Question: What do we read [in the Torah on a fast on Rosh Chodesh]?

Answer #1 (R. Yosi): We read the Brachos and curses [in Ki Savo].

Question (R. Mana): Is this in order to inform them that it is a fast?! They fall on their faces (in Tachanun, when a fast is on Rosh Chodesh), and they do not know that it is a fast [so we must read Brachos and curses to inform them]?!

Answer (R. Yosi): [It is not to inform them that it is a fast. I came] to inform you that [the proper Kri'as ha'Torah is] Brachos and curses.

Answer #2 (R. Yudan Kapudkiya citing R. Yudah bar Pazi, in front of R. Yosi): They read [the normal reading for] Rosh Chodesh.

R. Yosi (to R. Yudah bar Pazi): Did you hear this from your father?

R. Yudah bar Pazi: My father said so only in Ein Tav (where they are Mekadesh Rosh Chodesh), they know [Vadai] that it is Rosh Chodesh, they read of Rosh Chodesh [to publicize the matter]. All other places read Brachos and curses.

Question (Yirmeyah Safra to R. Yirmeyah): When Rosh Chodesh is on Shabbos, what do we read? (A Mishnah in Megilah says that we interrupt. Does this refer to Kri'as ha'Torah, or the Haftorah?)

Answer (R. Yirmeyah): We read [all seven Aliyos in Parshas Musaf] Rosh Chodesh.

Support - R. Chelbo (to R. Imi - Mishnah): We interrupt for everything - for Rosh Chodesh, Chanukah, and Purim. (The Mishnah mentions also Ta'aniyos and Ma'amados, which are not on Shabbos, so it cannot refer to the Haftorah. We explained this like CHAREDIM and KORBAN HA'EDAH in Megilah.)

Question (Yitzchak Sechorah, to R. Yitzchak): When Rosh Chodesh is on Chanukah, what do we read?

Answer #1 (R. Yitzchak): Three read in Rosh Chodesh, and one reads in [Chanukas ha'Mizbe'ach, for] Chanukah.

Answer #2 (R. Pinchas citing R. Simon citing R. Aba bar Zamina, and some say in the name of Rav Avodimi of Chaifah): Three read in Chanukah and one reads in Rosh Chodesh, to inform that the fourth reads only due to Rosh Chodesh.

Question (Bar Shalmiya Safra, to R. Mana): Exert yourself [and you will find the answer]! If Rosh Chodesh of Chanukah fell on Shabbos, don't seven read? Can you say that the fourth comes only due to Rosh Chodesh?! (There is no way to inform people of this. Likewise, we need not inform them when it falls on a weekday!)

R. Mana: This is a question about which there is a great Safek!

Rebbi commanded Avdan his translator (who broadcasted Rebbi's words) to announce in front of the Tzibur that one who wants to pray Ma'ariv during the day may do so.

[Also] R. Chiya bar Ba commanded his translator to announce in front of the Tzibur that one who wants to pray Ma'ariv during the day may do so.

R. Chanina: R. Yishmael bei Rebbi Yosi took me to an inn, and told me "here my father prayed Ma'ariv of Shabbos [during the day] on Erev Shabbos."

R. Imi: R. Yochanan disagrees. (R. Yochanan did not say so explicitly. R. Imi infers this from R. Yochanan's teaching that a Ben Olam ha'Ba is one who is Somech Ge'ulah to Tefilah at night.)

Objection: He need not disagree with this. What is the reason? [R. Yochanan could agree that one may pray Ma'ariv during the day for the sake of a Mitzvah, i.e.] we add from Chol to Kodesh (accept Kedushas Shabbos before Shabbos)!

Also, donkey-drivers came from Arev to Tziporin, and said that R. Chanina ben Dosa already accepted Shabbos [and prayed Ma'ariv] in his city. (It is reasonable that R. Yochanan does not argue with all these who permit doing so.)

Answer: The following [shows that R. Yochanan argues]. R. Chaninah said that R. Yishmael bei Rebbi Yosi took me to an inn, and told me "here my father prayed [Ma'ariv] of Motza'ei Shabbos on Shabbos" (even though it is no Mitzvah to do so).

Remark: Even about [the following] we need not say that [R. Yochanan] disagrees. Rebbi commanded Avdan his translator to announce in front of the Tzibur that one who wants to pray Ma'ariv may pray during the day, [and] R. Chiya bar Ba commanded his translator to announce in front of the Tzibur that one who wants to pray Ma'ariv may pray during the day! (Perhaps also they permitted only for the sake of a Mitzvah. It seems that so explains NO'AM YERUSHALMI.)

