[85a - 52 lines; 85b - 51 lines]
1)[line 1]ובני בתירהBNEI BESEIRAH- Rebbi Yehoshua, Rebbi Shimon, and Rebbi Yehudah, the children of Beseirah, one of whom was the Nasi, all of whom could not recall the Halachah of whether slaughtering the Korban Pesach is permitted on Shabbos. They implored that if anyone knows the Halachah, he should come forth at once, and they were directed to Hillel ha'Bavli, who revealed the forgotten Halachah. As a result, the Bnei Beseirah stepped down from their post as Nesi'im and appointed Hillel (who was also from the family of David ha'Melech) in their place, as the Gemara recounts in Pesachim 66a (see MAHARSHA ibid.).
2)[line 3]הושיבוהו בראש ומינוהו לנשיא עליהןHOSHIVUHU BA'ROSH U'MINUHU L'NASI ALEIHEN- they appointed him as the Rosh Yeshiva and designated him to be the Nasi over them
3)[line 5]לְמִשׁנֶהMISHNEH- viceroy; second-in-command
4)[line 6]דחזא דגריר עלמא בתר דודD'CHAZA D'GARIR ALMA BASAR DAVID- he saw that the people were following David
5)[line 8]תליסר שניTELEISAR SHENEI- thirteen years [of afflictions]
6a)[line 8]בצמירתאTZEMIRTA- bladder stones
b)[line 9]בצפרנאTZAPARNA- thrush
7)[line 9]אהורייריה דבי רביAHURYAREI D'VEI REBBI- the stable-keeper of Rebbi
8a)[line 9]הוה עתירHAVAH ATIR- was wealthier (from selling the dung of Rebbi's stables as fertilizer - TOSFOS)
b)[line 10]משבור מלכאMI'SHEVOR MALKA- than King Shapur II, the king of Persia (ruled 309-379 CE, during the Sassanid Dynasty)
9)[line 10]כד הוה רמי כיסתא לחיותאKAD HAVAH RAMI KISESA L'CHEIVASA- when he threw fodder to the animals
10)[line 12]נחותי ימאNECHUSEI YAMA- (lit. those who go down to sea) people on boats in the Mediterranean Sea
11)[line 14]דההוא עגלא דהוו קא ממטו ליה לשחיטהD'HA'HU EGLA D'HAVU KA MAMTU LEI LI'SHECHITAH- there was a certain calf who was being led to the slaughter
12)[line 15]אזל תליא לרישיה בכנפיה דרביAZAL, TALYA L'REISHEI B'CHANFEI D'REBBI- it went and stuck its head under Rebbi's coattails
13)[line 17]הוה קא כנשא אמתיה דרבי ביתאHAVAH KA KANSHA AMSEI D'REBBI BEISA- Rebbi's maidservant was sweeping the house
14)[line 17]הוה (שדיא) [שדיין] בני כרכושתאHAVAH (SHADYA) [SHADYAN] BENEI KARKUSHTA- baby weasels were lying there [in a corner, and she was about to sweep them out]
15)[line 18]שבקינהוSHAVKINHU- leave them alone
16)[line 19]לא שכיב איניש בלא זמניהLO SHACHIV INISH B'LO ZIMNEI- no one died before his time
17a)[line 20]קשי יומא דמיטראKASHEI YOMA D'MITRA- a rainy day is as difficult (since people are prevented from going out to buy provisions or engage in their livelihood - RASHI to Ta'anis 8b)
b)[line 21]כיומא דדינאK'YOMA D'DINA- as the days on which the courts are convened (in which there is much loud noise and difficult situations - RASHI ibid.)
18a)[line 22]כי הוו עקרי פוגלא ממשראKI HAVU AKREI PUGLA MI'MEISHRA- when people would pull out a radish from a row [in a vegetable patch]
b)[line 22]הוה קיימא בירא מליא מיאHAVAH KAIMA BEIRA MALYA MAYA- there would be a small well of water in the hole that was left in the ground
19)[line 23]איקלע רבי לאתריה דרבי אלעזר בר' שמעוןIKLA REBBI L'ASREI D'REBBI ELAZAR B'REBBI SHIMON- Rebbi visited the city of Rebbi Elazar b'Rebbi Shimon
20)[line 24]אתייה, אסמכיה ברביASYEI, ASMECHEI B'REBBI- he came and gave him Semichah as a Rabbi
21)[line 25]ואשלמיהV'ASHLEMEI- he handed him over for tutorial and guidance
22)[line 26]לקרייתי אנא איזילL'KIRYASI ANA EIZIL- I want to return to my hometown
23)[line 26]חכים עבדו יתךCHAKIM AVDU YASACH- You will become a Sage
24)[line 26]וגולתא דדהבא פרסו עלךV'GOLSA D'DAHAVA PARSU ALACH- and the people will adorn you with (lit. spread over you) a gold-trimmed cloak
25)[line 27]מומי, עזובה דא!MOMEI, AZUVAH DA!- I swear that I am abandoning this [desire of mine to interrupt my studies]!
