1)

(a)Rav Yehudah states that someone who eats three measures of Chiltis on an empty stomach - will develop a high fever, which in turn, will cause his skin to fall off.

(b)Rebbi Avahu claimed that this is almost what happened to him after eating one measure. He quoted the Pasuk in Koheles "ve'ha'Chochmah Techayeh Ba'alehah" - after avoiding the consequences by sitting in cold water.

(c)Rav Yosef says that someone who eats sixteen eggs, four nuts, seven grains of a caper bush and then drinks a Revi'is of honey, all on an empty stomach, in mid-summer - will (literally) lose his heart.

2)

(a)When a deer arrived in the Resh Galusa's house with its hind legs almost completely severed - Rav examined the Tzomes ha'Gidin and after finding them intact, declared it Kasher.

(b)He intended to salt it well and eat it slightly roasted.

(c)Shmuel queried Rav's ruling - because he suspected that the deer might have been bitten by a snake (and was therefore dangerous to eat).

(d)He therefore suggested that Rav examine it - by placing it on the oven, which he did, and the deer fell to pieces.

(e)When Shmuel applied to Rav the Pasuk in Mishlei "Lo Ye'uneh la'Tzadik Kol Aven" (No harm will befall a Tzadik), the latter responded with the Pasuk "Kol Raz Lo Anis lach" (meaning that all the secrets were revealed to Shmuel).

3)

(a)The signs of Beheimos and Chayos our Mishnah states, are given in the Torah, whereas those of birds are not (though in fact, the Rabbanan did gave signs).

(b)According to the Tana Kama, the one sign that proves that a bird is Tamei (T'reifah) is that - it is Doreis (lifts its prey off the ground as it eats it [see also Rabeinu Gershom and Tosfos 61a DH 'ha'Doreis']).

(c)Every bird with an extra claw and a crop - and whose Kurkevan (stomach [craw]) peels off, is Tahor.

(d)The extra claw is situated - at the back of the foot, slightly higher than the other claws.

(e)According to Rebbi Elazar b'Rebbi Tzadok, a bird parting its feet (as will be explained in the Sugya) - also determines that it is Tamei.

4)

(a)Kasher locusts possess four signs. They must have four legs, four wings and jumping legs - and its wings must cover its body.

(b)Rebbi Yossi adds to this that - it must also be called a Chagav.

(c)Regarding a Kasher fish, the Tana Kama requires ...

1. ... S'napir - a fin, and ...

2. ... Kaskeses - a scale.

(d)Rebbi Yehudah requires - one fin but at least two scales.

5)

(a)The Beraisa gives the Simanim of a Beheimah. Initially, the Tana says that any animal that chews its cud - has no upper teeth and is Kasher.

(b)We answer the Kashya from a camel, which chews its cud and has no upper teeth, yet it is Tamei - by establishing that it does have Nivi (either two large teeth, or gums).

(c)We nevertheless refute the initial version of the Beraisa from ...

1. ... a young camel - which chews its cud and has neither regular upper teeth, nor Nivi, yet it is Tamei.

2. ... a rabbit and a hare - which chew their cud, yet they have upper teeth and are Tamei.

(d)And besides - how can the Tana present no upper teeth as a major sign of Tum'ah, when the Torah says nothing about them?

6)

(a)We therefore amend the Beraisa to read that - if an animal has no upper teeth, it means that it chews its cud and has cloven hooves, and is therefore Kasher (provided one recognizes a young camel (Tosfos DH 'be'Yadu'a').

(b)We cite Rav Chisda to explain why one cannot simply examine the animal's hooves. Rav Chisda states that if someone who is traveling in a desert - comes across an animal with its feet severed, he examines its mouth. In the event that is has no upper teeth, one can take for granted that it chews its cud and that it had cloven hooves.

(c)However, one can only rely on this Bedikah - if one recognizes a young camel (which chews its cud and has no upper teeth, even though it is Tamei).

(d)We know that there is no other Tamei species that chews its cud and has no upper teeth - because a young camel is the only Tamei species that fits this bill (as we will now see).

7)

(a)Tana de'bei Rebbi Yishmael learns from the word "Hu" (in the Pasuk in Shemini "ve'es ha'Gamal ki Ma'aleh Geirah Hu")that - the camel is the only Tamei species that chews its cud (see Tosfos DH 'Ein Lecha').

(b)Rav Chisda also says that if someone is traveling in a desert and comes across an animal whose mouth is cut off - he examines its feet. If the hooves are fully cloven, then the animal is Kasher.

(c)One must however, be wary of the possibility that the animal is a Chazir, which has fully cloven hooves, yet it is Tamei.

