1)

(a)Hash-m took two stars from Mazal Kimah - in the time of No'ach, to create the great deluge.

(b)To fill in the gap, He took two stars - from Ayish.

(c)One of the reasons that He did not simply replace what He took is based on the mantra that 'A Pit cannot be filled up with the earth that one took from it'; the other reason is - because of the principle that 'The prosecutor cannot become the defense counsel'.

(d)He did not simply create two new stars - because of the principle 'There is nothing new under the sun'.

(e)Rav Nachman learned from the Pasuk in Iyov "ve'Ayish al Banehah Tanchem" - that there will come a time when Hash-m returns the stars to Ayish.

2)

(a)Rebbi Ketina defines 'Zeva'os' in our Mishnah as 'Gohah' - an earthquake.

(b)As Rebbi Ketina on his travels was once passing the entrance of Uva Tamya's house - the earth shook.

(c)'Uva Tamya' means - an Ov (a wizard) who performs magic with bones from a dead person.

(d)Uva Tamya ...

1. ... initially reacted, when Rebbi Ketina asked him whether he knew the cause of earthquakes - by calling out in a loud voice 'Why should I not know?'

2. ... then explained it - as an expression of Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu's frustration, when He thinks of Yisrael in exile among the nations and remembers their suffering, two tear-drops fall from Him into the ocean and the noise can be heard from one end of the world to the other.

3)

(a)Rebbi Ketina objected to Uva Tamya's explanation - in that the earth ought then to have shaken twice ...

(b)... and he referred to Uva Tamya as - a liar and his statements as - lies.

(c)His objection was unjustified however - inasmuch as the earth does shake twice ...

(d)... and the reason that he raised it was - to prevent people from erring and becoming his followers.

(e)Based on the Pasuk in Yechezkel "ve'Gam Ani Akeh Kapi el Kapi ... ", he himself explained an earthquake as - Hash-m clapping is Hands.

4)

(a)

1. ... Rebbi Nasan ascribes earthquakes, based on the Pasuk there "ve'Hanichosi Chamasi bam ve'Hinechamti" - to a sigh emitted by Hash-m (as a person who is angry is comforted by a sigh).

2. ... the Rabbanan ascribes them, based on the Pasuk in Yirmiyah "Heydad ke'Dorchim Ya'aneh el Kol Yoshvei ha'Aretz" - to Him trampling on the sky.

3. ... Rav Acha bar Ya'akov ascribes them, based on the Pasuk in Yeshayah "Koh Amar Hash-m 'ha'Shamayim Kis'i ve'ha'Aretz Hadom Raglai" - to Hash-m pressing His Legs under His Throne of Glory.

5)

(a)The Gemara now discusses the source of thunder. Based on the Pasuk in ...

1. ... Tehilim "Kol Ra'amcha ba'Galgal; He'iru Berakim Teivel ... ", Shmuel says that it is - the clouds rubbing against one another (or the clouds being dragged along by the celestial sphere).

2. ... Yirmiyah "le'Kol Tito Hamon Mayim ba'Shamayim" - the Rabbanan say that it is th clouds pouring water on to one another.

(b)Rav Acha bar Ya'akov attributes it to the lightning breaking off pieces of ice that has formed in the clouds. Rav Ashi, to - the wind blowing against hollow clouds.

(c)We support the opinion of Rav Acha bar Ya'akov - because we see that after the lightening appears, there is thunder and then rain.

6)

(a)Abaye defines 'Ruchos' in our Mishnah as 'Za'afa', which means - storm-winds.

(b)We query Abaye, who says that Za'afa never occurs at nighttime - inasmuch as we see that it does.

(c)We resolve the problem - by establishing what we see to storms that begin in the day

(d)Also also said - that storm-winds never last lkonger than two hours (to conform with the Pasuk in Nachum "Lo Sakum Pa'amayim Tzarah").

(e)We reconcile this with the fact that storm-winds sometimes do last longer than two hours - by confining that to where the storm abates for a short time in the middle.

7)

(a)Rava defines B'rakim in our Mishnah as Barka - flashes of lightning.

(b)He also says that ...

1. ... a single flash of lightning and about white and green lightning ...

2. ... clouds that come from the west but that appear to come from the south and two clouds that approach each other - are harmful (since they are not a sign of blessing).

(c)Rava considers it important to tell us this - so that we should Daven for them to stop ...

(d)... if one sees them at night. In the event that one sees them in the morning, one should pay no attention to them.

8)

(a)Based on the Pasuk in Hoshe'a (said bitterly) "ve'Chasd'chem ka'Anan Boker" say about morning clouds, Rebbi Shmuel bar Yitzchak said - that morning clouds are unproductive.

(b)Rav Papa queried this from a well-known saying about someone who opens his front door in the morning and is greeted by rain. The mantra is addressing - a donkey-driver who travels to a distant town to obtain grain whih he sells at home.

(c)It advises him - to go back to sleep.

