BAVA BASRA 74 (4 Elul) - Dedicated l'Iluy Nishmas Chaim Yisachar (ben Yaakov) Smulewitz of Cleveland on his Yahrzeit, by his son in law, Eli Turkel of Raanana, Israel, husband of Jeri Turkel.
1)
(a)
The Arab merchant showed Rabah bar bar Chanah the corpses of those who died in Midbar Sinai. How did their faces look? How were they lying?
(b)
What strange thing did the Arab then do?
(c)
What do we learn from the Lashon 've'Ayil Taya Tusi Birkeih' (rather than 've'Ayil Parsha' or 've'Ayil Gavra')?
(d)
Why did Rabah bar bar Chanah cut off the corner of one of the dead men's garments together with the Tzitzis?
1)
(a)
The Arab merchant showed Rabah bar bar Chanah the corpses of those who died in Midbar Sinai. Their faces - shone like someone who has drunk wine, and they were lying on their backs (see Tosfos).
(b)
The Arab then - rode underneath the archway created by the bent knees of one of the corpses, with his sword held aloft, without touching the dead man's knees.
(c)
We learn from the Lashon 've'Ayil Taya Tusi Birkeih' (rather than 've'Ayil Parsha' or 've'Ayil Gavra') - that the Arab actually did that, and not just that a person could have done it.
(d)
Rabah bar bar Chanah then cut off the corner of one of the dead men's garments garments together with the Tzitzis - in order to show it to the Chachamim, to determine from there whether the Halachah is like Beis Shamai (who require four double-threads on the Tzitzis) or Beis Hillel (who require only three).
2)
(a)
What caused the Arab, who had not seen Rabah bar bar Chanah cutting off the corner, to nevertheless accuse him of taking something from them?
(b)
What happened next?
(c)
When Rabah bar bar Chanah came before the Chachamim, why did they refer to him as 'Aba'?
(d)
They said to him 'Kol Aba Chamra' (adding 've'Chol bar bar Chanah Sichsa', which is basically a repetition). What does it mean?
2)
(a)
The Arab, who had not seen Rabah bar bar Chanah off cutting the corner, nevertheless accused him of taking something from them - because they suddenly found themselves frozen to the spot, unable to move on, a sign that someone had taken something from one of the dead men.
(b)
So - he ordered him to return whatever it was he had taken. He did, and they rode on.
(c)
When Rabah bar bar Chanah came before the Chachamim, they referred to him as 'Aba' - because 'Rabah' is merely the acronym of 'Rebbi Aba'.
(d)
They said to him 'Kol Aba Chamra' (adding 've'Chol bar bar Chanah Sichsa', which is basically a repetition), which means - that Rabah was stupid like a donkey.
3)
(a)
Why did the Chachamim call Rabah bar bar Chanah stupid? What should he have done?
(b)
What is a 'Chulyah'?
(c)
When the Arab showed Rabah bar bar Chanah Har Sinai, he saw frogs surrounding it. What did the frogs resemble?
3)
(a)
The Chachamim called Rabah bar bar Chanah stupid - because he should have counted the Tzitzis and the Chulyos.
(b)
A 'Chulyah' is - one of the two groups of Tzitzis hanging vertically at the end of the Tzitzis (comprising three Tzitzis according to Beis Shamai, and four, according to Beis Hillel).
(c)
When the Arab showed Rabah bar bar Chanah Har Sinai, he saw frogs - which resembled white donkeys, surrounding it.
4)
(a)
What did the bas-Kol that Rabah bar bar Chanah heard announce?
(b)
Why did the Chachamim again refer to him as stupid?
(c)
To which oath does this refer?
(d)
Why did they not accept his excuse that he thought that the bas-Kol might have referred to the Shevu'ah that Hash-m would never again destroy the world with a flood?
(e)
What is the special significance of 'Oy Li ... ' in this context?
4)
(a)
The bas-Kol which Rabah bar bar Chanah heard announced - 'Woe is Me that I took an oath. And now that I did, who will annul it for Me?'
(b)
The Chachamim again referred to him as stupid - because this time, he ought to have taken his cue from the bas-Kol and annulled the oath.
(c)
This referred to the oath (cited a number of times in T'nach) - that Yisrael would remain in Galus until the time of the Ge'ulah arrived.
(d)
They did not accept his excuse that he thought that the bas-Kol might have referred to the Shevu'ah that Hash-m would never again destroy the world with a flood - because if that was so, why did Hash-m express regret ('Oy Li ... ')?
(e)
The special significance of 'Oy Li ... ' in this context - pertains to Hash-m's sharing Yisrael's pains with them (as the Pasuk in Yeshayah states "In all their sufferings, He suffers too").
