1)

(a)The Beraisa learns from the phrase in Acharei-Mos (in connection with the Goral between the two goats on Yom Kipur) "Ve'asahu Chatas" that - the two goats [la'Hashem and la'Az'azel] on Yom Kipur) are determined exclusively by lots.

(b)Otherwise, we would have learned from the birds of a Zav or of a Yoledes - which are determined by designation (and not by lots), that the goats, which can be determined by lots, can certainly be determined by designation.

(c)This Beraisa, which holds that the Kal va'Chomer overrides "Chukah" (which the Torah inserts here) poses a Kashya on "Veshachat" and "Chukah" - where (as we just explained), "Chukah" overrides the Kal va'Chomer.

(d)We answer - by citing the D'rashah from the word "ha'Egah" (in the Pasuk in Ki Seitzei "ve'Arfu Sham es ha'Eglah ba'Nachal") which specifically precludes anything other than the Eglah, from the Din of Arifah (and a specific Miy'ut does override a Kal va'Chomer, even though "Chukah" does not).

2)

(a)We try to prove from a Kal va'Chomer from Parah, that Shechitah should be eligible by an Eglah - because if it is eligible by a Parah, even though Arifah is not, then it should certainly be eligible by an Eglah, where it is.

(b)We refute this proof however, from "Ve'arfu ha'Eglah" - which the Torah repeats, to teach us that Arifah is crucial to the Mitzvah.

3)

(a)The Beraisa explains our Mishnah 'Kasher be'Kohanim, Pasul bi'Levi'im; Kasher bi'Levi'im, Pasul be'Kohanim' to mean that - whereas Kohanim become Pasul through Mumin, Levi'im become Pasul through age.

(b)A Levi is Pasul from performing the Avodah of a ben Levi - before the age of thirty, and after the age of fifty.

(c)In the Pasuk in Beha'aloscha "Zos asher la'Levi'im", we learn from...

1. ... the word "Zos ... " that - a ben Levi becomes Pasul through age, but not through a blemish.

2. ... the words " ... asher la'Levi'im" that - only Levi'im become Pasul through age, but not Kohanim.

(d)We would otherwise have thought that ...

1. ... a blemish will disqualify a Levi from serving - Kal va'Chomer from a Kohen, who does not become Pasul through age, whereas he (a Levi) does.

2. ... age will disqualify a Kohen from performing the Avodah - Kal va'Chomer from a Levi, who does not become Pasul through a blemish, whereas he (a Kohen) does.

4)

(a)We learn from the Pasuk in Naso "La'avod Avodas Avodas Avodah va'Avodas Masa" (written immediately after the age limit of the Levi'im mentioned there) that - the top age limit by Levi'im only appliea to the Mishkan in the desert, but not to the Mishkan in Shiloh or to the Beis-Hamikdash ...

(b)... since the reason for this age period was due to the loads that the Levi'im had to carry (see Agados Maharsha) - and carrying was no longer necessary once they entered Eretz Yisrael (only singing and guarding the gates).

(c)To resolve the discrepancy between the Pasuk in Beha'aloscha, which gives the age of a ben Levi as twenty-five, and the Pasuk in Naso, which gives it as thirty, the Tana explains that - the Levi'im come to the Mishkan to learn the Halachos when they turned twenty-five, five years before they actually begin performing it.

5)

(a)The Tana Kama learns from the previous D'rashah that - if, after five years of study a Talmid sees no progress in his learning (he continues to forget all that he learns), he will not succeed in the future either.

(b)Whereas Rebbi Yossi learns from the Pasuk in Daniel "u'Legadlam Shenayim Shalosh, u'Lelamdam Seifer ve'Lashon Kasdim" that - a Talmid will know that he will not succeed already after three years.

(c)The reason that ...

1. ... Tana Kama declines to learn it from the Pasuk in Daniel is - because it refers mainly to the study of Aramaic, which is particularly easy.

2. ... Rebbi Yossi declines to learn it from the Pasuk in Naso is because the Hilchos Avodah of a Levi (incorporating the Dinim of building and dismantling of the Mishkan, and all the component parts, and of singing and playing the instruments) is particularly difficult (See Agados Maharsha).

6)

(a)Another Beraisa discusses the Pesulim of both the Kohanim and the Levi'im. According to that Tana, a Kohen ...

1. ... begins to perform the Avodah at the age of - bar Mitzvah, and ...

2. ... retires - when he becomes old (as we will see later).

(b)According to that Tana, a Levi became Pasul in both Shiloh and the Beis-Hamikdash - when his voice no longer blended with the voices of the other Levi'im.

(c)Rebbi Yossi learns this from the Pasuk in Divrei-Hayamim "Vay'hi ke'Echad la'Mechatzatzrim ve'li'Meshorarim u'Lehashmi'a Kol Echad". He interprets "u'Lehashmi'a Kol Echad" to mean that - their voices must blend until they sound like one voice.

7)

(a)Rebbi Ila'a Amar Rebbi Chanina defines the old age (at which a Kohen retires) as - when his hands and feet begin to shake from old age.