26)[line 34]בצער מערהTZA'AR ME'ARAH- anguish of living in a cave [for thirteen years] (Shabbos 33b)
27)[line 36]שהיה מקפח את בניוSHE'HAYAH MEKAPE'ACH ES BANAV- who would often curse himself saying, "May I bury my sons...!"
28)[line 38]נסבהNASVAH- he married her
29)[line 40]"... אִם תָּשׁוּב, וַאֲשִׁיבְךָ, לְפָנַי תַּעֲמוֹד... וְאִם תּוֹצִיא יָקָר מִזּוֹלֵל, כְּפִי תִהְיֶה""... IM TASHUV, VA'ASHIVECHA, LIFANAI TA'AMOD… V'IM TOTZI YAKAR MI'ZOLEL, K'FI SIHEYEH..."- "[Therefore thus says HaSh-m,] 'If you return, then I will bring you back, and you shall stand before me, and if you take out the precious from the vile, you shall be as My mouth; [let them return to you, but do not return to them].'" (Yirmeyahu 15:19)
30)[line 44]אני ערב לך בדבר זהANI AREV LECHA B'DAVAR ZEH- I am your guarantor in this matter
31)[line 45]תורה מחזרת על אכסניא שלהTORAH MECHAZERES AL ACHSANYA SHELAH- Torah returns to its place of lodging (i.e. to the family that upholds Torah scholarship and values)
32)[line 50]שגר תנוראSHAGAR TANURA- he lit the oven
33)[line 50]סליק ויתיב בגויהSALIK V'YASIV B'GAVEI- he went into it (the oven) and sat there
34)[line 50]ולא הוה שלטא ביה נוראV'LO HAVAH SHALTA BEI NURA- the fire would not affect him
35)[line 51]ואיחרכו שקיהICHARCHU SHAKEI- his knees were burned
36)[last line]"מִי הָאִישׁ הֶחָכָם וְיָבֵן אֶת זֹאת, וַאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר פִּי ה' אֵלָיו וְיַגִּידָהּ, עַל מָה אָבְדָה הָאָרֶץ [נִצְּתָה כַמִּדְבָּר מִבְּלִי עֹבֵר?]""MI HA'ISH HE'CHACHAM V'YAVEIN ES ZOS, VA'ASHER DIBER PI HASH-M ELAV V'YAGIDAH? AL MAH AVDAH HA'ARETZ, [NITZESAH CHA'MIDBAR MI'BELI OVER]?"- "Who is the wise man, that may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of HaSh-m has spoken, that he may declare it? Why was the land destroyed [and burned up like a wilderness, that none passes through it]?" (Yirmeyahu 9:11)
85b----------------------------------------85b
37)[line 1]אמרו חכמים ולא פירשוהוAMRU CHACHAMIM V'LO PIRSHUHU- The Chachamim were asked this question (Why was the land destroyed?) and they could not answer it
38)[line 3]"וַיֹּאמֶר ה', עַל עָזְבָם אֶת תּוֹרָתִי אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לִפְנֵיהֶם...""VA'YOMER HASH-M, 'AL AZVAM ES TORASI ASHER NASATI LIFNEIHEM...'"- "And HaSh-m said, 'Because they have forsaken My Torah which I set before them, [and have not obeyed My voice, nor walked in it].'" (Yirmeyahu 9:12)
39)[line 4]שלא ברכו בתורה תחילהSHE'LO BERCHU BA'TORAH TECHILAH- they did not say the blessing before their Torah learning (the Gemara learns this from the word "Lifneihem" in the verse) (See Insights to the Daf here and to Nedarim 81a. See MAHARSHA to Nedarim ibid. for an alternate explanation.)
40)[line 6]"בְּלֵב נָבוֹן תָּנוּחַ חָכְמָה, וּבְקֶרֶב כְּסִילִים תִּוָּדֵעַ""B'LEV NAVON TANU'ACH CHOCHMAH, UV'KEREV KESILIM TIVADE'A"- "Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding; but that which is in the midst of fools is made known." (Mishlei 14:33) - The Gemara interprets "that which is in the midst of fools" as a Talmid Chochom who is the son of an Am ha'Aretz, i.e. "the one who is in the midst of [a family of] fools."