5)
(a)
The Arab merchant then showed him two cracks in the desert from which smoke emanated. What did that signify?
(b)
He responded by taking a piece of wool. What did he do with it? What was the result?
(c)
When Rabah bar bar Chanah, following the Arab's instructions, placed his ear near the ground and listened, what did he hear?
(d)
How often did they have to do this?
(e)
How does the Gemara describe them?
5)
(a)
The Arab merchant then showed him two cracks in the desert from which smoke emanated - because that was the spot where Korach and his rebels (who were burning in Gehinom) were swallowed by the earth.
(b)
He responded by taking a piece of wool - which he soaked in water and stuck on the end of his sword, which he then poked into one of the cracks. When he withdrew it, the wool was sizzling.
(c)
When Rabah bar bar Chanah, following the Arab's instructions, placed his ear near the ground and listened, he heard - the cries of Korach and his men declaring 'Moshe and his Torah are genuine and we are imposters'.
(d)
They have to do this - once every thirty days, when they are returned to that spot from Gehinom ...
(e)
... 'like a hot piece of meat on a plate'.
6)
(a)
When the Arab showed Rabah bar Chanah a place where heaven and earth meet, where did the latter place his basket?
(b)
Why can this not have really been the end of the world (as is implied)?
(c)
What made Rabah bar bar Chanah think that there were thieves there?
(d)
How did the Arab disillusion him? How did he prove his point?
6)
(a)
When the Arab showed Rabah bar Chanah a place where heaven and earth meet, the latter placed his basket - in a window in the sky.
(b)
This cannot have really been the end of the world (as is implied) - because that point is five hundred years walking distance away (and Rabah bar bar Chanah lived in Eretz Yisrael).
(c)
Rabah bar bar Chanah thought that there were thieves there - because when he finished Davenning, his basket had disappeared.
(d)
But the Arab disillusioned him - by informing him that it was the celestial sphere that is in constant orbit, that had taken it. The proof for this was - the fact that the following day, the basket was back in its place.
7)
(a)
Rebbi Yochanan told how he once saw a fish poke its head out of the water. If its two eyes resembled two moons, what did he have to say about its gills?
(b)
Rav Safra saw a fish with horns poke its head out of the water. What, besides the fact that it was one of the small creatures of the sea, was engraved on its horns?
7)
(a)
Rebbi Yochanan told how he once saw a fish poke its head out of the water. Its two eyes resembled two moons and its gills - spouted water like the two rivers of Sura.
(b)
Rav Safra saw a fish with horns poke its head out of the water. Besides the fact that it was one of the small creatures of the sea, engraved on its horns was - the information that it was three hundred Parsah long and that it was destined to land in the mouth of the Livyasan.
8)
(a)
Which is the only land-creature that has no equivalent in the sea?
(b)
How does the sea-goat scourge for food?
(c)
Why does Rav Ashi discuss the sea-goat here?
8)
(a)
The only land-creature that has no equivalent in the sea is - a weasel.
(b)
The sea-goat scourges for food - by digging in the sea-bed with its horns.
(c)
Rav Ashi discusses the sea-goat here - because, seeing as it has horns, it must have been the fish that Rav Safra saw.
9)
(a)
Rebbi Yochanan discusses a box that he saw from a ship. With what was it studded?
(b)
The box was surrounded by something called Karsha. What is 'Karsha'?
(c)
What happened to a certain swimmer who went to fetch the box?
(d)
What did he do to escape the danger?
(e)
What did the bas-Kol announce? For whom was that box reserved?
9)
(a)
Rebbi Yochanan discusses a box that he saw from a ship. The box was studded with - precious stones and jewels.
(b)
The box was surrounded by something called Karsha which is - a kind of fish.
(c)
When a certain swimmer went to fetch the box - he was attacked by one of the fish, which threatened to break his thighs.
(d)
To escape the danger - he threw a bottle of vinegar at it and it submerged.
(e)
A bas-Kol announced - that he should leave the box alone, because it was reserved for the wife of Rebbi Chanina ben Dosa, who will use it to store Tzitzis (or Techeiles) for the Tzadikim in the World to Come.
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10)
(a)
Rav Yehudah from India told the story of how he was once on a ship when they spotted a jewel. What happened to the swimmer who went to retrieve it, when a serpent threatened to swallow the ship?
(b)
The water turned red from its blood. What happened next, after another serpent came and reconnected the severed head and brought it back to life (according to the text of the Rashbam)?
(c)
What happened next? What happened to the jewel?
