(Mishnah): Pious and virtuous men would dance before them with burning torches and would say before them praises (of Hash-m); Leviim would play lyres, harps, cymbals and an innumerable number of musical instruments.

The Leviim would stand and sing songs on the 15 stairs that descended from the Ezras Yisrael to the Ezras Nashim, corresponding to the 15 "Shir Hamaalos" in the Book of Tehillim.

(Gemara): Amongst the pious and virtuous men, some would say, "Fortunate is our youth that it did not disgrace our old age" - these are the virtuous men (who never sinned, even in their youth).

Some would say, "Fortunate is our old age that atoned for our youth" - these are the penitents.

But both would say, "Fortunate is one who did not sin but one who sinned will be forgiven (with repentance).

When Hillel the Elder saw them dancing flippantly, he would said to them, "When we are here (praising Hash-m), who is here (what are our praises worth)?" (Our praises of Hash-m are worth nothing unless said in trepidation.)

Does Hash-m need our praises? The Pasuk states (Daniel 7, 10), "...a thousand thousand were serving Him and a myriad of myriads were standing before Him".

When he saw them dancing in the proper way, he would say, "When we are not here, (praising Hash-m), who is here (to praise Hash-m like us)? Even though there are many (angels) praising Him, the praises of Yisrael are especially dear to Him."

Where is this written? The Pasuk states (Shemuel 2, 23, 1), "and the pleasing [composer] of the songs of Yisrael". Another Pasuk states (Tehillim 22, 4), "He sits upon the praises of Yisrael".

Ben Yehutzedek was praised for his jumping (and dancing at the Simchas Beis Hasho'evah).

They said about R. Shimon ben Gamliel that he would dance whilst juggling eight flaming golden torches, and one did not touch the other. And when he bowed, he would press his thumbs into the ground and bow and then immediately jump up.

Question: What are these two types of bowing called Kriyah and Berichah?

R. Chiya the Great showed Kriyah to Rebbi. He became lame and was then healed. Levi bar Sisi showed Berichah to Rebbi. He became lame and was not healed.

The Pasuk states (Shmuel 2, 6, 20), "Dovid returned to bless his household and (his wife) Michal, the daughter of Shaul came out to greet him...[(Dovid) was exposed today in front of his servants maidservants.....like one of the empty people]".

Question: Who is "one of the empty people"?

Answer (Aba bar Kahana): The leader of the bandits (who is particularly degenerate).

She said, "Today, the honor of my father's house (where they acted particularly modestly) has been exposed."

They said about the House of Shaul that neither a heel nor a toe was ever seen (as they were always careful to have their entire bodies covered). This is the understanding of the Pasuk that states (Shmuel 1, 24, 4), "He came to the sheep pen along the road and there was a cave there, [into which Shaul entered to relieve himself].

R. Avun quoting R. Elazar: There was a partition within a partition (where he went for extra privacy).

The Pasuk states (ibid), "Shaul entered to relieve himself" - Dovid was hiding there and saw Shaul lower his scarf and only then raise his cloak in order that his flesh not become revealed when he relieved himself.

When Dovid saw this, he said to himself - how can I harm the body of this Tzadik?

This is what Dovid meant when he said (ibid, Pasuk 11), "Behold, on this day your eyes saw that today Hash-m put you in my hand in the cave and someone said to kill you but (Vatachas) I took pity on you...". It does not say "Va'achos" - "I took pity"; it says "Vatachas" - 'it' took pity, meaning 'your modesty took pity on you'.

The Pasuk states (Shmuel 2, 6, 21-22), "Dovid replied to Michal, 'Before Hash-m, Who chose me over your father etc. I will act more humbly than this and will be more lowly in my eyes and amongst the maidservants about which you said that I will honor with them...".

It should be read as 'mothers' rather than 'maidservants' as Michal said that they viewed Dovid like a mother views her son.

Question: What was Michal's punishment? The Pasuk states (ibid), "to Michal daughter of Shaul, she did not have a child until the day that she died.

Question: (Divrei Hayamim 1, 3, 3), "And the sixth child (of Dovid) was Yisream, by his wife Eglah", meaning Michal?

Answer: She died in childbirth, and the Pasuk had said "until the day you die" - but the statement did not include her actual day of death.

(Mishnah): Two Kohanim stood at the Upper Gate which leads down from the Ezras Yisrael to the Ezras Nashim, holding trumpets.

At the time of "Krias HaGever" (the Gemara will explain this), they sounded Tekiyah, Teru'ah and Tekiyah.

They reached the 10th step and sounded Tekiyah, Teru'ah and Tekiyah.

They reached the Azarah (courtyard) and sounded Tekiyah, Teru'ah and Tekiyah.

They would continue this way until they reached the Eastern Gate that exits to the east.

When they reached there, they turned their faces to the west (back towards the Temple) and declared, "Our forefathers were here (Yechezkel 8, 16), 'their backs faced towards the Heichal of Hash-m and their faces towards the east and they would bow eastwards to the sun' - but we are to Hash-m and our eyes are to Hash-m."

R. Yehuda says - they would repeat it, saying "we are to Hash-m and our eyes are to Hash-m".

(Gemara): Rav explained before the House of Shila that "Krias HaGever" means "the call of the announcer".

They replied - it means "the crow of the cockerel".

Rav responded: The Mishnah (in Maseches Shekalim) teaches that "Ben Gever" was appointed over closing the doors in the Temple. (Could one explain that it means "Ben Tarnegol" - "the cockerel's son" was appointed?!)

Query (R. Yirmiyah): When the Mishnah refers to the 10th step, is that the 10th step up or the 10th step down?

R. Chiya bar Ba: The Pasuk (in the Mishnah - Yechezkel 8, 16) does not say "VeHeyma Mishtachavim" - "and they bowed"; rather it says "VeHeyma Mishtachavisem", which implies two bowings - they were bowing to the sun and also to the Heichal.

R. Aba bar Kahana: The Pasuk states (Yirmiyahu 2, 13), "...because they did with me two evils". Did they do [only] two evils - Hash-m overlooked a thousand of their evils? Rather, they did two evils at the same time - they bowed to the sun and to the Heichal.