41)[line 9]אסתירא בלגינא קיש קיש קריאISTIRA B'LAGINA KISH KISH KARYA- one Istira coin (also known as a Sela Medinah, equal to half of a Dinar) in a bottle makes a lot of noise (lit. calls out "Kish!" "Kish!")
42)[line 11]"קָטֹן וְגָדוֹל שָׁם הוּא, וְעֶבֶד חָפְשִׁי מֵאֲדֹנָיו""KATON V'GADOL SHAM HU, V'EVED CHOFSHI ME'ADONAV"- "The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master." (Iyov 3:19) - In the context of the verse, Iyov is referring to death and the grave. Rebbi Zeira interprets the verse homiletically as referring to the World to Come. As such, he reads it as, "The one who makes himself small (humble), with regard to the words of the Torah, will become great there (the World to Come); and the one who makes himself as if a slave with regard to the words of the Torah, will be free from his master (the Yetzer ha'Ra, which can becomes a "master" over a person in This World, and is also the Angle of Death - Bava Basra 16a). (See the MAHARSHA, who interprets Rebbi Zeira's words such that the verse refers to David ha'Melech and Moshe Rabeinu, respectively.)
43)[line 15]הוה מציין מערתא דרבנןHAVAH METZAYEIN ME'ARASA D'RABANAN- he was marking the ground under which there were burial caves of the Rabanan, so that no Kohanim would become Tamei by being Ma'ahil over those graves
44)[line 16]איעלמא מיניהI'ALMA MINEI- it (its location) was hidden from him
45)[line 18]לא ריבצתLO RIBATZTA- you did not disseminate
46)[line 18]מינצוMINTZU- quarreling
47)[line 19]מהדרנא לה מפילפוליMEHADRANA LAH MI'PILPULI- I would be able to recover it with my erudition
48)[line 20]דעבדי לתורה דלא תשתכח מישראלAVDI LA'TORAH SHE'LO SISHTAKE'ACH MI'YISRAEL- I made sure that the Torah would not be forgotten
49)[line 21]מאי עבידנא?MAI AVIDNA?- What did I do [and am continuing to do]?
50)[line 21]ושדינא כיתנאSHADINA KISNA- I plant (lit. throw [into the ground]) flax [seed]
51)[line 21]וגדילנא נישביV'GADILNA NISHBEI- I twist [the flax into cords and make] nets [out of it]
52)[line 22]וציידנא טביV'TZAYADNA TAVEI- and I catch deer
53)[line 22]ואריכנא מגילתאARICHNA MEGILASA- and I prepare parchment [for scrolls from the hides of the deer]
54)[line 23]וסליקנא למתאV'SALIKNA L'MASA- and I go into a town
55)[line 23]ומקרינא חמשה ינוקי בחמשה חומשיU'MAKRINA CHAMISHAH YENUKEI B'CHAMISHAH CHUMSHEI- and I teach five young boys the five books [of the Torah, one book to each boy]
56)[line 24]עד דהדרנא ואתינא, אקרו אהדדי ואתנו אהדדי; ועבדי לה לתורה דלא תשתכח מישראלAD D'HADRANA V'ASINA, AKRU A'HADADEI V'ASNU A'HADADEI; V'AVDI LAH LA'TORAH D'LO SISHTAKE'ACH MI'YISRAEL- Until I come back, teach verses one to another and teach each Seder of Mishnayos one to another, and through this I have made it that the Torah will not be forgotten from the Jewish People
57)[line 28]אצל מי אתה תקוע?ETZEL MI ATAH TAKU'A?- Next to whom do you abide [in the World to Come, for Eternity]?