(d)
Rebbi Eliezer and Rebbi Yehoshua were once on a boat. What caused Rebbi Eliezer to wake up?
(e)
What did he tell Rebbi Yehoshua that he had probably seen?
10)
(a)
Rav Yehudah from India told the story of how he was once on a ship when they spotted a jewel. When a swimmer went to retrieve it, and a serpent threatened to swallow the ship - a she-raven bit off its head.
(b)
The water turned red from its blood. After another serpent came and reconnected the severed head and brought it back to life by suspending the jewel over it - it tried again to swallow the ship, but the same raven killed it once more.
(c)
The swimmer then took the jewel and placed it on some salted birds that they had on the boat (to test whether it really had the power to revive the dead. It did, and the birds came alive and flew away - taking the jewel with them!
(d)
Rebbi Eliezer and Rebbi Yehoshua were once on a boat. Rebbi Eliezer awoke - when Rebbi Yehoshua trembled because he saw a bright light in the sea, which caused Rebbi Eliezer to wake up.
(e)
He told Rebbi Yehoshua that he had probably seen - the eyes of the Livyasan (the Leviathan).
11)
(a)
Huna bar Nasan told Rav Ashi how they were once traveling in a desert, and how they had with them the thigh of an animal, which they Kashered. What happened after they placed it on some grass and went to look for fire-wood?
(b)
What did they find when they returned to the same spot a year later?
(c)
Ameimar later explained the double phenomena that had occurred? How did he describe ...
1.
... the grass?
2.
... the fire-wood?
(d)
In Bavel, they translated the word "Taninim" (in the Pasuk in Bereishis "va'Yivra Hash-m es ha'Taninim ha'Gedolim") as 'Re'eim' (a wild ox) of the sea. How did Rebbi Yochanan interpret it in Eretz Yisrael?
11)
(a)
Huna bar Nasan told Rav Ashi how they were once traveling in a desert, and how they had with them the thigh of an animal, which they Kashered. After they placed it on some grass and went to look for fire-wood - the cut up pieces of thigh came together.
(b)
And when they returned to the same spot a year later, they found - that the embers of the fire on which they had roasted the thigh were still glowing.
(c)
Ameimar later described ...
1.
... the grass - as a special type that binds things together.
2.
... the fire-wood - as being from the Rosem-tree, which burns for a long time.
(d)
In Bavel, they translated the word "Taninim" (in the Pasuk in Bereishis "va'Yivra Hash-m es ha'Taninim ha'Gedolim") as 'Re'eimim' (wild oxen) of the sea. In Eretz Yisrael, Rebbi Yochanan translated it as - the male and female Livyasan.
12)
(a)
What was Rav Yehudah Amar Rav referring to when he talked about 'Livyasan Nachash Beri'ach ve'Livyasan Nachash Akalason'?
(b)
What is the significance of 'Beri'ach' and 'Akalason'?
(c)
What did Hash-m do with ...
1.
... the male?
2.
... the female?
(d)
Why did He do that?
(e)
What do we learn from the future tense of the Pasuk in Yeshayah "ba'Yom ha'Hu Yifkod Hash-m be'Charbo ha'Kashah ... al Livyasan Bari'ach"?
12)
(a)
When Rav Yehudah Amar Rav talked about 'Livyasan Nachash Beri'ach ve'Livyasan Nachash Akalason', he was referring to - the male and female Livyasan, respectively.
(b)
The significance of 'Beri'ach' and 'Akalason' is - that the male was created straight (like a bolt), whereas the female (was crooked, i.e. it) encircled the world.
(c)
Hash-m ...
1.
... castrated the male ...
2.
... and killed the female, which he then salted for the Tzadikim in the World to Come.
(d)
He did that - because, if they were allowed to mate and reproduce, their numerous (gigantic-size) offspring would destroy the world.
(e)
We learn from the future tense of the Pasuk in Yeshayah "ba'Yom ha'Hu Yifkod Hash-m be'Charbo ha'Kashah ... al Livyasan Bari'ach" - that the male Livyasan is still alive, and that Hash-m will only kill it in the time of Mashi'ach.
13)
(a)
The Pasuk in Tehilim speaks about "Beheimos be'Harerei Elef". Why are called by that name?
(b)
There too, due to the same concern, Hash-m castrated the male. What did He do with the female?
(c)
Why did He decline to change the nature of the female Livyasan like He did with the female Beheimah be'Harerei Elef? Why did He have to kill it?
(d)
Hash-m may have chosen to kill the female Livyasan and to castrate the male (rather than the reverse), because the salted female is tastier. Why else may He have done that (based on the Pasuk in Tehilim "Livyasan Zeh Yatzarta le'Sachek bo")?
