1)

(a)We cite a Beraisa in support of the amendment to our Mishnah. In a case where someone is reading the Sh'ma meets his Rebbe or someone who is greater than him, Rebbi Meir says 'bi'Perakim Sho'el Mipnei ha'Kavod - ve'Ein Tzarich Lomar she'Hu Meishiv, u've'Emtza Sho'el Mipneiha'Yir'ah - ve'Ein Tzarich Lomar she'Hu Meishiv '.

2)

(a)Achai Tana de'bei Rebbi Chiya asked Rebbi Chiya whether the concession to interrupt extends to Hallel and Megilah. It might be ...

1. ... permitted like Keri'as Sh'ma - because if one is permitted to interrupt during Keri'as Sh'ma, which is min ha'Torah, howmuch more so during Hallel and Megilah, which are only mi'de'Rabbanan!

2. ... forbidden?

(b)Rebbi Chiya replied - emphatically that it is permitted.

(c)Rabah agrees that between chapters, one may interrupt. He draws a distinction with regard to interrupting in the middle of a chapter on the days when a Yachid (See Tosfos) does not recite whole Hallel (when it is permitted) and the days when he does (when it is forbidden).

(d)To reconcile this with Ravina, who did not interrupt Hallel for Rav bar Sh'va, on a day when they did not say whole-Hallel -because he did not consider Rav bar Sh'va important.

3)

(a)Ashi'an Tana de'bei Rebbi Ami asked Rebbi Ami whether someone who undertakes to fast is permitted to taste food (See Tos. DH 'To'em') - to know if it needs salt or spices.

(b)It might be ...

1. ... permitted - because tasting (without swallowing [See Tosfos DH 'To'em']).

2. ... forbidden - since he did after all, undertake not to benefit from food).

(c)Rebbi Ami replied - that it is permitted without any problem.

(d)We cite a Beraisa which exempts a woman who tastes food from reciting a B'rachah - and which permits a person who is fasting to taste food?

(e)We ask up to how much a person is permitted to taste, and we reply by citing Rebbi Ami and Rebbi Asi who actually tasted - up to the Shi'ur of a Revi'is.

4)

(a)Rav considers someone who gives Shalom (greets) his fellowman before greeting Hash-m - as if he has built a Bamah.

(b)He learns it from the Pasuk in Yeshayah "Chidlu lachem min ha'Adam asher Neshamah b'Apo ki ba'Meh Nechshav hu" - reading the word "ba'Meh" as if it was written "Bamah".

(c)Shmuel interprets the Pasuk without amending the word "ba'Meh" to mean - 'How can one attach importance to that man and not to Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu'?

(d)The problem Rav Sheishes has with this prohibition from our Mishnah is - the fact that both Rebbi Meir and Rebbi Yehudah permit greeting someone whom one honors before the Amidah?

(e)To resolve the problem, Rebbi Aba qualifies the prohibition - by establishing it to where one specifically goes to the person's house in order to greet him.

5)

(a)Rav Idi bar Avin Amar Rebbi Yitzchak bar Ashi'an rules - that it is forbidden to see to one's own affairs before Davening.

(b)He learne it from the Pasuk in Tehilim "Tzedek Lefanav Yehalech Veyasem le'Derech Panav" - by translating Tzedek as 'Tefilah'.

(c)What the Pasuk therefore means is - Tefilah precedes a person when he proceeds on his way.

(d)He also says that if somebody Davens first before setting off on a journey - Hash-m will see to all his needs ...

(e)... which he learns from the same Pasuk (by ascribing "Veyasem" to Hash-m).

6)

(a)Rebbi Yonah Amar Rebbi Zeira (or Rebbi Ze'ira) says that someone who goes seven days without dreaming - is considered evil.

(b)He learns this from the Pasuk in Mishlei " ... ve'Save'a Yalin Bal Yipaked Ra" - by amending "Save'a" to 'Sheva'.

(c)Rav Acha b'rei de'Rebbi Chiya citing ... Rebbi Yochanan, who disagrees with the previous explanation, interprets the Pasuk as it stands to mean - that if a person satiates himself with Divrei Torah before going to sleep, he will be given bad news (via his dreams).

7)

(a)Rebbi Avahu Amar Rebbi Yochanan - rules like Rebbi Yehudah, who forbids in our Mishnah interrupting between 'Elokeichem' and 'Emes Veyatziv'.

(b)Rebbi Yehudah's ruling is based on the Pasuk in Yirmiyah "Hash-m Elokim Emes".

(c)We ask about whether someone who waits after concluding "Hash-m Elokeichem Emes" - either for the Chazan to finish or after greeting someone, is obligated to repeat 'Emes' or not.

(d)Rebbi Avahu Amar Rebbi Yochanan rules that he does repeat 'Emes'. Rabah rules - that he does not.

(e)When Rabah heard a Chazen repeat the word 'Emes', he commented - that he seems to enjoy saying the word 'Emes'.

8)

(a)When Rav Shmuel bar Yehudah arrived in Bavel from Eretz Yisrael - he quoted the Yerushalmim, who used to say "Daber el B'nei Yisrael ve'Amarta aleihem Ani Hash-m Elokeichem Emes".

(b)Rav Yosef - praised this Rav Shmuel bar Yehudah's testimony.

(c)Abaye queried him from a statement by Rav Kahana Amar Rav who said - that at nighttime, one does not need to recite the Parshah of "Vayomer", but that once one has started it, one is obligated to complete it.

(d)We cannot answer that "Ve'amarta aleihem" is not considered as having begun, due to another statement by Rav Shmuel bar Yitzchak Amar Rav - who said that, although "Daber el B'nei Yisrael" is not considerd a Haschalah, "ve'Amarta aleihem" is.

