Surely there were many others in history who were very humble, such as Moshe Rabbeinu, Avraham Avinu and Dovid haMelech?

Ha'er Eineinu P. 163: The Gemara is referring to those who are not written explicitly in Pesukim. (But about Moshe, it states (Bamidbar 12:3), "Now this man Moses was exceedingly humble..." About Avraham, it states (Bereishis 18:27), "...although I am dust and ashes". About Dovid, it states (Tehillim 22:7), "But I am a worm and not a man".)

What prompted Rebbi to say 'suffering is precious'?

Rashi: He saw R. Elazar's body remain intact as a reward for his suffering.

Did Rebbi volunteer to receive suffering or was it caused by his own actions?

Maharsha: He volunteered, but ultimately, it did not come until the incident of the calf (that the Gemara will now relate).

Did Rebbi accept upon himself a specific number of years of suffering?

Maharshal: No, he merely accepted to receive suffering. The number of years were decided from Heaven because of the incident that occurred.

Maharsha: Yes, he accepted to have 13 years of suffering.

Was there any difference between the suffering of R. Elazar and of Rebbi?

Maharsha: R. Elazar's suffering was 'Yissurin Shel Ahavah'. As a result, R. Elazar asked that they leave him in the morning, so that he could learn Torah. (The Gemara in Berachos 5a tells us that Yissurin Shel Ahavah do not prevent a person from learning Torah.) But Rebbi's suffering did not stop in the morning, since it was not Yissurin Shel Ahavah.

Where do we find an allusion to the effect of the suffering of these two great Tzadikim?

Vilna Gaon (Kol Eliyahu - Tehillim 144): The Gemara taught that through all the years of R. Elazar's suffering, no one died before his time. Through all the years of Rebbi's suffering, the world did not need rain. The Pasuk says in Tehillim (144:14), "Our noble ones (lit. our cattle) are laden; there is neither breach nor outburst and there is no crying out in our streets". 'Our noble ones are laden' - this alludes to the suffering of these great sages. - 'Neither breach' - meaning that nobody dies early; 'nor outburst and no crying out in the streets' - there is no lack of rain, that would cause the Aron Kodesh to be taken out into the streets for a public outcry of prayer.'

How could Rebbe give Semichah to R. Yosi if he was unlearned?

Divrei Shmuel (P. 276): Perhaps he learned it from the Heavenly voice in the story in Avoda Zara 17a of Elazar ben Dordaya who had a similar background of promiscuity. When Elazar repented and died, a Heavenly voice referred to him as Rebbi Elazar. When Rebbe heard that, he commented that not only does Heaven accept a person's repentance, by they even call him 'Rebbe'.

Although we do not bury a Rasha near a Tzadik, we do bury two Tzadikim near each other, even if one was greater than the other. So why could R. Yosi not be buried near his father?

Rav A.L. Steinman (K'Ayil Ta'arog - Moadim P. 244-5): Although, as the Rambam explains (Hilchos Teshuva 3:2) we cannot discern with certainty who was greater, but in Heaven it is known and the snake was sent to prevent burying R. Yosi there. They thought that it was because there was a great difference in the righteousness of R. Elazar and R. Yosi, but the Heavenly voice said that the only difference is that R. Elazar suffered in the cave.

What does the Gemara mean by 'the Torah returns to its home'?

Iyun Yaakov: When the Gemara asked about the phrase 'מעתה ועד עולם' - 'from now and forever' it was questioning the need for the word 'from now'. Rav Yirmiyah answered that the Torah 'returns' to its home. The word 'returns' implies something that returns to its original state - even though there might be occasional breaks, if someone throws off the yoke of Torah, it will always return.

How did R. Zeira know that it was permitted for him to forget all of the Torah he had learned in Bavel, before he knew that he would successfully learn the Torah of Eretz Yisrael?

Divrei Shlomo (Chartkov - P.48): Perhaps he learned it from Avraham Avinu, who was told to leave his father's house and his birthplace. The Pasuk states in Tehillim (45:11), "Listen, daughter, and see, and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father's house". This also refers to the way of Divine service of Avraham while he was still in his birthplace. He needed to forget it all and begin serving Hash-m anew.

What is meant by 'they did not say blessings on the Torah before studying it'?

Rashi: By not reciting the blessing of 'Who chose us from all of the nations etc.", he shows that the Torah is not important to him.

Rambam (Shut Siman 135): They were lazy and did not want to get up to go and recite the blessing before reading the Torah in public. Alternatively, the Torah scholars were not careful with their honor (which represents the honor of the Torah itself) and they would allow the ignorant people to precede them in being called to the Torah.

