1)

(a)If one has a hard fur that comprises Sha'atnez, one may ...

1. ... sit on it.

2. ... not wear it (see Tosfos DH 'Ela').

(b)One may wear 'Ardalin' (a kind of footwear made mainly of wool, that was worn on the heel) even if it comprises Sha'atnez - because it is hard.

(c)According to Rava, wearing a garment (something like a money-belt) comprising Sha'atnez, that is meant to hold ...

1. ... money - is permitted, because the money causes it to become hard, whenever it is worn.

2. ... seeds - is forbidden, because one is wearing Sha'atnez.

(d)Rav Ashi says - that neither of them is Asur because of Kil'ayim, because they are hard, and something which is hard and not normally worn for warmth is not included in the Isur of Sha'atnez.

2)

(a)One may not send a Sandal ha'Mesumar on Yom-Tov - because that is included in Chazal's decree not to wear it (due to the terrible episode recorded in Shabbos 60a. when the hob-nailed shoes caused the deaths of many people who thought they were trapped by the Greeks, and tried to escape).

(b)It is not however, Muktzeh - because if it were, then it would be unnecessary to inform us that one may not send it.

3)

(a)The Tana of our Mishnah forbids sending a shoe that has not yet been stitched - but that is being held together with clips or with a few temporary stitches at the sides, front and back.

(b)Rebbi Yehudah forbade sending a white shoe, but permitted a blackened one. The reason for the former is - because it still needed to be blackened, and was not generally worn prior to that.

(c)Rebbi Yosi forbade sending even a blackened shoe - because it still needed to be rubbed smooth.

(d)Rebbi Yehudah and Rebbi Yosi do not, in fact, argue - because each one is referring to the way the shoe was manufactured in his town: In Rebbi Yehudah's town, they would manufacture the shoe with the flesh-side of the leather inwards (and the hair-side did not require smoothening); whereas, in Rebbi Yehudah's town, they would manufacture them with the flesh-side outwards, and that side of the skin did require smoothening.

4)

(a)Rav Sheshes permitted the Rabanan to send Tefilin on Yom-Tov. We reconcile this with our Mishnah, which specifically writes 'Kol she'Ne'osin Bo b'Yom-Tov, Meshalchin Oso' - by moving the comma, so that the phrase now reads 'Kol she'Ne'osin Bo, b'Yom-Tov Meshalchin Oso'.

5)

(a)Abaye said that someone wearing Tefilin, is ...

1. ... on his way home on Erev Shabbos (see Tosfos DH 'Hayah Bo ba'Derech'), and it gets dark - he should place his hand on them until he reaches his house, when he takes them off immediately.

2. ... sitting in the Beis Hamedrash on Erev Shabbos, and it gets dark - does the same thing.

(b)We ask on Abaye from a Beraisa - which says that he places his hand on them, and then, in the former case, he proceeds to the first house inside the wall of the town, and in the latter case, until he reaches the house that is closest to the Beis Hamedrash.

(c)We establish the Beraisa by a house where it is safe to leave them, and Abaye when it is not. The problem with Abaye then is - why does he need to say that the person was actually wearing the Tefilin? Even if one were to find Tefilin in a field on Shabbos, one would be permitted to put them on and take them home, pair by pair!?

6)

(a)According to the Gemara's conclusion, Abaye speaks when the Tefilin are guarded against dogs, but not against thieves. Consequently ...

1. ... if he found them on the ground - he would not be permitted to put them on and take them home.

2. ... if they are not guarded at all (even from dogs) - then he may even put them on and take them home.

(b)Abaye's Chidush is that - despite the fact that the Tefilin are guarded against dogs, he is permitted to take the Tefilin that he is already wearing, home. We might otherwise have thought that one should not carry them into town even if he is already wearing them - because seeing as the majority of robbers are Jews, we can be certain that they will not abuse the Tefilin, and that he should therefore leave them there (even if he is already wearing them). Note: That being the case, it is not clear why it is that, if he was not wearing the Tefilin, he should leave them there!

7)

(a)The Tana of our Mishnah permits someone who did not make an Eruv - to cook for Yom-Tov liberally, and if there is food left over for Shabbos, he may use it; he may not, however, cook especially for Shabbos.

(b)Beis Shamai require two dishes for Eruv Tavshilin - Beis Hillel, one.

(c)Beis Shamai concede to Beis Hillel - that if one fries fish smeared with egg, it is considered two dishes.

(d)If the entire Eruv is eaten or lost on Yom-Tov before the cooking for Shabbos has been completed - he may no longer cook for Shabbos (Some permit him to finish any dish that he began preparing before the Eruv was lost).

8)

(a)Eruv Tavshilin is only mid'Rabanan.

