What are Peros Ginosar?

Rashi: They are Peros from near Lake Kineres. They are more esteemed than bread.

What is the meaning of Ziyuna and Mazona?

Rashi: Ziyuna is anything edible. Mazona is something that satiates.

Why did he swear that he did not taste Mazona?

Maharsha (here and Sotah 35a): The Peros are sweet, but they do not satiate. We can say that this was the Meraglim's Sheker about Eretz Yisrael. Its fruits are sweet, but they are not life essentials, i.e. oil or flour (from olives, wheat and barley). All agree that we do not export them from Eretz Yisrael. The Meraglim brought back only the other fruits - grapes, figs, pomegranates, and they said that it is "Zavas Chalav u'Devash" (honey is from dates).

Why did flies slip off R. Avahu's face?

Rashi: His face glowed and became very smooth.

What is 'Marid'?

Rashi: He went crazy.

Megadim Chadashim citing Teshuvos ha'Ge'onim (Rachabi 393): He rebelled against fear of the Nasi's house; normally he was submissive to them. Some fruits intoxicate.

Why did these Amora'im eat so many Peros?

Chashukei Chemed: The Ya'avetz (Kisei Shen 6) says that when one is growing, or he exerts himself, he needs more food. It seems that he comes to explain that these Kadosh Amora'im ate large quantities due to their great exertion in Torah.

Megadim Chadashim: Torah Lishmah (418) says, it was due to the dearness of Peros of Eretz Yisrael. Mor u'Ketzi'a (208) says that the Gemara informs the praise of Eretz Yisrael - its fruits add life and understanding.

Megadim Chadashim citing Ya'avetz (Kisei Shen 35): They made a great Tikun via their eating. They separate the good from the Ra and elevated it, just like a Kohen eats Kodshim and the owner gets Kaparah.

What is the significance of sending minced fish to workers picking figs?

Maharsha: The fish is salted. It helps revive workers who became weak due to the sweetness of the fruits. The Aruch (Sefel) explains like this.

What is the significance of 80 pairs of Kohanim brothers married to Bnos Kohanim sisters?

Maharsha: They were meticulous about lineage, that a Kohen should marry a Bas Kohen. Marriage of a Bas Kohen to a Yisrael will not go well (Pesachim 49a). Perhaps the city was called Gufnis based on "Ishtecha k'Gefen Poriyah" (Tehilim 18:3). Grapes of a vine with grapes of a vine [is a nice match and yields proper progeny - Pesachim ibid.]

Megadim Chadashim: Noda bi'Yehudah (2 EH 79) questioned from here the Tzava'ah of R. Yehudah ha'Chasid (25), that brothers should not marry sisters. Zichron Yehudah (163, 191) answered, look what happened to them - all were hung in one night (Eichah Rabah on "Bala Hash-m" (2:2))! However, the Meforshim say that the text should say that they all married in one night, like it says in the Yerushalmi in Ta'anis (4:5).

Does Halachah reflect that nothing the size of an egg is as beneficial as an egg?

Daf Al ha'Daf: There is a custom to give eggs in Seudas Havra'ah to Avelim (YD 378), and to eat eggs at the Seudah Mafsekes before Tish'ah b'Av (OC 552:5). Kovetz Sinai (114 p.30) says that perhaps a mourner does not eat enough, therefore one should give to him the healthiest food. (NOTE: Similarly, it is advisable to eat nourishing and satiating foods before a fast. Midrash Lekach Tov (Reish Toldos) says that eggs and lentils have no opening, and they hint that death is a Galgal (wheel) that goes around the world. Lentils are round, and eggs are Megulgalim (roasted). Even though Yakov cooked lentils to console Yitzchak, perhaps the custom to use eggs is due to their nutritional value. - PF)

Rav Elyashiv: Yam Shel Shlomo (Chulin 8:12) brings that there was an ancient Cherem not to rely on cures in the Gemara, lest people say that earlier Chachamim erred [if the cure does not work]. They do not realize that there are changes between different places and times; the generations decline. This is not only for cures. It is also for matters of nature, like in our Gemara. Tosfos (Mo'ed Katan 11a) says 'nowadays, eating a fish close to spoiling is considered dangerous, even though the Gemara said that it is good. Perhaps nature changed, just like Chazal's cures are not good nowadays.' The Rambam (Hilchos De'os 4:18) says not to let blood constantly. Hagahos Maimoniyos challenged this from the Gemara in Shabbos; the Kesef Mishneh wrote that the cures and conduct of Malchus Bavel, where Chazal were, were unlike those of other places.

