1)

(a)Even though Chagai, Zecharyah and Malachi did not see Daniel's vision, they were afraid - because their Mazel (in heaven [see Agados Maharsha]) saw it.

(b)If, as Ravina learns from there, a person is sometimes afraid of something that he cannot see, but his Mazel can, the two options he has to protect himself are - either to jump four Amos from his place, or to recite the Sh'ma.

(c)He has the alternative option of reciting the incantation 'Iza de'bei Tavcha Sh'meina Mina'i' - (implying that whoever is threatening him should go and get the goats and leave him alone), if he is in a place which is unclean (and cannot therefore recite the Sh'ma).

2)

(a)In the Pasuk "le'Marbeh ha'Misrah u'le'Shalom Ein Keitz", the word "le'Marbeh" is strange - inasmuch as the 'Mem' (which ought to be Pesuchah), is S'tumah (a final 'Mem').

(b)If Chizkiyah ha'Melech had become Mashi'ach - Sancheriv would have been 'Gog u'Magog' (which is a concept, not two names).

(c)This did not happen - because if David, who sang so many Shiros to Hash-m, did not become Mashi'ach, then why should Chizkiyah, who failed to sing Shiroh at all, in spite of the miracles that he experienced ...

(d)... incorporating a. his recovery from his illness and b. the total annihilation overnight of Sancheriv's army, which had lain Yerushalayim under siege.

(e)bar Kapara Darshened the 'Mem S'tumah' in Tzipori to teach us that Hash-m's initial intention of making Chizkiyah the Mashi'ach was closed. Alternatively - it represents either Hash-m's initial intention of closing Yisrael's troubles, and making Chizkiyahu Mashi'ach or Chizkiyahu's error, in keeping his mouth shut and not singing Shirah.

3)

(a)The earth (see Agados Maharsha) sang Shirah instead, adding the request - that Hash-m should now proceed with his original plan, and appoint Chizkiyahu as Mashi'ach.

(b)The Sar ha'Olam - the angel Matatron, backed the earth's request.

(c)Hash-m however, did not accept their request - for reasons that He kept secret ('Razi Li, Razi Li').

(d)In reply to the Navi's question, how long it would now take for Mashi'ach to come, a bas-Kol announced "Bogdim Bagdu u'Bagad, Bogdim Bagdu" (Yeshayah), which Rava (or Rebbi Yitzchak) explains to mean that - Yisrael will have to be ravaged many times before he comes.

4)

(a)In the Pasuk in Yeshayah "Masa Dumah Eilai Korei mi'Seir; Shomer Mah mi'Laylah, Shomer Mah mi'Layil" ...

1. ... "Dumah" refers to - the angel in charge of the spirits ...

2. ... "Shomer", to - Hash-m, and ...

3. ... "Laylah", to - Galus.

(b)The spirits asked Dumah - what Hash-m said about the coming of Mashi'ach (when he will come).

(c)He answered that the Ge'ulah will come, but only after a protracted Galus. Alternatively, he might have meant that - he will only come after the Beis-Hamikdash has been built and destroyed once again, or that it is not only the Tzadikim who will be rewarded with the coming of Mashi'ach, but that the Resha'im will be punished for their sins.

(d)We learn from the conclusion of the Pasuk "Im Tiv'ayun Be'ayu, Shuvu Asayu!" that - the Ge'ulah will come through Tefilah and Teshuvah.

5)

(a)Rebbi Papayas in a Beraisa described Chizkiyah's failure to sing Shirah before the earth came and did it, as shameful. He made a similar comment based on the Pasuk in Yisro "va'Yomer Yisro, Baruch Hash-m asher Hitzil Eschem ... " - where, following the miracles in Egypt, Moshe and six hundred thousand B'nei Yisrael failed to say 'Baruch Hashem' until Yisro came and said it.

(b)Rav interprets the Pasuk in Yisro "va'Yichad Yisro" to mean that he passed a sharp sword (Cherev Chadah) over his flesh (when he circumcised). According to Shmuel, it mean that - Yisro's skin became wrinkled from the pain that he felt when he heard about the downfall of Egypt at the Yam-Suf.

(c)Rav Papa learns from there - that one should be careful not to denigrate a Nochri in the presence of a Ger up to ten generations (even though Yisro was only the first generation [see Gilyon ha'Shas]).

(d)Not all the soldiers of Sancheriv were fat (Agados Maharsha). Consequently, we explain the word "be'Mishmanav" (in the Pasuk (Ibid.) "Lachein, Yeshalach ha'Adon Hash-m Tzevakos be'Mishmanav Razon") to mean that - Chizkiyahu, with his eight names, was the right man to cause the downfall of Sancheriv, who also had eight names ...

(e)... seeing as "be'Mishmanav" contains the word "Sh'monav" ('with his number eight').

6)

(a)In the list of names of ...

