(R. Yudah ben Pazi): Ha'Kadosh Baruch Hu took a full spoon [of earth] from the place of the Mizbe'ach, and created Adam ha'Rishon. He said, if only he should be created from the place of the Mizbe'ach (to help him to humble the Yetzer ha'Ra), and he will succeed. (YEFE MAR'EH - presumably, he was created from the same amount of earth to which he returns.)

It says "va'Yiter Hash-m Elokim Es ha'Adam Afar Min ha'Adamah", and it says "Mizbach Adamah Ta'aseh Li" - just like Adamah said there is [earth under the] Mizbe'ach, also here it is [under the] Mizbe'ach. (YEFE MAR'EH - ha'Adamah with a Hei refers to earth mentioned elsewhere.)

Question: "V'Hayu Yamav Me'ah v'Esrim Shanah" - Adam ha'Rishon lived close to 1000 years, and the verse says that [man's] years will be [only] 120?! (We are thinking that "v'Hayu" connotes the past (PNEI MOSHE). Also if it connotes the future, many lived after this more than 120 years! - PF)

Answer: Rather, after 120 years, man returns to be a full spoon of Rekev.

Question: [A giant like] Og Melech ha'Bashan [decays after] 120 years, and a newborn baby [who died, decays only after] 120 years?! Og Melech ha'Bashan [turns into just] a full spoon of Rekev, and a newborn baby [turns into] a full spoon of Rekev?!

The full spoon of Rekev that they said - it is [as big as] from the [top] joints of the fingers and above [until the fingertips]. R. Meir says so;

Chachamim say, it is the full big hand (palm).

R. Ze'ira citing R. Chiyah citing Rebbi showed '[the Shi'ur] of R. Meir is like this, and of Rabanan is like this.'

Which Mes has Rekev? It is one buried naked in a stone coffin, or on a stone floor or on a stone tablet.

However, one buried in his garment, [or] in a wood coffin, or on a wood tablet, this is not Rekev. Rather, this is dust of graves, and a full spoon and more is needed [to be Metamei].

(R. Yochanan): If even a small Gilgalin (something that will rot and mix with the rotting Mes) was buried with him, this is not Rekev.

(R. Yosa citing R. Yochanan): If two Mesim were buried side by side, this one is Gilgalin for this, and this one is Gilgalin for this. No matter what you will say (e.g. if only part of one became mixed with the other, since we do not know which), is it Gilgalin for this and not for the other?! (Therefore, we are Metaher both of them.)

Question (Aba bar Nasan): Exert yourself [and you will find the answer]! If one brought a half-spoon of Rekev from this [Mes], and a half-spoon of Rekev from this, and mixed them, [will you say that this is not Rekev]?!

R. Yosa was investigating this, and saw Aba bar Nasan laughing [that he could not answer this. R. Yosa] was upset, and [Aba] died.

R. Yosa: This man died, and I did not hear from him anything [about the answer to his question]!

Question: What was the conclusion?

Answer: There (when they were buried together), each was not proper for a full spoon of Rekev. Here (when they were buried separately, and a half-spoon was taken from each, each was proper for a full spoon of Rekev.