(d)Abaye answered Rav Papa - that whereas the latter speaks where the sky is overcast, the former speaks where there are only sparse clouds in the sky.

9)

(a)Based on the Pasuk in Mishlei "ve'ha'Elokim Asah she'Yir'u mi'Lefanav", Rebbi Alexandri quoting Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi explains that the main objective of thunder is - to straighten the crookedness in our hearts.

(b)He also said that someone who sees a rainbow should - prostrate himself before it, just as the Navi Yechezkel did when he saw one ...

(c)... because it is a vision of the lory of Hash-m.

(d)And the reason that they reacted to that in Eretz Yisrael by cursing the statement - is because it gives the impression that one is bowing down to the rainbow.

10)

(a)They agreed however, that one recites the B'rachah 'Baruch ... Zocher ha'Beris' upon seeing a rainbow, to which the Beraisa added - 'Ne'eman bi'Veriso ve'Kayam be'Ma'amaro'.

(b)Rav Papa therefore concluded - that one says them both 'Zocher ha'Beris, Ne'eman bi'Verisao ve'Kayam be'Ma'amaro'.

11)

(a)We query the Mishnah, which requires the B'rachah of 'Baruch ... Oseh Ma'aseh Berishis" over mountains and hilltops, - in that all the earlier cases in the Mishnah are also 'Ma'aseh Bereishis', as the Pasuk in Tehilim, "Berakim la'Matar Asah" clearly indicates.

(b)When Abaye answers 'K'roch ve'Tani' - means that one needs to put all the cases in the Mishnah into one bundle and to recite over them both Brachos ('Baruch ... she'Kocho ... ' and 'Baruch ... Oseh ... '.

(c)Rava modifies Abaye's answer - by requiring both B'rachos by the former group exclusively, and 'Baruch ... Oseh ... ' only, by the latter.

12)

(a)Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi says that, upon seeing a clear sky one should recite - 'Baruch Oseh Ma'aseh Bereishis' ...

(b)... because that is how Hash-m created them initially.

(c)Abaye restricts this ruling however - to where it rained all night and then a north-wind came and blew the clouds away.

(d)Rafram bar Papa Amar Rav Chisda disagrees with Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi however. Based on the Pasuk in Yeshayah "Albish Shamayim Kidros, ve'Sak Asim Kesusah" - he maintains that since the destruction of the Beis-ha'Mikdash, the sky has never been as clear as it was at the time of the creation.

13)

(a)The Beraisa now discusses the B'rachah that one recites upon seeing the sun in its Tekufah - (the exact location in the sky where it was when Hash-m created it), the moon in its strength, the stars in their paths and the Mazalos in their correct formation.

(b)According to Abaye, this takes place - once every twenty-eight years ...

(c)... on Tuesday night (and we recite the B'rachah when the sun rises in the morning).

(d)We then recite the B'rachah of - 'Oseh Ma'aseh Bereishis'.

14)

(a)The significance of Mazal Shabsa'i in this connection is that - during the first hour of Tuesday night it reigns, and it was on that specific night that Hash-m hung the luminaries in the sky.

(b)The order in which the seven Mazalaos appear during the first hour of each night of the week, starting with Motza'ei Shabbos is 'Katznash Chalam' which stands for - 'Kochav, Tzedek, Nogah, Shabsa'i, Chamah, Levanah & Ma'adim.

15)

(a)Our Mishnah requires a B'rachah over the sea 'on occasions', which Rami bar Aba Amar Rebbi Yitzchak interprets as - once every thirty days.

(b)Rami bar Aba Amar Rebbi Yitzchak also said that someone who sees the River P'ras from the bridge of Bavel - should recite "Baruch ... Oseh Ma'aseh Bereishis' ...

(c)... but not beyond that point - since people had changed its course.

(d)We comment that the same applies to bei Shavur and beyond, and according to Rav Yosef, Ihi de'Kira and beyond - since the Persians changed its course again from there.

16)

(a)Rami bar Aba also said that someone who sees the River Diglas from the bridge of Shevist'na should recite 'Baruch ... she'Oseh Ma'aseh Bereishis'. The Torah calls the River Diglas - 'Chidekel' ...

(b)... which, according to Rav Ashi, is the acronym of - 'Chadin ve'Kalin (sharp and swift), describing its water.

(c)Whereas 'P'ras' is the acronym of - 'Parin ve'Ravin' (i.e. self-generating) describing its water.

(d)Rava attributed the fact that the residents of Mechuza ...

1. ... who lived on the banks of the Chidekel, were smart - to the fact that they drank the water of the River Diglas.

2. ... had a deep tan - because they were intimate during the day (when the sun was shining).

(e)And their eyes tended to dart around - because they lived in dark apartments.

17)

(a)We query the ruling in our Mishnah to recite 'ha'Tov ve'ha'Meitiv' over rain, from statements starting with that of Rebbi Avahu (or of a Beraisa). When he said that one recites a B'rachah over the first rain when 'the Chasan goes to meet the Kalah' - he meant when the raindrops are strong enough to hit the ground and to rebound in the direction of the drop that is still falling.

