How does the Mishnah learn this from Avraham Avinu?

Meiri: The Pasuk tells us that Hash-m commanded Avimelech to request of Avraham until he forgives him so fully, that he even prays for Avimelech.

Ben Yehoyada: It is learned from the phrase 'because he is a prophet'. Avimelech would ask how Avraham could forgive, if he suspected that Sarah might even have willingly been adulterous and prohibited herself to her husband. Therefore, Hash-m said, 'because he is a prophet'. Avraham will know that she was not adulterous and will therefore be able to forgive you if you ask for it.

How is this learned from the Pasuk about Avraham Avinu and why is a person considered to be cruel if does not forgive him?

Maharsha, Iyun Yaakov: Avraham was so merciful that he even prayed for Avimelech to be healed. Every person must try and embrace the fine traits of his ancestors. Whoever does not forgive is cruel (as forgiving is an act of mercy).

Meiri: He is cruel as he is able to prevent the person from being punished but refuses.

Pnei Yehoshua: Since Avimelech had already asked for forgiveness, he already deserved to be healed, even without Avraham's prayers. Thus, Avraham's prayers were only to show everyone that he had forgiven Avimelech and that one must always try to forgive.

How do we understand this dialogue?

Yam ha'Talmud: Avimelech was asking, "Why did Avraham not rebuke me and tell me that Sarah is his wife, as perhaps I would have not taken her?" The response of Hash-m was Mutav She'yiheyuh Shogegim VeAl Yiheyu Meizidim - when people are inadvertently sinning but will not listen to rebuke, it is better not to tell them. (If you do tell them) they will continue with the sin, now doing it intentionally. The Gemara then asks that if Avimelech was sinning unawares (Shogeg), why was he punished so severely? The answer is that he should have had Derech Eretz and not had his people inquire about Sarah's marital status.

Ritva in Makos 9b: Avimelech was liable, as one who is 'Omer Mutar' - assumed that something is permitted, is almost considered to have acted intentionally, since he should have learned. Avraham's declaration that Sarah was his sister did not help him, as it was Avimelech who led himself astray by not learning.

Why is the one who prays for the other answered first?

Etz Yosef: When a person prays and merits to sweeten the judgement above and bring salvation and kindness down below, the blessing comes down through the root of the person's Neshama above, to the root of his Neshama below. After that, it divides out to others. If so, when the person himself needs that salvation, he receives it first, before it is apportioned to his friend, since it comes through him.

Ksav Sofer: The Mitzvah of veAhavta L'Re'acha Kamocha obligates a person to share in another person's pain, as if it is his own. If a person is himself in pain and nevertheless, is able to put aside his own pain and focus on and pray for the other person, this is an even great fulfillment of the Mitzvah and he is deservedly answered first.

Yalkut ha'Gershoni: If a person prays because his friend's pain troubles him so greatly that he himself needs that salvation to alleviate his pain for his friend, he is answered first.

What is the message of this teaching?

Meiri: Do not associate with evildoers, as you cause people to associate you with the evil that they do.

Why are evildoers and Tzadikim referred to in this way?

If the reason that Yosef presented these brothers before Paroh was because they were weak, why was Yehuda also brought (since he was mighty)?

Ben Yehoyada: So that Paroh would not think that he only brought the weak ones.

Ben Yehoyada: There was no concern that Paroh would force Yehuda to take on a leadership role in his government as Paroh would be afraid that Yehuda might rebel.

So is a poor man doomed to a life of poverty?

Is there any significance to the number sixty that is used here?

Tosfos: The Gemara often uses the number sixty to mean a large number.

Tosfos citing R' Meshulam: The Gemara in Bava Metzia (106b) teaches that there are six seasons in the year, each being two months (sixty days). Thus, sixty here means that eating bread early in the morning will protect a person throughout any season of the year.

Iyun Yaakov: The Gemara in Berachos (57b) teaches that sleep is one sixtieth of death. When a person rises in the morning, that 'one sixtieth' chases after him. Eating bread with salt and drinking water in the morning cancels its ability. This is on condition that the person recites Krias Shema and prays with Kavana.

Toras Chaim: Items usually become negated in sixty (Batel B'Shishim). Bread in the morning is so significant that the person who eats it is not 'negated' even in 60 people, as they cannot reach him.

What is the meaning of Rabah bar Mari's teaching?

Meiri: A person should always be from those who are insulted, but not from those who insult. He should even thank his friend for insulting him.

Maharal: Do not argue with your friend for calling you a donkey. On the contrary, agree with him and Hash-m will help you and bring you out of that which you are lacking. But if you do not admit it and instead consider yourself important, Hash-m will not assist you.

Maharsha: It is a Midas Chasidus (pious act) for a person to admit even to something that he did not do.

Vilna Gaon: It is not that person who is insulting him; it is his own sins that are the reason for his being insulted. If he accepts this, he will be saved from the accusing angel.

What is the deeper meaning of this teaching?

Iyun Yaakov: The reason is, that the embarrassment one receives when he embarrasses himself is less than when embarrassed by others.

Ben Yehoyada: If you have transgressed a sin, confess it immediately, before the accusing angel can accuse. Your sin will then be mentioned on high and since you confessed it beforehand and accepted not to repeat it, you will be treated with mercy.

What is the deeper meaning of this teaching?

