1)

(a)The hidden things referred to in the Pasuk in Yeshayah 'le'*Michseh* Atik' - are the secrets of Torah (Ma'aseh ha'Merkavah and Ma'aseh Bereishis).

(b)One explanation of 'Sisrei Torah is that the rewards mentioned in this Pasuk are due to those who keep secret what Hash-m made a secret (i.e. who do not divulge the above to the public, only to worthy individuals); the other, is that the rewards are due to those who publicize what was previously hidden but which Hash-m has now revealed (the Rashbam seems to have the text 'Sisrei Torah' in the second Lashon as well, in which case it would appear to be referring to someone who teaches the hidden secrets of Torah to the worthy individuals - supplementing the first Lashon rather than clashing with it). According to our text however, the second Lashon is referring to someone who reveals 'Ta'amei Torah' - i.e. the reasons of Mitzvos (see Agados Maharsha and Rashash).

(c)The Gemara interprets the phrase "la'Menatzei'ach Mizmor l'David" to mean that one should sing to the One who empowers us to vanquish Him and is happy about it. Human beings are upset when they are (verbally) vanquished. Not so Hash-m, who is pleased when we are able to reverse the Midas ha'Din.

(d)This is borne out by the Pasuk "va'Yomer l'Hashmidam, Lulei Moshe Bechiro Amad ba'Peretz" - where Hash-m praises Moshe Rabeinu for standing in the breach and, through his prayers, saves Yisrael from being exterminated (after Hash-m had categorically told him that that was His intention).

2)

(a)Hash-m's Hand is spread open underneath the wings of the Cherubs - in order to accept the Ba'alei Teshuvah and to save them from the Midas ha'Din.

(b)Yosef collected all the money from Egypt and Cana'an as well as from all the other countries - in fact, from the whole world of that time.

(c)We learn from the Pasuk "va'Yenatzlu es Mitzrayim" - that when Yisrael left Egypt, they took every penny (of the above-mentioned treasuries) out with them.

(d)"va'Yenatzlu" - means either that they rendered it empty like a bird-trap (which has no corn in it), or like the depths of the sea (where there are no fish).

3)

(a)Yisrael, Shishak King of Egypt, Zerach King of Kush, Asa, King of Yehudah, Hadadrimon ben Tavrimon, Amon, Yehoshafat, Sancheiriv and Chizkiyah - all owned the vast treasure that Yosef had stored in Egypt and which Yisrael took out with them. Each one captured it from his predecessor.

(b)The last four to have owned this vast wealth to date are the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks and the Romans - with whom it has been ever since.

(c)According to Rebbi Chama b'Rebbi Chanina, one of the three treasures hidden by Yosef is reserved for the Tzadikim in the days of Mashi'ach - the other two were discovered by Korach and the righteous Antoninus (Emperor of Rome) respectively.

4)

(a)The Pasuk "Osher Shamur l'Ba'lav l'Ra'aso" refers to Korach, whose enormous wealth caused his downfall.

(b)"v'Eis Kol ha'Yekum Asher b'Raglav" (written in connection with Korach) refers to his wealth, because wealth is what places a man on his feet (though it can also knock him off them, as we just learned).

(c)Korach possessed three hundred white-mules-full of keys and locks for his vast treasure.

5)

(a)David, his father Yishai, his brothers and Shmuel all participated in the recital of ''Odecha" (some phrases were even said by all of them).

(b)The 'cornerstone whom the builders despised' - is David Hamelech.

(c)The gist of the paragraph is an acknowledgement and thanks to Hash-m for turning the hitherto rejected David into King of Yisrael.

6)

(a)'Makom she'Nahagu li'Chepol Yichpol' - means that there where the Minhag is to double the whole of Hallel, then one should do so.

(b)Some recite a Berachah after Hallel, others do not. As far as the Berachah before Hallel is concerned, the Berachah is obligatory ...

(c)... as we have learned 'Kol ha'Mitzvos Mevarech Aleihem Over la'Asiyasan'.

