PEREK HA'MOCHER ES HA'SEFINAH
1)

ONE WHO SELLS A SHIP [line 3]

(a)

(Mishnah): If one sells a ship, this includes the mast, sail, anchors, and oars;

(b)

He did not sell the slaves, bags (for merchandise) or merchandise;

(c)

If he said 'it and everything inside', all these are included.

(d)

(Gemara): (The Gemara proves from verses that the words in the Mishnah refer to the mast, sail, anchors and oars.)

(e)

(Beraisa): If one sells a ship, this includes the ramp (to board or get off) and water cistern;

(f)

R. Noson says, it includes the Beitzis;

(g)

Sumchus says, it includes the Gigis.

(h)

(Rava): Beitzis and Gigis both refer to a small, shallow boat which can go to the shore. Each Tana speaks in the language of his area.

2)

VISIONS AT SEA [line 17]

(a)

(The main point of the following Agadatos are very hidden. We will give some deeper meanings from Meforshim. Comments in square brackets [] are from the Maharsha.)

(b)

Rabah: Sailors told me that a wave [oppressor of Yisrael] about to sink a ship [Yisrael] is preceded by a damaging angel that looks like a white flame. They hit it with sticks on which certain names of Hash-m are written, then it calms down. (Kikayon d'Yonah - the waves are incitements of the evil inclination, to make one doubtful about the world to come).

(c)

Sailors (Ritva - Chachamim) told me that 300 Parsa'os separate between waves. The height of a wave is 300 Parsah;

1.

Once I was traveling, and a wave [Edom] lifted us until we could see the middle of a small star. It appeared 40 times the size of a Beis Kor of mustard (which is more than a normal Beis Kor).

2.

Had it lifted us higher, the heat would have roasted us [had Yisrael joined more with Edom (like Esav wanted) we would have perished in exile].

3.

Another wave [oppressor] called to it 'did you destroy the entire world, and not leave anything for me to destroy?'

4.

The previous wave: Your Master put a thin border of sand [Yisrael] which we cannot pass [destroy] - "Samti Chol Gevul la'Yam."

(d)

Rabah: I saw a demon [evil inclination, which is the angel of death] on a wall above a man [a Tzadik] riding a horse. The demon was unable to catch him [Torah and Mitzvos protected him].

73b----------------------------------------73b

1.

Once the demon was jumping back and forth across a river; it poured out wine from two cups [punishment awaiting the Nochrim] and caught it (each in the other cup) without losing a drop.

2.

The King [Hash-m; Rashbam - of the Shedim] killed it.

(e)

Rabah: I saw a Re'em (a giant animal) [Yehoshua] the day it was born. It was 400 Parsa'os. It excreted, damming up the Yarden (perhaps an allusion to the water of the Yarden piling up when Yisrael crossed).

(f)

Rabah bar bar Chanah: I saw a frog [Yavan] as big as 60 houses. A snake [Romi] came and swallowed it. A raven [Yishmael] came and swallowed the snake. It perched on a branch [the merit of Avraham].

1.

Rav Papa bar Shmuel: Had I not seen this (Ya'avetz - had my Neshamah not seen the Torah given on Sinai), I would not believe it (how strong the branch (Torah) is)!

(g)

Rabah bar bar Chanah: I was on a ship, and saw a fish [Haman] that had a rodent [Mordechai] in its nostrils. The fish died, and the water cast it ashore. This destroyed 60 great cities. Sixty cities ate its flesh (fresh), and another 60 ate flesh from it that they salted. They filled 300 barrels of oil from one eye.

1.

I returned the next year, and saw them sawing beams from its bones to rebuild the destroyed cities.

(h)

Rabah bar bar Chanah: I was on a ship, and I saw a fish that had sand on its back. Grass was growing from it. We thought that it was an island [Yisrael thought that Galus was over]. We came up, and were cooking on its back [enjoying the feast of Achashverosh]. When it got hot, it flipped over. Had we not been close to our ship [repented], we would have drowned.

(i)

Rabah bar bar Chanah: I was on a ship. We were traveling between two fins of a fish [Yisrael was in danger]. For three days and nights [Yisrael were in danger, and they fasted], the fish [Haman] was on top (Rashbam - swimming against the current). We were on bottom (with the current).

(j)

Rabah bar bar Chanah: I was on a ship. We saw a bird standing up to its ankles in water [the revealed part of Torah]. Its head reached to the sky [the deep secrets of Torah]. We thought that the water was very shallow.

1.

A voice from Heaven: Do not come to here (the secrets of Torah until having properly learned the revealed part of Torah)! A carpenter (Chacham) once dropped his ax, and it did not land (he had a question and was unable to settle it) for seven years;

2.

This is not due to the amount of water (a large question), rather because it flows rapidly (the matter is very deep - Etz Yosef).

3.

(Rav Ashi): The bird was Ziz Sadai (one who separated from physicality) - "v'Ziz Sadai Imadi" (such a person is fitting to be near Hash-m).

(k)

Rabah bar bar Chanah: We were traveling in the wilderness, and we saw ducks whose wings were falling off due to their fatness (Ben Yehoyada - great Chachamim who had utterly separated from physicality). There were streams of oil flowing under them (the world was fed in their merit). I asked 'do we have a share in the world to come with you'? One lifted a wing, and another lifted a thigh. (To merit this, you must properly use the hand (Chesed) and thigh.)

1.

R. Elazar: Yisrael will be held accountable (Shita Mekubetzes - our merits will be reduced because we ate them.)

(l)

Rabah bar bar Chanah: We were traveling in the wilderness. A Yishmaeli merchant accompanied us. He would smell the dirt and say to which place it led, and how far we were from water. (Etz Yosef - this was Eliyahu. He could tell a person's level, and how far he is from Chasid, the highest level.)

1.

To test him, we gave him different dirt. He knew the difference.