Why did R. Avahu call R. Zeira 'the small one with a singed garment'?

Rashi: This is explained in Bava Metzi'a (85a. He was short. When he came to Eretz Yisrael, he fasted 100 times, lest he be subjected to the fire of Gehinom. Every 30 days he checked himself, and sat inside a lit furnace (it did not harm him). Once, Rabanan were envious, and his garment was singed.)

Rav Elyashiv: Why did they call him so, and not based on his greatness in Torah, his many fasts, or for being saved from Gehinom? It seems that it was so Rabanan would be careful not to be envious of high levels of their Rebbeyim or colleagues.

Megadim Chadashim citing Pesach Einayim: Gurei ha'Ari say that when one is afflicted, it is good for others to mention his merits to arouse advocates above. In Midbar Kedemos, the Chida said that it is better to hint to his merits without explicitly saying them, lest there be prosecution in the merits themselves.

Rav Huna taught that the Botze'a blesses Birkas ha'Mazon. Does he not hold that the Ba'al ha'Bayis is Botze'a?

Tosfos: He discusses when the Ba'al ha'Bayis was not there; the greatest person is Botze'a.

Maharsha: What forced Tosfos to resolve the teachings of R. Yochanan and Rav Huna? It seems that they argue, like it says 'like whom does R. Avahu hold'? Tosfos found it difficult. Does R. Zeira hold like R. Yochanan at the start of the meal, but not at the end? Also, if R. Avahu holds like R. Yochanan, why did he tell R. Zeira to be Botze'a? Rather, we must distinguish based on whether or not there is someone greater than the host. In his humility, R. Avahu considered R. Zeira to be greater than himself. R. Zeira said, you are greater, so you are Botze'a! Also, you are the host, so even if we are equal, you are Botze'a. We asked, like whom does R. Avahu hold? Does he not agree that the Botze'a blesses afterwards? We answered that he holds like R. Yochanan. The host is Botze'a, and the guest blesses Birkas ha'Mazon, when there is no one greater. R. Zeira did not want to bless, for he considered R. Avahu greater than himself. Tosfos said that when there is no host, the Gadol is Botze'a. The same applies when there is someone greater than the host. Tosfos resolves R. Yochanan with what he says below (47a), that the Gadol blesses.

Megadim Chadashim: Magen Avraham (167:2) learns from here that the custom is to honor the Gadol to be Botze'a. The Yerushalmi says that R. Zeira was a Kohen. If so, there is no source from here; R. Avahu asked R. Zeira to be Botze'a due to Kehunah. Darchei Moshe (167:9) learns from Shiltei ha'Giborim on the Mordechai here that the Ba'al ha'Bayis is Botze'a even if there is a Kohen. This was R. Zeira's answer!

Rashba: R. Avahu considered R. Zeira to be the host, for the meal was due to him.

Rav Elyashiv: For this reason, surely he would cut the bread generously. Even though R. Zeira did not consider himself to be the host more than R. Avahu is, he did not consider himself to be a total guest. In such a case, the Botze'a blesses Birkas ha'Mazon.

Daf Al ha'Daf: The Zohar (3:187b) says like the Rashba in a different case.

Daf Al ha'Daf: The Aderes asked why R. Avahu did not honor R. Zeira to bless - the Yerushalmi says that R. Zeira was a Kohen! He answered that Rabah slaughtered him (Megilah 7b). He returned to life, but he did not return to be a Kohen. Rav Hutner rejected this. "U'Nsatem... Terumas Hash-m l'Aharon ha'Kohen" teaches that in the future there will be Techiyas ha'Mesim, and we will give Terumah to Aharon! R. Chaim Sofer (Moriyah 7 p.27) answered, Aharon will need to be anointed again to become a Kohen again! The Ramban (on Sefer ha'Mitzvos Shoresh 3) says that Aharon will need Milu'im again after Techiyas ha'Mesim, for his Meshichah was Batel after death.

