What does the Gemara mean by 'the end of authoritative rulings'?

Rashi: Earlier, the Gemara was not in any order - questions on the Mishnah were raised in the Beis Midrash or questions about a case that happened and each person would give their opinion. Rav Ashi and Ravina organized those discussions and placed them in the appropriate Masechta and Mishnah. They and their colleagues also asked relevant questions and gave suitable answers.

Rambam (Intro to Peirush haMishnayos): Ravina and Rav Ashi were the last of the Chachamim. After they passed away, anyone who followed them was not disagreeing with them; rather, they were explaining them.

How could giving the officer two cups of wine cause him damage? Does the Gemara not say in Pesachim 110b that there is no issue of twos for guests?

Ein Eliyahu: A guest is different as he is served the cups separately and does not expect a second one when he has the first. But here, the officer was served both at the same time.

The Kesef Mishnah (Hilchos Tumas Tzora'as 2:9) explains that the reason that the Rambam does not rule like this teaching of Rabbah about a 'leprous spot' is because of a further application of the principal of 'Lo Ba'shomayim Hi' - 'the Torah is not in Heaven'. We do not rule Halacha based on what was said when a person's soul was leaving him. But why would we not rule like that, if he made his ruling when he was still alive?

Chasam Sofer (Shut Orach Chaim 18): Rabbah died alone without anyone to hear his ruling. The Bas Kol (Heavenly voice) was also not heard by people, as it was the note that fell from Heaven that informed them of his death. Furthermore, even if it was heard, they would not have known which law the Bas Kol was referring to when it said 'Tahor'. Therefore, this story must have been seen in a dream or related by Eliyahu haNavi. So it is appropriate to say that 'Lo Bashomayim Hi', as we do not learn Halacha from Eliyahu or through a dream. (See Rashi Shabbos 108a dh -מאי אם יבא אליהו ויאמר - 'Heter and Issur do not depend on him, as 'Lo Bashomayim Hi').

What is the meaning of 'they did not know where he was'?

Many Meforshim: They did not know which way to praise him when they eulogized him, since he had so many different outstanding virtues.

How did they know, when seeing the birds shading with their wings, that it was the place where Rabbah's body was?

Maharsha: Birds do not usually hover in one place for very long. They saw that the birds were doing something unnatural and realized that they must been shading the body of Rabbah.

Maharal: Just as the Keruvim (Cherubs) rest above the Aron in the Mishkan and spread their wings out over it, so too the birds were shading with their wings over the body of Rabbah, who personified the contents of the Aron.

Tiferes Tzion P.412: (As stated above, when the Gemara said that they did not know where he was, it meant, with what aspect of Rabbah's greatness to begin to eulogize him.) When they saw the birds, who hover around, giving shade there, they understood that they should begin by praising Rabbah's efforts to bring people close, who were 'floating' in their observance of the Torah.

The Gemara in Moed Koton 27b states that eulogies should be made for seven days. Why did the people originally think that three days would suffice?

Yad Yosef (on Ein Yaakov): Since he was pursued by the government, he was considered to be one of the 'Herugei Malchus'. The people were concerned that the government would find out and it would endanger their lives. A second reason is that they thought that since they had eulogized for three days, both day and night, it was considered like six days of eulogy. The beginning of the next day would therefore be considered like part of the seventh day and they could then leave.

Why did Rabbah's death cause strong winds?

Toras Chaim: The Gemara in Chagigah 12b tells us,'What does the earth rest on? On the pillars...the pillars upon the waters...the waters upon the mountains...the mountains on the wind...the wind upon the storm...the storm is suspended on the arm of the Holy One, blessed is He'. Thus, the foundation of the world is the stormy wind. A Tzaddik is also the foundation of the world, as the Pasuk states (Mishlei 10:25), "but the righteous one is the foundation of the world." Therefore, on the day of death of the great Tzadikim, stormy winds are out of control, as if the world's foundations are collapsing (since one of the two foundations have been removed).