58)[line 30]באתר דזקוקין דנורא ובעורין דאשאB'ASAR DI'ZEKUKIN D'NURA U'VE'RUIN D'ESHA- in a place where there are sparks of fire and flaming torches
59)[line 31]בר נפחאBAR NAFCHA- Rebbi Yochanan, who was called Bar Nafcha because (a) his father was a blacksmith, and Bar Nafcha literally means "son of the smith"; (RASHI to Sanhedrin 96a, in the name of his teacher) (b) he was called this because of his remarkable beauty (RASHI ibid., in the name of other scholars)
60)[line 33]דמיין כדמיקלין בנוראDAMYAN KED'MIKLIN B'NURA- that seemed to have been burned by fire
61)[line 34]למתיבתא דרקיעMESIVTA D'RAKI'A- the "Heavenly Yeshiva," the dwellings of the Sages in the World to Come
62)[line 35]מגוהרקאGUHARKA- a golden chair (ARUCH)
63)[line 36]אזלי מלאכי כי סלקי ונחתיAZLEI MAL'ACHEI KI SALKEI V'NACHASEI- Heavenly Angels escort it when it goes up and down [on its way to each Sage's dwelling]
64)[line 36]לברL'VAR- except
65)[line 36]דמנפשיה סליק ונחיתD'MI'NAFSHEI SALIK V'NACHIS- he goes up and down [on his way to his dwelling] by himself
66)[line 37]לא מצאי לאוקמא אנפשאיLO MATZA'I L'UKMA A'NAFSHA'I- I could not hold myself back
67)[line 37]בוטיטי דנוראBUTITEI D'NURA- sparks of fire
68)[line 38]ומחיוהו לההוא גבראU'MACHYUHU L'HA'HU GAVRA- they hit that man (i.e. me)
69)[line 38]וסמינהו לעיניהV'SAMINHU L'EINEI- and they blinded his (i.e. my) eyes
70)[line 38]אשתטחי אמערתיהISHTATCHI A'ME'ARTEI- I prostrated myself on his burial cave
71)[line 39]אמינא "מתנייתא דמר מתנינא"AMINA, "MASNAISA D'MAR MASNINA"- "I am constantly learning the Master's Tosefta"
72)[line 39]ואתסאיV'ITSA'I- and I was healed
73)[line 40]ריש ירחא הוהREISH YARCHA HAVAH- it happened to be Rosh Chodesh
74)[line 40]נגה ליה ולא אתאNAGAH LEI V'LO ASA- (lit. it was late for him and he did not come) he was late in coming
75)[line 41]אדאוקימנא לאברהםAD'UKIMNA L'AVRAHAM- [it took some time] until I woke up Avraham Avinu
76)[line 41]ומשינא ידיהU'MASHINA YADEI- and I washed his hands
77)[line 41]ומצליU'MATZLI- and he prayed
78)[line 41]ומגנינא ליהU'MAGNINA LEI- and I put him back to sleep
79)[line 42]סבריSAVREI- [in Heaven] they reason
80)[line 42]תקפי ברחמיTAKFEI B'RACHAMEI- they will ask for mercy in an extreme, forceful manner
81)[line 44]ומייתי ליה למשיח בלא זמניהU'MAISEI LEI L'MASHI'ACH B'LO ZIMNEI- and they will bring down Mashi'ach before his time [to come has arrived]
82)[line 44]ונשבה זיקאNASHVAH ZIKA- a wind started to blow
83)[line 45]ואתא מיטראASA MITRA- it started to rain
84)[line 45]רגש עלמאRAGASH ALMA- the world shook
85)[line 46]מאן גלי רזיא בעלמא?MAN GALI RAZYA B'ALMA?- "Who has revealed the secret in the [physical[ world?"
86)[line 46]מחיוהו שתין פולסי דנוראMACHYUHU SHITIN PULSEI D'NURA- they hit him with sixty pulses of fire
87)[line 47]אידמי להו כדובא דנוראIDMI LEHU K'DUBA D'NURA- he appeared to them as a bear of fire
88)[line 47]שמואל ירחינאהSHMUEL YARCHINA'AH- Mar Shmuel bar Aba, the Amora, contemporary of Rav
89)[line 48]אסייה דרבי הוהASYEI D'REBBI HAVAH- he was Rebbi's doctor
90)[line 48]חלשCHALASH- he became ill
91)[line 48]אימלי לך סמאIMLI LACH SAMA- I will put [medicinal drops] into your eye
92)[line 49]אשטר לך משטרASHTAR LACH MISHTAR- I will spread [medicinal cream on your eye]
93)[line 49]הוה מותיב ליה (ב)גובתא דסמני תותי בי סדיהHAVAH MOSIV LEI (B')GUVSA D'SAMANEI TUSEI BEI SADYEI- he [secretly] placed a hollow reed containing the medicine under his pillow
94)[line 50]הוה קא מצטער רבי למסמכיהHAVAH KA MITZTA'ER REBBI L'MISMECHEI- Rebbi distressed himself with his efforts to grant Shmuel Semichah (Rabbinical authority, ordination)
95)[line 50]ולא הוה מסתייעא מילתאV'LO HAVAH MISTAYA MILSA- they did not receive Seyata d'Shemaya (help from Heaven) with the matter. Each time he tried, an emergency came up, or the Rabanan who were necessary were not available.
96)[last line]סיפרא דאדם הראשוןSIFRA D'ADAM HA'RISHON- the "Book of Adam," in which HaSh-m recorded for Adam the leaders and Sages of all of the generations