1)
(a)Resh Lakish strongly advises against doing any one of four things because of Ru'ach Ra'ah (demons): To defecate between a date-palm and a wall, to pass between two palm-trees, to drink borrowed water or to pass over water that was poured out.
1. How close must the palm-tree be to the wall for it to be dangerous to defecate between a date-palm and a wall?
2. Why does this not apply if there is an alternative route?
(b)To pass between two palm-trees: Under which condition is it safe to do this?
(c)To drink borrowed water: Does it make any difference ...
1. ... who borrowed the water?
2. ... where one drinks it?
3. ... whether he borrowed water, wine or beer?
(d)To pass over water that was poured out: If one scatters dust over it or pours spittle into it, it becomes safe to do so. One of two things that happen to it also render it safe to do so.
1. What are they? Does it make any difference whether one ...
2. ... walks over it or rides a donkey?
3. ... walks bare-footed or wears shoes?
1)
(a)Defecating between a date-palm and a wall is only dangerous if ...
1. ... the palm is less than four Amos from the wall (because then the demon does not have sufficient space to pass).
2. ... there is no alternative route for the demon to pass.
(b)It is safe to pass between two palm-trees - if a road passes in between them.
(c)Drinking borrowed water is dangerous ...
1. ... only if it was borrowed by a child, but not if it was a grown-up who borrowed it.
2. ... only if the child borrowed the water in a field, but not if he borrowed it in town.
3. ... but not borrowed wine or beer.
(d)To pass over water that was poured out is dangerous only if ...
1. ... the sun did not shine on it or if sixty people did not step over it.
2. ... one walks over it, but not if one is riding a donkey.
3. ... one walks over it bare-footed, but not if one is wearing shoes.
2)
(a)What happened to that man who walked over water that was poured out, in spite of the fact that he was wearing shoes?
(b)But did we not learn earlier that the danger only exists when one walks bare-footed?
2)
(a)The shoes of that man who walked over water that was poured out withered, and his leg dried up.
(b)We learned earlier that the danger only exists when one walks bare-footed - as far as the danger of demons is concerned, but the danger of witchcraft still remains.
3)
(a)What do a dog (or two), a date-palm (or two) and a woman (or two) have in common?
(b)Which other two creatures do some opinions include in this list?
(c)If a woman who is at the beginning of her Nidus-period walks between two men, she is likely to cause one of them to die. What would happen if she was at the end of her Nidus?
(d)Should someone find himself in any of the above situations, he should recite one of two Pesukim said by Bil'am. What is special about these two Pesukim?
3)
(a)One should not walk in between two dogs, two date-palms or two women, nor should one allow two men to pass one on either side of a dog, a date-palm or a woman.
(b)Some include a pig in this list, and others, a snake.
(c)If a woman who is at the beginning of her Nidus-period walks in between two men, she is likely to cause one of them to die, and if she was at the end of her Nidus - she would cause them to quarrel.
(d)Should someone find himself in any of the above situations, he should recite one of two Pesukim said by Bil'am: "Kel Motzi'am mi'Mitzrayim ... Mah Pa'al Kel" or "Lo Ish Kel vi'Yechazev ... v'*Lo* Yekimenah" - both of which end with the same word as that with which they begin.
4)
(a)If two women are sitting by the crossroads on opposite sides of the street, facing each other, they are certainly busy casting spells, and one is well-advised to take a different route. What should one do if this is not possible and one is walking with a partner?
(b)When should one recite the Pasuk in Tehilim "Shofech Buz Al Nedivim" ... ?
(c)The Pasuk "Gam Ki Eilech b'Gei Tzalmaves Lo Ira Ra Ki Ata Imadi" (ibid) refers to someone who walks in the shade of single date-palm or in the shadows cast by the wall when the moon is shining. How does the Gemara prove from a Beraisa that warns against sleeping under a date-palm in a courtyard, that this applies even if the shadow of another date-palm falls across it?