1. ... Chizkiyahu, 'Chizkiyahu' is omitted - because it is either a corruption of the words 'she'Chizko Kah' ('Hashem strngthened him' by curing him of his illness) or an indication 'she'Chizek es Yisrael la'Avihem she'ba'Shamayim' ('he strengthened Yisrael's bond with their Father in heaven), but is not an intrinsic name.

2. ... Sancheriv, 'Sancheriv' is omitted - because it too, is a corruption of the words 'she'Sichaso Riv' (his speech was to pick a quarrel [with Hash-m]), or 'she'Sach ve'Nichar Devarim K'lapei Ma'alah' (he spoke and growled words at Hash-m).

(b)Three of Sancheriv's names were Asanpar, Rabah and Yakira (all with connotations of greatness). To deserve such honorable names - he did not speak ill of Eretz Yisrael, but spoke only of exiling the ten tribes to a land like their own (but not superior to their own).

(c)Rav and Shmuel actually argue over whether Sancheriv's statement was wise or foolish. One of them considers it ...

1. ... wise - because had he described it as superior, they would not have believed him (since there is no more beautiful country than Eretz Yisrael).

2. ... foolish - because if the land that he was exiling them to was no better than their own - then what was the point of his statement.

(d)According to Rebbi Chanina, Sancheriv exiled the ten tribes to Harei S'lug. Mar Zutra maintains that he exiled them - to Africa.

7)

(a)Yisrael did not take their cue from Sancheriv. When the exiles arrived in a place called Sus, they compared it to their own land. When they arrived in a place called ...

1. ... Almin - they compared it to Yerushalayim (which is called 'Beis Almin').

2. ... T'rein Sos, they described it as - twice as beautiful as Eretz Yisrael.

(b)Describing the death of Sancheriv's army, the Pasuk writes "ve'Sachas Kevodo, Yeikad Y'kod ki'Yekod Eish". When Rebbi Yochanan explains "ve'Sachas Kevodo", 've'Lo Kevodo Mamash', he means that - they were burned underneath their clothes (which Rebbi Yochanan referred to personally as 'Mechabdusai' ('that which dignifies me'), in that their bodies were burned but not their clothes.

(c)Rebbi Elazar, who refers to "Kevodo" as 'the body' (and not the clothes) - explains the Pasuk to mean that their souls were burned, but not their bodies (like the Sereifah of Nadav and Avihu). See also the Sugya in Shabbos 113b and Rashi there).

(d)The Beraisa in the name of Rebbi Yehoshua ben Korchah explains the fact that Hash-m punished Par'oh Himself ("Vayena'er Hash-m es Mitzrayim"), but Sancheriv, through a Shali'ach ("Vayeitzei Malach Hash-m Vayach be'Machaneh Ashur") - because Paroh himself sinned (as the Pasuk writes "Mi Hash-m asher Eshma be'Kolo" [Sh'mos]), whereas Sancheriv sent his Shali'ach (Ravshakeih) to blaspheme Hash-m (as the Pasuk writes in Melachim "be'Yad Malachecha Cherafta Hash-m").

8)

(a)A hundred and eighty-five thousand of Sancheriv's soldiers died overnight (though this statement will be qualified later).

(b)In Yeshayah, Sancheriv refers to the Beis-ha'Mikdash as "M'rom Kitzo", in Melachim, to "M'lon Kitzo".

(c)Rebbi Chanina bar Papa explains that - the former refers to the Beis-Hamikdash shel Matah, the latter to the Beis-Hamikdash shel Ma'alah (Hash-m's Hotel). Sancheriv actually planned to first destroy the Beis-Hamikdash shel Matah and then the Beis-Hamikdash shel Ma'alah.

(d)When Sancheriv claimed that Hash-m had sent him to destroy Yerushalayim - he meant that Ravshakeih (his general) had overheard the prophecy of Yeshayah warning the people that Sancheriv would destroy them (as we shall now see).

(e)To explain the Pasuk in Yeshayah, Rav Yosef cites Targum Yonasan, who interprets the 'Mei ha'Shilo'ach which they rejected with reference to - 'Malchus Beis-David' (because of their modest ways [see Agados Maharsha]), so they hired R'tzin (King of Aram) and (Pekach) ben Remalyahu (King of Yisrael) to get rid of them (Malchus Beis David).

9)

(a)Based on a Pasuk in Mishlei, Rebbi Yochanan draws a distinction between Pekach ben Remelyahu - who would consume forty Sa'ah of fledgling birds for dessert each day, and Chizkiyahu - who would merely eat a small measure of vegetables.

(b)When the Navi Yeshayah writes "ve'Lachein Hinei Ma'aleh aleihem es Mei ha'Nahar ha'Atzumim ve'ha'Rabim ... ", he is referring to - Sancheriv, who was destined to destroy them.

(c)Despite the fact that the Navi had indeed called Sancheriv to attack Yisrael, Sancheriv was nevertheless punished - because the call was only to destroy Yisrael, but not Yehudah (see Agados Maharsha).

