1)

(a)When one sees ...

1. ... a place where miracles were performed on behalf of K'lal Yisrael - one recites 'Baruch ... she'Asah Nisim la'Avoseinu ba'Makom ha'Zeh'. Note: 'Baruch ... ' always incorporates the full text of a B'rachah i.e. 'Baruch Atah Hash-m ... '.

2. ... a place where idolatry was destroyed - one recites 'Baruch ... she'Akar Avodah Zarah me'Artzeinu'.

3. ... (or hears) comets, earthquakes, thunder, storm-winds or lightning - 'Baruch ... she'Kocho u'Gevaruso Malei Olam' and ...

4. ... mountains, famous hills, seas, rivers and deserts, 'Baruch ... Oseh Ma'aseh Bereishis'.

2)

(a)According to Rebbi Yehudah, the correct B'rachah over seeing the ocean (or the Mediterranean Sea) is 'Baruch ... she'Asa es ha'Yam ha'Gadol'.

(b)Over ...

1. ... the first rains and good news - one recites 'Baruch ... ha'Tov ve'ha'Meitiv' ...

2. ... bad news - 'Baruch ... Dayan ha'Emes', and ...

3. ... a new house or new utensils - 'Baruch ... Shehechiyanu ... '.

3)

(a)The Mishnah rules that ...

1. ... good news that - one is obligated to recite a B'rachah over good news that contains some bad and bad news that contains some good.

2. ... if someone who cries out to Hash-m about something that has already happened - his prayers are in vain.

(b)One example of this is if someone Davens that the baby that his wife is expecting should be a boy. The other is, where someone who arrives in his home-town and hears a scream - and who Davens that it should not be his wife who screamed.

(c)According to the Tana Kama, upon entering a town, one recites two Tefilos - one that he should enter the town safely (despite the wicked ruler who is out to trap strangers and to libel them), the other, that he should leave without mishap.

(d)The significance of the four Tefilos prescribed by Ben Azai are - two upon entering and two upon leaving; one thanking fothe past, the other, praying for the future.

4)

(a)We learn that a person is Chayav to recite a B'rachah over the bad as well as over the good - from the words "u've'Chol Me'odecha" (in the Pasuk in the Sh'ma "Ve'ahavta es Hash-m Elokecha ... "), which imply for every Midah (whether good or bad) that Hash-m metes out to a person).

(b)The B'rachah that one recites over bad news is - 'Baruch ... Dayan ha'Emes'.

(c)The Beraisa learns from ...

1. ... "be'Chol Levavcha" - that one should love Hash-m and serve Him with one's Yeitzer ha'Ra, as well as with one's Yeitzer Tov.

2. ... "u've'Chol Nafshecha" - that one should love Hash-m even if He takes one's life.

(d)We just cited one D'rashah that the Tana learns from "u've'Chol Me'odecha". Alternatively, we learn from there - that one should love Hash-m with all one's money.

5)

(a)'Opposite the eastern gate of the Har ha'Bayis', one is not permitted to behave lightheartedly ...

(b)... because it is exactly facing the Kodesh Kodshim.

(c)When entering the area of the Har ha'Bayis - a person may not carry with him (or wear) - his staff, his shoes or his purse.

(d)He may not bring with him into the Har ha'Bayis - the sand on his feet.

6)

(a)One is also not permitted to make it a Kapendarya - One is also not permitted to make it a Kapendarya - (i.e. a short-cut) ...

(b)... and how much more so may one not spit there.

(c)Initially, whoever recited a B'rachah in the Beis-ha'Mikdash would conclude with the words 'min ha'Olam'. The Tzedokim caused them to change this - when they extrapolated from there that there is only one world.

(d)So they changed the wording to - 'min ha'Olam ve'ad ha'Olam'.

(e)Ezra and his Beis-Din - initiated this Takanah.

7)

(a)Based on a Pasuk in Megilas Rus, in connection with Bo'az, the Chachamim also initiated the Takanah - to greet using the Name of Hash-m.

(b)When Bo'az arrived from Beis Lechem, he greeted the harvesters with words - "Hash-m Imachem!" ...