(b)We learned in a Mishnah in Mikva'os that a Ba'al Keri who Tovels without having urinated, becomes Tamei as soon as he does - because we suspect that some of the Keri remained inside the body, and it emerges together with the urine.

(c)Rebbi Yossi restricts the Tana Kama's ruling - to someone who is sick or old.

(d)And Rebbi Ila'a Amar Rebbi Chanina defines Yeled (young) in this context - as someone who can take off and put on, his shoe, whilst standing on one foot.

(e)Rebbi Chanina attributed the fact that he was still able to do this at the age of eighty - to the hot water and oil with which his mother used to anoint him when he was young.

8)

(a)The Beraisa permits a person to be appointed as a Shali'ach-Tzibur - someone who sees to all the communal needs, such as blowing the Shofar, administering Malkos, placing in Cherem and to appoint the community president, from the moment his beard is fully grown.

(b)Besides permitting a Kohen to Duchen (Nesi'as Kapayim) regularly - having grown a full beard also authorizes a person to be appointed the community Chazan (see Tosfos DH 'Nismalei Zikno').

(c)The Tana Kama of the Beraisa permits a Kohen to perform the Avodah from the time he turns bar-Mitzvah. According to Rebbi - only from the age of twenty.

(d)Rav Chisda explains that Rebbi learns his opinion from the Pasuk in Ezra "Va'ya'amidu es ha'Levi'im mi'ben Esrim Shanah va'Ma'alah Lenatze'ach al Meleches Beis Hash-m". The Rabbanan counter that however - with 'Lenatze'ach Sha'ani' (meaning that the twenty-year olds performed the heavier types of tasks that required more strength).

9)

(a)The problem with Rebbi's interpretation of the Pasuk in Ezra (that we just quoted) is that - the Pasuk is written in connection with the Levi'im, who only become Pasul through voice change (and not through age).

(b)And we answer with a statement of Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi, who said that - in twenty-four places throughout T'nach, the Pasuk refers to the Kohanim as Levi'im (incorporating this one, and ...

(c)... including the Pasuk in Yechezkel "ve'ha'Kohanim ha'Levi'im b'nei Tzadok".

10)

(a)Rebbi Elazar in a Beraisa, learnt from the word "Ish" (in the Pasuk in Emor "Ish mi'Zar'acha le'Dorosam ... Lo Yikrav Lehakriv Lechem Elokav") that - a Katan is Pasul to perform the Avodah.

(b)He also said that - although a thirteen year old Kohen is eligible to serve in the Beis-Hamikdash, the other Kohanim would not let him do so until he reached the age of twenty.

(c)Bedi'eved however, the Beraisa clearly holds that a thirteen-year old's Avodah is not Pasul (even mi'de'Rabbanan). Assuming the author to be Rebbi (whom we cited earlier), the Rabbanan will hold that - the Kohanim did not in fact, stop him from serving (even Lechatchilah).

(d)If however, the author of the Beraisa is the Rabbanan, then Rebbi will hold that until the age of twenty, a Kohen is forbidden to serve mi'de'Rabbanan, and that if he does, his Avodah is Pasul.

11)

(a)The Beraisa interprets our Mishnah ...

1. ... 'Tahor bi'Chelei Cheres, Tamei be'Chol ha'Keilim' to mean that - whereas, if Tum'ah touches the back of an earthenware vessel, the vessel remains Tahor, if it touches the back of any other vessel, it becomes Tamei.

2. ... 'Tahor be'Chol ha'Keilim, Tamei bi'Chelei Cheres' that - whereas, if something Tamei is dangled inside any other vessel, the vessel remains Tahor, if it is dangled inside an earthenware vessel, it becomes Tamei.

(b)The Tana of another Beraisa learns from the Pasuk in Shemini "ve'Chol K'li Cheres asher Yipol meihem (with reference to a Sheretz) el Tocho" - that something Tamei that is dangled in the air space of an earthenware vessel renders the vessel Tamei.

(c)Rebbi Yonasan ben Avtulmus learns from the Gezeirah-Shavah "Tocho" ("asher Yipol meihem el Tocho") "Tocho" ("Kol asher be'Tocho Yitma") that - it renders the vessel Tamei even if it does not actually touch it (Litamei from Letamei).

(d)Litamei means - to become Tamei, whereas Letamei means - to make others Tamei.

12)

(a)When we say that we learn Letamei itself from the fact that the Pasuk speaks even about a case where the K'li is full of mustard-seeds, we mean that - the Pasuk is therefore speaking about food in the earthenware oven becoming Tamei via the Sheretz, even though it is not actually touching it, as we will now see.

(b)Besides the fact that each seed is less than a k'Beitzah (which cannot be Metamei others with regard to Tum'as Ochlin), the mustard seeds cannot possibly all become Tamei through touching - a. because food is not Metamei food, and b. because that would entail each seed receiving Tum'ah from one that is touching it (and in the realm of Chulin, there is no level of Tum'ah lower than a Sheini le'Tum'ah).

(c)This forces us to conclude that - the mustard-seeds all become Tamei through the Tum'ah filling the air space (but not through touching).