(d)Rebbi Elazar bar Berechyah interprets the Pasuk ...

1. ... "Ki Lo Mu'af la'Asher Mutzak lah" to mean that - the people of the one who is tired out from learning (Chizkiyah), will not be delivered into the hands of the one who oppresses them (Sancheriv).

2. ... "ka'Eis ha'Rishon Heikal Artzah Zevulun ve'Artzah Naftali" to mean that - not like the first ones (the ten tribes) who lightened the yoke of Torah, ...

3. ... "ve'ha'Acharon Hichbid" - are the last ones (the people of Chizkiyahu), who have taken upon themselves the yoke of Torah-study.

4. ... "Derech ha'Yam Eiver ha'Yarden" - therefore they have merited miracles like those of the Yam-Suf and the Yarden.

10)

(a)Hash-m therefore demanded that Sancheriv - do Teshuvah, and leave Yerushalayim alone.

(b)If he refused - he would be rolled around the nations in shame (or he will be like dung).

(c)The problem with the Pasuk in Divrei Hayamim "Acharei ha'Devarim ve'Emes ha'Eilah Ba Sancheriv Melech Ashur va'Yichan al Yehudah ... " is - how the Torah ("ve'Emes") that the people learned can be a reason for Sancheriv's appearance.

(d)Ravina therefore explain that - Sancheriv's arrival followed Hash-m's decision to spare Chizkiyahu the worry and fears involved in having to go out and bring in Sancheriv's army and destroy it, but rather to bring it in Himself and kill them ...

(e)... and what's more, He swore that that is what He would do - and that explains the word "ve'Emes" (symbolizing Hash-m's seal, which is 'Emes').

11)

(a)Rebbi Yochanan explains the Pasuk ...

1. ... "ve'Al Harai Avusenu" to mean that - the corpses strewn around the mountains would make excellent fodder for Yisrael's horses and animals, and Rebbi Yitzchak Nafcha that ...

2. ... the Pasuk "ve'Chuval Ol Mipnei Shemen" to mean that - the yoke of Sancheriv will be broken because of the oil of Chizkiyahu - with reference to the oil of the lamps that Chizkiyah would light in the Shuls and the Batei-Medrash, to enable the people to learn Torah.

(b)Chizkiyah stuck a sword in the Beis-Hamedrash - and proclaimed that whoever fails to study Torah will be pierced with it.

(c)The inspectors discovered that from Geives to Antipras - there was not a man or woman, a boy or a girl, who was not fully conversant with the Dinim of Tum'ah and Taharah.

(d)The significance of the Pasuk (describing the generation of Chizkiyah) "ve'Hayah ba'Yom ha'Hu Yih'yeh ... Elef Gefen be'Elef Kesef, le'Shamir u'le'Shayis Yih'yeh" is that - although they did not own much property, and food prices were high, they were so involved with their Torah-study, that they left the crops to the birds (so to speak), and didn't bother to pick them.

12)

(a)When, after inviting the B'nei Yehudah to plunder the loot of Sancheriv's dead soldiers, they asked him whether it needed to be distributed or whether each person could help himself (see Agados Maharsha), he replied that - like locusts, each one could come and help himself.

(b)Initially, they declined the offer - because they said, the loot included the property of the ten tribes, to which they had no right.

(c)When Yeshayah replied "ke'Meshek Geivim Shokek bo", he meant that - just as the water brought via pipes to the Mikvah transforms a Tamei into a Tahor, so too, is loot that passes into the hands of Nochrim, transferred from the original owner to the new one.

13)

(a)On the day that Sancheriv besieged Yerushalayim, he made ten journeys.

(b)The Pasuk then lists twelve stops. To resolve this discrepancy, we interpret the last three places in a different context. We explain ...

1. ... "Tzahali Kolech bas-Galim" to mean that - Yisrael, children of Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya'akov, who performed as many Mitzvos as the waves of the sea, should pray to Hash-m.

2. ... "Hakshivah Layshah" to mean that - it is not Sancheriv whom they needed to fear, but Nevuchadnetzar, who was compared to a Layish (which we explain shortly).

3. ... "Aniyah Anasos" to mean - like Yirmiyah, who came from Anasos, would subsequently prophesy.

(c)We therefore need to say that Avru and Ma'abarah are two different places - because otherwise, there would only be nine places instead of ten.

14)

(a)Yirmiyah wrote "Alah Aryeh mi'Subko" - (a lion has come out of its lair) about Nevuchadnetzar.

(b)To reconcile this with what we just said (that "Layshah" referred to Nevuchadnetzar) - Rebbi Yochanan explains 'Layish' is synonymous with 'Aryeh.

(c)He also said that - a lion has six names, the other four being 'K'fir', 'Lavi', 'Shachal' and 'Shachatz'.

(d)Anasos was situated in the portion of Binyamin. Nevertheless - Yirmiyah was a Kohen, belonged to the tribe of Levi.