they tried to boost their own prestige at the expense of Hashem's. Hashem's prestige rose when the ten tribes and the nations of the world acknowledged Hashem's quality of justice and fairness - that everyone, even gets their desert, and there is no favoritism.

(b) That child from the family of Beis Avtinas first cried - because of the honor of his family which diminished with the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash; and then laughed, when he realized how the honor of the Tzadikim will increase in the World to Come.

(c) When Shimon ben Luga asked him to point out to him the Ma'leh-Ashan - he reminded him of the family tradition not to pass on that information to anyone else.

(d) It was when at long last, an older member of the family of Beis Avtinas handed over a scroll with the secret of how to make the Ketores, on the grounds that their family had lost its integrity - that Rebbi Akiva cried and announced that it was no longer necessary to mention the family of Beis Avtinas in a derogatory light.

8)

(a) The job of ...

1. ... Elazar (al ha'Paroches) - was to weave two new Parochos each year (see Mishnah 21b).
2. ... Pinchas ha'Malbish - was to see to it that the Kohen Gadol's clothes were in tip-top condition (Note: He was also in charge of dressing the Kohanim each day. It is not clear why the Gemara only mentions here the Kohen Gadol.)

(b) That officer payed the Kohen eight or twelve golden Dinrim - for dressing him smartly. So we see that this is a valuable service, which is therrefore necessary in the Beis Hamikdash.

(a) Hekdesh had ...

1. ... three treasurers and ...
2. ... seven Amarkolin - a higher official than a treasurer (an acronym for 'Amar Kol').

(b) As a rule, any monetary position of authority requires at least *two* people. Nevertheless, Ben Achya (who was in charge of the Kohens' ailing stomachs) and Elazar (who was in charge of the Paroches) did not require an assistant - because the people accepted their sole authority, placing them above suspicion.

(c) The two Katolikin were even higher officials than the Amarkolin.

(a) In the list of the hierarchy listed in Divrei Hayamim, the Pasuk places the King before the Kohen Gadol, not because the Kohen Gadol was greater than the King - but in order to conclude with the words (which describe the Kohen Gadol) "Negid Beis ha'Elokim" placing Hashem last, because He (Kevayachol) is the most important officer of them all.

(b) The Pasuk in Divrei Hayamim lists all the officers to inform us how the Lishkah was opened - namely, only when each of the officers listed had opened his sealed lock.

(c) Moshe became wealthy, either through the shavings of the second Luchos, which he himself carved, or through a mine of precious stones that he discovered in his tent.

(d) Some explain "Vayabitu Acharei Moshe Ad Bo'o ha'Ohela" in a derogatorily - that people were accusing Moshe of looking nice and healthy, because he ate well - from the money of the Jews. But according to others, the Pasuk speaks in his praise, because it is a Z'chus to look at a Tzadik. Consequently, the people watched him whenever he went to the Ohel Mo'ed.

(a) Four different discs were handed out in the Beis Hamikdash, marked 'Eigel', 'Zachar', 'Ge'di' and 'Chotei' - for the different Nesachim. The Nesech of ...

1. ... an Eigel (incorporating a cow or a bull) - was three tenths (of an Eifah - an Eifah = 432 egg-volumes) of flour mixed with half a Hin (i.e. six Lugin) of oil, and half a Hin of wine. It was given to anyone who needed to bring a calf, a cow or a bull.
2. ... a Zachar (a ram) was - two tenths of flour mixed with a third of a Hin (i.e. four Lugin) of oil, and a third of a Hin of wine. It is obvious to whom this disc was given.
3. ... a G'di (incorporating a lamb and a kid-goat) was - one tenth of flour mixed with a quarter of a Hin (three Lugin) of oil, and a quarter of a Hin of wine. It was given to anyone who had to bring a lamb, a sheep (unless he was obligated to bring a ram) or a goat.

(b) The fourth disc containing 'Chotei' was for a wealthy Metzora. Is was marked 'Chotei' because Tzara'as was a punishment for one of seven sins, as we learnt in Erchin.

(c) A Metzora received ten Lugin of oil, nine for his three lambs, and a tenth one to place on his right thumb and right big toe.

(d) According to Ben Azai, there were *five* discs. He also disagrees with the Tana Kama - inasmuch as, according to him, the discs were written in Aramaic, and not in Lashon ha'Kodesh, like the Tana Kama.

(a) According to the Tana Kama, they would give the poor Metzora the disc marked 'G'di', for which he would receive *three* Lugin. The fourth Lug, which he needed for placing on his thumbs and big toes, he had to bring with him from home.

(b) Someone who needed Nesachim would go to Yochanan, the officer of the discs, would give him the money and receive his disc. Then he would take his disc to Achya. who would provide him with the required Nesech. (Note: We have already learnt that one had the option of placing one's money in the box, and letting the Kohanim perform the above tasks and then go on to bring the Korban - which they would do without fail, on the same day.)

(c) Every evening, Yochanan and Achya would meet. Achya would produce the discs, against which he would check the amount of money that Yochanan then gave him.

1. If they were short - Yochanan had to pay the difference.
2. Any excess money - went to Hekdesh (it was not assumed that Yochanan had inadvertently placed his own money together with that of Hekdesh).

(d) Someone who lost his disc would have to wait until nightfall. If Yochanan had an excess sum of money that was equivalent to what he had paid for his disc, then they would re-place his disc for him, and he would be able to receive his Nesech the following day. If not, he simply lost his money and had no choice but to purchase the Nesech again.

14)

(a) Ben Azai does not like the idea of giving the poor Metzora the disc marked 'Gadya', and letting him bring the extra Lug from home - because according to him, the Nesech had to be 'al Taharas ha'Kodesh' and not brought from home.

(b) The problem with the Rabbanan is - since they hold that a Metzora Ani receives an ordinary disc marked G'di, and the remaining Lug, he brings from home, why do we not say the same by a Metzora Ashir? Why not give him three discs marked G'di, and make him bring the remaining Lug from his house?