Gemara: They are permitted regarding [one who takes them, it is not] theft.

Explanation: [The owner] despairs from what is left in the field after they stored and gathered most of the knives.

Gemara: And they are exempt from Ma'aser.

Explanation: It is written [about Ma'aser] "u'Va ha'Levi Ki Ein Lo Chelek v'Nachalah Imach" - this excludes Hefker, in which he has a portion and inheritance with you (he may take it, just like you may).

Gemara: That man said so due to an evil nature.

Explanation: Due to an evil heart. He meant to say 'you already permitted then to yourselves!'

Gemara: That man heard.

Explanation: He recognized that it is R. Tarfon.

Gemara: That I used the crown of Torah.

Explanation: The man left him when R. Tarfon informed him that he is R. Tarfon. He left him only due to honor of his Torah.

Explanation: Granted, if you will say that that man was adamant only that time, therefore [R. Tarfon] was pained;

He should have informed him that when most of the knives used to cut figs are stored away, they are Hefker!

Even if the man would not heed him, [R. Tarfon] would pay him for the small amount [that he ate]!

However, if you will say that the entire year they were stealing grapes, what should R. Tarfon have done? Should he have paid much money that he was not obligated?!

Explanation (cont.): We conclude that indeed [he should have], because he was very wealthy.

Limitation: Only in such a case it is forbidden [to use the crown of Torah], because the man still suspected him, and he left him due to the honor of his Torah;

However, surely it is permitted [to use the crown of Torah] to exempt himself from what he is not obligated, like we say below (62b) a Chacham may say "I will not give the head-tax";

Also, he may say "judge my case first." The Torah awarded such matters to Chachamim, just like it awarded Terumos and Ma'aseros to Kohanim and Leviyim.

Gemara: "Tie them on your heart" (Mishlei 6:21).

Explanation: I.e. do not intend for your benefit, rather, in order that [Divrei Torah] be fluent in your mouth;

[The Gemara] adds to this, and says "bind them on your throat" (the end of the verse);

Afterwards, [the Gemara] brings a proof that in the end, honor will come - "its ways are ways of pleasantness" and "those who support it are happy."

Gemara: For their Maker.

Explanation: For the sake of Hash-m, who made them and commanded about them.

Gemara: It says "your servant feared Hash-m."

Explanation: [Ovadyah said so, for] perhaps Eliyahu did not know.

Gemara: Discharge for me my complaint first.

Explanation: Release my quarrel, i.e. rule about my case first.

Gemara: "The sons of David were Kohanim."

Explanation: They were Chachamim, and their law was like that of Kohanim.

Gemara: To open first.

Explanation: In Kri'as ha'Torah; he reads first.

Gemara: And to bless first.

Explanation: Birkas ha'Mazon; he has precedence over anyone else.

Gemara: And to take a nice portion first.

Explanation: If he comes to divide something with a Yisrael, the Yisrael makes two equal portions, and the Kohen chooses whichever he wants.

Gemara: "Va'Halach" - this is Arnona.

Explanation #1: [People must supply] the king's meal when he goes from place to place. Arnona is meal in Greek.

Explanation #2: It is partnership that the king has in [his subjects'] animals. Arnona is an expression of partnership - "Ki Arnon Gevul Mo'av Arnona Bein Mo'av u'Vein ha'Emori."

Explanation: I am the servant of a priest of those who worship fire. They are exempt from head-tax.

Implied question: Why isn't this like admission to idolatry?

Answer: It is clear that he says so only to exempt himself from head-tax.

Implied question: Why does it say 'a Chacham'? (Are others forbidden?)

Answer: This is a Chidush, that even a Chacham may say so;

They (the tax collectors) think that he refers to idolatry, but his heart is to Shamayim, like it says "Hash-m Elokecha Esh Ochlah Hu."

Gemara: Aba (forest).

Translation: 'Aba' means forest.

Gemara: He sold it for Bei Nura.

Explanation: He sold it to fire-worshippers who light the fire in their idolatry house.

Gemara: Most wood is for burning.

Explanation: It is not like selling it to serve idolatry, for we can attribute it to Heter. Whenever we can attribute to Heter, we attribute.

Mishnah: 'Until the harvest' - until the nation start harvesting wheat.

Explanation: It (wheat) is important to people, and they call it harvest Stam (unspecified).

Mishnah: All is according to the place of the vow.

Explanation: I.e. Stam, everywhere, the wheat harvest is called [Stam] harvest, but if in the place of his Neder they are used to calling barley harvest [Stam] harvest, all is according to the place of the vow.

And similarly, 'if it was in the mountain, in the mountain.' Also regarding this, we follow the place of the vow. If [he vowed] in the mountain, we follow the time of harvest in the mountain;

Even though later he descended to the valley, and the time of the harvest in the valley arrived, since the time of the harvest in the valley did not arrive, he is forbidden until the time of the harvest in the valley arrives, and like it says in the Gemara.

Explanation: There are three times of rain. Each is called Revi'ah, because the rain is Rovetz (crouches) on the land.

It teaches that he is forbidden until the second Revi'ah, because Stam [Revi'ah] connotes the second. It is not so early as the first Revi'ah, and not so late as the third.

However, he need not wait until it passes, even if he said Ad she'Yehu Geshamim, because its time is not fixed.

Mishnah: Until the time of the Revi'ah comes.

Explanation: Even if [the rain] did not fall yet.

He holds that since there is not a fixed time for it to fall, for sometimes it is late to fall, we say that his vow takes effect at the time for it to fall, and not when it actually falls. So it seems to me.

Mishnah: Until Nisan totally leaves.

Explanation: Until Nisan, it is normal for rain to fall.

Gemara: They argue about one who said 'Ad ha'Geshamim.'

Explanation: The first Tana and R. Shimon ben Gamliel argue about if we require until it falls, or if we require until [the time] comes, for he said 'Ad ha'Geshamim';

Distinction: However, if he said "Ad ha'Geshem', even the first Tana agree that he means until the time of rains. He is forbidden only until the time of the second Revi'ah comes.

Question: Why doesn't the first Tana hold that also "Ad ha'Geshem" refers to truly falling, just like he holds that Ad ha'Geshamim connotes?

Answer: It seems to me that the reason is because letter of the law, it connotes "until [it] comes";

This is just like we say about anything without a fixed time, i.e. there is no fixed time for its duration;

One does not enter himself into a Safek to be forbidden in it (the entire duration). Therefore, he is forbidden only until it begins;

Also here, whenever there is no fixed time for the beginning, for sometimes the rain delays greatly to come, one does not enter himself into a Safek, so he means until the time comes.

Proof: The Yerushalmi asks, if he fixed a time for his son's [nuptial] feast, and said "Konam is wine until will be my son's feast", is this like a matter with a fixed time?

Or, since he can delay it and make it later, it is as if it has fixed time!

Explanation: Surely, so we ask. Do we say that since he fixed a time, it does not cross his mind that he will delay it. Therefore, he forbade himself until it truly will be;

As much as he delayed it afterwards, he is forbidden until it happens.

Or, perhaps since he knows that he can delay it, he does not enter himself into a Safek. Therefore, even though he said "until it will be", he means until comes the time that he fixed, and not until it truly will be.

Inference: From here you learn that anything without a fixed time for its beginning, he means until the time comes;

Therefore, rain, which has no known time for when it falls, letter of the law, when he said "Ad ha'Geshem", it is until the time comes;

Even Rabanan agree about this. However, they argue about Ad ha'Geshamim. Since it would have sufficed to say "Ad ha'Geshem", and he said Ad ha'Geshamim, Rabanan hold that he comes to add;