Implied Question: The Gemara in Berachos (18b) discusses a story regarding a Chasid whose wife bothered him on Erev Rosh Hashanah. This implies that on Rosh Hashanah he heard two spirits talking to each other. They heard from "behind the curtain" that whoever plants in the first time to plant will have hail strike his crop. (How can the judgement be on Rosh Hashanah if it is supposed to be on Pesach?)

Answer #1: Perhaps on Rosh Hashanah in Heaven they mentioned the judgement that had been passed last Pesach.

Answer #2: Alternatively, this is like Rebbi Yehudah who says that everything is judged on Rosh Hashanah, and the sealing of the decree regarding produce is on Pesach.

Explanation #1: This is from the term "Mikreh," as in "perhaps he will happen (to talk to me)."

Explanation #2: Alternatively, this is a term referring to difficulty, such as the term, "If you will go with me in a difficult manner."

Question #1: Do the Rabbanan not realize that we pray daily for Hash-m to heal us and to give us sustenance?!

Question #2: Additionally, Rebbi Yehudah says here that a person is judged on Rosh Hashanah and that his verdict is signed on Yom Kippur. The Gemara in Shabbos (12b) says that if someone comes to visit a sick person he should say, "Hash-m should have mercy on you and on the other sick Jews of His nation." (Why should this be effective if the person already received a verdict?)

Answer: Rabeinu Tam says clearly we only pray that people should not get sick according to Rebbi Yosi. However, everyone agrees that we should pray that sick people should get better, as while it was decreed when they would fall sick it was not decreed when they will get better.

Answer (cont.): The Gemara says in Nedarim (49a), regarding the statement stated by Rav Yosef in our Gemara, "Keztiri" refers to sick people and "Merei" refers to the sages. Nowadays, we pray for sick people to get better and that sages should not become sick.

Implied Question: We ask for sustenance. (Isn't this already decreed?)

Answer #1: This as we state later (17b) that if only a small amount of rain was decreed this year, we pray that Hash-m should have it rain in the best possible time.

Answer #2: Alternatively, it is possible to say that the prayer of the public is so strong that it can cause the bad decree to be torn up, as stated later (17b).

Answer: The Gemara in Shabbos (12b, see (b) above) can also be explained in a similar fashion according to Rebbi Yehudah as it is like a prayer of the public (even if one is praying without a Minyan), as one is praying for all sick Jews.

Observation: The Gemara later (26a) quotes the Mishnah as stating that Rebbi Yosi allowed one to even use the horn of a cow. However, we rule like Rebbi Yehudah that one may only use the bent horn of rams, as stated in the Gemara later (26b).

Question: This is difficult, as he is transgressing Bal Tosif!

Implied Question: You might answer that since he already fulfilled his obligation it is as if it is not the proper time and therefore he does not transgress Bal Tosif. (Why isn't this a valid answer?)

Answer: We say later (28b) regarding Birkas Kohanim that a Kohen cannot add his own blessing because it is still the time of the Mitzvah. This is evident from the fact that if another Minyan would be present he would bless them as well. This is the case here as well, as if another group of people arrive he would blow Shofar for them as well!

Answer: Bal Tosif does not apply if one does the same Mitzvah twice, for example if a Kohen says Birkas Kohanim and then repeats the blessing for the same Minyan. It similarly does not apply when one takes a Lulav, and then takes it again. Similarly, if one blows Shofar and then does it again he does not transgress Bal Tosif. Regarding the Matanos of a firstborn, as well, if he sprinkles on one corner of the Mizbe'ach twice it is not Bal Tosif.

Explanation: The Aruch explains, based on the Yerushalmi, that the Pasuk states, "Death will be swallowed forever" and "On that day He will blow in a big Shofar." When the Satan (who is also the Angel of Death) hears the Shofar the first time he is somewhat startled, and when he hears it the second time he says that this must be the big Shofar that is being blown, and therefore his time has come to be swallowed up forever. This causes him to become mixed up, and not have time to prosecute Bnei Yisrael.