Vilna Gaon: If you hear something from a Chacham that seems to be worthless, nevertheless, 'his eyes look ahead' - eyes allude to wisdom; he has said something wise. A duck is also used as a nickname for words of wisdom, as the Gemara states (in Berachos 57a) that one who dreams of a duck should expect wisdom.

Ben Yehoyada: This alludes to Yisrael, who are referred to as birds. If they have the trait of humility, their eyes can anticipate redemption. As Chazal say (Sanhedrin 98a), (Moshiach) Ben David will not come until the arrogant are eliminated from Yisrael.

What is the main Chidush of this teaching?

Pnei Yehoshua: The main Chidush here is that even if a person is satisfied and has no desire to eat, if he sees someone else eating and does not partake of the food, it can be dangerous.

To what does this teaching refer?

Tosfos: The one who is pouring can be generous to whoever he wishes.

Maharam Shif: The Beracha on wine is to the Master (Hash-m), as whatever is served, one must thank Hash-m. But the Tivusa - meaning the Beracha of ha'Tov veha'Meitiv depends on the one serving. Only if he brings a better wine (or at least not worse) does the one drinking recite it.

What does this saying teach us?

Iyun Yaakov: In a time of hunger, a person is permitted to eat something that is repulsive and there is no prohibition of 'Bal Teshaktzu' - 'one may not do anything repulsive'.

Ein Eliyahu: If someone's dog ate the stones of his friend, if it considered abnormal, the owner must only pay half damages. But if it is normal when it is very hungry, the owner must pay full damages.

Maharal: Do not decide on the quality of a food when you are very hungry, as it will taste sweet. Similarly, one should not do so when he is very satisfied, as he will be repulsed even by something sweet, as the Pasuk states (Mishlei 27:7), "A satiated soul tramples honeycomb, but to a hungry soul all bitter is sweet".

Vilna Gaon: It is an allusion to the study of Torah. Even a person who is 'poor' in Torah is guided by Chazal to study repeatedly the texts that he does not understand at all. This will be of great benefit to him.

Why specifically is a date-palm chosen in the parable?

Ein Eliyahu: The Gemara in Bava Basra (82a) teaches that a date-palm does not have a trunk. The Rashbam there explains that if other trees dry out on top, they can be cut further down and they will grow back since 'Gizo Machlif' - 'its trunk replenishes itself'. But once a date-palm dries out, it cannot be rectified.

What can we learn from this teaching?

Meiri, Sefer Chasidim: Do not sit with someone from whom you cannot learn goodness, for woe is to him and his soul. Furthermore, it will cause you to be suspected of doing bad, as people will say, that you could not have joined him for nothing. People will blame you for all his crimes.

What is the meaning of this teaching?

Shita Mekubetzes citing Gaon: If you have asked someone to stay away from you and he does not listen, distance yourself from him.

Meiri: If you have tried to rebuke someone, but you see that he is not worthy to accept it, you need not wear yourself out. Rather, you can leave him be and he will fall in his wickedness.

Maharal: If you have rebuked someone and he pushed you away, measure for measure, you can push him away.

Rosh, Iyun Yaakov: This cannot be taken literally, as one is required to rebuke even 100 times, if necessary. It is a reference to the permission to take a case to gentile courts if the other litigant refuses to come to Beis Din.

What is the deeper meaning of the saying?

Shita Mekubetzes citing Gaon, Maharal and many others: Do not damage a person from whom you have benefited.

Gra citing the Rambam: If you find something good in a Sefer, do not make a mockery of other things that you find there.

Ben Yehoyada: This alludes to the mouth. The mouth that you used to bring out blessing from Heaven through Torah, Tefillah, and Brachos; 'do not throw clods of dirt into it' - do not put into it forbidden foods with forbidden speech.

What does this saying teach us?

Pnei Yehoshua: Even if the load is not heavy, it is still better that his friend assists him, as then it is relying on the Mazal of two people. This explains why the Gemara cited the Pasuk about Barak, who did not have any physical battle advantage by bringing Devorah, since she was a woman. And furthermore, HaKadosh Baruch Hu himself had promised that he would be victorious.

Ein Avraham: A person is willing to enter into danger, as long as someone else will join him, as the saying goes, "if many suffer, it is a partial consolation".

Ein Eliyahu: It alludes to the ruling in Shulchan Aruch (Rama Choshen Mishpat 264:2) that if two people were arrested and one spent money to be released, if the second one was also released, he does not need to repay the first one. But that is only if the first one did it for himself only, but if he paid for both of them, the second must repay him.

What is the deeper meaning of the saying?

Vilna Gaon: The Midrash (Vayikra Rabah 26) compares us to a chick. When it is small, its mother feeds it. When it matures and tries to continue this way, its mother hits it, since it is now capable of being independent. So too, when a person is young, he trusts completely in Hash-m. When he matures, he begins to trust in himself, so the Divine Providence is decreased from him.

Toras Bar Nash: When we were young, we thought that our minds were fully developed and wise. But now that we are old, we see that we are far from wisdom, like small children.

Ben Yehoyada: When we were young, we were as men who were convinced by the Yetzer Hara that now is the time to enjoy yourselves and there will be time later to do Teshuva, learn Torah and perform Mitzvos. But now that we are old, we view ourselves as small children, as we still have not achieved in Torah and Mitzvos.