SHEVUOS 35 (15 Teves) - dedicated by Dr. Moshe and Rivka Snow in memory of Rivka's mother, Rebbetzin Leah bas Rav Yosef (Rabinowitz), the Manostrishtcher Rebbetzin, whose Yahrzeit is 15 Teves.
1)
(a)

Why does our Mishnah exempt witnesses from a Korban if they deny knowledge of Reuven's claim...

1.

... that Shimon promised to give him two hundred Zuz?

2.

... against Shimon, assuming that Reuven had asked them to testify in advance, before he had even lent Shimon the money?

(b)

And what does the Tana say about a regular case of Shevu'as Eidus, only where the witnesses ...

1.

... are sitting with many others in the Beis-Hamedrash when Reuven asks if anyone present knew that he lent Shimon money?

2.

... know the testimony from the mouth of other witnesses or ...

3.

... where one of them is a relative of his or of Shimon's or Pasul from testifying for some other reason?

(c)

We have already learned that if a third party asks the witnesses to testify, they are not subject to a Shevu'as Eidus. What will be the Din if the debtor asks them to testify on behalf of the creditor?

2)
(a)

From where does the Beraisa learn the first Din in our Mishnah (that if Reuven asked the witnesses to testify that Shimon promised to give him two hundred Zuz, they are Patur)?

(b)

Which ruling does the Tana in our Mishnah learn from the Pasuk "ve'Sham'ah Kol Alah, ve'Hu Eid O Ra'ah O Yada"?

(c)

Regarding the case where Reuven addresses the people learning in the Beis-Hamedrash, why does Shmuel need to inform us that the Tana is speaking even where the witnesses are present when he makes the announcement? Is this not obvious?

3)
(a)

We learned a Beraisa that supports Shmuel. What case does the Tana bring?

(b)

In the case in the Seifa, he obligates them. What is the case there?

(c)

How do this Beraisa now support Shmuel?

(d)

How do we know that the Reisha too, is speaking where the witnesses are standing beside Reuven?

4)
(a)

From where does the Beraisa learn that 'Eid mi'Pi Eid' and Pesulei Eidus are Patur?

(b)

And how does Rebbi Elazar explain a second D'rashah from "Im Lo Yagid, ve'Nasa Avono", from which the Beraisa also exempts the witnesses if it is a third party that calls them to testify?

5)
(a)

What does our Mishnah say about ...

1.

... 'Mashbi'ani Ani aleichem', 'Metzaveh Ani aleichem', Osarchem aleichem'? What do these cases have in common?

2.

... 'ba'Shamayim u'va'Aretz'?

3.

... 'be'Alef Daled, be'Yud Key, be'Shakai, bi'Tzevakos, be'Chanun ve'Rachum ... u've'Chol ha'Kinuyim'?

(b)

If someone curses a fellow Jew using any of these names, Rebbi Meir renders him Chayav, the Chachamim say 'Patur'. What is he Chayav, according to Rebbi Meir?

(c)

What do Rebbi Meir and the Chachamim hold with regard to someone who curses his father or mother with one of the above Kinuyin?

6)
(a)

How does the Mishnah define Yakcha Hash-m or Yakchem Elokim? Why is that?

(b)

According to Rebbi Meir, if Reuven says to the witnesses 'Al Yakchem Im Te'iduni' or 'Yevarech'chem (or 'Yeitiv l'cha') Im Te'iduni', they are Chayav. On which principle is this latter ruling based?

(c)

What do the Chachamim say?

7)
(a)

How does Rav Yehudah initially define ...

1.

... 'Mashbi'ani aleichem'.

2.

... 'Metzaveh Ani aleichem'.

3.

... 'Osrani Ani aleichem'?

(b)

How does Abaye query him from the Beraisa which includes 'Kovalchem (meaning to bind with fetters) Ani aleichem'?

(c)

So how does Abaye explain all the cases?

8)
(a)

What distinction does the Beraisa draw between the Names of Hash-m Keil, Elokecha, Elokeichem, Ehekeh Asher Ehekeh, Alef Daled, Yud Key, Shakay and Tzevakos on the one hand and ha'Gadol, ha'Gibor ... ha'Adir ha'Chazak ... Chanun ve'Rachum, on the other?

(b)

How does Abaye reconcile this with our Mishnah, which reckons 'Chanun', 'Rachum', 'Erech Apayim' and 'Rav Chesed' among the Names of Hash-m?

(c)

Rava asked Abaye why, in that case, we do not say the same S'vara with regard to Shamayim va'Aretz. What did he mean by that?

(d)

What did Abaye reply?

35b----------------------------------------35b
9)
(a)

What distinction does the Beraisa draw between writing 'Alef Lamed' from Elokim or 'Yud Key' from Hash-m's four-letter Name on the one hand, and 'Shin Daled' from 'Shakai', 'Alef Hey' from Ehekeh, 'Alef Daled' from the Name of Adnus or 'Tzadey Veis' from Tzevakos on the other?

(b)

What does Rebbi Yossi say about the Name Tzevakos, based on the Pasuk in Va'eira "Ve'hotzeisi es Ami B'nei Yisrael me'Eretz Mitzrayim"?

(c)

Like whom does Shmuel rule?

(d)

What does another Beraisa say about prefixes to Hash-m's Name, such as 'la'Hashem' or 'ba'Hashem' and suffixes, such as 'Elokeinu' or 'Elokeichem'?

(e)

Acherim, like whom Rav Huna rules, disagrees. What distinction does he draw between the two?

