1)

(a)Regarding the Pasuk "Vayasar el Mal'ach Vayuchal, Bachah Va'yischanen lo", it is unclear who overcame whom, and who beseeched whom. We learn from the Pasuk in Vayishlach however, when the angel said to Ya'akov ...

1. ... "ki Sarisa im Elohim Vatuchal" - that it was Ya'akov who overcame the angel,and from ...

2. ... "Vayomer Shalcheni" - that it was the angel who beseeched Ya'akov.

(b)Rabah interprets the double expression "ki Sarisa im Elohim ve'Im Anashim" - as hinting to the princes in Eretz Yisrael, and the heads of Galus in Bavel, respectively.

(c)Incidentally - the Mal'ach was hinting to Ya'akov that his children would go into Galus.

2)

(a)We now discuss the dream of the butler in the story of Yosef (since it also deals with the future of K'lal Yisrael, and the termination of the Galus). Rav Chiya bar Aba Amar Rav interprets the three branches of the vine as the three 'Sarei Ge'im' in Yisrael, in each generation - which refers to three wealthy, influential Jews, in every generation, who are close to the ruling power ...

(b)... sometimes two in Bavel and one in Eretz Yisrael, and sometimes the other way round.

(c)The Rabbanan thought that the two brothers Rabana Ukva and Rabana Nechemyah - whose mother was the daughter of Rav, were the Sarei Ge'im in Bavel.

(d)According to Rava, the three branches refer to the three Sarei Ge'im in Heaven. This refers to - three of the governing angels of the nations, in each generation, whose task is to defend Yisrael.

3)

(a)According to Rebbi Eliezer in a Beraisa, the vine represented the world.

1. The three branches - referred to the Avos ...

2. ... the blossoms that turned into buds - the Imahos and ...

3. ... the clusters of grapes that ripened - the twelve tribes.

(b)Rebbi Yehoshua objected to this explanation - on the grounds that one shows a person a dream of things that are going to happen, not things that have already taken place.

(c)He therefore interprets the vine as Torah.

1. The three branches - represented Moshe, Aharon and Miriam ...

2. ... the blossoms that turned into buds - the Sanhedrin, and ...

3. ... the clusters of grapes that ripened - the Tzadikim in every generation.

4)

(a)Raban Gamliel remarked that we still need the explanation of Rebbi Alazar ha'Muda'i - which is unique inasmuch as it refers to a location.

(b)According to Rebbi Alazar ha'Muda'i, the vine is Yerushalayim ...

1. ... the three branches are - the Beis-Hamikdash, the king and the Kohen Gadol ...

2. ... the blossoms that turned into buds - are the young Kohanim ...

3. ... and the clusters of grapes that ripened - the Nesachim (the libation offering).

(c)Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi interprets the dream with regard to Matanos (the gifts that Hash-m gave Yisrael). According to him, the vine refers to Torah, and the three branches to the Well of Miriam, the Clouds of Glory and the Manna ...

1. ... the blossoms that turned into buds - to the Bikurim ...

2. ... and the clusters of grapes that ripened - to the Nesachim.

(d)Whereas according to Rebbi Yirmiyah bar Aba, the vine represents Yisrael (in Egypt) ...

1. ... the three branches - the merit of the Shalosh Regalim on which Yisrael would later go up to Yerushalayim ...

2. ... and the blossoms and the buds - to the amazing growth in their birthrate and the redemption from Egypt, respectively.

3. ... the clusters of grapes that ripened - to the cup of punishment that Egypt was about to drink.

5)

(a)This last D'rashah tallies with that of Rava, who explains that the three cups mentioned in the dream of the chief butler represented - the three cups of punishment that Egypt was destined to drink: one in the days of Moshe, one in the days of Paroh Nechei (whom Nevuchadnetzar defeated), and one that they will drink together with all the nations of the world, in time to come.

(b)Rebbi Aba told Rebbi Yirmiyah bar Aba - that Rav Darshened the current Pasuk just like he did.

(c)Resh Lakish, in his interpretation of the Pasuk, learned from the Pasuk in Tehilim "Gefen mi'Mitzrayim Tasi'a" - that Yisrael is compared to a vine, and that this was therefore the interpretation of the vine in the butler's dream.

(d)Resh Lakish compares the branches to the Ba'alei Batim ...