Explanation: The Bahag says that this is not referring to Rosh Hashanah falling out on Shabbos, but rather to people not being able to blow one year because of forced circumstances.

Explanation: Since the Jews are in a bad situation their hearts break, and Hash-m has mercy on them.

Opinion #1: Rabeinu Tam says that the Iyun Tefilah referred to in our Gemara is like the reference to it in Bava Basra (164b). The Gemara there says that three things a person is not saved from everyday, one of them being Iyun Tefilah. This means that people do not have proper intent when they Daven.

Proof: This is as the Yerushami says in Berachos (2:4) that Rebbi Chiya Raba says that he never had proper intent when praying (as he was always thinking about Torah learning - Pnei Moshe). One time I had the proper intent, and I started thinking regarding who would go first before the king: the person above the Reish Galusa or the Reish Galusa (do they go before him in ascending or descending order - Pnei Moshe). Shmuel says, I once ended up counting chicks (while praying). Rebbi Mana says, I have gratitude to my head as it knows to bow down on its own when I reach Modim. When a person prays and he does not have proper intent, his sins are remembered.

Opinion #2: However, this cannot be the proper explanation. It must be that, on the contrary, Iyun Tefilah here means that he tries to have proper intent so much that he is certain his prayer was answered.

Proof: This is as it is referred to in Berachos (32b) that if someone prays for a long time and is "Me'ayain." This is as also as the Gemara in Berachos (54b) states that Rav Yehudah says in the name of Rav that three things cause a person to have a longer life. One of the things mentioned by the Gemara is one who prays for a long time.

Proof (cont.): The Gemara asks, is this a good thing? Doesn't Rebbi Chiya bar Aba say that if someone prays for a long time and is "Me'ayain" in his prayer that he will end up with heartache, as the Pasuk says, "Hoping for something for a long time causes the heart to be sick?" This implies he is being "Me'ayain" meaning he thinks in his heart that what he asked for will certainly be done because he prayed with proper intent. He ends up having heartache as his request is denied.

Observation: "Tocheles" is a term used for praying, and is similar to the word, "va'Yechal Moshe" (Shemos 32:11).

Proof: Rebbi Yitzchak says in Berachos (55a) that three things cause a person's sins to be rememberd. One of them is Iyun Tefilah. This causes Hash-m to investigate his actions, as it seems he is certain due to his good deeds that his prayer should be answered. Hash-m therefore investigates to see what good deeds he has indeed done. (Is praying for a long time a bad or good thing?)

Proof: The Gemara answers that the difference is whether he is "Me'ayin." This helps us understand that all these three things mentioned in the Gemara that shorten a person's life are similar. (The other two are also for a similar reason.) Going under a leaning wall appears as if he is confident in his merits when he passes by, and saying his friend should be judged makes it appear as if he is confident that due to his merit his friend will be punished.

Observation: Since the Gemara mentions average people, the implication is that righteous people are people who have more merits than sins. Evildoers are people who have more sins than merits.

Observation (cont.): Sometimes righteous people are signed for death and evil people are signed for life, as the Pasuk states, "And He will pay to His enemy in order to destroy him." This is as the Gemara in Kidushin (39b) states that if someone's merits are more than his sins he is like a person who burned the entire Torah and did not even leave over one letter. If his sins are more than his merits he is compared to someone who upheld the whole Torah and did not leave one letter. Accordingly, whenever it says in our Gemara that evildoers are condemned to death and the righteous are signed for life, it is referring to life in Olam Haba.

Explanation: This is the judgment that occurs when the dead rise, as is apparent from the Pasuk. Even though people were already judged after their death to go to Gan Eden or Gehinnom due to their souls, there is still a judgment whether they will receive Olam Haba which means whether they will live forever. Some of these souls have already received their punishment in Gehinnom, and therefore will possibly merit Olam Haba.