(d)To answer the Kashya that perhaps it is another species of Tamei animal whose hooves are fully cloven, we again cite Tana de'bei Rebbi Yishmael, who learns from the word "Hu" (in the Pasuk in Shemini "ve'es ha'Chazir ki Mafris Parsah Hu)" that - the Chazir is the only species of Tamei animal that has fully cloven hooves.

8)

(a)Rav Chisda states further that someone who is traveling in the desert and comes across an animal whose feet and mouth have been cut off - should examine its skin, to see whether it runs in two direction (part of it peels vertically and part of it horizontally).

(b)He must search - on its upper leg underneath the thigh-bone.

(c)He needs to be wary however, of the fact that it might be an Arod - a wild ass (whose skin runs in two directions, yet is Tamei).

(d)This latter Siman of Rav Chisda is based on a Kabalah (tradition) of Chazal - who knew that there is no other species of Tamei animal that possesses it.

9)

(a)The Beraisa gives the Simanim of a Chayah. This appears to be unnecessary - because a Chayah has the same Simanim of Kashrus as a Beheimah.

(b)The Tana nevertheless see fit to do so - in order to permit the animal's Cheilev (which would be Asur if it was a Beheimah).

(c)The two basic Simanim of a Chayah are - elongated hoofs (see Rosh, Siman 57) and horns.

(d)According to Rebbi Dosa - the Siman of horns will suffice on its own.

(e)He also says that even though a Chayah called Keresh - possesses only one horn, its Chelev is permitted.

10)

(a)To answer the Kashya from ...

1. ... a goat, whose hooves are elongated too, we also require the horns of a Chayah to be K'ruchos - layered.

2. ... an ox, whose horns are layered too, we also require them to be Charukos - notched.

3. ... a goat, whose horns are notched as well, we also require them to be Mefutzolos - forked.

4. ... an ibex (a wild goat) whose horns are not forked, yet its Cheilev is permitted, we add Chaduros - pointed to the list of requirements.

(b)We reject the wording 'Haduros' (round [Maharsha) - because K'ruchos incorporates round. Note, having explained that a goat's horns are wide and not round, Rashi appears to have contradicted what he said earlier, that the horns of a goat are K'ruchos.

(c)The third Kashya ('ve'Harei Eiz de'Charukos') is not really a Kashya - because we could have answered that the previous answer (of K'ruchos', which also precludes a goat) has not been negated, as the Kashya assumed.

(d)We qualify the Siman of notched (Charukos) - to mean literally full of notches (with one notch going into the other).

11)

(a)Consequently, there are two Simanim by which one can identify a Chayah by its horns. It will suffice - if the horns are forked (since there is no Beheimah with forked horns).

(b)The alternative Siman is - notched (to preclude the possibility of it being an ox), and layered and pointed (to preclude a goat and an Iza Karkoz [which we will now discuss]).

12)

(a)The problem concerning the species Iza Karkoz, whose horns are pointed and full of notches - is that we are not sure that, since it is called Iza (a goat [see Rashash]), whether it is a species of Beheimah (whose Cheilev is forbidden) or a Chayah.

(b)When the Resh Galusa's household obtained a basket-full of Cheilev from am Iza Karkoz, Rav Acha'i forbade it. Rebbi Shmuel b'rei de'Rebbi Avahu - ate some of it ...

(c)... quoting the Pasuk in Mishlei "mi'Pri Pi Ish Tisba Bitni" - (by which he meant that he had carefully noted the oral tradition that permits it) to justify what he did.

(d)We conclude that the Halachah is like Rebbi Shmuel b'rei de'Rebbi Avahu, but add that - one should treat Rebbi Acha'i's opinion with respect (and not eat it in front of him), because he enlightened the people in Galus with his Torah.

13)

(a)Rav Yehudah describes the Keresh (possibly a one-horned deer or a giraffe) as the deer of Bei Ila'i forest, and a Tigris - as the lion of bei Ila'i forest.

(b)According to Rav Yosef, the distance between one Una and the next of the Tigris is nine Amos. The total length (or the length of the skin) of the Keresh is - sixteen Amos.

(c)The Emperor of Rome asked Rebbi Yehoshua what was so special about the Pasuk in Amos comparison of Hash-m to a roaring lion - when a strong man riding a horse is able to kill a lion.

(d)The latter replied - that the Pasuk is not referring to an ordinary lion, but to Aryeh de'bei Ila'i.

14)

(a)When the Emperor insisted that he shows him the Aryeh de'bei Ila'i - Rebbi Yehoshua Davened, and sure enough it began to move in their direction.

(b)When the beast roared at a distance of ...

1. ... four hundred Parsah - all the pregnant women miscarried and the walls of Rome fell.

2. ... three hundred Parsah - all the men of Rome's teeth fell out and the emperor fell off his throne.

(c)The Emperor reacted - by asking Rebbi Yehoshua to Daven for it to return to its place ...

(d)... which it did.