1)

(a)The Beraisa learns that blood that squirts on the ground and blood that sticks to the knife require covering - from the word "Vechisahu" (as we will explain shortly).

(b)Another Beraisa includes (in the Din of Kisuy) from "Vechisahu", blood that squirts on to the ground and Dam she'al Agapayim - blood that squirts on to the walls of the abattoir).

(c)Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel qualifies the Tana Kama's ruling - by confining it to where they did not cover the Dam ha'Nefesh.

(d)The Chachamim interpret "Damo" to mean all its blood, whereas according to ...

1. ... Rebbi Yehudah it means - some of the blood.

2. ... Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, it means - its principle (life) blood.

2)

(a)Our Mishnah lists the things that are, and that are not, eligible to cover with. One may use soft dung, thin sand, lime, ground earthenware, a brick and the lid of a barrel that have been pounded - but not thick dung or sand, or a brick or lid of a barrel that have not been pounded.

(b)The Mishnah - prohibits using an overturned receptacle to cover the blood.

(c)Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel states that - anything in which plants can grow, is eligible to cover with.

3)

(a)Rabah bar bar Chanah Amar Rebbi Yochanan defines thin sand as - sand that a potter does not need to grind.

(b)When we say that some quote Rabah bar bar Chanah Amar Rebbi Yochanan on the Seifa, we mean that - they refer to the statement disqualifying thick sand, which Rebbi Yochanan defines as sand that a potter does need to grind.

(c)The difference between the two versions is - sand that is fairly thick, which can be broken by hand, which is eligible according to the first version (since it refers to it as thin sand), but not eligible according to the second version (since it refers to it as thick sand).

4)

(a)The Beraisa learns from the fact that the Pasuk writes "be'Afar" that - one must use something that falls under the category of earth with which to cover the blood, and not stones or an overturned receptacle.

(b)Had the Torah written 'u've'Afar Yechasenu' - Kisuy ha'Dam would have been restricted to real earth.

(c)And from the fact that the Torah writes "Vechisehu be'Afar", the Tana now Darshens that - one may use anything that falls under the category of earth (such as those contained in the first list in the Mishnah [even though it is not real earth]).

5)

(a)The latter Beraisa adds to the Mishnah's list of what is eligible for Kisuy ha'Dam and what is not. The Tana incorporates ...

1. ... ground stones, ground clay, fine shavings of flax and of saw-dust - in the list of things that are eligible, and ...

2. ... ground metal vessels, flour, oats and bran - in the list of things that are not.

(b)The Tana incorporates the former list in the first list in the Mishnah - because they fall under the category of 'Afar' (earth), and the latter in the second list - because they do not.

6)

(a)We suggest that "Vechisahu" should be a Klal, and "be'Afar" a P'rat - in which case, based on the principle Ein bi'Ch'lal Ela Mah she'bi'P'rat (the K'lal is confined to the P'rat), one would only be permitted to cover with earth and nothing else]).

(b)Rav Mari refute that suggestion however, by pointing out that - this case is different, inasmuch as the K'lal itself incorporates two opposite kinds of commodities, a. something complete (like an overturned vessel) and something comprising broken particles (like earth). Consequently, we need the P'rat to indicate which one to preclude from the K'lal.

(c)We Darshen a K'lal u'P'rat - in a case where the K'lal incorporates various items of the same kind, in which case the P'rat will preclude them all.

7)

(a)Rav Nachman bar Rav Chisda rules that for Kisuy ha'Dam, one may only use earth in which seeds will grow - precluding desert sand in which nothing can grow.

(b)When Rava referred to that as a joke - Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak told him that there was nothing funny about it, and that, in fact, it was he who had told taught it to Rav Nachman bar Rav Chisda.

(c)In the Beraisa that Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak cited as his source, the Tana advises someone who has no earth to perform Kisuy ha'Dam, and who is traveling ...

1. ... in a desert - to grind a golden Dinar and cover the blood with the dust.

2. ... in a ship - to burn his coat and use the ashes to cover the blood.

(d)We learn from the Pasuk in Iyov "ve'Afros Zahav lo" - that ground gold-dust is called Afar.

8)

(a)With regard to the Beraisa's earlier case, the Torah refers to ashes as Afar - in Chukas (in connection with the Parah Adumah) "me'Afar S'reifas ha'Chatas".

(b)This is the opinion of Beis Hillel in another Beraisa. According to Beis Shamai, only Afar is eligible, and not Eifer ...

(c)... because even if ashes are called Afar S'reifah, they are not called Afar S'tam.

9)

(a)The Tana Kama of another Beraisa adds Shichor, K'chol and Nikras Pisulin to the list of things that are eligible for Kisuy ha'Dam, to which Yesh Omrim adds Zarnich (arsenic). Shichor is ground charcoal ...

1. ... K'chol is - a material which produces a blue eye-paint.

2. ... Nikras Pisulin is - flour dust from a mill.

10)

(a)According to Rava, because Avraham said "ve'Anochi Afar va'Eifer" - his descendants merited Afar Parah and Afar Sotah.

(b)Rava omitted Afar Kisuy ha'Dam - because it is a Hechsher Mitzvah without any physical benefits (since the meat is permitted whether one performs Kisuy ha'Dam or not).

(c)Afar Parah renders a Tamei person Tahor - whereas Afar Sotah creates Shalom between a man and his wife.