1)

(a)According to Rebbi Chiya bar Aba, they Davened in the street, as if to say, 'We cried out discreetly, to no avail. Now let us disgrace ourselves in public (perhaps that will evoke Divine mercy)'. According to Resh Lakish - it is symbolical of exile, as if to say 'We have gone into exile. May our exile atone for us'.

(b)The difference between the two explanations is - that according to Rebbi Chiya bar Aba, they had to go out into the open; whereas according to Resh Lakish, an enclosed area is also called exile.

(c)They ...

1. ... took the Aron ha'Kodesh out into the street, says Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi - as if to announce 'We had a modest vessel, which has now become disgraced due to our sins'.

2. ... wore sack-cloth , according to Rebbi Chiya bar Aba - to demonstrate that they were worthless like animals (since it is clothes that give a person esteem - like Rebbi Yochanan, who used to refer to his clothes as 'Mechabdusai').

(d)After putting-on sack-cloth - they would go to the grave-yard and blow the Shofar.

2)

(a)According to Rebbi Yehudah ben Pazi, they placed ashes on the Aron ha'Kodesh, because of the Pasuk in Tehilim "Imo Anochi b'Tzarah". Resh Lakish learns it - from the Pasuk in Yeshayah "b'Chol Tzarasam, Lo Tzar".

(b)When Rebbi Zeira saw the Rabanan placing ashes on the Aron ha'Kodesh for the first time - he shuddered.

(c)Rebbi Levi bar Chama and Rebbi Chanina (or Rebbi Levi bar Lachma and Rebbi Chama bar Chanina) argue over the reason why everyone placed ashes on their heads. One of them says it was to demonstrate that they were before Hash-m like ashes; the other - that it was to remind Hash-m of the Akeidas Yitzchak.

(d)The difference between the two reasons - is whether one may use ordinary earth instead of ashes, or whether one must use specifically ashes.

3)

(a)The same Amora'im argue over the reason that they would go out to visit the graves. One says that it is to demonstrate that we are like dead people; the other - to encourage the dead to pray on our behalf. According to the first reason, it makes no difference whether the graves are those of Jews or those of gentiles, whereas according to the second, it must be specifically Jews, (since the gentile dead are not capable of praying for gentiles, let alone for Jews).

(b)One of the same Amora'im explains that Avraham called the mountain on which the Akeidas Yitzchak took place, 'Har ha'Mori'ah' because teaching went out from it to Yisrael - as the Pasuk says in Yeshayah "Ki mi'Tziyon Tetzei Torah".

(c)The other one says that it was called by that name - because it caused the Nochrim to be afraid, when they saw the greatness of Yisrael and Yerushalayim.

(d)According as those who hold that Har ha'Mori'ah was Har Sinai - then they were afraid of the thunder and lightning that emanated from the mountain when the Torah was given to Yisrael.

4)

(a)If there is no Zaken (an elder who is also a Chacham) present to say the 'captivating words', then a (young) Chacham says them. A Zaken means. If there is not even a Chacham present - then it is a man of stature (who commands respect) who speaks.

(b)The gist of the Musar given by the Zaken - is that it is not the sack-cloth and ashes that count, but Teshuvah and good deeds.

5)

(a)The Pasuk in Yonah describes how the people of Ninveh bound the animals separately and their babies separately. They then say to Hash-m - that if Hash-m does not have mercy on them, then they will not have mercy on the animals.

(b)"va'Yikre'u el Elokim b'Chazkah". They said to Hash-m - 'Ribono shel Olam, if one person is unfortunate and the other, fortunate, if one can't and one can, if one is a Tzadik and the other, a Rasha, who takes precedence? (Surely it is the unfortunate, the one who is unable, the Rasha, who comes first! - see Agados Maharsha.)

(c)To prove beyond any shadow of doubt, that their Teshuvah was sincere - the people of Ninveh not only returned all the articles that they had stolen, but they even pulled down a house that contained a stolen beam, in order to return the stolen beam.

6)

(a)Rav Ada bar Ahavah describes a person who confesses to having sinned but does not relinquish the sin (i.e. he fails to return the stolen article) - by comparing him to someone who Tovels in a Mikvah containing all the water in the world with a dead Sheretz in his hand.

(b)He learns from the Pasuk in Mishlei "u'Modeh v'Ozev Yerucham" and from the Pasuk in Eichah "Nisa Levaveinu el Kapayim" - the importance of following up one's confession with the appropriate action.

