1)

(a)The Mishnah sees fit to begin the Masechta with 'Moshe Kibeil Torah mi'Sinai ... ' - because since (unlike the rest of Shas), it is not based on any particular Mitzvah, Rebbi needed to inform us that all the Musar and Midos that it contains, are nevertheless tradition-based all the way up to Sinai (and not like the many works by Nochri writers who works of this nature based on their own ideas).

(b)'mi'Sinai' means - from the One who revealed Himself at Sinai (see Tos.Yom-Tov).

(c)Moshe handed the Torah (i.e. the oral tradition) to Yehoshua (see Tos. Yom-Tov). The ...

1. ... elders who survived him received it from him, the ...

2. ... prophets from them, and the ...

3. ... Anshei Keneses ha'Gedolah from them (see Tos.Yom-Tov).

2)

(a)The Anshei K'neses ha'Gedolah comprised - a hundred and twenty members.

(b)Besides Zerubavel, Serayah and Ra'alyah - Mordechai (Balshan) sat on the Sanhedrin.

(c)Besides Nechemyah ben Chachalyah - Chagai - Zecharyah and Mal'achi were members too.

(d)And they convened under the leadership of - Ezra ha'Sofer.

3)

(a)The title 'ha'Gedolah' was added to the name - on account of their great decision to revert to the original text of the Amidah 'ha'Keil, ha'Gadol, ha'Gibor ve'ha'Noro'.

(b)Yirmiyah and Daniel respectively, omitted the words 'ha'Gibor' and 've'ha'Nora' from the first B'rachah - because, following the Tzaros of the Churban and the lowly status of Yisrael in Bavel, they argued 'Where is Hash-m's might, and where is His awe?'

(c)And the Anshei Keneses ha'Gedolah reinstated it - because, they countered - Yisrael's ability to survive (like a lamb surrounded by seventy wolves) is the greatest possible testimony to Hash-m's might and fearfulness.

(d)The significance of the statement 'They said three things' is - that these three things are instrumental in ensuring the Torah survival (see also Tos. Yom Tov).

(e)They said: 1. Be patient when ruling'; 2. Raise many Talmidim ; and 3. Make a fence around the Torah.

4)

(a)'Be patient when ruling' means - that even if the same case already appeared before Beis-Din two or three times, they should deal with it no less patiently than they did the first time (and this is not so obvious at all).

(b)When the Tana says 'Raise many Talmidim', he is coming to preclude - the opinion of Raban Gamliel, who restricted entry into the Beis-Hamedrash to those whose inside was as pure as their outside (see also Tos.Yom-Tov).

(c)The current rule will not apply - with regard to someone whose deeds are known to be substandard and about bad rumors are circulating.

(d)Alternatively, the Mishnah is referring to the Pasuk in Koheles "ba'Boker Z'ra es Zar'acha, u'va'Erev Al Tanach Yadecha", and it is coming to teach us - that even if one raised many Talmidim in one's youth, one should not desist from repeating the performance when one grows older.

5)

(a)The third thing said by the Anshei Keneses ha'Gedolah was 'Asu S'yag la'Torah' - which means 'Make a fence around the Torah' (decrees that will make it more difficult to transgress the Mitzvos).

(b)Besides that of Sheniyos la'Arayos [certain forbidden relationships which the Rabbanan forbade]) - we might also give the example of 'Sh'vus' (a term used to described all Issurim de'Rabbanan on Shabbos).

(c)The Pasuk in Acharei-Mos that indicates that it is a Mitzvah to make a S'yag la'Torah is - "u'Shemartem es Mishmarti".

6)

(a)The Mishnah describes Shimon ha'Tzadik - who served as Kohen Gadol after Ezra, as - 'among the last of the Anshei K'neses ha'Gedolah'.

(b)The three things on which he claimed the world stands (see Tos. Yom-Tov) are - Torah, Avodah and Gemilus Chasadim.

(c)The ramifications of the statement that the world stands on ...

1. ... Torah are - that were it not for Yisrael's ultimate acceptance of the Torah, the world would not have created (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

2. ... Avodah are - that the world was only created for the Korbanos (and were it not for the Ma'amados [the Korbanos that Yisrael bring], they and the world would not continue to exist).

(d)We learn from the Pasuk in ...

1. ... Yirmiyah - "Im Lo B'risi Yomam va'Laylah, Chukos Shamayim va'Aretz Lo Samti" that the world stands on ... Torah, and from the Pasuk in ...

