[98a - 56 lines; 98b - 55 lines]
1)[line 19]שקוליןSHEKULIN- equal
2)[line 25]מלכות הזלהMALCHUS HA'ZALAH- (a) [the Mashi'ach will not come until] the lightest authority [has been eliminated], i.e., the Jewish people will not have even minimal autonomy over themselves (RASHI); (b) [the Mashi'ach will not come until] the disgraceful kingdom [of Edom has been eradicated (MAHARSHA)
3)[line 29]גסי הרוחGASEI HARU'ACH- those of a haughty spirit
4)[line 35]נפדיתNIFDES- redeemed
5)[line 36]אי בטלי יהיריIY BETEILEI YEHIREI- if (when) there cease to be haughty people [among the Jews]
6)[line 36]בטלי אמגושיBETEILEI AMGUSHEI- [there will also cease to be] (a) Persian sorcerers who afflict Yisrael; (b) missionaries and others who entice people to sin (RASHI)
7)[line 37]אי בטלי דייניIY BETEILEI DAYANEI- if judges disappear
8)[line 38]בטלי גזירפטיBATELEI GAZIRPATEI- non-Jewish judges that beat the Jews with sticks [will also disappear]
9)[line 43]"בעתה אחישנה""[ANI HASH-M] B'ITAH ACHISHENAH"- "[I am HaSh-m,] at its time I will expedite it" (Yeshayah 60:22) - I will bring him (Mashi'ach) early.
10)[line 44]ענני שמיאANANEI SHEMAYA- clouds of the sky
11)[line 45]חמראCHAMRA- donkey
12)[line 45]סוסיא ברקאSUSYA BARKA- (a) a fine, beautiful horse; (b) a tested and fast horse (RASHI); (c) a horse that runs as fast as lightning (YAD RAMAH). The Yad Ramah explains, Shevur Malka asked if perhaps the Mashi'ach has not yet arrived because he rides a slow donkey. If he had a fast horse, he would arrive sooner!
13)[line 46]בר חיור גווניBAR CHIVAR GAVNEI- a horse of one hundred colors ("Chivar" in Persian means one hundred). That is, your finest horse is not as splendid as the Mashi'ach's donkey.
14)[line 46]אפתחא דמערתאA'PISCHA D'ME'ARTA- at the entrance of the cave
15)[line 47]אתינא לעלמא דאתיASINA L'ALMA D'ASEI- will I come to the World to Come? (See TOSFOS to Kesuvos 103b.)
16)[line 48]אימתEIMAS- when
17)[line 48]יתיבYASIV- sits
18)[line 48]אפתחה דקרתאA'PISCHA D'KARTA- (a) at the entrance of the city; RASHI explains that this means not that the Mashi'ach is at the gate of the city, but rather he is at the gate of Gan Eden that faces the city (see MAHARSHA); (b) alt. Girsa A'PISCHA D'ROMI - at the gates of Rome (G'RA)
19)[line 48]מאי סימניהMAI SIMANEI- what is his distinguishing features (i.e., how will I recognize him)?
20)[line 49]עניי סובלי חלאיםANIYEI SOVLEI CHALA'IM- [he sits] among the poor afflicted with maladies [of Tzara'as]
21a)[line 49]שרו ואסירי בחד זימנאSHARU V'ASIREI B'CHAD ZIMNA- they tie and untie (their bandages) at the same time
b)[line 49]מבעינאMEVA'INA- I will be needed
22)[line 50]בר ליואיBAR LIVA'I- son of Levi
23)[line 51]אבטחך לךAVTECHACH LACH- he has assured you
24)[last line]מי מערת פמייסMEI ME'ARAS PAMYAS- the waters of the cave of Pamyus. This is the source of the Jordan River (RASHI to Bechoros 55a). Pamyas is the modern Banias, a town in the Upper Galilee on the southern slope of Mt. Hermon. In ancient times it was rebuilt by Herod's son Phillipus, who named the town Caesarea.