(b)The Derashah from "Zachor es Yom ha'Shabbos l'Kadesho" (that one should not forget Shabbos, by making an Eruv, when Yom-Tov falls on Friday) is only an Asmachta (a support for the Rabanan's Takanah, but not really mid'Oraisa).

(c)Rav Ashi says that making an Eruv on Erev Yom-Tov is really a demonstration that one does not intend to begin cooking on Yom-Tov for after Yom-Tov which is Shabbos, a good reminder that it is forbidden to cook on Yom-Tov for after Yom-Tov when it is a week-day.

(d)According to Rava, our Mishnah requires that one prepares the Eruv on Erev Yom-Tov, and not on Yom-Tov itself - because with all the excitement of Yom-Tov, we are afraid that he may forget to prepare it then.

9)

(a)The Tana of the Beraisa finds support for Eruv Tavshilin - from the Pasuk "es Asher Tochlu, Eifu, v'es Asher Tevashlu, Basheilu" (the excessive Lashon teaches us that there are some Fridays when one may not begin to cook and bake for Shabbos, but must start on the previous day). Note: This Pasuk is one of the sources for the need to prepare two articles for Eruv Tavshilin, something cooked and something baked.

10)

(a)When, during the Yom-Tov Derashah, the first group of disciples left the Beis Hamedrash, Rebbi Eliezer referred to them as 'Ba'alei Patsin' - he meant that they must have prepared large barrels of spiced wine to feast on.

(b)The second, third, fourth and fifth groups, he referred to as people who are attached to their barrels, jugs, jars and cups respectively. He called the sixth group, cursed - because they were leaving the Beis-Hamedrash noticeably empty, a disgrace to Kavod ha'Torah. The Aruch say that it is because it was so late in the day that they would end up with nothing; they would neither hear the end of the Derashah, nor would they gain a proper Yom-Tov Se'udah.

(c)When Rebbi Eliezer then turned to the disciples - they thought that he was angry with them for not leaving earlier (See Agados Maharsha).

(d)But he said to them ...

1. ... to reassure them - that it is not with them that he was angry, but with those had left early, because they were relinquishing everlasting life to indulge in a life that is only temporary.

2. ... subsequently - that they should go and eat good foods and drink sweet wines ... . (According to the Agados Maharsha, this may be referring to the second day of Rosh Hashanah, seeing as the first day had already passed - and it is difficult to understand the Aruch [in b.] in any other way see also 11c.)..

11)

(a)According to Rebbi Eliezer, there is no absolute Mitzvah of Simchas Yom-Tov (except for on Shavu'os) - but one is permitted to eat all day, or to learn all day, if one so wishes.

(b)Rebbi Yehoshua says that one should divide Yom-Tov into two - half for oneself (eating etc.) and half for Hash-m (Davening and learning Torah).

(c)According to him - "Atzeres la'Hashem Elokecha" refers to the half for Hash-m, and "Atzeres Tihyeh Lachem", to the half for oneself; whereas according to Rebbi Eliezer, one has an open choice of dedicating the entire day for Hash-m or the entire day for oneself (it is obvious that what Rebbi Eliezer means is that he has the choice of serving Hash-m through spiritual means or through physical ones - he is not speaking of pure self-indulgence). Note: It is possible, that Rebbi Eliezer permits any combination of personal pleasure and spiritual activity, allowing even all of one or all of the other (in fact the two explanations at the end of 10c. might well depend on the two possible ways of explaining Rebbi Eliezer here).

(d)We learn from the Pasuk ...

1. ... "v'Shilchu Manos l'Ein Nachon Lo" - that one should send food gifts either to anyone who did not prepare an Eruv, or to anyone who could not prepare an Eruv (but not to someone who could, because he is a sinner, and does not deserve assistance. (If he does not care about his Yom-Tov meals, why should we?!)

2. ... "Chedvas Hash-m Hi Ma'uzchem" - that the pleasure that you derive in Hash-m (to eat nice meals to serve Hash-m with joy), even going so far as to borrow in order to achieve this, will be your strength (meaning that that pleasure, together with your faith in Hash-m, will stand you in good stead, and help you to recover your losses and pay off those debts).

12)

(a)If someone wishes to ensure that his fields are not stolen - Rebbi Yochanan Amar Rebbi Elazar b'Rebbi Shimon advises him to plant an Adar tree (a precious tree which stood out, and was known from afar to belong to so and so). The fact that there are numerous witnesses who will be able to testify that he is the owner this field, and not the thief, strengthen his ownership, and "Adir ba'Marom Hash-m" also means that Hash-m is strong.

(b)Alternatively - Adra has the connotation of 'le'Dari Dari' (implying that it will last for generations).

(c)If 'Adra' is not a tree, but a sort of precious grass - then it might help preserve the crops by mixing with them and killing the worms that attack them and keeping them at bay, by its strong smell.