(d)Why is it unsafe to walk in the shadows cast by the wall when the moon is shining, and when is it safe to do so?
4)
(a)Should one come across two women sitting by the crossroads on opposite sides of the street, facing each other, they are certainly busy casting spells. If it is not possible to take a different route - then they should link hands and walk past together (so that neither of them walks in between them).
(b)If someone meets a woman coming up from her Tevilas Mitzvah, in order to overcome the uncontrollable urge to commit adultery that will overcome whichever of them does Tashmish first - they should say "Shofech Buz Al Nedivim".
(c)If the Beraisa that warns against sleeping under a date-palm in a courtyard is speaking when the shadow of another date-palm does not falls across it - then why does it mention the courtyard, since this will apply equally to a single date-palm in a field. We must therefore say that the Beraisa mentions the courtyard to teach us that there, it is forbidden to sleep under the shade of a single date-palm even if the shade of another palm does fall across it.
(d)It is unsafe to walk in the shadows cast by the wall when the moon is shining - because the demons are afraid to walk in the light, and make a point of walking in the shade. It is however, safe to do so at the beginning of the month, when the moon shines in the west, casting a shadow towards the east.
111b----------------------------------------111b
5)
(a)What happens to someone who ...
1. ... defecates on a date-palm that has been cut down?
2. ... lays his head on it?
(b)What will happen to someone who steps over the stump of a date-palm ...
1. ... if it is later chopped down?
2. ... if it subsequently dies?
(c)What would one have to do to ensure one's safety in such a case?
5)
(a)Someone who ...
1. ... defecates on a date-palm that has been cut down - will become paralyzed.
2. ... lays his head on it - will get a head-ache in half his head.
(b)If someone steps over the stump of a date-palm ...
1. ... and it is later chopped down - he will be killed.
2. ... and it subsequently dies - he too, will die.
(c)Nothing however, will happen, if one places one's feet on it.
6)
(a)Five shades are dangerous because they are frequented by the demons. These include the shade of a lone date-palm, a caper-bush and a willow -tree. Some add a sixth shade of something that is not a tree at all. What is it?
(b)Which two factors determine what type of wood is dangerous?
(c)The one exception is a tree called 'K'ra Masa', whose wood is hard, but whose shade is not dangerous. What did a she-demon tell her son regarding this tree?
6)
(a)Five shades are dangerous because they are frequented by the demons, including the shade of a lone date-palm, a caper-bush and a willow -tree. Others add the shade of a boat.
(b)The two factors that determine which type of wood is dangerous - are the hardness of the wood and the size of the shade.
(c)A she-demon told her son to keep away from the 'K'ra Masa', which killed his father and it would also kill him.
7)
(a)What do Ruchi, Shida and Rishpi have in common?
(b)Why do we need to know this, and the fact that a sorb tree that is close to the town contains at least sixty Sheidim?
(c)The demon of the caper-bush has no eyes. Why is it useful to know that?
7)
(a)Ruchi frequents the caper-bush, Shida the sorb-tree and Rishpi, the roofs.
(b)We need to know this, and the fact that a sorb tree that is close to the town contains at least sixty Sheidim - in order to know what sort of Kemei'ah to write in each case.
(c)The demon of the caper-bush (Ruchi) has no eyes. It is useful to know this - because it makes running away that much easier.
8)
(a)What did the demons mean when they said about the Talmid-Chacham who did not know that at least sixty demons frequent a sorb-tree 'Sudra d'Mar k'Tzurba me'Rabanan. Bedikna Bei d'Lo Yada Baruch'?
(b)The person in danger was the 'Bar Kasha d'Masa'. What does that mean?
(c)How did that story end? Did the demons prevail or not?
