THE SIMCHAS BEIS HA'SHO'EVAH
Women could sift wheat by its light.
The sages who had not tasted sin gave thanks for their youth which did not embarrass their old age, and those who had done Teshuvah would give thanks for that.
Both groups proclaimed the blessings of he who had not sinned, calling upon the sinner to then do Teshuvah.
Hillel proclaimed in his joy, in Hash-m's name, Im Ani Kan...
OTHER AGADIC TEACHINGS
Hillel also proclaimed, l'Makom She'ani Ohev...
Question: What is the place which Hash-m loves?
Answer: If you will come to My house (Beis ha'Mikdash) I will come to yours (proof text).
Hillel saw the skull and proclaimed...
(R. Yochanan): A person's own feet deliver him to the place he is to die, as demonstrated in the incident of the two Soferim whom Shlomo ha'Melech tried to save.
THE SIMCHAS BEIS HA'SHO'EVAH (cont.)
R. Shimon b. Gamliel would juggle eight torches.
He alone was able to do Kidah (bowing on his thumbs, kissing the ground then stand up).
Levi did Kidah before Rebbi and became lame.
Question: But R. Elazar taught a different reason for Levi's becoming lame!?
Answer: Both factors contributed.
Levi performed before Rebbi by juggling eight knives.
Shmuel performed before the Persian king with eight cups of wine.
Abaye juggled before Rabah with eight eggs (some say, four).
(R. Yehoshua b. Chananyah, a Levi): We did not sleep during the Simchas Beis ha'Sho'evah (and he enumerated the activities of the Levi'im) 24 hours a day.
Question: But from Hilchos Nedarim we see that one cannot go three days without sleep.
Answer: Rather, we did not taste sleep because we only dozed on one another's shoulder.
THE FIFTEEN STEPS
Question (R. Chisda to the Amora of Agadah before him): What is the source for Dovid ha'Melech's 15 Shir ha'Ma'alos?
Answer (Amora citing R. Yochanan): It was in order to bring Mei Tehom back up 15,000 Garmidi.
Dovid ha'Melech dug the Shitin.
The depth waters surged up and threatened to flood with world.
Question: Then they should not be called Ma'alos!?
Answer: The waters went too low, as described.
Dovid did not decide regarding the permissibility of erasing Hash-m's name to stop the flood, deferring to Achitofel.
Achitofel permitted it based on a Kal va'Chomer.
The waters went down too far, and Dovid ha'Melech elevated them with his Shirim to a depth of 1000 Garmidi.
(Ula): This implies that the groundwater is at that depth.
Question: But we find water at much less depth!?
Answer: That water comes from Sulma d'Fras.
THE KOHANIM COMING DOWN TO THE TENTH STEP
Question (R. Yirmiyah): Did they come down ten steps, to the fifth, or five steps to the tenth?
Answer: Teiku.
THEY TURNED THEIR BACKS ON HASH-M
Question: If they faced eastward, is it not obvious that their backs were to the Heichal?
Answer: They would defecate in affront to Hash-m.
ANU L'KAH UL'KAH EINEINU
Question: But R. Zeira taught that such repetition is forbidden (like Modim Modim)!?
Answer: [They bowed to the East while] we bow to Hash-m, and our eyes turn to Hash-m.
MISHNAH: THE TEKI'OS
There are not fewer than 21 Teki'os in the Mikdash and, on some days, it can be as many as 48, as enumerated.
R. YEHUDAH AND RABANAN ON TEKI'OS AND TERU'OS
Our Mishnah seems to not follow R. Yehudah who taught that the minimum Teki'os is seven.
Question: What is their Machlokes?
Answer: R. Yehudah sees a set of Tekiah-Teruah-Tekiah as one Mitzvah, while Rabanan see each sound separately.
R. Yehudah's rationale is the Pasuk Us'katem Teruah.
Rabanan understand that Pasuk as obligating every Teruah to have a Tekiah before and after it.
Rabanan's rationale is the Pasuk which speaks of blowing Tekiah and not Teruah (when gathering the People) thus demonstrating that Tekiah and Teruah are separate Mitzvos.
R. Yehudah counters saying that such Tekios are calling the People, but not as a Mitzvah.
Rabanan counter that this 'calling' is rendered a Mitzvah by the Pasuk!
Question: Then whom does the teaching of R. Kehana that there must be nothing but the briefest interruption (v'Lo Klum) between Tekiah and Teruah follow?
Answer: R. Yehudah.
Question: But that is too obvious!?
Answer: Without R. Kehana we might have misinterpreted the Rabanan as allowing (as per the view of R. Yochanan) long separations between Tekios.
Question: Perhaps that is not an error and R. Kehana is teaching his Din even according to Rabanan!?
Answer: The words v'Lo Klum preclude even the brief interruption allowable according to Rabanan.