(d)'Rebbi Kofel Bah Devarim - means that he would only double the Pesukim from 'Odecha'; 'Rebbi Elazar ben Perata Mosif Bah Devarim' - refers to the whole of Hallel, as we explained earlier.

7)

(a)Hash-m will organize a Se'udah for the Tzadikim - 'on the day that He performs Chesed with Yitzchak's descendants' (presumably this refers to the era of Mashi'ach, the ultimate Chesed).

(b)1. Avraham will not want to Bensch - because he fathered (the Rasha) Yishmael; 2. Yitzchak - because he fathered Eisav; 3. Yakov - because he married two sisters; 4. Moshe - because he did not merit to enter Eretz Yisrael (even after his death) and 5. Yehoshua - because he did not merit to have any sons.

(c)When David Hamelech was offered the Kos shel Berachah, he replied 'I will Bensch, and so I should'. That is hinted in the Pasuk "Kos Yeshu'os Esa, u've'Shem Hash-m Ekra".

8)

(a)According to Rav, 'Ein Maftirin Achar ha'Pesach Afikoman' means that someone who has finished the Korban Pesach is forbidden to go and eat anything else in another location (though he is permitted to eat in his original place).

(b)Shmuel is more stringent than Rav. He even prohibits eating anything in one's original location. That is what he meant when he said 'Kegon Urdila'i Li v'Gozlos l'Aba' - i.e. such as mushrooms for me and young birds for Rav.

(c)He picked on those two items because that is what they happened to like for dessert.

(d)We learn from 'le'Mashchah' - that one should eat Korbanos in regal fashion (in the context of our Sugya it means that one should eat a Korban at the end of the meal (so that its taste remains in one's mouth).

9)

(a)Aba was Rav.

(b)Rav is a title which means 'the Rav', because Rav was the Rav of Bavel, in the same way as Rebbi was the Rebbe of Eretz Yisrael. (Note: the Amora'im who lived in Bavel - who did not receive Semichah - generally bore the title 'Rav', whereas the Gedolim of Eretz Yisrael - who had Semichah - bore the title 'Rebbi'.)

10)

(a)When Rav Yehudah Amar Shmuel says 'Ein Maftirin Achar Matzah Afikoman' - he means that the Din of 'Ein Maftirin Achar ha'Pesach Afikoman' extends to Matzah, and that one is therefore forbidden to eat anything after the Afikoman.

(b)The reason that our Mishnah mentions Pesach and not Matzah - is because the prohibition of eating after Matzah (which has a far weaker taste than Pesach) is more obvious than that of Pesach; so if eating after the Pesach is forbidden, how much more so after Matzah.

(c)The Beraisa says 'ha'Sufganin v'ha'Duvshanin v'ha'Iskeritin Adam Memalei Kereiso Meihen, u'Vilevad she'Yochal k'Zayis Matzah ba'Acharonah' - implying that one must eat the required k'Zayis of Matzah at the end, but not at the beginning. Is this not because of 'Ein Maftirin Achar Matzah Afikoman' - a proof for Rav Yehudah Amar Shmuel?

(d)It may well be, answers the Gemara, that one can certainly eat the k'Zayis of Matzah at the beginning (and we are not concerned about 'Ein Maftirin Achar Matzah Afikoman'). The Tana is coming to permit Sufganin and Duvshanin etc. before the Matzah of Mitzvah, should one so wish, to teach us that we are not concerned that one might in the process, come to eat the Matzah on a full stomach (like we are with regard to eating in the afternoon).

11)

(a)The Afikoman represents the final k'Zayis of Matzah that was eaten together with the Pesach at the end of the meal. In fact, it is the main Mitzvah, and not the first k'Zayis that we eat.

(b)We recite the Berachah over the first k'Zayis that we eat, rather than over it - for the same reason that we recite the Berachah over Maror the first time we eat it, even if we do not actually fulfill the Mitzvah then (as we saw above - on Daf 115a, according to Rav Chisda - see Tosfos there DH 'Maskif Lah"). (Note: The Rosh however, in Siman 34, disagrees with the Rashbam. According to him, the Afikoman is merely a symbolism for the last k'Zayis of Pesach itself.)