[77a - 46 lines; 77b - 39 lines]

1)[line 2]"ואת עמשא שם אבשלם תחת יואב על הצבא ועמשא בן איש ושמו יתרה הישראלי אשר בא אל אביגל בת נחש [אחות צרויה אם יואב]" ""V'ES AMASA SAM AVSHALOM TACHAS YO'AV AL HATZAVA..." - "And Avshalom appointed Amasa to replace Yo'av as head of the army; and Amasa was the son of a great man, whose name was Yisra ha'Yisre'eli, who married Avigayil, daughter of Nachash (alias Yishai), [who was the sister of Tzeruyah, the mother of Yo'av]" (Shmuel II 17:25) (AMASA AND YO'AV)

(a)Avshalom appointed Yo'av's cousin to replace him as his commander-in-chief. Both were nephews of David.

(b)Avigayil, David's sister, should not be confused with Avigayil, the wife of Naval ha'Karmeli, who was in fact the daughter of Achitofel, and whom David had married.

(c)Although Amasa's father, judging by what the Gemara says about him, seems to have been a leading sage of that time, Amasa himself joined the ranks of Avshalom in his rebellion against his father, David.

2)[line 13]"כל כבודה בת מלך פנימה ממשבצות זהב לבושה""KOL KEVUDAH BAS MELECH PENIMAH; MI'MISHBETZOS ZAHAV LEVUSHAH"- "All of the glory of the princess is within; her clothing is of embroidered gold." (Tehilim 45:14) - The noble princess stays in the inner rooms of the palace, not exposing her glory to the people (IBN EZRA, RADAK et. al. to Tehilim ibid.). The women of Amon and Moav likewise stayed inside their houses, not venturing forth to offer bread and water to the women of Bnei Yisrael.

3)[line 20]"פתחת למוסרי""PITACHTA L'MOSERAI"- "You have released my bonds" (Tehilim 116:16)

4)[line 28]במגילת ספרB'MEGILAS SEFER- the Scroll of the Book, the Torah

5)[line 35]בת גר זכר כבת חללBAS GER ZACHAR K'VAS CHALAL ZACHAR

(a)A Kohen is prohibited to marry the daughter of a Chalal (see next entry), even if her mother is a Jewess of unsullied lineage. Rebbi Yehudah rules that a Kohen is likewise prohibited to marry the daughter of a male convert, even if her mother is a Jewess of unsullied lineage.

(b)The SHULCHAN ARUCH (Even ha'Ezer 7:21) rules that, l'Chatchilah, a Kohen should not marry a woman whose parents are both converts, but b'Di'eved he may remain married to her. If one of her parents is Jewish, a Kohen may marry her even l'Chatchilah, as long as her conception and birth took place after the conversion of the parent who is a convert (Beis Shmuel ibid. 7:42).

6)[line 35]חללCHALAL

(a)The Torah commands a Kohen Gadol not to marry a widow, divorcee, prostitute ("Zonah" - see Background to Yevamos 59:22), or Chalalah (Vayikra 21:14). An ordinary Kohen is permitted to marry a widow, but not any of the other women listed above. The child from one of the above-mentioned unions is invalidated from the Kehunah, and is called a "Chalal." The Rabanan also prohibited all Kohanim from marrying a Chalutzah, and made the children of a Kohen from a Chalutzah Chalalim mid'Rabanan.

(b)A Chalal may not serve in the Beis ha'Mikdash, and according to some sources he is Chayav Misah b'Yedei Shamayim if he does (MINCHAS CHINUCH 275:5). A Chalal does not eat Terumah or the Kodshim reserved for Kohanim (Terumos 8:1), and is not restricted with regard to the women that he is allowed to marry. Chalalim are not prohibited from coming into contact with corpses. Chalalim are not considered Kohanim with regard to the other privileges and restrictions pertaining to Kohanim, as well.

(c)A widow, divorcee or prostitute that has relations with a Kohen Gadol, and a divorcee or prostitute who has relations with a regular Kohen, becomes a "Chalalah." Female children born through such a union are also Chalalos. Also, any Jewish woman who has relations with a Chalal becomes a Chalalah (even though she is permitted to have relations with him).

(d)A Chalalah is prohibited to marry a Kohen. If she does marry (and have relations with) a Kohen, the Chalalah and the Kohen are punished with Malkus. A Chalalah may not eat Terumah. Although a Jewish woman who has living children from a Kohen normally eats Terumah, if she becomes a Chalalah she may no longer eat Terumah. Similarly, although the daughter of a Kohen normally eats Terumah until she becomes married to a non-Kohen, if she becomes a Chalalah she may no longer eat Terumah (Yevamos 69a).

77b----------------------------------------77b

7)[line 2]גיורת מכנהGIYORES MI'KANAH- a female convert from a well-defined place (lit. her foundation, premises), i.e. both of her parents are from the same nation. See Chart.

8)[line 4]בתולה הבאה מב' עממיןBESULAH HA'BA'AH MI'SHNEI AMAMIN- a virgin whose parents are from two different nations. The Gemara goes on to explain to which two nations this is referring.

9)[line 22]פוק תני לבראPUK, TANI L'VARA!- Go out and teach [your Halachah] outside [of the Beis ha'Midrash] (i.e. your opinion about this Halachah is unacceptable)

10)[last line]קהל גרים איקרי קהלKEHAL GERIM IKRI KAHAL- converts are called [and are included within] the congregation of HaSh-m, the main body of the Jewish people