1)

(a)The Pasuk "v'Chol ha'Nivdal mi'Tum'as Goyei ha'Aretz Aleihem" incorporates Gerim and Charurim.

(b)Sanbalat and Tuvyah made every effort to thwart Ezra and Nechemyah's efforts to rebuild the second Beis ha'Mikdash in the days of Koresh the first of Persia.

1. Sanbalat was a Nochri from Choron.

2. Tuvyah was an Amoni slave.

(c)We try to prove from the fact that Tuvyah's son Yochanan married the daughter of Meshulam ben Berechyah that Mamzerim also accompanied Ezra to Eretz Yisrael based on the principle 'Nochri v'Akum ha'Ba Al bas Yisrael, ha'Vlad Mamzer',.

(d)Besides the fact that not everyone agrees with this principle, nor do we have proof that they had children, the third objection that we raise to refute this proof is that it is possible that, even assuming that they had children, they came with Ezra to Bavel, they had been in Eretz Yisrael all the time.

2)

(a)So we learn Mamzer, Shesuki and Asufi from the Pasuk there "v'Eilu ha'Olim mi'Teil-Melach, Teil Charsha, K'ruv Adon, v'Lo Yachlu Lahagid Beis Avosam v'Zar'am Im mi'Yisrael Heimah". When we interpret "Teil Melach" as 'Eilu Bnei Adam she'Domin Ma'aseihem l'Ma'aseh S'dom ... ' we are referring to their adulterous practices (e.g. abducting brides just after they were married), which produced Mamzerim. So we see that Mamzerim accompanied Ezra to Eretz Yisrael.

(b)And we learn from ...

1. ... "Teil-Charsha" (implying that the mother would silence the child when he referred to his father) that Shesukim did too.

2. ... "v'Lo Yachlu Lahagid Beis Avosam ... " that so did Asufim.

(c)From "K'ruv Adon v'Amar", Rebbi Avahu extrapolates that even though Hash-m had declared Yisrael important like a K'ruv, they had behaved like a leopard.

1. A K'ruv is a holy Cherub

2. The significance of a leopard in this context is its not caring with whom it mates.

(d)Rebbi Avahu's alternative Derashah is that even though Yisrael behave like a leopard, Hash-m still considers them important like a K'ruv.

3)

(a)Rabah bar bar Chanah Darshens from the Pasuk "v'Eilu ha'Olim mi'Teil-Melach, Teil Charsha" that when someone who marries a woman who is not suited to him, the Torah reckons as if he had plowed up the entire world and sown it with salt.

(b)And Rabah bar Rav Ada Amar Rav Darshens from the Pasuk "ba'Hashem Bagdu, Ki Banim Zarim Yaladu" that when people marry women who are Pasul to them purely for money, they will have bad children.

(c)The Pasuk also informs us that they will lose all their money. We Darshen from the use of the plural in "Chelkeihem" that he will lose Chelkah as well as Chelko. By ...

1. ... 'Chelko', we mean Nichsei Tzon Barzel (his wife's property over which he takes responsibility).

2. ... 'Chelkah', we mean Nichsei Milug (his wife's property over which he does take responsibility).

(d)It will take no more than one month for them to lose everything (as the Navi himself specifically states).

4)

(a)If someone marries a woman who is not suitable, Eliyahu and Hash-m work together to punish him ...

1. ... Eliyahu will bend him over the Amud and tie his arms, and ...

2. ... Hash-m will administer the lashes.

(b)Hash-m signs the document that Eliyahu writes. The document contains 'Woe to the one who delegitimizes his children, stigmatizes his family and marries a woman who is unsuitable'.

5)

(a)We say that someone who is always insulting others, and who cannot say a good word about anyone is himself Pasul.

(b)Shmuel says that someone who always defames others by calling them by a specific derogatory title is merely reflecting his own flaw.

(c)When that man was asked to wait at the butcher until Rav Yehudah bar Yechezkel was served, he retorted 'Who is Yehudah bar Sh'viskal (a derogatory title meaning 'roasted') that I should have to wait for him?

(d)When they informed Rav Yehudah ...

1. ... of what he had said he reacted by ordering him to be placed in Cherem.