(c)... to which they responded - "Yevarech'cha Hash-m!"

(d)We would otherwise have thought that it is forbidden to do so - because it is denigrating Hash-m's Name to use it in this way.

8)

(a)We learn from the Pasuk in Shoftim "Hash-m im'cha Gibor ha'Chayil" that the angel corroborated Bo'az's initiative, and from the Pasuk ...

1. ... in Mishlei "ve'Al Tavuz ki Zaknah Imecha" - that one should take despise the sages, but rather take one's cue from them.

2. ... in Tehilim "Eis La'asos la'Hashem, Heiferu Torasecha" - that it is sometimes necessary to annul Torah in order to act on behalf of Hash-m (such as greeting someone in order to make peace, which is the Hash-m's will).

(b)We also learn this principle from the Pasuk in Tehilim - "Seek peace and pursue it".

(c)Commenting on the Tana Kama's last quote - Rebbi Nasan simply inverted it, to read "Heiferu Torasecha, Eis La'asos la'Hashem".

9)

(a)Rebbi Yochanan learns from the Pasuk in Yisro "Baruch Hash-m asher Hitzil eschem mi'Yad Mitzrayim" - that one is Chayav to recite a B'rachah over a (communal) miracle.

(b)Rava told the man who was fallen upon by a lion and who managed to escape - that whenever he passed that spot he was obligated to recite the B'rachah ' ... she'Asah li Neis ba'Makom ha'Zeh'.

(c)We learn from that incident and a number of other incidents that we are about to discuss - that one is Chayav to recite a B'rachah even over a private miracle

10)

(a)When Mar b'rei de'Ravina was once ...

1. ... traveling in the valley of Arvos and he became extremely thirsty - a spring of water suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

2. ... walking through the market-place of Mechuza - he was attacked by a crazy camel ...

(b)... from which he managed to escape - when part of the wall of a house near where he was standing collapsed, and he ran into the house.

(c)He subsequently said whenever he passed ...

1. ... Arvos - ' ... Baruch she'Asah li Neis be'Arvos u've'Gamal'?

2. ... through the market-place of Mechuza - ' ... Baruch she'Asah li Neis be' Gamal u've'Gamal u've'Arvos.

(d)Whereas the B'rachah over a communal miracle (as in our Mishnah) is recited by everybody involved - it is only the person who experienced the private miracle who recites it.

11)

(a)The Beraisa rules that someone who sees the crossings of the Reed-Sea, the crossings of the Jordan River and the crossings of the Rivers of Arnon (which will be explained later) - is obligated to give thanks to Hash-m and to praise His Name.

(b)The crossings of the Reed-Sea and the crossings of the Jordan River are - the locations where Yisrael crossed during K'ri'as Yam-Suf and when they entered into Eretz Yisrael, respectively. Note: most of the remaining items listed in the Beraisa will be explained in the Sugya.

(c)The last item on the list is the walls of Yericho, which sank in into the ground during the first battle of the conquest of Cana'an. The 'famous' ...

1. ... stone (besides the stone that Og attempted to hurl at Yisrael) listed by the Tana is the one on which Moshe sat when Yisrael fought with Amalek, and the 'famous' ...

2. ... woman - Lot's wife, who turned into a pillar of salt.

12)

(a)By citing the Pasuk in ...

1. ... Beshalach "Vayavo'u B'nei Yisrael b'Soch ha'Yam ba'Yabashah", we prove - that the Crossings of the Reed Sea refers to a miracle worthy of a B'rachah.

2. ... Yehoshua "Vaya'amdu ha'Kohanim nos'ei ha'Aron B'ris Hash-m be'Charavah B'soch ha'Yarden" Hachein ... " - that the same applies to the Crossings of the Yarden.

(b)To explain what were 'the crossings of the rivers of Arnon, we cite the Pasuk in Chukas "al-Kein Ye'amer be'Seifer Milchamos Hash-m, es Vaheiv be'Sufah ... ". The words "Es va'Heiv" - are the names of two Metzora'im who were sent outside the camp, and who witnesses the tail end of the miracles not visible to the rest of Machaneh Yisrael.