1. ... the clusters of grapes - to the Talmidei-Chachamim ...

2. ... the leaves - to the Amei-ha'Aretz ...

3. ... and the tendrils (which serve no purpose) - to those in Yisrael who are empty of Mitzvos.

(e)The Ba'alei-Batim are compared to branches, which constitute the main part of the vine - because they perform Chesed, support the poor, and give of their money to the ruling power, thereby enabling their brothers to survive.

6)

(a)When they sent from Eretz Yisrael that the clusters should pray for the leaves - they meant that just as the leaves are needed to protect the fruit from the elements, so too, do the Amei-ha'Aretz, who plow, sow and reap ... , save the Talmidei-Chachamim from death.

(b)Rebbi Yochanan in the name of Rebbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak interprets the Pasuk in Hoshe'a...

1. ... "Va'echreh Li ba'Chamishah-Asar Kesef" to mean - that Hash-m acquired Yisrael for Himself on the fifteenth of Nisan, on account of the Tzadikim.

2. ... "Chomer Se'orim ve'Lesech Se'orim" with reference - to the forty-five Tzadikim (since a Chomer is thirty Sa'ah, and a Lesech, fifteen) that keep the world going.

(c)Bearing in mind the division of forty-five into two into two units, Rebbi Yochanan's Safek is - whether there are thirty Tzadikim in Eretz Yisrael and fifteen in Bavel, or vice versa.

(d)And he resolves his Safek from the Pasuk in Zecharyah "Va'ekchah Sh'loshim ha'Kesef Va'ashlich oso Beis Hash-m el ha'Otzar" - a clear indication that the thirty Tzadikim are situated in Eretz Yisrael.

7)

(a)Abaye maintains that most of the Tzadikim in Eretz Yisrael (see Tiferes Ya'akov) are to be found in the Shul of 'Tusi Afsa', which means literally - 'below the attic'.

(b)The gist of the Pasuk "Va'omar aleihem, Im Tov be'Einechem, Havu S'chari, ve'Im Lo Chidlu, Ve'eshkalah ... Sh'loshim ha'Kesef" is - that Hash-m, in His anger, was claiming back the thirty Tzadikim that He had given them as protection, and would give the equivalent to Yisrael (see next piece).

8)

(a)According to Rav Yehudah, the Sh'loshim Kesef in Zecharyah refers to the thirty Tzadikei Umos ha'Olam - on whose merit the rest of the Nochrim survive.

(b)Ula interprets it with regard to the thirty Mitzvos that the B'nei No'ach undertook to keep (see Anaf Yosef) - of which they actually observed three.

(c)Two of them are that they did not write a Kesuvah on males (homosexual relations) and they did not weigh out the flesh of corpses in the butchery. Alternatively, 'she'Ein Shoklin Basar ha'Meis be'Makulin' might mean - that they did not sell the flesh of animals that died naturally (without being slaughtered) in the butchery (only discreetly).

(d)The third Mitzvah that they observed was - that they honored the Torah.

9)

(a)We learned in our Mishnah that a bird does not have a 'Kaf ha'Yarech' (flesh that surrounds the thigh). In fact, they do, and what the Mishnah means is - that the flesh surrounding it is not round-shaped (like a spoon). Note, that the pulke that we eat is the lower leg (corresponding to the calf), and not the thigh.

(b)Rebbi Yirmiyah asks what the Din will be with regard to a bird that has spoon-shaped flesh surrounding the thigh, or an animal that does not - whether we go after each individual animal and bird (if it has, then it has a Din of Gid ha'Nasheh, and if not, not), or whether we go after the species (all animals have a Din of Gid ha'Nasheh, all birds don't).

(c)And the outcome of the She'eilah is - Teiku (Tishbi Yetaretz Kushyos ve'Ibayos).

10)

(a)Following the statement in our Mishnah 've'Noheg ba'Shelil', Shmuel rules 've'Chelbo Mutar Divrei ha'Kol'. The problem with establishing this by ...

1. ... the Cheilev of a Sh'lil is - that it is not unanimous at all, but a Machlokes between Rebbi Meir and Rebbi Yehudah, and the same applies to ...

2. ... the Cheilev of the Gid ha'Nasheh (as we shall now see).

