(Rabah bar bar Chanah): Chachamim say, a man must say three things in his house on Erev Shabbos, close to dark: Have you separated Ma'aseros? Have you made Eruvin? Light the Shabbos lights!

(Rabah bar bar Chanah): These must be said gently, so the household will comply.

(Rav Ashi): Even before I heard Rabah's teaching, I (reasoned that they should be said gently, and) did so.

(R. Avahu): One should never instill excessive fear in his house. A great man, R. Chanina ben Gamliel, instilled excessive fear, and they fed him an awesomely forbidden food!

Objection: This cannot be! Hash-m does not allow a pitfall (eating Isur) to come through animals of Tzadikim, all the more so, not to Tzadikim themselves!

Correction: Rather, they were about to feed him an awesome thing: a limb from a living animal.

Mar Ukva: There are people that annoy me. I could inform on them to the king. Should I?

R. Elazar scratched a Sirtut line and replied "I will guard my ways from sinning with my tongue; I will muzzle my mouth while the evil one is in front of me" - even while the evil one is in front of me, I will muzzle my mouth.

Mar Ukva: They are bothering me excessively. I cannot bear them!

R. Elazar: "Be silent to Hash-m and Hischolel (hope) to Him" - wait for Hash-m, and He will make your enemies fall Chalalim Chalalim (piles of corpses).

Rise early to the Beis Medrash and stay late, and your enemies will perish by themselves.

Just after R. Elazar said this, Geneiva (who was bothering Mar Ukva) was put in chains to be executed.

Question: What is the source that song is forbidden?

Answer (Mar Ukva): "Do not rejoice Yisrael, do not rejoice like the nations."

Question: Why didn't he answer "they will not drink wine amidst song; strong drink is bitter to those who drink it"?

Answer: From that verse, one might have thought that song with instruments is forbidden, but vocal song is permitted. Mar Ukva teaches that this is not so.

Question (Rav Huna bar Noson): What do we learn from "Kinah and Dimonah and Ad'adah"?

Answer #1 (Rav Ashi): The verse lists cities of Eretz Yisrael.

Answer #2 (Rav Huna bar Noson citing Rav Gaviha): If one has justified anger (Kin'ah) against his friend, but he is silent (Domem), the One who dwells forever (Adei Ad) will judge his case.

Question (Rav Ashi): If so, how will you expound "Tziklag and Madmanah and Sansanah"?

Rav Huna: If Rav Gaviha were here, he would!

Answer (Rav Acha): If one has a Tza'akas Legimah against his friend (the latter diminished his livelihood) and is Domem (silent), the One who dwells in the (burning) Sneh (bush) will judge his case.

Question (the exilarch): What is the source that crowns of Chasanim are forbidden?

Answer #1 (Rav Huna): This is a Rabbinic decree;

(Mishnah): During Aspanyanus' siege of Yerushalayim, Chachamim decreed against crowns of Chasanim and drums.

Answer #2 (Rav Chisda, after Rav Huna left): We learn from "remove the Mitznefes (turban) and lift off the crown" - people may wear crowns only when the Kohen Gadol wears his Mitznefes (i.e. when the Mikdash stands).

Rav Huna: You expound nicely, but the law is only a Rabbinic decree.

Mar bar Rav Ashi was making a crown for his daughter.

Ravina: Don't you agree that "remove the turban and lift off the crown" forbids this?!

Mar bar Rav Ashi: We learn from the Kohen Gadol, and we forbid only those similar to the Kohen Gadol, i.e. men.

Question: What do we learn from the end of the verse, "this, not this"?

Answer (Rav Avira): When Hash-m told Yisrael "remove the turban and lift off the crown", the angels asked 'is this fitting for Yisrael, who said "Na'aseh (we will do)" before "Nishma (we will hear)" on Har Sinai?!

Hash-m answered, this is fitting for Yisrael, who lowered the high and raised the lowly, and set up an idol in the Heichal.

(Rav Avira): "If they are complete, or many, even so they will be cut" - if one sees that his income is scarce, he should give Tzedakah from it, and all the more so, if his income is large!

Question: What do we learn from the end of the verse, "even so they will be cut, and pass"?

Answer (Tana d'Vei R. Yishmael): If one trims his possessions and gives Tzedakah, he is saved from punishment in Gehinom;

This is a parable to two sheep passing through water, and only one of them is shorn. Only the shorn sheep can pass.

(Mar Zutra): "And I afflicted you" - even a poor person supported by Tzedakah should give Tzedakah.

(Rav Yosef): "I will not afflict you any more" - he will not experience any more signs of poverty.

(Mishnah): R. Yehudah says, from Rekem and eastwards (is like Chutz la'Aretz, and from Ako or further north...)

Inference: This implies that Ako is the northernmost part of Eretz Yisrael!

Contradiction (Beraisa): If one walks from Ako to Cheziv, on his right, to the east of the path, is Tamei, like Chutz La'aretz. What grows is assumed to be exempt from Ma'aser and Shemitah, unless one knows that it is obligated;

On his left, to the west of the path, is Tahor, like Eretz Yisrael. What grows is assumed to be obligated in Ma'aser and Shemitah, unless one knows that it is exempt.

This applies until Cheziv;

R. Yishmael b'Rebbi Yosi says, it is until Lavlevo.

Answer (Abaye): Only a small strip of land extends north of Ako.

Question: Why does the Tana say 'to the east of the path'? A path is not so important to be a reference point!

Answer: A verse shows that it is!

"In Shilo... to the east of the path from Beis Kel to Shechem."

(Beraisa #1): Bringing a Get in a boat is like bringing a Get in Eretz Yisrael.

Contradiction (Beraisa #2): Bringing a Get in a boat is like bringing a Get in Chutz La'aretz.

Answer #1 (R. Yirmeyah): Beraisa #1 is like Chachamim, and Beraisa #2 is like R. Yehudah.

(Mishnah): If soil of Chutz La'aretz is in a boat in Eretz Yisrael, Ma'aser and Shemitah apply to what grows in it;

R. Yehudah says, this is only if the boat scrapes the bottom of the river. If it floats (at least 10 Tefachim), it is exempt from Ma'aser and Shemitah.

Answer #2 (Abaye): Both Beraisos are like R. Yehudah. In Beraisa #1, the boat scrapes the bottom. In Beraisa #2, it floats.

(R. Zeira): R. Yehudah and Chachamim also argue about an elevated flowerpot (e.g. on a tripod).

Rejection #1 (Rava): Perhaps all hold that Ma'aser and Shemitah apply!

R. Yehudah exempts only soil in a floating boat, since it moves. He would not exempt a flowerpot, which is stationary!

Rejection #2 (Rava): Perhaps all would exempt!

Chachamim obligated soil in a boat, because there is no gap between it and the ground. Water is like a continuation of the river floor;

A suspended flowerpot is separated from the ground, so it is exempt!