(b)Rav Yehudah said that one must recite - 'Modim Anachnu Lach al Kol Tipah ve'Yipah she'Horad'ta lanu'.

(c)Rebbi Yochanan adds 'Ilu Finu Malei Shirah ka'Yam ...Ein Anu Maspikin Lehodos l'Cha ... ' (as we say in Nishmas) until the words - 've'Chol Komah Lefanecha Tishtachaveh' (or vi'Yerom'mu es Shimcha Malkeinu').

18)

(a)The problem with the wording of the final B'rachah 'Rov ha'Hoda'os' - why 'Rov ha'Hoda'os' and not 'Kol ha'Hoda'os'.

(b)We therefore amend it - 'ha'Keil ha'Hoda'os'.

(c)Rav Papa therefore concludes - that one says both 'Rov ha'Hoda'os ve'ha'Keil ha'Hoda'os'.

19)

(a)In any event, we see that over rain one recites 'Modim Anachnu Lach". We reconcile this with our Mishnah, which prescribes the B'rachah of 'ha'Tov ve'ha'Meitiv' - by establishing it where one only heard about the rainfall, whereas the Mishnah speaks about someone who actually sees it.

(b)We query this from the B'rachah over good news, for which the Mishnah prescribes - 'ha'Tov ve'ha' Meitiv'...

(c)... so why should one not recite 'ha'Tov ve'ha' Meitiv' over the news of rain?

(d)We therefore conclude that both are speaking where one saw the rain, and it depends on the size of the rainfall - 'ha'Tov ve'ha' Meitiv' one recites over a heavy downfall, and 'Modim Anachnu Lach' over light rain.

(e)Alternatively, both speak where a lot of rain fell, over which one will nevertheless recite 'Modim Anachnu Lach ... ', and not 'Baruch ha'Tov ve'ha'Meitiv' - if one does not own land.

20)

(a)We query the above from a Beraisa however, which requires one to recite over a new house - 'Baruch Shehechiyanu'.

(b)We reconcile that with the previous answer - by establishing it where nobody else benefits from it.

(c)The Beraisa that we cite in support of this answer begins with words 'Katzro shel Davar' - which is equivalent to the more common 'K'lalo shel Davar'.

(d)And when the Tana says draws a distinction between 'al she'Lo' and 'al she'lo ve'al shel Chavero' - he means between where only he benefits and where somebody else benefits as well.

(e)And we reconcile this with the Beraisa, which obligates someone who hears that hse wife has given birth to a boy, and who is obligated to recite 'ha'Tov ve'ha'Meitiv' even though nobody else is involved - on account of his wife (who is also pleased that she gave birth to a boy). (Note, regarding the current B'rachos, we do not follow the Gemara's instructions to the letter. See, for example, Tosfos, DH 'Ki Shama ... ').

21)

(a)We also query the previous answer from the Beraisa which obligates someone whose father dies to recite - 'Baruch ... Dayan Emes' and 'Baruch ... ha'Tov ve'ha'Meitiv' ...

(b)... on account of the inheritance that his father leaves him.

(c)According to the above answer, he recites 'ha'Tov ve'ha'Meitiv' and not 'Shehechiyanu' - assuming there are other heirs besides himself.

22)

(a)We query the above answer once more from a statement of Rav Yosef bar Aba in connection with the Beraisa which discusses someone who drinks a bottle of fresh superior wine or who continues to drink in a different location. The Tana rules about ...

1. ... the former - that he is Patur from reciting 'Borei P'ri ha'Gafen' a second time, but that, with regard to ...

2. ... the latter - he is Chayav.

(b)Rav Yosef bar Aba Amar Rebbi Yochanan commented in connection with the former - that he is nevertheless obligated to recite 'ha'Tov ve'ha'Meitiv'.

(c)In order to reconcile this with the earlier ruling, we establish the case - where there are others who also wish to partake of the superior wine.

23)

(a)Rav Huna restricts the ruling of our Mishnah that over a new house or new clothes one recites 'Shehechiyanu' - by confining it to where the purchaser does not already possess another house or clothes like it/them.

(b)According to Rebbi Yochanan - it makes no difference.

(c)We can extrapolate from both opinions that someone who purchases a similar house or vessels to the house or vessels that he already purchased - does not recite 'Shehechiyanu' ...

(d)Since even Rebbi Yochanan only requires the purchaser to recite a 'Shehechiyanu' there where he does so for the first time, but not where he already recited it once.

24)

(a)According to the second Lashon, Rav Huna restricts the Mishnah's ruling to where one did not purchase a similar house or vessels to the first one/s, whereas Rebbi Yochanan - does not differentiate.

(b)We can extrapolate from there that with regard to someone who purchases a house or vessels that are similar to those that he already owns - even Rav Huna will require a 'Shehechiyanu'.