Question: Why does it say, "or for the ram"?

Answer: One could have made a deduction - if we find that the Torah differentiated between the libations of a first-year animal and those of a second-year animal; we should therefore differentiate between the libations of a second-year animal and those of a third-year...

Therefore the Torah wrote, "or for the ram" (to teach that we do not differentiate between a second-year and a third-year animal's libations).

Question: Why does it say "or for the lamb among the sheep"?

Answer: One could have made a deduction - if we find that the Torah differentiated between the libations of a sheep and those of a ram; we should therefore differentiate between the libations of a female lamb and those of a ewe?

Therefore the Torah wrote, "or for the lamb among the sheep".

Question: Why does it say, "or among the goats"?

Answer: One could have made a deduction - if we find that the Torah differentiated between the libations of a sheep and those of a ram'; we should therefore differentiate between the libations of a kid and those of a male goat?

Therefore, the Torah wrote "or among the goats", to compare the young goats with the most mature male goats - both require libations of three Log.

Question: The Mishnah taught that the name of the day was written on the seal. Consider - what if he managed to find the correct day of the week?

Answer: The name of the watch was also written on it.

Question: Consider - what if he managed to find the correct watch?

Answer: The name of the day, the week and the month were written on it, so that even if he wishes to find everything correctly, he will not be able to do so.

(Mishnah): There were two chambers in the Mikdash - the discreet room and the utensils room.

The discreet room - G-d-fearing people would discreetly put charity there and the poor people of good stock would discreetly be sustained from there.

The utensils room - Whoever wished to donate a utensil to the Mikdash would throw it into the room.

Once in thirty days, the treasurers would open it and any utensil found there that could be used for the Bedek haBayis would be put aside for that use. Any other utensils would be sold and their money would be used for Bedek haBayis (the upkeep of the Mikdash).

(Gemara): R. Yaakov bar Idi and Rav Yitzchak bar Nachman were appointed over the charity collections. They would give R. Chama, the father of R. Yehoshaya a Dinar coin and he would give to others (who were too embarrassed to go directly to the appointees).

Everyone would say about R. Zechariah, the son-in-law of R. Levi, that he was unjustly accepting charity.

When he died, they checked and found that he would distribute it to others.

R. Chinana bar Papa would distribute charity at night (to avoid embarrassing the poor). He once met the Head of the Spirits, who said to him, "Rebbe, the Pasuk says (Devarim 19:14), "You shall not move your neighbor's boundary"? (The nighttime is the domain of the Spirits!)

(R. Chinana bar Papa replied): Does it not say (Mishlei 21:14), "A gift given discreetly reduces anger"? The Spirit became afraid of him and fled.

(R. Yona): The Pasuk (Tehillim 41:2) does not say 'Fortunate is one who gives to the poor'. Rather, it says, 'Fortunate is one who contemplates the poor". He looks at how to perform the Mitzvah (without embarrassing the recipient).

When R. Yona would see a poor man of good stock who had lost his money, he would say to him, "My son, I heard that you have received an inheritance from elsewhere (i.e. a distant relative). Take this money and you will pay it back." Once he took it, R. Yona would tell him that it was a gift.

(Chiya bar Ada): There were elderly people in our time. If one would give them charity between Rosh haShanah and Yom Kippur, they would accept it. After that, they would not accept it, as they would say, "Our entire year's earnings are already with us".

Nechemyah of Shichin once met a (poor) Jerusalemite who asked him for one chicken. Nechemyah replied, "Take this coin that is enough to buy meat" The poor man went and bought meat, ate it and died. Nechemyah cried out and said, "Let us come and eulogize the murder victim of Nechemyah".

Nachum Ish Gamzu was taking a gift to his father-in-law's house. He met a man afflicted with boils. The man asked, "Give me some of what you have". Nachum Ish Gamzu responded, "When I return". When he returned, the man had died.

He said in front of the dead man, "Let the eyes that saw you and did not give you be blind. Let the hands that did not stretch out to give you be cut off. Let the legs that did not run to give you be broken." It happened to him as he said.

R. Akiva went to visit him and said, "Woe is to me that I see you in this state". Nachum replied, "Woe is to me that I do not see you in this state!" R. Akiva asked him, "Are you cursing me?". Nachum replied, "Are your rejecting afflictions?"

R' Hoshayah the Great's son's teacher was blind and used to eat with him every day.

Once, R' Hoshayah had guests and was not able to eat with him. In the evening, R' Hoshayah went to him and said, "My master should not be angry with me. I had guests today and I said that it is better that they do not show disrespect to the honor of my master. That is why I did not eat with my master today.

(The teacher to R. Hoshiyah): You have appeased the one who is seen but cannot see. The One who sees but cannot be seen should accept your appeasement.

(R. Hoshiyah to the teacher): From where do you know (this blessing)?

(The teacher to R. Hoshiyah): From R. Eliezer ben Yaakov. A blind man once came to live in his town. R. Eliezer ben Yaakov sat himself lower than the blind man, so that everyone should say that he must be a great man, or R. Eliezer would not lower himself in this way. As a result, they sustained the man honorably.

The blind man asked why they were doing this and they told him that R. Eliezer had sat lower than him. The blind man blessed R. Eliezer, saying. "You acted with kindness to one who is seen but cannot see. The One who sees but cannot be seen should act with kindness with you."