8)
(a)When the demons said (about the Talmid-Chacham who did not know that at least sixty demons frequent a sorb-tree) 'Sudra d'Mar k'Tzurba me'Rabanan. Bedikna Bei d'Lo Yada Baruch' - they meant that he wore a Sudar (the special head-gear worn by Talmidei-Chachamim) like a Talmid-Chacham, but that he was not really one at all. 'Baruch' refers to the Berachah 'Oter Yisrael b'Sif'arah' (i.e. that he did not know how to recite the relevant Berachah on wearing a Sudar).
(b)'Bar Kasha d'Masa' - was the town-policeman.
(c)Eventually, a Talmid-Chacham who did know that at least sixty demons frequent a sorb-tree came and wrote the appropriate Kemei'ah, and the demons moved away.
9)
(a)What is the difference between Ketev-Meriri and Ketev-Yashud- Tzaharayim?
(b)If the former resembles a jar of Kutach with a ladle stirring it, what does the latter look like?
(c)Why did Abaye switch Rav Papa to his left-hand side when he saw a Ketev-Yashud-Tzaharayim coming towards him on the left?
(d)During a period of sixteen days each year Ketev-Yashud-Tzaharayim is common. When is that, and what happens afterwards?
9)
(a)Ketev-Meriri operates before mid-day, and Ketev-Yashud- Tzaharayim after mid-day.
(b)Ketev-Meriri appears in a jar of Kutach with a ladle stirring it, and Ketev-Yashud-Tzaharayim on the horn of a goat with a wing or a sieve going round it.
(c)When Abay saw a Ketev-Yashud-Tzaharayim coming towards him on his left, he switched Rav Papa to his left-hand side - because his Mazal was currently good (i.e. he was currently enjoying a run of success).
(d)Ketev-Yashud-Tzaharayim is common from the first of Tamuz until the sixteenth. From the seventeenth and onwards we are unsure whether it is common or not.
10)
(a)Where else, besides by the shade of the Chatzav-tree that has not yet grown to the height of one Amah, is one likely to find the Ketev-Yashud-Tzaharayim?
(b)Where is his main haunt?
10)
(a)Besides by the shade of the Chatzav-tree that has not yet grown to the height of one Amah, one is also likely to find the Ketev-Yashud-Tzaharayim - by the morning and evening shadows that are less than an Amah long.
(b)His main haunt however - is by the shadows of the bath-room.
11)
(a)Rav Yosef lists three things that cause blindness: someone who combs his hair when it is dry and someone who drinks wine that drips from the barrel. What is the third?
(b)What happens to someone who suspends his bread in a basket in the house?
(c)Does this also happen to someone who suspends meat or fish?
11)
(a)Rav Yosef lists three things that cause blindness: someone who combs his hair when it is dry and someone who drinks wine that drips from the barrel - and someone who puts on his shoes after washing his feet, before they have dried.
(b)Someone who suspends his bread in a basket in the house - is heading for poverty ...
(c)... but not happen someone who suspends meat or fish.
12)
(a)What two other things cause poverty?
(b)On which two nights do the demons operate?
(c)Naval is the name of the demon in charge of poverty. Which houses does he not frequent?
(d)Who is Nakid?
12)
(a)Poverty is also caused by leaving crumbs around the house or by placing the dish on top of the wine-barrel.
(b)The demons operate on Tuesday and Friday nights.
(c)Naval does not frequent those houses where one handles bread with cleanliness.
(d)Nakid is the angel in charge of handling those who leave crumbs lying around.
13)
(a)What happens to someone who drinks water in a plate?
(b)And what happens to someone who does not wash his hands after ...
1. ... eating cress?
2. ... letting blood from the shoulders?
3. ... cutting his hair?
4. ... cutting his nails?
(c)What unusual feature do all of these fears have in common?
13)
(a)Someone who drinks water in a plate - will discover his eyesight deteriorating.
(b)someone who does not wash his hands after ...
1. ... eating cress - for thirty days,
2. ... letting blood from the shoulders - will be afraid for seven days
3. ... cutting his hair - for three days, and
4. ... cutting his nails - for one day.
(c)The unusual feature that all of these fears have in common - is that they will all not know why they are afraid.