The house of R. Yanai says, if a person went to his bed [to sleep and he did not pray Ma'ariv], we do not exert him to descend [and pray, for Ma'ariv is optional].

R. Ze'irah: Every time I did so (did not pray Ma'ariv, for I already went to my bed) I was afraid [the entire] night.

[If you want to go to sleep before night,] you should do only like Rebbi commanded Avdan his translator to announce in front of the Tzibur that one who wants to pray Ma'ariv may pray during the day, [and] R. Chiya bar Ba commanded his translator to announce in front of the Tzibur that one who wants to pray Ma'ariv may pray during the day.

(R. Yakov bar Acha): It was taught there, what is [the status of] Tefilas Ma'ariv? R. Gamliel says that it is obligatory, and R. Yehoshua says that it is optional.

(R. Chinena): These Tana'im argue like those Tana'im argue. The one who says that Ma'ariv is obligatory holds that Ne'ilah does not exempt Ma'ariv. The one who says that Ma'ariv is optional holds that Ne'ilah exempts Ma'ariv.

A case occurred in which a Talmid asked R. Yehoshua 'what is [the status of] Ma'ariv?', and he told him that it is Reshus. He came and asked R. Gamliel 'what is Ma'ariv?', and he told him that it is Chovah.

The Talmid: R. Yehoshua told me that it is Reshus!

R. Gamliel: Tomorrow, when I enter the Beis Midrash, stand and ask this Halachah. The Talmid asked R. Gamliel "what is Ma'ariv", and he said "it is Chovah."

The Talmid: R. Yehoshua says that it is Reshus!

R. Gamliel (to R. Yehoshua): Do you say that it is Reshus? He said "no." R. Gamliel said, stand up, and they will testify about you (what you said)!

R. Gamliel was sitting and expounding, and R. Yehoshua was standing, until everyone was murmuring. (Some Chachamim decided to depose R. Gamliel, but not in public.) They told R. Chutzpis the translator [to stop,] to make people leave. They told R. Zunin the overseer [of the Beis ha'Keneses] to say "begin to leave." He said, and they began [leaving].

Everyone stood up and said to [R. Gamliel] "Ki Al Mi Lo Avrah Ra'ascha Tamid" (you constantly disgrace Chachamim)?!

Immediately they went and appointed R. Elazar ben Azaryah [to head] the Yeshivah. He was 16 years old, and his entire head became full of white hairs.

R. Akiva sat and was pained [that he was not appointed, He thought, perhaps there is a shortcoming in me! He retracted and] he said it is not that he is a greater Chacham than me, rather, he descends from Gedolim more than I. Fortunate is one whose ancestors merited for him! Fortunate is one who has a peg to hang from it!

What was the peg of R. Elazar ben Azaryah? He was a 10th generation descendant of Ezra.

Question: How many benches were [added to accommodate the additional Talmidim] there? (R. Gamliel did not allow Talmidim to enter until they were investigated. R. Elazar ben Azaryah allowed Talmidim to enter without investigation.)

Answer #1 (R. Yakov bar Sisi): There were 80 benches of Talmidei Chachamim there, excluding those who stood in back of the fence.

Answer #2 (R. Yosi bei R. Bun): There were 300 there, excluding those who stood in back of the fence.

This is like it was taught "on the day that they appointed R. Elazar ben Azaryah [to head] the Yeshivah."

Question: A Mishnah teaches "R. Elazar ben Azaryah expounded this Drashah in front of Chachamim in Kerem b'Yavneh." Was it a vineyard there?!

Answer: Rather, these are Talmidei Chachamim, who were in rows like a vineyard.

Immediately, R. Gamliel went to everyone in [the person's own] house to appease him. He came to R. Yehoshua, and found him making needles. He said, from this you support yourself?!

R. Yehoshua: Until now, you did not know [how Chachamim support themselves with pain]?! Woe to the generation that you are its leader!

R. Gamliel: I spoke against you [more than was proper. Pardon me.]

They sent to R. Elazar ben Azaryah a launderer, and some say that it was R. Akiva. He said to [R. Elazar], one who is a Mazeh (a Kohen, who sprinkles Mei Chatas) will sprinkle. One who is not a Mazeh, and not the son of a Mazeh, will he tell a Mazeh, the son of a Mazeh, your water is cave water, and your ashes are oven ashes (they are not Metaher?! I.e. those who deposed R. Gamliel have no connection to being Nasi. They had no authority to appoint you in place of him. Do not feel bad that he will return to be Nasi - MASA D'YERUSHALAYIM.)

