The Mishnah said that the Berachah about Shmuel would conclude with Shome'a Tze'akah, while that about Eliyahu would conclude with Shome'a Tefilah.

Some switch these around.

Question: It is understandable that both versions exist with Shmuel, as the Pasuk uses both terms, but with Eliyahu there is no mention of Tze'akah!?

Answer: The Pasuk of Aneini is a form of Tze'akah.

Question: Seeing as Yonah lived after David and Shlomo, why is the Berachah about him mentioned first?

Answer: As we want the final Berachah to conclude with a mention of Eretz Yisrael (which is what David and Shlomo prayed about).

Others, however, do not conclude that Berachah with a mention of Eretz Yisrael, but with "Blessed is He that humbles the haughty."

(Beraisa): The reason why it was ruled that the men of the Mishmar may drink wine by night but not by day is in case the men of the Beis Av require their assistance.

The reason why it was ruled that the men of the Beis Av may never drink wine is that they are engaged in constant duty.

Based on this, it was ruled that nowadays, any Kohen who knows which is his Mishmar, his Beis Av, and which days they worked, may not drink wine that day (in case Mashiach comes).

If he knows his Mishmar but not his Beis Av, but he knows that his Beis Av did work in the Beis ha'Mikdash, then he may not drink wine all that week.

If he does not knows his Mishmar or his Beis Av, but he knows that his Beis Av did work in the Beis ha'Mikdash, then he may not drink wine all year.

(Rebbi): With this reasoning, every Kohen should always be forbidden to drink wine, in case all the Kohanim are needed for the Chanukas ha'Bayis; but we see that all these concerns have been disregarded.

(Abaye): Kohanim nowadays that drink wine are following Rebbi's view.

The Mishnah said that the men of the Mishmar and of the Ma'amad may not have haircuts or wash their clothes except on Thursday.

Question: Why not?

Answer: To ensure that they do it beforehand and do not begin their work looking slovenly.

(Beraisa): A king should have his hair cut every day; a Kohen Gadol every Erev Shabbos; and a Kohen Hedyot every thirty days.

A king should have his hair cut every day as the Pasuk says that he should be beheld in his beauty.

A Kohen Gadol should have his hair cut every Erev Shabbos since that is when the Mishmaros are renewed.

A Kohen Hedyot should have his hair cut every thirty days as derived from the identical use of the word Pera with Nazir, who has his hair cut after thirty days.

Question: How do we know that the Nazir has his hair cut after thirty days?

Answer: An unspecified Nezirus is usually for that period.

Question: How do we know this?

Answer: The Pasuk says Yihiyeh (he will be) which is of Gematriya 30.

Question: Maybe the Pasuk means that he should not grow his hair long at all?

Answer: The wording of the Pasuk means that the long hair may not be grown any longer.

Question: If it is thus derived from a Pasuk, should not it also apply nowadays?

Answer: It is similar to the prohibition against drinking wine, which only applies at a time when the Beis ha'Mikdash can be entered.

Question: We see that only a lone opinion permits drinking wine nowadays:

(Rebbi): Every Kohen should always be forbidden to drink wine, in case all the Kohanim are needed for the Chanukas ha'Bayis; but we see that all these concerns have been disregarded.

(Abaye): Kohanim nowadays that drink wine are following Rebbi's view.

The implication is that the Rabanan forbid Kohanim to drink wine even nowadays!?

Answer #1: The reason for the ban on wine is in case the Beis ha'Mikdash is suddenly rebuilt and the Kohen's services are required, so that he should not be incapacitated; but if he has unkempt hair, he can simply have a haircut immediately.

Question: Surely with wine there is also a solution of him sleeping a little, as it was said that walking a Mil and the slightest amount of sleep remove the effect of wine?

Answer: That statement was qualified as referring only to where a Revi'is was drunk; but if more than that was drunk, walking and sleeping exacerbate its effects.

Answer #2: Inebriation, which is Mechalel the work in the Beis ha'Mikdash, was subject to decree; unkempt hair was not.

Question: We see that unkempt hair is Mechalel and therefore should be subject to the decree:

(Beraisa): A Kohen who is drunk or has unkempt hair is subject to death at the hand of Heaven.

Drunkenness is explicitly prohibited in the Torah.

Unkempt hair is linked by a Pasuk in Yechezkel to drunkenness, and is thereby also liable for the death penalty.

Likewise, just as drunkenness is Mechalel the work, so is having unkempt hair!?

Answer: It is only compared regarding the death penalty, but not regarding being Mechalel the work.

Question: If it is learned from Yechezkel, who established the rule before Yechezkel?

Answer: We see that that line of argument doesn't work:

(R. Chisda): The rule that a Kohen who is uncircumcised because Milah killed his brothers may not serve, is learned from a Pasuk in Yechezkel.

Until Yechezkel said it, it was known as a tradition; he merely provided Scriptural support.

Similarly here, it was a tradition that unkempt hair is liable for the death penalty, and Yechezkel provided Scriptural support.

The Mishnah said that any day listed in Megilas Ta'anis as forbidden for Hespedim is also prohibited on the preceding day but not on the following day.

(Beraisa): There are some days that have been designated as forbidden for fasting, and some of these are also forbidden for Hespedim.

From the first until the eighth of Nisan, when it was successfully proved that the Tamid must be communally brought, it is forbidden for Hespedim.

From the eighth until the end of Yom Tov, when it was successfully proved that the Omer is counted from the day after Pesach, it is forbidden for Hespedim.

Question: Why was it necessary to include the first of Nisan - it is anyway Rosh Chodesh and forbidden for Hespedim?

Answer: It was necessary so as to also forbid the preceding day.

Question: Why is not the preceding day anyway forbidden as being the day before Rosh Chodesh?

Answer: Rosh Chodesh is d'Oraisa and does not require such reinforcement:

(Beraisa): The festive days listed in Megilas Taanis are forbidden for fasting on the days preceding and following them as well.

With Shabbos and Yom Tov, one may fast on the preceding and following days.

The reason is that the latter are d'Oraisa, which do not need reinforcement, whereas the former are d'Rabbanan and need reinforcement.

Question: Why was it necessary to include through to the end of Pesach - it is anyway Yom Tov and forbidden for Hespedim?

Answer: It was necessary so as to also forbid the following day.

This follows R. Yosi's view that the days both preceding and following the days in Megilas Ta'anis are forbidden for Hespedim.