98b----------------------------------------98b
25)[line 2]פרסייםPARSIYIM- Persians
26)[line 4]שתתפשטSHE'TISPASHET- [until it] will spread out
27a)[line 7]ייתי ולא איחמיניהYESEI, V'LO ICHMINEI- he (the Mashi'ach) should come, but I should not see him. Even though Ula prayed for the arrival of the Mashi'ach, he prayed that he not witness the event and experience the suffering that will accompany it (YAD RAMAH).
b)[line 9]ואזכי דאיתיב בטולא דכופיתא דחמריהV'IZKI D'EISIV B'TULA D'KUPISA D'CHAMREI- and may I merit to sit in the shade of his donkey's dung. Rav Yosef was prepared to suffer the worst degradation in order to be present at the arrival of the Mashi'ach.
28)[line 11]חבלו של משיחCHEVLO SHEL MASHI'ACH- the "birth pangs" (i.e., suffering) that precede the coming of Mashi'ach.
29)[line 19]מתייראMISYAREI- afraid
30)[line 20]ביאה ראשונהBI'AH RISHONAH- the first coming of Bnei Yisrael into Eretz Yisrael in the time of Yehoshua
31)[line 21]ביאה שניהBI'AH SHENIYAH- the second coming of Bnei Yisrael into Eretz Yisrael in the time of Ezra
32)[line 29]סנטרSANTAR- a governmental official (related to the word "senator" - YA'AVETZ); the servant appointed to record and indicate property boundaries, who had the authority to expand or diminish the extent of a person's property at whim (RASHI, based on Bava Basra 68a)
33)[line 30]גבאיGABAI- tax collector
34)[line 38]פמליא של מעלה ופמליא של מטהPAMALYA SHEL MA'ALEH U'FAMALYA SHEL MATEH- the Heavenly entourage (angels) and the lower entourage (the Jewish people)
35)[line 41]רהיט ונפל תורא ואזל ושדי ליה סוסיה באורייהRAHIT V'NAFAL TORA V'AZIL V'SHADI LEI SUSYA B'ORYEI- an ox runs and falls and he (the master) puts a horse at its trough. The analogy here is that once the ox falls, the horse takes its place at the ox's feeding trough. When the ox heals, how can the master now remove the horse that he put at the trough of the ox? Likewise, when HaSh-m sees the Jewish people fall in sin, He transfers their eminence to the idolatrous nations. When the Jewish people repent and are redeemed, it will be "difficult" for HaSh-m to overthrow the nations and restore the Jews to their former position (RASHI; see also BEN YEHOYADA).
36)[line 43]דאכלי שני משיחD'ACHLEI SHNEI MASHI'ACH- (lit. that ate the years of the Mashi'ach) there will be years of abundance during the years of the Mashi'ach
37)[line 43]חילק ובילקCHILEK U'VILEK- (a) Chilek and Bilek are names used to describe fictitious figures of an undesirable nature. They derive from roots signifying destruction. (See Background to Chulin 19:1). (b) Alternatively, they were two judges from Sedom. (c) Another opinion holds that that these names have no meaning at all, but are general names of indistinct persons (RASHI).
38)[line 45]אברי עלמאIVREI ALMA- the world was created
39)[line 48]חיוורא דבי רביCHIVARA D'VEI REBBI- the Metzora (lit. white one) of the house of Rebbi
40)[line 50]אי מין חייאIY MIN CHAYA- if (the Mashi'ach) is among the living
41)[line 51]אי מין מתיאIY MIN MESAYA- if (the Mashi'ach) is among the dead
42)[line 53]קיסר ופלגי קיסרKESAR U'FALGEI KESAR- [like] Caesar and a half-Caesar. The verse says that the Mashi'ach will be the "Melech," the supreme ruler, while David will be the "Nasi," the prince second to the king.
43)[last line]ועטלףVA'ATALEF- and a bat
44)[last line]מצפין לאורMETZAPIN LA'OR- waiting for the light (dawn)