(e)
Why did He not kill the female Beheimos be'Harerei Elef and salt them like He did the female Livyasan?
13)
(a)
The Pasuk in Tehilim speaks about "Beheimos be'Harerei Elef", so-called - because they graze on a thousand mountains per day.
(b)
There too, due to the same concern, Hash-m castrated the male, only this time - He cooled down the instinctive desire of the female (rather than kill it).
(c)
He declined to change the nature of the female Livyasan like He did with the female Beheimah be'Harerei Elef - because of the extremely promiscuous nature of fish, leaving Him with no alternative but to kill it.
(d)
Hash-m chose to kill the female Livyasan and to castrate the male (rather than the reverse), either because the salted female is tastier or - because, based on the Pasuk in Tehilim "Livyasan Zeh Yatzarta le'Sachek bo", Chazal teach us that in the fourth hour, Hash-m (Kevayachol) plays with the Livyasan, and it would not have been correct to keep alive the female for that purpose.
(e)
He did not kill the female Beheimos be'Harerei Elef and salt them like He did the female Livyasan - because whereas preserved fish is tasty, preserved meat is not.
14)
(a)
Who is Rahav?
(b)
At the time of the creation, what did Hash-m mean when He ordered him to open his mouth and swallow all the water in the world?
(c)
How did Hash-m react when Rahav replied that he had enough on his plate controlling his own sea-water and preventing tidal waves (which are now the exception rather than the rule).
(d)
To what is the Pasuk in Yeshayah referring when it writes "Lo Yare'u ve'Lo Yashchisu be'Chol Har Kodshi ... ka'Mayim la'Yam Mechasim"?
14)
(a)
Rahav is - the Angel of the sea.
(b)
At the time of the creation, Hash-m ordered him to open his mouth and swallow all the water in the world (i.e. to allow the rivers to flow into the sea) - in order to create terra firma (since the land had initially been entirely covered with water) by restricting all the water to certain areas.
(c)
When Rahav replied that he had enough on his plate controlling his own sea-water and preventing tidal waves (which are now the exception rather than the rule), Hash-m reacted - by kicking him and killing him (and doing the job Himself, as the Pasuk writes in Koheles "All the rivers flow into the sea").
(d)
When the Pasuk in Yeshayah writes "Lo Yare'u ve'Lo Yashchisu be'Chol Har Kodshi ... ka'Mayim la'Yam Mechasim", it is referring (not to the sea, but) - to Rahav, whose corpse does not become putrid, because it is covered by sea-water.
15)
(a)
What, according to the Beraisa, flows out of the cave of Pamayas (Banyas), and makes its way through the Sea of Sivchi and the Sea of Teverya?
(b)
Into which sea does it then flow?
(c)
Where does it finally land up?
(d)
This latter statement is based on the Pasuk in Iyov "Yivtach ki Yagi'ach Yarden el Pihu". Considering that "Yivtach" refers to the Beheimos be'Harerei Elef, how does Rava bar Ula reinterpret the Pasuk?
15)
(a)
According to the Beraisa - it is the Jordan River that flows out of the cave of Pamayas (Banyas), and makes its way through the Sea of Sivchi and the Sea of Teverya. ...
(b)
... from where it flows into - the Mediterranean Sea.
(c)
And it finally lands up - in the mouth of the Livyasan.
(d)
This latter statement is based on the Pasuk "Yivtach ki Yagi'ach Yarden el Piyhu". Considering that "Yivtach" refers to the Beheimos be'Harerei Elef, Rava bar Ula reinterprets the Pasuk to mean - that the Beheimos be'Harerei Elef only feel secure when the waters of the Yarden finally flow into the mouth of the Livyasan.
16)
(a)
We recite regularly the Pasuk in Tehilim "Ki Hu al Yamim Yesadah, ve'al Neharos Yechonenehah". Which three seas surround Eretz Yisrael (besides those of Sivchi [which we mentioned earlier], Chilas, Chilsa, and Aspamya?
(b)
And how many rivers surround it besides the River Yarden?
16)
(a)
We recite regularly the Pasuk in Tehilim "Ki Hu al Yamim Yesadah, ve'al Neharos Yechonenehah". The three seas that surround Eretz Yisrael (besides those of Sivchi [which we mentioned earlier], Chilas, Chilsa, and Aspamya are - those of Teverya, S'dom and the Mediterranean Sea.
(b)
And besides the River Yarden - it is surrounded by three rivers (the Yarmoch, the Karmiyon and the Pugah.