2. ... No'ach - where Hash-m told No'ach that as a result of the Korbanos that he brought, He would never again bring a flood on the entire world (see also Tos. Yom-Tov).

3. ... Tehilim - "Olam Chesed Yibaneh that it stands on Gemilus Chasadim.

(e)In more precise terms, 'Gemilus Chasadim' means - to make Chasanim (and Kalos) happy, to comfort mourners, to visit the sick and to bury the dead ... .

7)

(a)Antignos Ish Socho - was the next link in the chain of tradition after Shimon ha'Tzadik.

(b)He states - that rather than serve Hash-m like a servant who serve their master for remuneration, one should serve Him like servants who serve their master not for the reward.

(c)The Tana deliberately uses the word 'P'ras' - which means a present that a man might give to his wife or to his children, because they gave him pleasure (but not because they earned it).

8)

(a)Antignos added to the previous statement - that the fear of Heaven should always accompany a person (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

(b)Even if one already serves Hash-m out of love, he should also make a point of serving Him out of fear - because fear prevents one from transgressing the Mitzvos Lo Sa'aseh, whereas love enables him to fulfill the Mitzvos Aseh.

(c)The Chachamim also explained that if a person serves Hash-m out of ...

1. ... love - he will not be able to hate (whereas fear on its own, often leads to hatred).

2. ... fear - he will not be able to rebel (which can easily happen where there is only love).

9)

(a)Yossi ben Yo'ezer Ish Tzereidah and Yossi ben Yochanan Ish Yerushalayim received the tradition from them - from Shimon ha'Tzadik and Antignos Ish Socho.

(b)Of the two recipients here and in subsequent Mishnahs is - the first was the Nasi and the second, the Av Beis-Din.

(c)Yossi ben Yo'ezer Ish Tzereidah issued three pieces of advice. Firstly, he advised that one should make one's home a meeting place for Chachamim - because by doing so, one is bound to glean much knowledge from those who attend the meetings ...

(d)... like someone who enters a spicery - who will come out smelling good even though he did not buy any spices.

10)

(a)His second piece of advice was to 'become dusty with the dust of their feet' - by which he meant that he should follow them around, since of the dust that blows off them (a hint perhaps, to their 'idle speech' from which one can learn too) will blow on to him.

(b)His third piece of advice - was to drink their words with thirst (eagerly, and not as if one was bored).

11)

(a)Yossi ben Yochanan Ish Yerushalayim too, issued three pieces of advice. The first of these was - that one's house should always be open wide (like that of Avraham Avinu whose tent had four openings, one on each side, so that potential guests should not have to look for the entrance).

(b)Secondly he said, let the poor be members of one's household - to preclude Avadim Cana'anim (since it is preferable to allow one's own brothers to benefit from one's property than the accursed Cana'anim).

(c)And thirdly, he advised one not to speak excessively with a woman - even with one's own wife (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

12)

(a)Although our Mishnah seems to refer to one's wife under all circumstances - some commentaries confine Yossi ben Yochanan's statement to a Nidah exclusively.

(b)We also refute this latter explanation with the Pasuk in Koheles "And He will tell man all that he spoke" - which Chazal interpret to mean that a man will have to give reckoning for the lighthearted speech between him and his wife.

(c)Light-hearted speech is permitted - where one needs to pacify one's wife before Tashmish.

13)

(a)The Chachamim extrapolate from this third piece of advise that, besides causing evil to oneself - a person who speaks excessively with a woman will also cause Bitul Torah and end up inheriting Gehinom'.

(b)This statement is - that of Rebbi (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

(c)When Rebbi says 'he causes evil to himself' - he is referring to the scenario where he tells his wife what so-and-so did to him, and she advises him how to pay him back (like we find with Korach and his wife, who landed in Gehinom, due to his wife's goading).

(d)Even assuming that his wife does not add fuel to the flames, Rebbi might mean - that his mere telling her what so-and-so did to him, causes her to belittle him in her heart, and eventually, she will lose her respect for him.

14)

(a)The Nasi who received the Torah from Yossi ben Yo'ezer and Yossi ben Yochanan was Yehoshua ben P'rachyah; the Av Beis-Din - Nitai ha'Arbeli.

