1)

(a)The author of our Mishnah, who maintains that they blew the trumpets on the Mizbe'ach (i.e. when they placed the Aravos on the Yesod of the Mizbe'ach), is Rebbi Eliezer ben Yakov, who does not require three blasts on the tenth step - because, in his opinion, they only blew when they reached the respective gates, in which case, they would not have blown on the tenth step.

(b)And the Tana Kama of Rebbi Eliezer ben Yakov in the Beraisa does not require the three blasts on the Mizbe'ach - because all the blowing connected with the Mitzvah of Aravah was confined to the water-drawing ceremony (which is more blatant when walking down the steps than when standing on the Mizbe'ach.

(c)They did not blow on both occasions - because they had a tradition that there were twelve extra blasts on Sukos, and it was a question of which of the two was more logical to blow (as we explained).

2)

(a)The 'three blasts on the Mizbe'ach' (of Rebbi Eliezer ben Yakov) not refer to the three blasts that they blew when the water reached the Mizbe'ach - because that wiould leave us with three blasts too many, asks Rashi!?

(b)We might nevertheless reconcile that explanation with the fixed number of blasts - by equating the three blasts that they blew when the Kohanim placed the Aravos on the Mizbe'ach, coincided with those that they blew as the water was being taken to the Mizbe'ach.

(c)Rav Acha bar Chanina learns from the Pasuk "u'V'nei Aharon ha'Kohanim Yiske'u ba'Chatzotzeros" - that the Kohanim would blow nine blasts for each set of Musafim that they brought that day ...

(d)... because, since the Torah has already written "u'Seka'tem ba'Chatzotzros", the second Pasuk must be coming to teach us that one blows for each Musaf independently.

3)

(a)When we ask that, according to Rav Acha bar Chanina, we will find a day on which fifty-one blasts are blown, and not just forty-eight, we are referring to - Shabbos during Sukos, when they would blow nine for the Musaf of Shabbos instead of the six of Erev Shabbos.

(b)

1. ... Rebbi Zeira attempted to answer this Kashya - by postulating that, on Shabbos, they did not blow for the opening of the gates.

2. ... Rava commented that Rebbi Zeira did not know what he was talking about - since our Mishnah says that they blew the twenty-one blasts every day (implying even on Shabbos!)

(c)Furthermore, Rava maintained, even if they blew only forty-eight (as Rebbi Zeira suggests), the Tana ought to have mentioned it - to teach us the dual Chidush of Rebbi Eliezer ben Yakov (that they blew for 'on the Mizbe'ach', and not for the tenth step), as well as that of Rav Acha Acha bar Chanina (that they blew for each Musaf), rather than Erev Shabbos during Sukos, which only informs us of the former Chidush, but not, of the latter.

(d)Rava finally explains that they did not blow fifty-one blasts on Shabbos - because they did not blow all the (twelve) blasts of the water-drawing ceremony on Shabbos (seeing as the water had already been drawn the day before.

4)

(a)We ask why, according to Rav Acha bar Chanina, the Tana does not state the case of Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbos - where they would blow forty-eight blasts (the twenty-one daily ones, plus the twenty-seven blasts for the three Musafin - Shabbos, Rosh ha'Shanah and Rosh Chodesh).

(b)We reject the answer that the Tana prefers to present the case of Erev Shabbos of Sukos, to teach us the Chidush of Rebbi Eliezer ben Yakov - on the grounds that there seems to be no plausible reason as to why the Tana should not present both cases.

(c)And we answer with the principle 'Tana v'Shiyer', which means - that the Tana is authorized to list certain cases and to omit others ...

(d)... provided he omits at least two cases.

5)

(a)Based on what we just said, we suggest that the Tana also omits the case of an ordinary Erev Pesach - when they would also blow forty-eight blasts (twenty-seven blasts for the three groups who brought the Korban Pesach, over and above the twenty-one of every day).

(b)But we repudiate that answer too, on the grounds that our Tana might hold like Rebbi Yehudah (in Pesachim) - who holds that the third group never even reached "Ahavti" (of the third recital of Hallel), in which case they would only have blown three for the third group, and not nine (forty-two, instead of forty-eight).

6)

(a)The problem with establishing our Mishnah like Rebbi Yehudah is - that already established the Reisha not like Rebbi him, since according to him, they blew not forty-eight blasts, but sixteen (as we explained there).

(b)And we resolve it - by establishing the Mishnah like a third Tana, who holds like the Rabanan as regards the number of blasts, but like Rebbi Yehudah as regards the third group on Erev Sukos.

