(Rav Kahana) Question: "Veha'Bor Rek Ein Bo Mayim" - obviously, if the pit is empty it does not have water!

Answer: This implies that it did not have water, but it had snakes and scorpions (it was a Nes that Yosef survived).

(Beraisa): The Mitzvah is to leave Ner Chanukah [in the Chatzer or Reshus ha'Rabim] within a Tefach of the opening [to his house].

Question: Where (on which side) does he leave it?

Answer #1 (Rav Acha brei d'Rava): He leaves it on the right side (of one who enters).

Answer #2 (Rav Shmuel mi'Difti): He leaves it on the left.

The Halachah is, he leaves it on the left, in order that [he will be surrounded by Mitzvos,] Ner Chanukah will be on his left and the Mezuzah on his right.

(Rav Yehudah): It is forbidden to count coins near (using) the light of Ner Chanukah.

Objection (Shmuel): Does Ner Chanukah have Kedushah (that it is forbidden to benefit from it)?!

Objection (to the objection - Rav Yosef): Blood does not have Kedushah [yet the Mitzvah to cover it must be done honorably]!

(Beraisa): "V'Shafach...v'Chisahu" - he must cover with the same limb he used to slaughter, i.e. his hand.

He may not cover with his foot, lest Mitzvos would be disgraceful in his eyes.

Here also, one may not count coins near the Ner, lest Mitzvos would be disgraceful in his eyes!

Question: May one use Noyei (decorations of a) Sukah during the seven days [of Sukos]?

Answer #1 (R. Yehoshua ben Levi): It is forbidden to count coins near Ner Chanukah (likewise, Noyei Sukah are forbidden).

Objection (Rav Yosef): A Beraisa explicitly teaches about Noyei Sukah, why does he learn this from Ner Chanukah, which was not taught (by Tana'im)?!

(Beraisa): If a Sukah had the proper amount of Sechach, and one adorned it with colorful illustrated curtains and sheets, and hung nuts, peaches, almonds, pomegranates, twigs with grapes clusters, crowns on ears [of grain], wines, oils and flour, it is forbidden to use [or eat] them until after Simchas Torah.

If he stipulated [that he may use them during Bein ha'Shemashos of the first night], it works (they do not become forbidden).

Answer #2 (Rav Yosef): We learn all Mitzvos (that one may not disgrace them) from [covering] blood.

(Rav): One may not light a Ner Chanukah from another Ner Chanukah.

(Shmuel): It is permitted.

(Rav): One may not remove Tzitzis from a garment to attach them to another garment.

(Shmuel): It is permitted.

(Rav): The Halachah does not follow R. Shimon regarding dragging (this will be explained);

(Shmuel): The Halachah follows R. Shimon.

(Abaye): Wherever Rav and Shmuel argue, my Rebbi (Rabah) always followed [the stringencies of] Rav, except for these three Halachos:

(Beraisa - R. Shimon): It is permitted to drag a bed, chair or bench [on a dirt floor], as long as he does not intend to make a furrow.

(A Chacham): Rav forbids lighting one Ner from another Ner on account of disgrace to the Mitzvah.

(Rav Ada bar Ahavah): Do not heed him - Rav forbids because it looks like he weakens the Mitzvah (detracts from its light).

Question: What is the difference between these opinions?

Answer: They argue about lighting a Ner Chanukah directly from another:

The Chacham who said that Rav forbids on account of disgrace to the Mitzvah would permit, since he uses the Ner only for the sake of another Mitzvah (Rav only forbids lighting [something else, e.g.] a chip from a Ner in order that light another);

Rav Ada forbids, for in any case it looks like he weakens the Mitzvah.

Question (against Rav Ada - Rav Avya - Beraisa): One may not weigh gold Dinarim against coins of Ma'aser Sheni, even for the sake of redeeming Ma'aser Sheni on them.

If Rav and Shmuel argue about lighting a Ner directly from another, but all forbid lighting through a chip, this is not difficult;

But if both permit lighting a Ner directly from another, and Shmuel permits lighting through a chip, this would refute him!

Answer (Rabah): The Beraisa forbids weighing against coins of Ma'aser Sheni, lest the gold Dinarim will not be the correct weight and he will not redeem with them, and it will turn out that he used Ma'aser Sheni for naught!

Question (Rav Sheshes - Beraisa) Question: (The Menorah is) "Mi'Chutz l'Faroches ha'Edus...Ya'aroch" - Hash-m does not need the light, the 40 years in the Midbar, Hash-m illuminated for Yisrael (with a pillar of fire)!

Answer: Rather, the Menorah is Edus (testimony) that the Shechinah dwells amidst Yisrael.

Question: What is the testimony?

Answer (Rav): The testimony was the Ner Ma'aravi (according to the opinion that the (length of the) Menorah is north-south, the middle lamp tilts westward; according to the opinion that it is east-west, this refers to the more western of the two easternmost lamps

The same amount of oil was put in all the lamps; the others were lit [before evening] from the Ner Ma'aravi; they would finish burning in the morning, it kept burning until the next evening.

Summation of question: The Neros were fixed in the Menorah, they can only be lit through an intermediary (even if a Ner could light an adjacent Ner, the Ner Ma'arivi could not reach to the Ner at the end) - this is difficult [for Shmuel] according to both versions of the argument!

Answer (Rav Papa): The Neros had long wicks, it was possible to light all directly from the Ner Ma'aravi.

In any case, this is difficult for Rav Ada.

Question: What was the conclusion?

Answer (Rav Huna brei d'Rav Yehoshua): If the Mitzvah is Hadlakah (to light Neros Chanukah), it is permitted to light Neros directly from each other; if the Mitzvah is Hanachah (to place the Neros in the proper place), it is forbidden (he uses the Neros for something which is only preparation for a Mitzvah).

Question: Is the Mitzvah Hadlakah or Hanachah?

Answer #1: Rava taught that if someone held Ner Chanukah [until it extinguished], he did not fulfill the Mitzvah (this shows that Hanachah is the Mitzvah)!

Rejection: No, he was not Yotzei because it looks like he needs the light (he did not publicize the Nes).

Answer #2: Rava taught that if one lit inside and took it outside he was not Yotzei.

We understand this if the Mitzvah is Hadlakah - Hanachah must be in the place of Hadlakah;

But if the Mitzvah is Hanachah, why wasn't he Yotzei?!

Rejection: There also, he was not Yotzei because it looks like he needs the light.