2. ... that this man was also in the habit of calling other people slaves he reacted by declaring him an Eved.

6)

(a)When the man arranged for Rav Nachman to issue Rav Yehudah with a writ inviting him to a Din Torah Rav Huna advised the latter that, even though he was greater than Rav Nachman, he should show respect to the house of the Nasi (Rav Nachman's father-in-law), and appear before Rav Nachman.

(b)Rav Nachman was the Rav of Neharda'a, Rav Yehudah Rav of Pumbedisa.

(c)When Rav Yehudah arrived, he found Rav Nachman putting up a Ma'akeh in a dangerous spot.

(d)When Rav Yehudah quoted him Rav Huna bar Idi Amar Shmuel, who forbids an important dignitary to perform any type of manual labor, he replied that he was putting up a Ma'akeh (which is permitted because it is a Mitzvah).

7)

(a)Rav Yehudah objected to Rav Nachman's coarse terminology. When the latter referred to ...

1. ... 'Gunderisa', he really meant either a Ma'akeh (the Lashon of the Torah), or a Mechitzah (that of the Rabanan).

2. ... 'Akarpita' he meant a bench.

3. ... 'Anavga' a specific morning drink consisting of a Revi'is.

(b)When Rav Nachman offered him as 'Esrunga' (rather than an Esrog or an Esroga) he declared that anyone who referred to an Esrog (or an Esroga) as an 'Esrunga' was guilty of a degree of pride.

(c)A Safsal, an Esrog and Ispargus, on the one hand are Rabbinical expressions; whereas an Itztaba an Esroga and Anpac, on the other are colloquial.

8)

(a)Wen Rav Nachman ...

1. ... called Dunag (his daughter) to serve them Rav Yehudah reacted by quoting Shmuel, who forbids using the services of a woman (so as not to train her to feel at home in the company of men).

2. ... pointed out that she was a Ketanah he quoted Shmuel again, who made no distinction between a Gedolah and a Ketanah.

(b)And when Rav Nachman suggested that ...

1. ... he (Rav Yehudah) greet Yalsa (his wife) he quoted Shmuel, who ruled 'Kol b'Ishah Ervah' (and greeting a woman is bound to elicit a response).

2. ... he could do so via a Shali'ach he quoted Shmuel yet again, who forbade that too (because it creates a mutual attraction).

3. ... if he did it through her husband (i.e. himself) there should be no problem Rav Yehudah disillusioned him again in the name of his illustrious Rebbi, who made absolutely no distinction.

(c)Yalsa then sent her husband a message advising him to release Rav Yehudah from the Din Torah and send him home before he placed him on a par with a regular ignoramuses.

9)

(a)Rav Nachman was clearly not aware of Rav Yehudah's greatness. When Rav Yehudah explained that he was there, because he (Rav Nachman) had sent him a writ his response was that, if he could not even match his refined level of speech, how could he have possibly sent him a writ (at which, Rav Yehudah produced the writ and handed it to Rav Nachman).

(b)Rav Nachman then proceeded to cross-examine him. He did not send Rav Yehudah home immediately so that people should not accuse Rav Yehudah of flattering Rav Nachman into letting him off the hook.

(c)When Rav Nachman asked Rav Yehudah why he did not give the culprit Malkus (as Rav prescribed for someone who insults a Shali'ach Beis'Din), he replied that he had done even better by placing him in Cherem.

(d)Rav Nachman nevertheless objected at Rav Yehudah's having announced that the man was an Eved because, even according to Shmuel, 'Kol ha'Posel ... ' is merely a suspicion, not a definite fact.

10)

(a)The culprit then made a statement that (he could not possibly be an Eved, because) he descended from the family of the Chashmona'im.

(b)To prove his point, Rav Yehudah then quoted Shmuel, who said that whoever claimed that he descended from the Chashmona'im, is an Eved.

(c)Rav Nachman then tried to repudiate this on the basis of Rav Aba Amar Rav Huna Amar Rav who said that a new ruling cited by a Talmid-Chacham can only be believed if he cites it prior to the occasion when it is needed (but not when he cites only when it is needed).

(d)Rav Yehudah countered this argument by quoting Rav Masna who corroborated his opinion (and he did not need the ruling).