10)
(a)

According to the Tana Kama of the Beraisa, the only time that an ambiguous word denoting Hash-m mentioned by Avraham is actually not Kodesh is 'Adonai' in the Pasuk in Vayeira (in connection with the visit of the three angels) "Adonai, Im Na Matzasi Chein be'Einecha". To whom does it then refer?

(b)

What do Chanina ben Achi Rebbi Yehoshua and Rebbi Elazar ben Azaryah in the name of Rebbi Elazar ha'Muda'i, say?

(c)

What statement does Rav Yehudah Amar Rav make in connection with 'Hachnasas Orchim' that follows the opinion of 'that pair'?

(d)

The same Beraisa says that the word "Ad-o-nai" (in the Pasuk there [in connection with two of the same angels in S'dom] "Vayomer Lot aleihem, Al Na Ad-o-nai, Hinei Na Matza Avd'cha Chein be'Einecha") is the only ambiguous one mentioned by Lot that actually denotes Hash-m's Name (all the others simply refer to the angels, and are Chol). How does the Tana know that?

11)
(a)

What does the Tana Kama say about all the ambiguous names of Hash-m mentioned in connection with ...

1.

... Navos alleged cursing of Hash-m (in Melachim)?

2.

... Michah, the idolatrous priest (in Seifer Shoftim)?

(b)

Rebbi Elazar disagrees with the latter ruling. What distinction does he draw between 'Alef Lamed' ... and 'Yud Hey'?

(c)

And what does the latter then say about the Pasuk in Shoftim "Kol Yemei Heyos Beis-ha'Elokim be'Shiloh'?

(d)

On what basis does Rebbi Eliezer establish all the names mentioned in connection with Giv'as Binyamin (Pilegesh be'Giv'ah [in Seifer Shoftim, in connection with Yisrael's war with Binyamin]) as Chol?

(e)

On what grounds does Rebbi Yehoshua disagree with Rebbi Eliezer? How does he refute his argument?

12)
(a)

To whom does the word "Sh'lomoh" in Shir Hashirim normally pertain? Of what is it an acronym?

(b)

What does the Tana Kama say about "Sh'lomoh" in the Pasuk there "Karmi she'Li Lefanai. ha'Elef l'cha Sh'lomoh, u'Masayim le'Notrim es Piryo"?

(c)

What does the Pasuk then mean? Who are the 'Notrim es Piryo'?

13)
(a)

What do Yesh Omrim (Rebbi Nasan) say about "Sh'lomoh" in the Pasuk there "Hinei Mitaso she'li'Sh'lomoh, Shishim Giborim Saviv lah"?

(b)

Why did Sh'lomoh require 'sixty strong men' (which refers, among other things, to the letters of Birchas Kohanim) to surround his bed?

(c)

How does Shmuel therefore interpret the Pasuk "ha'Elef l'cha Sh'lomoh, u'Masayim le'Notrim es Piryo" (with reference to the heavy work-tax that Sh'lomoh imposed on the people for the construction of the Beis-Hamikdash)?

(d)

What problem does this create with 'Yesh Omrim' who said (with reference to the second Pasuk) 'Af Zeh Chol'?

(e)

How do therefore amend 'Yesh Omrim'? Like whom will Shmuel then hold?

14)
(a)

On what basis ...

1.

... does the Tana establish the Pasuk in Daniel "Ant Malka Melech Malchaya ... " as the only one where "Melech" is Kodesh? To whom do the others pertain?

2.

... do Yesh Omrim add to this the Pasuk there "Mari, Chelma le'San'ach u'Pishreih le'Arach" (meaning 'My Master, let the dream come true with regard to your enemies, and its interpretation, with regard to your adversaries')?

(b)

How does the Tana Kama counter Yesh Omrim's argument?

15)
(a)

Bearing in mind that the Pasuk in Naso (in connection with a Sotah) has already written "Vehishbi'a ha'Kohen es ha'Ishah bi'Shevu'as ha'Alah", what problem do we have with the Pasuk "Yiten Hash-m osach le'Alah ve'Lishevu'ah"?

(b)

So the Beraisa learns a 'Gezeirah-Shavah' ("Alah" "Alah") from Shevu'as ha'Eidus. Seeing as that the Torah writes ...

1.

... there "ve'Sham'ah Kol Alah", what does the Tana learn regarding the Shevu'ah of a Sotah from it?

2.

... here (by Sotah) "Yiten Hash-m Osach", what does he learn regarding Shevu'as ha'Eidus from it?

(c)

Based on this Beraisa, how do we query our Mishnah, which includes all the Kinuyim in Shevu'as ha'Eidus?

(d)

We answer that the author of the Beraisa is Rebbi Chanina bar Idi, whilst our Mishnah goes according to the Rabbanan. What does Rebbi Chanina bar Idi (in another Beraisa) say with regard to the two Pesukim ...

1.

... "Shevu'as Hash-m Tih'yeh bein Sh'neihem" (in Mishpatim, in connection with a Shomer Pikadon) and "Lo Sishava vi'Shemi la'Shaker" (in Kedoshim)?

2.

... "Yiten Hash-m oscha le'Alah" and "Lo Sekalel Cheresh" (in Kedoshim)?

16)
(a)

According to the Chachamim, what problem do we now have with the Pasuk "ve'Sham'ah Kol Alah"?

(b)

Why do we reject the initial Lashon of the Beraisa 'Ein Alah Ela Shevu'ah; ve'Chein hu Omer "ve'Hishbi'a ha'Kohen es ha'Ishah bi'Shevu'as ha'Alah"?

(c)

What do the Rabbanan extrapolate from "ve'Sham'ah Kol Alah"? What ought the Pasuk to have said?

(d)

So what do we finally conclude from there?