Megadim Chadashim: This can resolve contradictions about whether or not Rav Kahana was a Kohen. He was born a Kohen; after he died and R. Yochanan revived him, he was not a Kohen! (NOTE: In one answer, Tosfos (Kidushin 8a) says that there were two Chachamim named Rav Kahana. Can one disagree?! We find Rav Kahana in the days of Rav Ashi (above 24a). Did one of the greatest Talmidim of Rav and R. Yochanan live until the end of the Amora'im (about 200 years), and in the entire Shas, Amora'im cite him only a few times?! There is no source that he forgot his learning! - PF)

What is the source for Birkas Ba'al ha'Bayis?

Daf Al ha'Daf: Several Rishonim say that "u'Verachta Es Hash-m Elokecha" - Es comes to include Birkas Ba'al ha'Bayis. SMaG heard that the Yerushalmi says so, but it is not in our Yerushalmi. Pane'ach Raza asked why we do not learn from "va'Avarchah Mevarechecha" (Bereishis 12:3) - if one is given the Kos Shel Brachah and does not bless, he shortens his life (55a)! However, some explain the verse to discuss Birkas Kohanim (Sotah 38b), so we need "u'Verachta Es" to teach about Birkas Ba'al ha'Bayis. The Imrei Emes explains 'one who blesses 'l'Mi she'Achalnu mi'Shelo', he is a boor (lowly)' (50a), because he blesses only his host. Primarily one must bless Hash-m; the host is secondary to Him!

Must the guest bless Birkas ha'Mazon in order to bless the host?

Rav Elyashiv: Panim Me'iros infers that the primary Mitzvah of Zimun is for the Mezamen to be Motzi the others. If not, the guest could bless the host even if he was not the Mezamen! Based on this, he is Motzi everyone even in the ha'Rachaman's, for Birkas Ba'al ha'Bayis is among them! It was enacted primarily for the Mezamen, but all the guests say it.

NOTE: This is like Drishah (179:9)¸ who says that since ha'Tov veha'Metiv does not close with a Brachah, the ha'Rachaman's are like a continuation of the Brachah! Lekach Tov (Devarim p.82 citing the Chafetz Chaim) says that we say the ha'Rachaman's after Birkas ha'Mazon, for the best time for requests is after doing a Mitzvah. If so, anyone may say them, just the Mezamen is more apt to be answered. (PF)

Aruch ha'Shulchan (201:13): Nowadays that everyone blesses for himself, every guest must say Birkas Ba'al ha'Bayis. Perhaps nowadays there no reason for the guest to be Mezamen, for the reason (so he will give Birkas Ba'al ha'Bayis) does not apply.

Why does he request about shame in this world and in the world to come?

Etz Yosef: "Yesh Osher Shamur li'V'alav l'Ra'aso" (Koheles 5:12), i.e. wealth that causes him to lose his share in the world to come. Poverty is better than this, even though it says "Kerum Zulos li'Vnei Adam" (Tehilim 12:9) - they blushed [due to poverty] like Kerum (a multi-colored bird - 6b). A short shame [in this world] is better than eternal shame. There is wealth that gives two tables (in this world and the world to come) The Berachah is that he will not be shamed in this world (he will be rich), and his wealth will not be a cause of shame in the world to come. Rather, it will sprout his grandeur, like Avraham, Yitzchak and Yakov were blessed - a complete Berachah of two tables. May Hash-m bless us so!

Rav Elyashiv: We similarly request in Birkas ha'Chodesh [after requesting income] 'life without Bushah or Kelimah.' Rebbi added this to Birkas Ba'al ha'Bayis. He had awesome wealth (57b), but did not benefit from it in this world (Kesuvos 104a). He requested for Stam people, who cannot be so careful about this.

What is the significance of his property being close to the city?

Rashi: This refers to land. He should be able to see it constantly, to know what it needs.