Every 30 days the prices for wine, oil and flour were fixed.

Once Hekdesh has paid for the goods, the suppliers must keep to the price if the price goes up.

If the price goes down, the suppliers must discount the goods to Hekdesh.

Other examples of the advantages given to Hekdesh:

If the flour becomes wormy, the supplier must replace it.

If the wine sours, he must, again, replace it.

The money is not his until the items are safely burning on the Mizbeach.

It was taught that (unlike the view of the Mishnah) the merchants received their money immediately, and the Kohanim were Zerizim.

There were 15 tasks in the Mikdash.

The Tanna lists the tasks and the people appointed to them.

Question: How were these appointees selected by the Mishnah?

Answer #1: They were the most righteous.

Answer #2: They were of that generation.

The Mishnah in Yoma lists the praiseworthy appointees, about which it says, "the memory of the righteous for blessing."

That Mishnah lists others of whom it says "the name of the evil shall decay."

According to the opinion that our Mishnah lists highly righteous people then the curse in Yoma must only have applied to the last name in that Mishnah.

According to the opinion that our Mishnah lists those in that generation then the blessing applies to Ben Katin.

(R. Yonah): The blessing in the Pasuk (Yeshayah 53:12) applies to R. Akiva for establishing Midrash, Halachah and Hagados.

Others say they were established by the Anshei Keneses ha'Gedolah.

If so, R. Akiva established principles and specifics.

(R. Abahu): The Pasuk (Divrei ha'Yamim I 2:55) calls them Sofrim because they counted all similar laws.

The Gemara lists examples from each Seder Mishnayos:

Five whose Terumah is not valid, etc.

(R. Eliezer): Ezra ha'Sofer was called such twice since he counted the letters of the Torah as well as numbering the teachings of Chachamim.

The earlier generations toiled each of the listed steps, and then had bread (Torah) to eat.

We, after all the toil, lack the bread to eat.

If they were angels, we are people.

If they were people, we are donkeys.

And not like the donkey of R. Pinchas b. Yair (the account of whose piety is then related).

Come see the power of that great man...

The Beraisa taught that for a Sanhedrin to be called fit, there must be two among them who can speak 70 languages, and all must be able to understand them.

Three such people qualifies them as mid-level.

Four entitles that Sanhedrin to the title "wise."

Yavneh had four, as listed.

The Gemara relates some of the wisdom of Pesachyah:

Eretz Yisrael was dry... he interpreted the deaf-mute.

And again when there was no Omer... he interpreted.

He also interpreted the cryptic references of the women bringing the Kinim.

The Kohanim, walking on the stone floor, barefoot, eating meat and drinking water would develop intestinal disorders.

He knew which wines were medicinal and which were poisonous.