(b)Yehoshua ben P'rachya added to 'Asei Lecha Rav u'K'nei Lecha Chaver' - 've'Hevei Dan es Kol ha'Adam le'Kaf Z'chus'.

(c)The Rambam interprets 'Asei Lecha Rav' to mean that one should accept on oneself a Rav, even if he is not worthy of being one's Rav, rather than constantly learning on one's own. Alternatively, it might mean - that one should learn from one fixed Rebbe, rather than from one Rebbe today, and another one tomorrow.

(d)The Gemara in Avodah-Zarah, which states that someone who learns from one Rav only, will not succeed in his learning - is speaking about S'vara, since one needs to hear the S'varos of different Rebbes for one's understanding to develop, whereas our Mishnah is speaking about learning texts, where it best to have one Rebbe, in order not to become confused.

15)

(a)The Tana says 'Make yourself a Rav' - since a Rav is basically obligated to teach free of charge, whereas for a Chaver one needs to be prepared to pay whatever it costs, in order to acquire his love (see Tos. Yom Tov).

(b)Dan le'Kaf Z'chus (judging a person to the scale of merit) applies - to a person whom one does not know as a Tzadik or a Rasha who performs an act that could be interpreted in one of two ways, in which case it is Midas Chasidus to judge him to the scale of merit.

(c)One is permitted to judge a person to the scale of guilt - if he is a known Rasha (for Chazal have said 'ha'Choshed bi'Kesheirim Lokeh b'Gufo', but not ha'Choshed bi'Resha'im').

(d)Judging a Tzadik to the scale of merit, on the other hand - is (not just Midas Chasidus, but) obligatory.

16)

(a)Nitai ha'Arbeili warns to keep away from a bad neighbor. One reason is so that you do not learn from his evil ways, the other - because one is likely to end up sharing in his punishment ...

(b)... based on the principle 'Woe to the Rasha, woe to his neighbor'.

(c)He also made two other statements. One of them is 'Do not team up with a Rasha (even if he has no intention of imitating his evil deeds) - because it is like someone who enters a tannery, who leaves with a bad smell, even though he takes nothing out with him when he leaves.

(d)And when he says 've'Al Tisya'esh min ha'Pur'anus' (see Tos. Yom-Tov), he means - that he should not decide to join the Rasha due his amazing successes in all his endeavors, because his punishment will come, quickly and suddenly.

17)

(a)The first Tana in the next pair was Yehudah ben Tabai. The second Tana was - Shimon ben Shetach.

(b)The simple interpretation of his first statement 'Al Ta'as Atzm'cha ke'Orchei ha'Dayanim' - is that one may not assist one of the litigants, to teach him how to present his case before the Dayanim (in the way that lawyers do (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

(c)If it refers to a Talmid who is sitting in front of his Rebbe, it means - that he should not be as presumptuous as to issue rulings in front of his Rebbe as if he was a member of the Sanhedrin.

(d)The third interpretation of Yehudah ben Tabai's advice is - that an ordinary Dayan should not force the litigants to appear before him as if he was a member of the Sanhedrin ha'Gadol.

18)

(a)Yehudah ben Tabai says that litigants who ...

1. ... are standing in front of a Dayan - must be considered to be Resha'im (that he must cross-examine them, and not trust them on their word).

2. ... have left the Beis-Din - must be considered as being righteous, provided they accept the Beis-Din's rulings.

(b)This latter ruling is connected with the principle (that we learned earlier) - 'Dan le'Kaf Z'chus' ...

(c)... even though he stole for example, one must attribute what he did to an error, and not to having stolen deliberately; or it means that one may not suspect him of having sworn falsely in Beis-Din.

19)

(a)Besides cross-examining the witnesses thoroughly, Shimon ben Shetach advises Dayanim - to beware what they say, so as not to prompt the them to say what they might otherwise have realized that they should say ...

(b)... such as 'Isn't this or this what happened?' - or 'If this is what happened, then so and so (the defendant) will be innocent'.

(c)Besides the witnesses - the Dayan must also be wary of the litigants, who are also liable to take their cue from his words.

20)

(a)The pair that received the oral tradition from Yehudah ben Tabai and Shimon ben Shetach were the Rebbes of Hillel and Shamai - Sh'mayah and Avtalyon ...

(b)They were both Geirim (see Tos. Yom-Tov) - descendants of Sancheriv (who exiled the ten tribes.