Was it really the prayer of the Arab that stopped the storms?

Ben Yehoyada: It was not actually his prayer that brought about the calming of the wind. Rather, it was orchestrated by Heaven in this way, in order to bring honor to Rabbah among the gentiles.

Rav Yechiel Michel Stern: Yes, as Hash-m listens even to the prayers of a gentile who prays genuinely to Him.

Why did the Gemara relate this story now?

Rashi, Tosfos: Since the Gemara earlier mentioned R. Elazar ben R. Shimon, who was very fat, a story is related about another fat man.

Mishnas Yosef: Since in the previous story, the Gemara had related that there was a strong, angry wind, it wanted to end the topic by discussing a pleasant, beneficial wind.

What is the significance of 'bundles of spikenard'?

Ben Yehoyada: (He understands that 'Naird' means roses.) It alludes to Chidushei Torah - novel understandings in Torah. Since the pleasant wind, that was sent by Hash-m, facilitated R. Shimon's ability to study Torah, he felt compelled to study with even greater effort and bring out novel concepts. Torah is compared to roses, in that their strong smell is far-reaching. Similarly, the Gemara tells us that when the Torah was given, the world was filled with sweet smelling spices. Furthermore, just as there are varied levels of rose petals and some smell more than others, so too there are different levels and types of Chidushei Torah.

How did Gurion ben Istion and R. Yitzchak expound from the Pasuk that it was not referring to the actual food?

Kli Yakar (of Rav Shmuel Laniado - Melachim I 5:2): The Pasuk said 'L'Yom Echad' and it should have said 'B'Yom Echad'. The letter Lamed indicates that those items were used to prepare the food for one day.

How did R. Yitzchak expound from the Pasuk that each of Shlomo haMelech's wives prepared a full banquet in her house?

Kli Yakar (ibid): Perhaps he understood it from the word 'Echad' - one, which is a seemingly an unnecessary word. It indicates that each of the wives prepared such a banquet.

What was the significance of Avraham running to the cattle, other than showing his alacrity in the Mitzvah of welcoming guests?

Pirkei D'R. Eliezer Chapter 36: When Avraham wanted to take a calf to slaughter, it ran away. He chased it to Ma'aras haMachpelah, where Adam and Chava were buried. Adam rose from his grave and advised Avraham to buy the cave as a burial plot (which he in fact did many years later after Sarah Imeinu died).

What is the central point of the disagreement between Rav and Shmuel about 'fattened fowl'?

Maharsha: Rav says that they are fatter if they are force-fed. Shmuel agrees, but holds that it is healthier and therefore better for a person to eat fowl that are naturally fat.

Why is R. Yochanan giving advice as to the best of the cattle and chicken? How is that of spiritual benefit to a person?

Maharal: He can therefore use them to show more honor to Shabbos and Yom Tov.

What is the significance of giving them mustard with the tongues?

Vilna Gaon (Pnei Aryeh): The Midrash (Zohar 102b) states that through the tree, Avraham Avinu was able to identify whether guests that came were upright or decadent people. (For the upright, the branches would bend and shelter them. For the decadent people, the branches would be vertical and not provide shade.) Upright people have three good traits - they love the poor, they live modestly and their hearts tremble for the word of Hash-m. These three are alluded to in the word בחרדל - 'in mustard'. 'בחר דל' - 'they chose the poor'; 'חדל רב' - 'they refrained from having a lot'; 'חרד לב' - 'they have a trembling heart'. Avraham gave them mustard to allude to these three traits.

R. Tanchum observed from the angels who pretended to eat, that one should never deviate from the local custom. If a guest arrives satisfied, would he need to eat in order not to deviate?! Since angels do not eat, they are like a guest who arrives satisfied, so why would they have been deviating by not eating?