(b)With reference to Gid ha'Nasheh, Rebbi Meir, in a Beraisa, rules 'Noheg ba'Shelil ve'Chelbo Asur', whereas Rebbi Yehudah holds - 'Eino Noheg ba'Sh'lil, ve'Chelbo Mutar'.

(c)Rebbi Elazar Amar Rebbi Oshaya define 'Sh'lil' in the Beraisa - as a nine-month old baby that is found alive inside its mother, after the latter has been Shechted.

(d)When he adds that Rebbi Meir and Rebbi Yehudah follow their own reasoning, he is referring to their Machlokes as to - whether a Sh'lil requires its own Shechitah (Rebbi Meir, in which case a Sh'lil is no different than any other animal) or not (Rebbi Yehudah).

11)

(a)We have already learned that, according to Rebbi Meir, one needs to root out all the Cheilev together with the Gid. Rebbi Yehudah rules - that one only needs to cut away the Cheilev that one sees (and not to dig out the part that is hidden).

(b)We conclude that Shmuel is referring to the Cheilev of the Gid ha'Nasheh - and when he says 'le'Divrei ha'Kol Mutar', he means mi'd'Oraysa. He concedes however, that Rebbi Meir forbids it mi'de'Rabbanan.

(c)The basis for this is the Beraisa 've'Shamno Mutar, ve'Yisrael Kedoshim Nahagu bo Isur' - which we query on the grounds that the author might well be Rebbi Yehudah (who will then be the one to forbid all Cheilev of the Gid mi'de'Rabbanan), and not Rebbi Meir (who will hold that it is all forbidden mi'd'Oraysa).

(d)We answer by citing another Beraisa 'Gid ha'Nasheh Mechatet Acharav be'Chol Makom she'Hu, ve'Shamno Mutar'. Now the Tana who uses this expression ('Mechatet Acharav') is Rebbi Meir, yet he says 've'Shamno Mutar', a clear proof that he is the author of the earlier Beraisa, and not Rebbi Yehudah (who in fact does not forbid all the Cheilev, even mi'de'Rabbanan).

12)

(a)Rav Yitzchak bar Shmuel bar Marsa citing Rav restricts the Isur of Gid ha'Nasheh to the K'noknos (the thin Gidin that lead from the outer Gid to the inner one) - because the Gid itself is tasteless (and we generally that it is the taste of an Isur that the Torah forbids).

(b)Ula counters that however - with the argument that yes, the Gid ha'Nasheh tastes like wood, yet, in this case, that is what the Torah forbids.

(c)Abaye supports Ula on the basis of a statement by Rav Sheishes, who says in the name of Rav Asi - that although thin strands of flesh that one finds in the Cheilev (either coming from the flanks, or in the Cheilev that covers the stomach) are forbidden (mi'de'Rabbanan), one is not Chayav for eating them ...

(d)... because the Torah forbids the Cheilev, and not the Chutin. By the same token, Abaye argues, the Torah also writes "Gid", and not 'K'noknos', like Ula.

13)

(a)Rav Sheishes Amar Rav Asi - issues the same ruling with regard to the thin strands of flesh that one finds in the kidneys, as he issued regarding those in the Cheilev.

(b)Rebbi and Rebbi Chiya argue over the white that one finds in the kidneys - one of them forbids it, the other, permits it.

(c)Rabah (or Rava) and Rebbi Yochanan used to root it out. Rebbi Asi - used to remove the white that is outside the Kidneys, but not the part that is inside (which does not resemble Cheilev at all).

14)

(a)Abaye supports Rebbi Asi on the basis of a statement by Rav Yehudah, who citing Shmuel, permitted the Cheilev that is covered by the flanks (which are under the kidneys) ...

(b)... because the Torah only forbids the Cheilev that is *on* the flanks, but not the Cheilev that is *inside* them.

(c)By the same token - the Torah only forbade the Cheilev that is *on* the kidneys, and not the Cheilev that is *inside* them, like Rebbi Asi.

15)

(a)Some Poskim forbid the Cheilev of the flanks that are covered by a thick membrane - because compared to flesh, it is too thin to be considered a covering.

(b)It is Minhag Ashkenaz however - to permit it, seeing as the white is in effect, properly covered.

(c)Regarding the white that is in the kidneys, the Din is - that it is proper to forbid it, since the Gemara does not specifically rule like Rebbi Asi.