(e)Bearing in mind that Rav Shmuel bar Yehudah's original statement was made in the name of the Yerushalmim, Rav Papa answered - that in their opinion, "ve'Amarta aleihem" is not considered a Haschalah either.

9)

(a)Abaye therefore rules that ...

1. ... one begins Parshas 'Vayomer' - to conform to the Yerushalmiyim.

2. ... since he has, he is obligated to complete the entire Parshah - to conform to the second half of Rav Kahana Amar Rav's ruling.

(b)When Rav Chiya bar Rav says that once someone says "Ani Hash-m Elokeichem", he needs to say "Emes", he means that - once he says Parshas "Vayomer" including the Pasuk "Ani Hash-m Alokeichem", he is obligated to add the word "Emes".

(c)The problem with the continuation of his statement (that if he didn't, he need not to add "Emes") is - how he then fulfils the obligation of mentioning Yetzi'as Mitzrayim even at nighttime.

10)

(a)We solve the current problem - by introducing a replacement B'rachah for "Vayomer" ...

(b)... which comprises a brief thanks to Hash-m for the redemption from Egypt and the miracles of the Yam-Suf.

(c)The Chazan concludes it with 've'Sharnu Lach' the replacement B'rachah with 've'Sharnu Lach' and, and continues "Mi Chamocha ba'Eilim Hash-m ... ?"

11)

(a)According to Rebbi Shimon in a Beraisa, why it is only right for ...

1. ... 'Sh'ma' to precede "Vehayah Im Shamo'a" - since, unlike the latter, which contains the Mitzvah of teaching, it contains the Mitzvah of Torah-study, which obviously comes first.

2. ... "Vehayah Im Shamo'a" to precede "Vayomer" - since, unlike the latter, which contains the Mitzvah of performining Mitzvos, it contains the Mitzvah of teaching Toah, which takes precedence.

(b)The problem with connecting learning Torah to the Sh'ma ...

1. ... but not teaching it - is from the Pasuk there "Veshinantam le'Vanecha" (with reference to teaching).

2. ... but not performing Mitzvos - is from the Pesukim there "u'Keshartam" and "u'Chesavtam" (which refer to performing Mitzvos).

(c)The similar problem with connecting teaching Torah with "Vehayah Im Shamo'a" but not performing Mitzvos is - from the Pesukim there "u'Keshartem" "u'Chesavtam" (which refer to performing Mitzvos)

(d)We therefore amend the Beraisa to read - that whereas "Sh'ma" contains learning, teaching and Mitzvos, "Vehayah" contains only teaching and Mitzvos, whereas "Vayomer" is confined to Mitzvos.

(e)The reasons given by Rebbi Yehoshua ben Korchah (first Malchus Shamayim ... ) - are sound, and the Beraisa only adds the above reasons in order to complement them.

12)

(a)It happened once, that, after washing his hands, reading the Sh'ma and putting on his Tefilin - Rav Davened the Amidah.

(b)We query him from a Beraisa, which discusses somebody who is digging a 'Kuch' - (a grave dug into a rock) for a Meis.

(c)The Tana there - exempts him from reciting the Sh'ma, Davening the Amidah, donning Tefilin and performing all other Mitzvos.

(d)This ruling is based on the principle- 'ha'Osek be'Mitzvah Patur min ha'Mitzvah'.

(e)To reconcile this with the continuation of the Beraisa, which obligates him proceed with the very same Mitzvos from which the Tana just exempted him - we establish the Seifa where there are two people digging.

13)

(a)The Seifa of the current Beraisa - places Tefilin after washing the hands, before Keri'as Sh'ma (creating a Kashya on Rav).

(b)Initially, we attempt to answer the Kashya by establishing Rav like Rebbi Yehoshua ben Korchah (in our Mishnah) - who places Ol Malchus Shamayim before Ol Mitzvos.

(c)We refute that answer however - based on the argument that R.ebbi Yehoshua ben Korchah's ruling is confined to Keri'ah, and has nothing to do with their practical application.

(d)Moreover, we cite Rav Chiya bar Ashi, who testified how, many a time he saw Rebbi wash his hands, recite Birchas ha'Torah, and after teaching his Talmidim - put on his Tefilin and recite the Sh'ma.

14)

(a)We try to reconcile Rav Chiya bar Ashi's testimony with the previous ruling of Rav - by establishing it where the time to read the Sh'ma had not yet arrived.

(b)We reject the suggestion that in that case, Rav Chiya bar Ashi's testimony would be meaningless - in that he could have been coming to teach us that Mishnah, just like Gemara, requires Birchas ha'Torah.

(c)The question remains however that Rebbi Yehoshua ben Korchah's ruling is confined to Keriyah. We finally explain Rav's first ruling - by establishing the case where the Shali'ach (who brought Rav his Tefilin) arrived late with them).

15)

(a)When Ula describes someone who recites the Sh'ma without Tefilin as if he was giving false testimony about himself, he really means - about Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu, who commanded him in Parshas Sh'ma, to wear Tefilin, whilst he is reading about it but not fulfilling it.

(b)Rebbi Chiya bar Aba compares it to bringing an Olah without a Minchah or a Shelamim without Nesachim. He might just as well have compared it to bringing an Olah without the accompanying Minchah.

(c)He uses the two examples that he did - based on the Pasuk in Emor "Zevach u'Nesachim D'var Yom be'Yomo".

16)

(a)Three of the five things that Rebbi Yochanan lists that a person needs to do in order to take upon himself Ol Malchus Shamayim in an ideal manner are washing his hands, putting on Tefilin and reciting the Sh'ma. In addition ...

1. ... before washing his hands -he must relieve himself (so that he davens with a clean body), and ...

2. ... after reciting the Sh'ma, he Davens the Amidah.