Hesped ha'Gadol 2: R. C. Kanievsky held that also nowadays, eggs are the most beneficial food.

What is a Megulgalta egg?

Rashi: It is [lightly] roasted - it is moist and soft.

Maharsha: It is called Megulgalta, for a raw egg cannot be rolled (or spun), until it is somewhat roasted (Rashi Shabbos 38b).

What is the meaning of 'is Morik'?

Rashi: It removes the form of the face.

What is 'Kol Nefesh'?

Rashi: It is something [that was] alive, and it is eaten whole, e.g. small fish that grew fully.

Rashi (Chulin 46a): It is something vital to life, e.g. the liver. Megadim Chadashim - it says in Shabbos (129a) that after bloodletting, one should eat Nefesh in place of Nefesh (meat, to replace the lost blood. Meat and blood are both called Nefesh).

What is close to the Nefesh?

Rashi: It is close to the Nefesh an animal's life source (like will be explained - the neck).

Do turnips bring calamity on the house through which they pass?!

Rashi: This refers to the stomach of one who ate them.

How is cooking leeks a remedy for them?

Rashi: He cooks them until they are very soft. Then, he can swallow them without chewing them.

Why may one not talk to one who ate Yerek within the first four hours of the day?

Rashi: People normally eat in the fourth hour. The smell is harmful to one who has not eaten yet, for his body is empty.

Were Ameimar and Rav Ashi not concerned for R. Yitzchak's teachings [not to talk with one who ate Yerek within four hours, and not to eat raw Yerek within four hours?

Rashi (according to Maharsha): The teachings argue with each other; they were not concerned for them.

Maharsha: They ate raw Yerek. They hold that R. Yitzchak forbids talking only with one who ate cooked Yerek; we are not concerned for the smell. Mar Zutra answered that he holds that R. Yitzchak forbids eating it raw or cooked.

Chachamim eat in the sixth hour of the day (Pesachim 12b). Why did these Chachamim eat beforehand?

Daf Al ha'Daf citing R. Y. Boum (in Moriyah 17:5 p.130): The Ya'avetz (Bava Metzi'a 83b) says that even so, a Chacham normally tastes something earlier, like it says in Shabbos (10a). They ate Yerek, but not a meal.

Daf Al ha'Daf citing Iyun Yakov (Bava Metzi'a 83b): It says that the fourth hour is 'when all eat.' i.e. even workers and Chachamim, who normally eat in the fifth and sixth hours, respectively, sometimes eat in the fourth hour.

What is Bar Zuza?

Rashi: It is a [nice, fat] kid worth a Zuz. (NOTE: We find that one can buy an inferior kid or lamb for a sixth of a Zuz - Chatas Bas Danka (Shevu'os 37a. - PF)

What is the meaning of 'it is not a quarter'?

Rashi: It did not grow to a quarter of its full size, e.g. a lamb a fourth of the size of a ram, or a kid a fourth of the size of an adult goat.

What are Gildani of Bei Gili?

Rashi: They are tiny fish found among reeds in the swamp. They never grow bigger. However, a small fish of a big species, and it did not grow a quarter, this diminishes.

Megadim Chadashim: Tosfos ha'Rid (Kesuvos 105b) implies that Gili is the name of a river.

What is Unka?

Rashi: It is [meat from] the neck, where it is slaughtered. It is close to the heart and innards.

Maharsha: This is difficult. Most meat is closer to the heart and innards than the neck is!

Maharsha: It is close to Beis ha'Shechitah. From there comes out blood - "ha'Dam Hu ha'Nefesh." Rava preferred what is closer to where the Nefesh left, even though it is further from the heart and innards.