11)

(a)At that moment, Rav Masna (who had not visited Neharda'a for thirteen years) walked through the door.

(b)Rav ...

1. ... Yehudah asked Rav Masna whether he remembered what Shmuel had said as he stood with one foot on the bank and the other, on the bridge (or in a boat).

2. ... Rav Masna quoted Shmuel's statement, based on the fact that the last member of the family was that girl (Miriam) who climbed onto the roof, and, before jumping to her death, announced that whoever claimed to be a member of the Chashmona'i family, was an Eved.

(c)The families that became Pasul as a result of Rav Yehudah's (and Rav Masna's) testimony, wanted to stone him. However when Rav Yehudah threatened that, unless they were silent, he would reveal their identity, they threw the stones in the river (causing the river to become blocked and to stop flowing from that point).

(d)The significance of the two families in Neharda'a d'Bei Yonah and d'Bei Urv'sa is that the former (which is the name of a Tahor bird) was Tahor, whereas the latter (the name of a Tamei bird), was Tamei.

12)

(a)Rav Yehudah sorted out the Avadim and the Mamzerim in Pumbedisa. He said that ...

1. ... Bati bar Tuvyah, in his vanity refused to accept a Shtar Shichrur.

2. ... the residents of Guva'i were Giv'onim (for which reason the town was called by that name).

3. ... Darnunisa was a village of Nesinim (which is the translation of 'Dura Nesini' [the acronym of its name]).

(b)And Rav Yehudah Amar Shmuel said that the four hundred (or four thousand) Avadim belonging to Pashchur ben Imar intermarried with Kohanim, and that any Kohen whom one comes across with Chutzpah, is one of their descendants.

(c)Rebbi Elazar disagreed with this. He learned from the Pasuk "v'Amcha Ki'Merivei Kohen" that Kohanim are intrinsically quarrelsome (and Chutzpadick).

13)

(a)

1. Rav Avin bar Ada Amar Rav learns from the Pasuk in Tehilim "Shivtei Kah Edus l'Yisrael" that when Hash-m testifies on the purity of Yisrael, He will not testify on those who married women who were unsuitable

2. Rebbi Chama b'Rebbi Chanina learns from the Pasuk in Yirmeyahu "ba'Eis ha'Hi, Ne'um Hash-m, Eh'yeh l'Elokim l'Chol Mishpechos Yisrael" that when Hash-m rests His Shechinah on Yisrael and testifies as to their purity, He will not rest it on those families whose Yichus is not pure.

3. Rebbi Chelbo learns from the Pasuk in Yeshayah "v'Nilvah ha'Ger Aleihem v'Nispechu Al Beis Yisrael" that Gerim are bad for Yisrael like the plague of Tzara'as (one of whose branches is 'Sapachas'), because they are not meticulous in their observance of Mitzvos, and others learn from them (see Tosfos 'Kashim').

(b)Rabah bar Rav Huna extrapolates from the Pesukim in Yirmeyahu "v'Heimah Yiheyu Li l'Am" (pertaining to Yisrael) and "Mi Hu Zeh Areiv Es Libo Lageshes Eilai" (pertaining to Gerim) that Hash-m draws Yisrael close in any event, whereas He only draws Gerim close after they have made the first move.

(c)The Pasuk in Mal'achi writes "v'Yashav Metzaref u'Metaher Kesef, v'Tihar Es Bnei Levi, v'Zikek Osam ka'Zahav v'cha'Kesef, v'Hayu la'Hashem Magishei Minchah bi'Tzedakah" Rebbi ...

1. ... Chama bar Chanina learns from "v'Tihar Es Bnei Levi" that the first tribe that Hash-m will purify is Levi.

2. ... Yehoshua ben Levi learns from "v'Yashav Metzaref u'Metaher Kesef" that the wealth of the Mamzerim, that caused Yisrael to intermarry with them, will stand them in good stead, because, having married into Yisrael, Hash-m will allow them to remain (and he interprets the word "Metaher" as 'declare Tahor' [rather than sift out]).

3. ... Yitzchak learns from "v'Hayu la'Hashem Magishei Minchah bi'Tzedakah" that Hash-m performed a kindness with Yisrael, by purifying the families that had intermarried with Mamzerim.