(c)The caves facing the jutting rocks housed hordes of Emori'im waiting for Yisrael to pass through the ravine below ...

(d)... when they intended to bombard them with rocks.

13)

(a)The Emori'im did not know - that the Aron generally was working on behalf on Yisrael, by flattening all the mountains in their path ,and that they were 'in its sights'.

(b)What subsequently happened on that occasion - was that the two mountain ranges moved towards each other, until the jutting rocks entered the caves, killing all Emori'im who were hiding there.

(c)Es and Hav informed K'lal Yisrael about - the rivers of blood that they saw flowing the ravine.

(d)Yisrael reacted to the news - by singing the 'Song of the Well'.

(e)The Pasuk "ve'Eshed ha'Nechalim asher Natah Lesheves Or Venish'an li'Gevul Mo'av" - tells briefly of the rivers of blood that ensued after one of the mountains leaned against the other one (the one that was on the Mo'av-side of the ravine [crushing the Emora'im to death]).

14)

(a)Describing the 'Avnei Elgavish' cited in the Beraisa on Amud Alef, another Beraisa gives the acronym 'Avanim she'Amdu al-Gav Isha', which means - 'stones that stood (in the air)at the behest of a man'.

(b)We know that "Ish" refers to Moshe - on account of the Pasuk in Beha'aloscha "ve'ha'Ish Moshe Anav Me'od" ('and the man Moshe was extremely humble') ...

(c)...and it is referring to the hail-stones during the plague of Barad in Egypt, which stopped in mid-air at the termination of the plague.

15)

(a)The Beraisa adds that they also came down 'al-Gav Ish'. This time, "Ish" refers to the man about whom the Torah writes "Ish asher Ru'ach bo". This is said about - Yehoshua ben Nun ...

(b)... with reference to the sam hail-stones (which were transported to Cana'an) and fell on the Emori kings that were fleeing from his army ...

(c)... as the Pasuk writes in Yehoshua "Vay'hi be'Nusam mipnei B'nei Yisrael, Heim be'Morad Beis Choron ... "

16)

(a)We know that Og Melech ha'Bashan attempted to hurl a 'rock' at the B'nei Yisrael - from tradition.

(b)He took a mountain that measured three Parsah (twelve Mil) - because that was the size of the camp of Yisrael ...

(c)... as we know from the testimony of Rabah bar bar Chanah, who actually saw the area where they encamped in Arvos Mo'av.

(d)And he obtained it - by tearing it from the ground.

17)

(a)After Og placed the rock on his head - Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu sent ants, which bored a hole in the bottom of the rock until is fell down over his head, thereby preventing him from carrying out his diabolical plan.

(b)To stop him from lifting the mountain from off his neck and hurling it at them - Hash-m caused his teeth to grow long and curl themselves round the foot of the mountain.

(c)Resh Lakish therefore interprets the Pasuk in Tehilim "Shinei Resha'im Shibarta" - not "Shibarta", but 'Sh'rivavta' (meaning that 'You elongated the teeth of the wicked'.

18)

(a)To dispense with Yisrael's arch-enemy, Moshe then took a giant-size bolt in his hand ...

(b)... and struck Og on his ankle, which was thirty Amos from the ground.

(c)He managed to reach such an incredible height - because he was ten Amos tall, he jumped ten Amos into the air, and the bolt that he was holding was ten Amos long, too.

(d)We know that Moshe was ten Amos tall - since he put up the Mishkan, which was ten Amos tall, single-handedly.

(e)Moshe then killed him.

19)

(a)After Moshe had stood for a while with his hands raised in prayer, they became heavy, and Aharon and Chur were needed to support them. And it was to that end that they placed a large stone for Moshe to sit on.

(b)The problem with the inclusion of Lot's wife in the list is - that her turning into a pillar of salt was a punishment, and does not therefore belong in a list of things for which one praises Hash-m.

(c)The answer that on seeing Lot's wife one recites 'Baruch Dayan ha'Emes' is not acceptable - since the Mishnah specifically mentions thanks and praise.