(c)If, on a Ta'anis Tzibur, one has a choice of Chazan between a Zaken on the one hand, and someone who was more conversant with the text of the Tefilah with the other - one picks the latter.

7)

(a)According to Rebbi Yehudah, one looks for many additional qualities in the Chazan. He needs to have many children and struggle to make ends meet - because then he will Daven with all his heart.

(b)He also has to work hard (in the fields) - and he has to be humble.

(c)And he had to be well-liked, so that the people will readily agree with his choice as Ba'al Tefilah.

(d)A sweet and pleasant voice is important, too. And besides being fluent in all the Berachos - he is also required to be an expert in Tanach, Midrash, Halachos and Agados,

(e)The Chachamim pointed to Rav Yitzchak bar Ami - because he was the epitome of the Ba'al Tefilah that we have just been describing.

8)

(a)Having said that he struggled to make ends meet, Rebbi Yehudah adds 'his house is empty' - meaning empty of sin, says Rav Chisda.

(b)Abaye interprets 'u'Pirko Na'eh' to mean - that even in his youth he did nothing that stigmatized him.

(c)According to Rav or Rebbi Elazar, when Yirmeyahu ha'Navi writes " ... Nasnah Alai b'Kolah, Al Ken Seneisiha" - he is referring to a Shatz who goes 'down to the Teivah', even though he is unworthy to fill that role.

9)

(a)The Berachah 'Mi she'Anah es Avraham b'Har ha'Mori'ah Hu Ya'aneh Eschem v'Yishma Kol Tza'akaschem ha'Yom ha'Zeh' - concludes 'Go'el Yisrael'.

(b)In the Beis Hamikdash, the same Berachah would end 'Baruch Hash-m Elokei Yisrael min ha'Olam v'Ad ha'Olam (the standard text for every Berachah in the Beis Hamikdash), Baruch ... Go'el Yisrael', to which everybody answered - 'Baruch Shem Kevod Malchuso Le'olam Va'ed'.

(c)We learn from the Pasuk ...

1. ... "Kumu Borchu es Hash-m Elokeichem min ha'Olam ad ha'Olam" - that the standard text of a Berachah in the Beis Hamikdash begins 'Baruch Hash-m Elokei Yisrael min ha'Olam Ad ha'Olam' (instead of 'Baruch Atah Hashem').

2. ... "vi'Yevarchu Shem Kevodecha" - to answer in the Beis Hamikdash 'Baruch Shem ... ' (instead of 'Amen').

3. ... "u'Meromam al Kol Berachah u'Sehilah" - that each Berachah requires its own praise (and not that the entire Tefilah is covered by one Berachah).

10)

(a)The Beraisa discusses the order of the first two Berachos in the Beis-ha'Mikdash. For the first Berachah, the Chazan would say 'Mi she'Anah es Avraham ... Baruch Hash-m Elokei Yisrael ... Baruch ... Go'el Yisrael'. After the people had responded 'Baruch Shem ... ', the Chazan ha'Kneses would announce 'Tik'u Kohanim Tik'u!', before repeating 'Mi she'Anah es Avraham ... . The Chazan concludes the second Berachah - 'Baruch Zocher ha'Nishkachos' ...

(b)... to which the people responded - 'Baruch Shem ... '.

(c)Before repeating 'Mi sha"Anah la'Avoseinu al Yam-Suf ... ' the Chazan ha'Kneses then announces - 'Hari'u Bnei Aharon Hari'u!'

(d)The Chazan ha'Kneses' announcement following each Berachah - would switch from 'Tik'u Kohanim Tik'u' to 'Hari'u Bnei Aharon Hari'u', and then back again to 'Tik'u ... ' by the third Berachah.

11)

(a)Rebbi Chalafta instigated - the same order in Tzipori and Rebbi Chananya ben Tradyon in Sichnin ...

(b)... but the Chachamim objected - that this order was restricted to the Eastern Gate of the Har ha'Bayis (as we learned in our Mishnah).

12)

(a)We learned in our Mishnah that, according to Rebbi Yehudah, they did not include Zichronos and Shofros among the six extra Berachos. In his opinion, Zichronos and Shofros are only said on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur of Yovel and in wartime.

(b)We learned this Din by Rosh Hashanah above (on Daf 16a - 'Say before Me Malchiyos and Zichronos ... '), and on 26b., we will learn that Yom Kippur of Yovel has the same Din as Rosh Hashanah regarding Berachos (and Teki'ah). Rashi does not know from where we learn that one says Berachos and Pesukim of (Malchiyos - see Rashash) Zichronos and Shofros when going to war.