Once, R. Chama bar Chaninah and R. Hoshayah the Great were walking through the synagogues of Lod.

(R. Chama bar Chaninah to R. Hoshiyah): Look how much money my ancestors invested into here.

(R. Hoshiyah to R. Chama): How many lives did your ancestors buried here! Were there no people who would toil in Torah?! (It would have been better to spend the money on supporting the poor, so that they could learn Torah.)

R. Avun built the gates of the great Beis Midrash.

R. Mana came to visit him and R. Avun said, "See what I have done to show honor to the House of Hash-m!"

(R. Mana to R. Avun): The Pasuk says (Hoshea 8:14), "And Yisrael forgot their Maker and has built temples". Were there no people who would toil in Torah?!

(Beraisa): Items consecrated for the Mizbeach, those that are suitable are taken out for use of the Bedek haBayis. (However, if they were animals, even if they became blemished and therefore became disqualified from being brought on the Mizbeach, they still cannot be used for Bedek haBayis, as their only use was for the Mizbeach and that is no longer possible.)

Question (Our Mishnah): Any utensil found there that could be used for the Bedek haBayis would be put aside for that use. Any other items (even those suitable for the Mizbeach, would not be used for that purpose, but rather, they) would be sold and their money would be used for Bedek haBayis...?

Answer (R. Chizkiyah): Our Mishnah is merely teaching that if a vessel was found to be needed (whether for the Bedek haBayis or the Mizbeach), they place it in the chamber of the Bedek haBayis (and later take it for that need).

(Mishnah): There were 13 collection boxes, 13 tables and 13 prostrations in the Mikdash.

Those of the Houses of Rabban Gamliel and R. Chananyah S'gan haKohanim would prostrate 14 times.

Where was the extra prostration? It was opposite the wood storage, as they had a tradition from their fathers that the Aron was hidden away there.

There was once a Kohen working and he saw that the flooring there was different to the others. He came to tell his colleague but before he had a chance to finish speaking, his soul left him. They then knew with certainty that the Aron was hidden away there.

(Gemara - Beraisa): The boxes were slanted, narrow on top and wide at the bottom, because of the tricksters (who pretended to put money on, but actually took money out).

(Opinion #1 - Beraisa citing R. Eliezer): The Aron went with them into exile in Bavel.

(Source): The Pasuk states (Melachim II 20:17), "Not a thing will remain, says Hash-m" - the only 'thing' is that in which the Ten Commandments are found.

Similarly, the Pasuk states (Divrei haYamim II 36:10), "And at the return of the year, King Nebuchadnetzar sent and brought him to Bavel with the precious vessels of the House of Hash-m". What is the precious vessel of the House of Hash-m? The Aron.

(Opinion #2 - R. Shimon ben Lakish): It was hidden in its place, as the Pasuk states (Melachim I 8:8), "The staves (of the Aron) were so long that the heads of the staves could be seen inside the Holy, in front of the Holy of Holies, but could not be seen outside {and they are there until this day}."

The Pasuk first states (ibid), "could be seen" and then it says, "could not be seen"? Rather, the staves protruded into the curtain (that separated between the Heichal and the Holy of Holies) and appeared (when looking from the Heichal) like a woman's breasts.

(Opinion #3 - Rabbanan): The Aron was hidden under the wood storage chamber.

There was once a blemished Kohen who was splitting wood in the wood storage chamber. He saw that the flooring was uneven and he came and told his colleague. Before he had a chance to finish speaking, his Neshama left him. They then knew with certainly that the Aron was hidden there.

(Beraisa - R. Hoshiya): He hit there with a hammer (in an attempt to repair the flooring) and a fire came out and consumed him.

(Beraisa - Opinion #1 - R. Yehuda ben Lakish): Two Arons travelled with Yisrael in the desert. One contained the Torah and one contained the broken Tablets.

The one that contained the Torah would rest in the Ohel Moed, as the Pasuk states (Bamidbar 14:44), "...and the Aron of Hash-m's covenant and Moshe did not move from the camp".

The one that contained the broken Tablets would enter and leave with them (to war) and it would {sometimes be seen with them{. (Note: Some commentators remove the words as indicated).

(Opinion #2 - Rabbanan): There was only one Aron and once, it was taken out to war in the days of Eli haKohen and taken captive.

A Pasuk supports the Rabbanan, as it says (that the Pelishtim said) (Shmuel I 4:8), "Woe to us! Who will save us from the hand of this Mighty G-d" - something that they had never seen in their lives. (This implies that the Aron was not usually taken out to war.)

A Pasuk supports R. Yehuda ben Lakish, as it says (Shmuel I 14:18), "And Shaul said to Achiyah, 'Bring close the Aron of Elokim'." Was the Aron not in Kiryas Yearim?

Question: How do Rabbanan understand this Pasuk? He meant 'Bring to me the Tzitz'. (Note: Shaul was referring to a different Aron - the one that contained the vestments of the Kehunah, including the Tzitz. Shaul asked Achiyah, the Kohen Gadol, to wear the vestments of the Kohen Gadol, so that he could ask a question of the Urim V'Tumim.)

A Pasuk supports R. Yehuda ben Lakish,as it says (Shmuel II 11:11), "The Aron, Yisrael and Yehuda are dwelling in booths." Was the Aron not in Tzion?

Question: How do Rabbanan understand this Pasuk? The Aron was under a covering, rather than a roof, as the Temple was not yet built.