(d)We finally explain that, upon seeing Lot's wife, one recites two B'rachos - one over the salvation of Lot, the other, over his wife turning into a pillar of salt.

20)

(a)The B'rachah one recites concerning the salvation of Lot is - 'Baruch ... Zocher es ha'Tzadikim' ...

(b)... with reference to Avraham Avinu, on whose merit Lot was saved.

(c)Rebbi Yochanan comment (on the fact that Hash-m remembered Avraham at that point)- that even when Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu is angry, he remembers the Tzadikim.

(d)To reconcile our Mishnah, which refers to the walls of Yericho sinking into the ground, with the Pasuk which tells us that they fell - by pointing out that since they were as wide as they were high, sinking into the ground and falling amount to the same thing.

21)

(a)Rav Yehudah Amar Rav cites four people who are obligated to thank Hash-m for their salvation: someone who travels across the sea, someone who travels through a desert - a sick person who recovers from an illness and a captive who is set free.

(b)The common source for all four is - Pesukim in Kapitel a hundred and seven in Tehilim, or more precisely ...

(c)Both the Pasuk ...

1. ... "Vayitz'aku/Vayiz'aku el Hash-m ba'Tzar lahem ... " andthat of ...

2. ... "Yodu la'Hashem Chasdo ... ", are mentioned specifically by each of the four - to teach us that Hash-m saves them on account of their Tefilos.

(d)The latter Pasuk ends -"ve'Nifl'osav li'Venei Adam".

22)

(a)According to Rav Yehudah, the text of the B'rachah that the above four people make is - 'Gomel Chayavim Tovim she'Gemalani Kol Tuv' (known as Birchas ha'Gomel).

(b)Abaye learns (in this regard) from the Pasuk there "Viyeromemuhu bi'Kehal Am" - that the B'rachah must be recited in the presence of ten people ...

(c)... and based on the Pasuk "u've'Moshav Zekeinim Yehaleluhu", Mar Zutra adds - that at least two of them must be Talmidei-Chachamim.

(d)We answer Rav Ashi's Kashya that perhaps all ten men should be Talmidei-Chachamim - by pointing at the source Pasuk "Viyeromemuhu bi'Kehal Am" - which ought then to have said "Viyeromemuhu bi'Kehal Zekeinim".

(e)We finally ask - that perhaps, there ought to be two Talmidei-Chachamim, besides the ten people, a Kashya to which we have no answer.

23)

(a)When Rav Chana from Bagdad and the Rabbanan went to visit Rav Yehudah after the latter had recovered from his illness, they declared 'B'rich Rachmana de'Yahavach Nehelan ve'Lo Yahavach le'Afra!' - which means 'Blessed be Hash-m who gave you back to us and did not turn you into dust!' ...

(b)... to which Rav Yehudah responded - that they had exempted him from reciting Birchas ha'Gomel.

(c)To reconcile this with Abaye's earlier ruling that requires the B'rachah to be recited in front of ten people - we explain that there were ten other people present.

(d)The reason that this was effective, despite the fact that Rav Yehudah did not recite the B'rachah was - because he answered 'Amen'.

24)

(a)Two of the three people that Rav Yehudah initially lists who need to be guarded are a sick person and a Chasan, the third is - a Kalah.

(b)The Beraisa adds - a woman who has given birth.

(c)Some add - an Aveil (a mourner, others - a Talmid-Chacham at night-time (Rashi does not appear to have the words 'at night-time in his text).

(d)All of these require guarding - against the demons ...

(e)... who are jealous of the Chasan, the Kalah, and of the Talmid-Chacham, whereas a sick person, an Aveil and a woman who has given birth are more vulnerable than other people - because their Mazel is down.

25)

(a)Rav Yehudah also lists three things that earn a person long life, Davening long, spending a long time over one's meal - and spending a long time relieving himself.

(b)Spending a long time over one's meal earns a person long life - because it enables him to invite the poor who come to him assistance to join him at his table.

(c)How do we reconcile Davening long with the statement of Rebbi Chiya bar Aba, that 'Someone who Davens long and looks into it (convinced that Hash-m will answer him), will end up disappointed) - by treating the clause seriously, and not merely as a casual statement.