Megadim Chadashim: One who wants to become healthy should eat from Beis ha'Shechitah of an animal (Chulin 33a). Mitzpah Eisan there says that this is based on our Gemara. (NOTE: A Talmid who buys meat should buy the neck, for it contains three kinds of meat (Shabbos 140b). Mitzpah Eisan there - also, it is healthy, like it says here. - PF)

What is Bei Baruch?

Rashi: It is [the neck,] where the blessing on Shechitah was made.

What are 'without meat', 'without wine' and 'without wood'?

Rashi: (a) Turnips are bad they are cooked without meat. If they are cooked with fatty meat, this weakens them. (b) They are bad if eaten without drinking wine afterwards. (c) They are bad if eaten without using much wood to cook them greatly.

What is 'Sudani"?

Rashi: It is one who has date beer. Rashi (Menachos 71a): Brewing beer is a Sod Na'eh (nice secret) - it makes one wealthy, and enables doing Chesed.

Mesores ha'Shas citing the Aruch: It is one who fears Shamayim - "Sod Hash-m li'Yre'av" (Tehilim 25:14).

Daf Al ha'Daf citing Otzar ha'Ge'onim on Berachos (1 p. 104): It is a farmer. Rav Papa lived in a place of fields and villages; Rava lived in the city.

Daf Al ha'Daf citing Rashi and R. Gershom (Menachos 71a): It is a Chacham - "Sod Hash-m li'Yre'av."

Daf Al ha'Daf citing Seder ha'Doros (Rav Papa Stam (2)): Rav Papa was called so based on his father-in-law Aba Surani.

Daf Al ha'Daf citing Ohel Yesharim (Reish, Os Lamed): This is based on "b'Sod Yesharim v'Edah" (Tehilim 111:1). Rav Papa had 10 sons who received Semichah; we mention their names at a Siyum. Six of them are mentioned in Bava Kama 80b. (NOTE: There was no Semichah in Bavel. Surely they went to Eretz Yisrael and received Semichah there. - PF)

Daf Al ha'Daf citing Sefer Ben Sira: The fathers of Rav Papa and R. Zeira were not known; their mothers became pregnant via a bathhouse. Sudai is like Sod (a secret). R. Zeira acquired a different name for himself. He was initially named Ze'ira, which means small. Due to his great Chochmah, they called him R. Zeira, like Zer Zahav (a gold crown on the Aron - Shemos 25:11). Ya'ir Ozen (37:3) brings so from Rav Hai Gaon. (NOTE: Ben Sira, Yirmeyah's son, was conceived like this (Otzar Midrashim). Sefer Ben Sira is mentioned in Tosefta (Yadayim 2:5). How can it mention Rav Papa, who was much later?! Perhaps an addition to the Sefer discusses others conceived without Bi'ah. - PF)

Daf Al ha'Daf citing Gurei ha'Ari: Rav Papa was a spark (NOTE: something like a Gilgul - PF) of Yosef. His 10 sons correspond to the 10 drops of semen that left Yosef [when he stuck his fingers in the ground to thwart his desire for Eshes Potifar] - "va'Yafozo Zero'ei Yadav" (Bereishis 49:24). Perhaps Sudani hints to Yosef, who was called Tzafnas Pane'ach (he reveals the hidden). The Gematriya of Papa equals that of Yehosef; Hei is added to his name, based on "Ha Lachem Zera" (ibid. 47:23).

Why did Rav Papa not have much wine?

Rashi: He drank beer.

Megadim Chadashim: Even though Rav Papa was rich, he did not drink much wine, for he made beer. He said that if one could drink beer, but drinks wine, he transgresses Bal Tashchis (Shabbos 140b). (NOTE: The Gemara rejected this, for it is more important not to harm one's body; wine is healthier. Rav Papa did not hear this, and did not retract. - PF)

Do the Amora'im argue about what is the best Tikun for turnips?

Megadim Chadashim: Perhaps Abaye taught to cook them with meat, for he did not drink wine (Kesuvos 65a). Rava said to drink wine afterwards, for he was from Mechuza; they used to drink wine there (ibid.)