(c)Avtalyon, who was the Av Beis-Din, was called by that name - because, in that capacity, he was 'the father of orphans (and 'Avtalyon' is the acronym of 'Av Talya', the father of small children'.

21)

(a)Sh'mayah says 'Ehov es ha'Melachah' ('Love-work' [see Tos. Yom-Tov]) - based on the saying 'Idleness leads to boredom' (see Tos. Yom-Tov), so that it applies no less to someone who has sufficient funds to sustain him.

(b)Assuming that his latter statement 'S'na es ha'Rabanus' was said in reference to his earlier one, he meant - that one should lower one's dignity, and accept any job that comes one's way, rather than remain jobless.

(c)That is why Rav told Rav Kahana - to strip a carcass in the street, and not say that he is a Kohen and an important man (in which case performing such a menial task is below his dignity).

(d)Alternatively, he meant - that one should literally shun all positions of authority, since 'Authority buries its incumbents' (as we find by Yosef, who was the first of the brothers to die [see Tos. Yom-Tov]).

22)

(a)His final piece of advice is not to become familiar with the ruling power. Assuming that said this ...

1. ... in connection with his first statement he meant that one should avoid become familiar with the ruling power - in order to obtain a position of authority (see Tos. Yom-Tov).

2. ... as an independent statement, he meant that one should avoid doing so - who will placehim in situations where he is forced to sin.

(b)A good example of this is Do'eg ha'Edomi who, due to his close relationship with Sha'ul Hamelech - was ordered by him to murder all the inhabitants of Nov the town of Kohanim.

(c)The Tana refer to the ruling power as 'Reshus' - because they have the authority whatever they please.

23)

(a)Avtalyon advises the Chachamim to watch what they say (see Tos. Yom-Tov) - because otherwise, there may come a time when they are forced to go into exile, and they will be landed with undesirable disciples who misconstrue their Rebbe's teachings, and pass on a heretical version of the Torah to others ...

(b)... as a result of which they will die, leaving behind the legacy of their heretical teachings, thereby creating a tremendous Chilul Hash-m.

(c)This actually happened to Antignos Ish Socho - whose Talmidim were called Tzadok and Baytus (and who eventually formed the Tzedoki and Baytusi sects).

24)

(a)Hillel and Shamai received the oral tradition from Sh'mayah and Avtalyon. Hillel teaches that one should love peace and pursue it (see Tos. Yom-Tov) - and that should love one's fellow man (see Tos. Yom-Tov) and draw him close to Torah.

(b)He cites Aharon ha'Kohen as an example of these concepts. Aharon ha'Kohen used to practice ...

1. ... 'Ohev Shalom' - by talking individually to two squabbling parties, and convince each one how his friend was sorry for what he had done and was full of remorse for having done (or said) whatever it was. In that way, when the two friends next met, they would fall round each other's necks and make up.

2. ... 'Ohev es ha'Beri'os u'Mekorvan la'Torah' - he would simply befriend someone whom he had seen sinning (see Tos. Yom-Tov), knowing that the sinner would soon mend his ways, in order not to embarrass his new-found friend.

25)

(a)Hillel said that ...

1. ... 'a name that becomes famous - is a name that is lost. He is referring to the realm of authority, because, as we explained earlier, 'authority buries its incumbents'.

2. ... someone who fails to grow (spiritually) - automatically regresses.

3. ... who does not study Torah - is Chayav Miysah.

(b)And he concludes with the statament 'u'de'Ishtamesh be'Taga Chalaf'. The meaning of ...

1. ... 'Taga' is - 'crown'.

2. ... 'Chalaf' is - 'will whither away', and it refers to losing one's portion in the World to Come.

(c)The statement might be referring to someone who uses the crown of Torah (see Tos. Yom-Tov) for his own personal benefit. Based on another interpretation of 'u'de'Ishtamesh be'Taga Chalaf' - 'Taga' is the acronym of 'Talmid Gavra Acherina', and it refers to making use of somebody else's Talmidim to serve oneself.

(d)Based on a new interpretation of 'Taga', the third meaning of the statement is - making use of the Name of Hash-m.

26)

(a)When Hillel said ...

1. ... 'If I am not for myself, then who is for me', he meant - that nobody can accumulate merits for a person other than himself.

2. ... 'u'che'she'Ani le'Atzmi Mah Ani', he meant - that even when one does so, how little one is able to accumulate, as compared to one's obligations.