Ran (Nedarim 81a): Torah was certainly studied, but not for its own sake (Lo Lishmah) This is expressed by saying that they did not say a blessing before studying it - it was not something dear to them.

We do not find Gemaros elsewhere where one Chacham asks a question to another and then answers it himself. Why did R. Yirmiyah do that there?

R. Yehoshua Pick of Berlin (Omer ha'Shichechah p. 14): Since the Gemara told us earlier (85a) that R. Zeira was known as 'Katin Karich Sakya' - lit. 'small, burnt-legs' as R. Zeira made himself small for Torah, R. Yirmiyah wanted to tell him this Drasha.

R. Yehoshua Pick of Berlin #2: Perhaps there is a mistake in the text and instead of the word 'אלא' - 'Rather', it should say 'א"ל' - 'He said to him' - meaning that R. Zeira did actually answer the question.

Why did R. Chiya go to the trouble of planting flax to make nets to trap the deer? Why did he not just buy deer or buy the nets to trap them?

Vilna Gaon (Mipi haShmu'ah): In order that the Torah not be forgotten from Yisrael, R. Chiya understood that the learning must be filled with great Kedushah, which would only come if the preparations for the learning were also done through the great sage himself.

Why was Rav Chaviva bar Surmakia healed when he told R. Chiya that he learned his Baraisos?

Ha'er Eineinu (P. 178): He explained to R. Chiya that when he had looked at R. Chiya's chariot, it was not out of mere curiosity. Rather, he had studied R. Chiya's Baraisos and wanted to see the one who taught them. This was for the sake of his Torah study, as when one sees one's teacher, one can understand his teachings better, as in the Pasuk (Yishayahu 30:20), "...and your eyes shall see your teacher".

Why did Eliyahu need to wash the hands of Avraham Avinu? Since he had already passed away, what kind of Tumah did he have?

Maharil citing Maharash MeVina: It was to teach that even if a person's hands are clean, he must wash them before Tefillah, because of the Pasuk (Amos 4:12), "Prepare to greet you G-d, Yisrael".

Why did the world tremble only when he arrived at the phrase, 'מחיה המתים' - 'Who revives the dead' which is at the end of the (second) Bracha (of the Shemoneh Esreh)? Surely he had already mentioned the concept at the beginning of the Bracha, with the words 'מחיה מתים אתה' - 'You revive the dead'?

Tosfos from Rabbeinu Tam: Resurrection of the dead will occur through a special dew (and dew is only mentioned after that first phrase of 'מחיה מתים אתה'. Furthermore, resurrection of the dead is primarily at the conclusion of the Bracha.

Ritva: The words 'מחיה מתים אתה' - 'You revive the dead', do not refer to resurrection of the dead. They refer to reviving those who are at the gates of death. It is only the phrase at the end of the Bracha that refers to the actual resurrection of the dead.

Ben Yehoyada: R. Chiya was leading the prayers and his sons were standing with him. They were listening to him, but at the end of the Brocha, when he recited those words and they actually answered 'Amen', it was as if they were all reciting them.

What is the significance of the fiery bear?

Maharsha: It was the Ministering Angel of the nation of Persia. It came to disturb their prayers and inform them that the time for Moshiach and the redemption from the nation of Persia had not yet arrived.

Why is the great sage Shmuel referred to as Shmuel Yarchina'ah?

Rashi: (The name Yarchina'ah refers to the moon.) He was an expert in calculating the renewal of the moon.

Ben Yehoyada: Those Chachamim who received Semichah were similar to the sun, but Shmuel did not receive Semicha, so he was only similar to the moon.

Orach Yesharim citing Oneg Yom Tov: Shmuel had studied other wisdoms (such as astronomy) in the bathroom. He was concerned that if he would be called Rebbe, people would use him as an example in order to justify studying other wisdoms (in a prohibited way).

What is the 'Book of Adam haRishon'?

Lechem Shlomo: Shmuel saw it when he pondered the Heavens and its systems. Shmuel ascribed this knowledge to Adam haRishon, who had great knowledge of these things, as if he had read it in Adam's own book.

Ben Yehoyada: The Gemara in Avoda Zara 5a relates that the 'Book' means that Hash-m showed Adam haRishon each future generation and its sages and leaders. In a dream, Shmuel was shown an image of the book and he saw in it that he would not receive Semichah. He was shown this so that he would not overly exert himself to receive Semichah and he would not be upset that he did not receive it.

Ein Eliyahu: The Zohar teaches that Adam was given knowledge of Chochmas haPartzuf (the ability to understand the depths of a person from his facial features). King Shlomo knew this wisdom. Shmuel also attained this wisdom and this is what he was referring to.