[R. Elazar ben Azaryah] said to them, you are appeased? I and you will go to the door of R. Gamliel (to reinstate him).

Even so, they did not [totally] remove [R. Elazar ben Azaryah] from his greatness. Rather, they appointed him Av Beis Din.

(Mishnah): R. Nechunyah ben Hakanah used to say a short Tefilah when entering and leaving the Beis Medrash;

Talmidim: What is this Tefilah?

R. Nechunyah: When I enter, I pray that no mishap will come through me. When I leave, I thank [Hash-m] for my portion (that I am a Chacham).

(Gemara): When he enters, what does he say? May it be Your will, Hash-m Elokai vEilokei Avosai, that I not be upset with my colleagues and my colleagues not be upset with me. I should not declare the Tamei to be Tahor, nor the Tahor to be Tamei. I should not forbid the permitted, nor permit the forbidden, and it would turn out that I will be shamed in this world and the world to come.

(Gemara): When he leaves, what does he say? I thank You, Hash-m Elokai vEilokei Avosai, that You made my portion among those who sit in the Beis Medrash and Beis ha'Keneses, and You did not make my portion among those who sit in theaters and pubs;

I toil and they toil; I am Shoked (consistently in my place of my portion), and they are Shoked. I toil to inherit Gan Eden, and they toil for the pit (Gehinom), for it says "Ki Lo Sa'azov Nafshi li'Sh'ol Lo Siten Chasidecha Lir'os Shachas."

(R. Pedas citing R. Yakov bar Idi): R. Elazar would pray three requests after his Tefilah (Shemoneh Esre).

What did he say? May it be Your will, Hash-m Elokai vEilokei Avosai, that hate of us not come upon a man's heart, and hate of man not come upon our heart. Envy of us should not come upon a man's heart, and envy of man should not come upon our heart. Your Torah should be our occupation all the days of our lives, and our words should be supplications in front of You.

R. Chiya bar Aba adds, and unify our hearts to fear Your name, and distance us from all that You hate, and bring us close to all that You love, and do with us Tzedakah for the sake of Your name.

(Beis R. Yanai): One who awakens from his sleep must say 'Baruch Atah Hash-m Mechayeh Mesim, my Master, I sinned against You. May it be Your will, Hash-m Elokai, that You give to me a good heart, a good portion, Yetzer Tov, a good friend, a good reputation, a good eye (to see others favorably), a good Nefesh, a lowly Nefesh and a humble spirit;

Your name should not be desecrated through us, and do not make us conversation in the mouths of all people, and our end should not be to be cut off, and our hope should not be disappointed, and do not make us need gifts from flesh and blood, and do not hand our food to [e.g. employers of] flesh and blood, that their gift is small and their disgrace (for one who needs to take from them) is great;

Give our portion in Your Torah with those who do Your will. Build Your house, Your Heichal, Your city and Your Mikdash soon in our days.

R. Chiya bar Va prayed, May it be Your will, Hash-m Elokeinu vEilokei Avoseinu, to put in our hearts to do complete Teshuvah in front of You, lest we be ashamed from our fathers in the world to come.

R. Yudan bei R. Yishmael fixed a translator to say so after explaining [his Drashah].

R. Tanchum bar Isbalustika prayed May it be Your will, Hash-m Elokai vEilokei Avosai, to break and cease the yoke of the Yetzer ha'Ra from our hearts, for so You created us to do Your will, and we are obligated to do Your will;

You want [this] and we want. What is preventing? It is the Se'or (sourdough) in the dough (the Yetzer ha'Ra). It is revealed and known in front of You that we do not have strength to stand against it. Rather, May it be Your will, Hash-m Elokai vEilokei Avosai, to eradicate it from us and subdue it, and we will do Your will like our will with a full heart.

R. Yochanan would pray May it be Your will, Hash-m Elokai vEilokei Avosai, to make dwell in our portion love, brotherhood, Shalom and friendship, make successful our end and hope, increase our borders with Talmidim, we should rejoice in our portion in Gan Eden, fix for us a good heart and a good friend, we should rise early and find the longing of our heart, and may come in front of You (that You will decide) to give to us contentment.

(Mishnah): When I leave, I thank for my portion.

(R. Avun): [I thank] Hash-m who apportioned to me understanding and good action.