(c)We finally establish the second case that the Tana omits (besides Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbos) as - Erev Pesach that falls on Erev Shabbos ...

(d)... when (even according to Rebbi Yehudah) - one would blow forty-eight blasts (the six notes that they blew every Erev Shabbos, will re-place the six that were missing from the third group).

7)

(a)According to the Rabanan, on Erev Pesach that fell on Shabbos - they would blow fifty-seven blasts ...

(b)... and the reason that our Mishnah gives the maximum number of blasts as forty-eight is because - our Mishnah is referring to cases that occur every year (and it is not every year that Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos).

(c)In that case, we ask, Erev Shabbos of Sukos does not apply every year either - because, when the first day of Yom-Tov (and then Shemini Atzeres) falls on Erev Shabbos, they would not blow the trumpets, since the Simchas Beis Hasho'evah does not over-ride Yom-Tov.

8)

(a)To answer the previous question, we point out that the first day of Sukos cannot fall on Erev Shabbos - because then Yom Kippur will fall on Sunday (which Beis-Din avoid at all costs, due to 'Yarkaya' [the difficulty of obtaining fresh vegetables for Motzei Yom Kippur], and 'Meisaya' [the problem of burying someone who died on the Shabbos, and who will have been lying for close to two days before he can be buried].

(b)

1. The Mishnah in Shabbos rules - that the Chalavim of Shabbos may be brought on the Yom Kippur that follows it (because the Kedushah of Shabbos is greater than that of Yom-Kippur).

2. Rebbi Zeira says about the Beraisa there, which rules that neither did they blow the Shofar (to stop the people from working) when Shabbos followed Yom Kippur, nor did they recite Havdalah when Yom Kippur followed Shabbos - is unanimous.

(c)One does not ...

1. ... blow the Shofar when Shabbos follows Yom Kippur - because Yom Kippur is as much Asur to do Melachah as Shabbos (and the obligation to blow the trumpet only applies when a day on which Melachah is permitted is followed by a day on which it is not).

2. ... recite Havdalah when Yom Kippur follows Shabbos - because one only recites 'Havdalah' on a day on which Melachah is forbidden is followed by a day on which it is not (whereas here, Yom Kippur is as much forbidden as Shabbos).

(d)Both the Mishnah and the Beraisa in Shabbos clearly hold that Yom Kippur can fall on Sunday - because the author is Acherim, who maintains that the calendar is fixed, and cannot be manipulated for any reason whatsoever; whereas the author of our Mishnah, which holds that Erev Sukos is never allowed to fall on Friday, is the Rabanan.

9)

(a)We just learned that, in the opinion of Acherim, Yom Kippur can fall on Sunday. Acherim says - that there are always four days in between Shavu'os of one year and the next (e.g. if Shavu'os of one year falls on Sunday, then on the following year it will fall on Thursday - and the same will apply to Rosh Hashanah).

(b)The assumption that from one Molad to the next is twenty-nine and a half days - will give us fifty-nine days every two months. Consequently, Acherim holds that the months must follow the strict pattern of one full month and one short one. The six sets that comprise a year will total three hundred and fifty four days, which, when divided by seven (the days of the week), come to three hundred and fifty, leaving us with four days, by which any given date will be subsequently pushed back next year.

(c)The reason that it is always five days later in a leap-year is - because the extra month (Adar Sheni), according to Acherim, is always a short one, comprising twenty-nine days (four weeks and a day), leaving us with an extra day to add to the four days by which any given date has already been pushed back.

10)

(a)Rav Safra explains that, according to Rav Acha bar Chanina - when the Beraisa rules that the Shir of Rosh Chodesh overrides that of Shabbos, it does not mean that it literally overrides it, but that it comes first.

(b)Rebbi Yochanan explains that, in spite of the principle ' ... Tadir Kodem' (what is common always comes first) the Shir of Rosh Chodesh precedes that of Shabbos - in order to publicize the fact that it is Rosh Chodesh (since most people had not seen the new moon).

(c)According to the Tana in Shabbos, they placed the Chalavim of ...

1. ... the Tamid shel Shachar - on the lower half of the east side of the ramp.

2. ... the Musaf of Shabbos - on the lower half of the west side of the ramp.

3. ... the Musaf of Rosh Chodesh - on the upper half of the ramp, close to the ledge that marked the half-way mark from the ground. Rebbi Yochanan explained that they placed it higher up than that of Shabbos - in order to publicize the fact that Rosh Chodesh was fixed in its right time.

(d)They nevertheless fixed the Shir of Rosh Chodesh before that of Shabbos - so that whoever did not notice the one Siman, would notice the other.