Yismach Moshe (Parashas Bereishis, on 'ויאמר אלקים תדשא הארץ'): The way of the Tzadikim is to elevate the Divine Sparks contained in food, which gives them spiritual nourishment (even when they are already physically satisfied). Even though these were angels, not Tzadikim, who do not usually elevate Divine Sparks, they did so here in order not to deviate from the 'local' custom.

Where do we find that the water in the desert was given through a messenger?

Yalkut Eliezer Tehillim Perek 106: Hash-m told Moshe to speak to the rock. However, since Chazal tell us (Zohar Pinchas 232a) that Hash-m's Shechinah (Divine Presence) spoke through the throat of Moshe. Moshe knew that the water would need to come through a messenger. If he would speak to the rock, it would be Hash-m ordering the rock to give water, rather than it coming through a messenger. Therefore, Moshe hit the rock, so that he would be the messenger that brought the water. However, Chazal tell us that Moshe had become angry. Chazal also say that when a person becomes angry, the Shechinah leaves him (see Pesachim 66b). Therefore, there was no longer a need for Moshe to hit the rock and instead, he should have spoken to it.

Why does the Gemara state that the well, the cloud and the Mann came in Avraham's merit, when the Gemara in Taanis 9a states that they came in the merit of Miriam, Aharon and Moshe? (Maharsha)

Maharsha: Avraham's merit alone would have only brought them temporarily. But with the merit of Miriam, Aharon and Moshe, they came for 40 years.

Iyun Yaakov: Although it was all in the merit of Avraham, it could have come in the generation of the desert or in a later generation if his descendants. The reason it came in the generation of the desert was because of the merit of Miriam, Aharon and Moshe.

Etz Yosef citing Ramas Shmuel/ Torah Temimah (Bamidbar 20, Note 8): When the Gemara wrote, for example, that the well was in the merit of Miriam, it meant that Avraham merited to have a descendant, Miriam, in whose merit there was a well for Bnei Yisrael. The Gemara merely wrote it in a shortened form.

What did the angels mean when they said, 'Yishmael has already come from you'?

Rav Shlomo Kluger (Gevuros Shlomo Parshas Vayera P. 6a): The Gemara in Bava Basra 9b discusses a person who pursues charity. R. Nachman bar R. Yitzchak said that Hash-m will provide him with worthy people to receive his charity, so that he will be rewarded for it. R. Yehoshua ben Levi said that he will merit upstanding children. This means that a person who pursues charity will certainly either be sent worthy recipients of his charity or be given upstanding children. The angels were telling Avraham, that since he had Yishmael, who would not be an upstanding son, it must be that they are worthy people, rather than idolaters.

The Mitzvah of Hachnasas Orchim (hospitality) applies when there are guests that need help. But there is certainly no requirement to go and look for guests. So why did Avraham do so? Furthermore, the Mitzvah of Hachnasas Orchim was not even fulfilled here, since they were angels who did not need it. Why then, did he receive such great reward for it?

Rav Shlomo Heiman (MiShulchan Gavo'ah, Parshas Vayera): Avraham Avinu would constantly host people. Aside from his intent to perform the Mitzvah of Hachnasas Orchim, he also wished to teach others to be with the trait of Chesed and be benevolent to others. This intent applied even when the Mitzvah of Hachnasas Orchim did not technically apply. Therefore, he would always look for guests and he received great reward for every small effort he made, even though the angels did not need it.

Chazal tell us (Bereishis Rabah 50:2) that one angel cannot perform two missions. How then, could Michael go to rescue Lot, if he had come originally to announce Yitzchak's birth?

Tosfos: The limitation of performing two missions only applies in the same location. Here, they were done in two different places.

Maharal: One cannot answer that 'announcing' and 'rescuing are the same thing'. There are three types of angels. One type only comes for pure good, to do kindness (such as announce Yitzchak's birth and rescue Lot). Another type only comes for strict judgement and to destroy (such as overturning Sodom). A third type of angel is in between the others, as it comes to facilitate the normal way of the world (such as healing Avraham). So Chazal were referring to an angel performing two types of missions.