(b)Thirdly, Hillel said - 'Im Lo Achshav, Eimasai' ('If not now, when?')

(c)He may have meant that if one does not accumulate merits in this world, it will be too late in the World to Come. Alternatively, he may have been referring to - accumulating merits in one's youth, because who knows what will happen later.

27)

(a)Shamai says - that one should make one's Torah-learning fixed, and one's work casual (rather than the other way round).

(b)When he said 'Asei Torascha K'va', he might also have meant - that one's rulings should be fixed, the same ruling for oneself as for others (either stringent across the board or lenient).

(c)And we cite in this connection, the great leader - Ezra (who practiced what he taught).

(d)Based on the Pesukim in Vayeira (in connection with Avraham and his guests) "ve'Ekchah Pas Lechem", and "va'Yikach ben Bakar Rach va'Tov", Shamai also says - that one should say little and do a lot.

28)

(a)Shamai says that one should receive guests ('Kol ha'Adam', even if they are not the sort of guests one would have chosen oneself) - with a pleasant countenance (not reluctantly) ...

(b)... because someone who performs any of the Mitzvos of Tzedakah reluctantly - will be considered as if he had not given anything at all (irrespective of how much he actually gave).

(c)Shamai's three statements correspond to the three things mentioned by Yirmiyah ha'Navi (in the Haftarah that we read on a Ta'anis ["Dirshu Hash-m ... "]) - Chacham, Gibor, ve'Ashir ...

(d)'Asei Torascha K'va' (Chacham), 'Hevei Mekabel es Kol ha'Adam be'Seiver Panim Yafos' (Gibor ['Eizehu Gibor, ha'Same'ach be'Chelko']), 'Emor Me'at va'Asei Harbeh' (Ashir).

29)

(a)When Raban Gamliel (see Tos. Yom. Tov) says 'Asei L'cha Rav' - he is referring to a Rav who should have a Rav to consult in Halachah should someone approach him with a She'eilah on which he unsure.

(b)When a Tereifah was brought before Rava to examine - he would gather all the butchers of Masa Mechsaya ...

(c)... from which we can learn to avoid doubts (Raban Gamliel's second statement).

(d)He also advises against Ma'asering by approximation, because of the problems it causes. If one separates ...

1. ... too little - one's Ma'asros are in order, but one's crops are still forbidden.

2. ... too much - then one's crops are permitted, but one's Ma'asros contain Tevel (see Tos. Yom. Tov and Tiferes Yisrael).

30)

(a)(Rebbi) Shimon, his (Raban Gamliel's) son (see Tos. Yom-Tov), who grew up among Talmidei-Chachamim discovered - that the thing that is best for the body is silence (by which he meant not reacting to someone who has put one to shame).

(b)More important even than Medrash (interpreting Torah) is - fulfilling it.

(c)We say that if someone indulges in Medrash but does not carry it out - it would have been better had he not remained silent and not made the D'rashos in the first place.

(d)This proves - that speech is less important than one makes it out to be (from the fact that even words of Torah are sometimes best not said [see also Tos. Yom-Tov]).

31)

(a)Finally, he said that - excessive speech causes one to sin ...

(b)... as we say in the case of Chavah, who sinned as a result of having declared that Adam had forbidden her to touch the Eitz ha'Da'as ...

(c)... as a result of which - the snake pushed her against the Tree and when nothing happened, he told her that just as she did survived after touching it so too would she survive after eating its fruit.

(d)The Pasuk in Mishlei says precisely about such a case "Al Tosif al Devarav Pen Yochi'ach becha ve'Nichzavta" (Do not add to His words, lest you are proven wrong and come to sin [see Rashi])".

32)

(a)When Raban Shimon ben Gamliel (see Tos. Yom-Tov) says that the world stands on three things, he means - that they enable people to coexist (see Tos. Yom-Tov DH 'ha'Olam Omed' [both headings]).

(b)The three things are - Emes, Din and Shalom.

(c)In this context ...

1. ... 'Din' means - justice (to ensure that the innocent party is acquitted and the guilty party receives his just sentence) ...

2. ... 'Emes' - always telling the truth, and ...

3. ... 'Shalom' - nations and individuals living at peace with one another.

(d)Raban Shimon ben Gamliel learns this from the Pasuk in Zecharyah - "Emes u'Mishpat Shalom Shiftu be'Sha'areichem".