1)
(a)What is a dish of beet-roots good for, and how well should they be cooked?
(b)What did Rava mean when he said that he was like Ben Azai in the markets of Teverya?
(c)What did Rava answer when he was asked what quantity of apples was required for an Eruv? (Note: the Sugya is speaking about wild apples - Hagahos Oshri Siman 1. See also Tosfos 27b end of DH 'Aval').
1)
(a)A dish of beet-roots is good for - the heart and the eyes, and certainly for the intestines - provided it is very-well cooked.
(b)None of his contemporaries were quite as sharp as Ben-Azai, who used to expound in the market-places of Teverya. When Rava compared himself to him, he simply meant to say that he was in a good mood, and that so lucid was he mind, that he was ready to tackle the most difficult problems.
(c)When Rava was asked what quantity of apples was required for an Eruv - he replied 'Since when are apples eligible to be used for an Eruv?'
2)
(a)What does the Beraisa mean when it writes: 'Kol ha'Ochlin Mitztarfin Lifsol es ha'Gevi'ah'?
(b)Why is the fact that the Beraisa says 'Kol ha'Ochlin' (which seems to include apples) not a Kashya on Rava - who says that apples cannot be used for an Eruv)?
(c)The Beraisa continues 'u've'Mazon Shtei Se'udos le'Eruv, u'che'Beitzah Letamei Tum'as Ochlin'. How does that disprove Rava
(d)So what is the quantity of apples required for an Eruv?
2)
(a)When the Beraisa writes: 'Kol ha'Ochlin Mitztarfin Lifsol es ha'Gevi'ah' - it means that even though food cannot transmit Tum'ah to a human by physical contact, the Rabbanan nevertheless decreed Tum'ah on someone who eats two Ke'Beitzim of Tamei food, to invalidate him from eating Terumah if he is a Kohen.
(b)The Mishnah of 'Kol ha'Ochlin Mitztarfin Lifsol es ha'Gevi'ah' - is not a Kashya on Rava - because, as we have already learnt, no principle is absolute, there are always exceptions, so 'Kol ha'Ochlin', could well be exclusive of apples.
(c)From the Beraisa however, which continues 'u've'Mazon Shtei Se'udos le'Eruv, u'che'Beitzah Letamei Tum'as Ochlin' - we see that whatever is Metamei Tum'as Ochlin' is also considered a food as regards making an Eruv. Consequently, apples, which are regarded as a food with regard to the former, should also be regarded a food with regard to the latter.
(d)The quantity of apples required for an Eruv - is a Kav (twenty-four egg-volumes).
3)
(a)The Beraisa gives the Shi'ur of various foods: an eighth of a Lug of spices, a Lug of vegetables, ten nuts and five peaches, two pomegranates and one Esrog. Which two areas of Halachah does this concern?
(b)The Gemara assumes that the Shi'ur of apples should be equivalent to that of Afarsekin. Why, in fact, are they not?
(c)The Mishnah in Pe'ah lists the minimum quantities of a. grain, and b. liquids of Ma'aser Oni that one is obligated to give to a poor man: a. half a Kav of wheat, a Kav of barley, one a half Kabin of spelt, a Kav of dried figs, or a Manah (weight) of pressed ones; b. a Lug of wine and a quarter of a Lug of oil. Which two commodities are not eligible to be used for an Eruv?
(d)Seeing as Rav's statement 've'Chen le'Eruv' applies equally, in most cases, to the Beraisa (quoted in a.) as it does to this Mishnah, why was Rav Yosef so upset with Rav Menasheh bar Seguvli for actually quoting it on the Beraisa?
3)
(a)The Shi'urim of Spices, vegetables and fruit given by the Beraisa - concern Ma'aser Ani, and the Gemara adds 've'Chen le'Eruv'.
(b)The Shi'ur of (wild) apples is not equivalent to that of peaches - because whereas the latter are Chashuv, the former are not.
(c)Wheat and barley are not eligible to be used for an Eruv.
(d)Rav Yosef was upset with Rav Menasheh bar Seguvli for quoting Rav's statement on the Beraisa - because Rav also said 'Me'arvin bi'Shtei Revi'i'os shel Yayin', which is the equivalent to the Shi'ur given by the Mishnah (a clear indication that Rav was referring to the Mishnah, and not to the Beraisa - especially as there is another Shi'ur for wine, as we shall soon see.
4)
(a)What did Rabah tell Rav Yosef, when he contended that, when two foods combine for an Eruv, each must consist of at least enough for one meal?
(b)How do we reconcile Rav, who requires half a Lug of wine for an Eruv, with the Beraisa, which gives the Shi'ur as enough to soak one's bread in?
(c)The Shi'ur for vinegar that is needed for an Eruv is enough for dipping in vegetables for two meals. What are the two interpretations of 'vegetables for two meals'?
4)
(a)When Rav Yosef stated that, when two foods combine for an Eruv, each must consist of at least enough for one meal Rabah retorted - that even if it is only a half, a third or a quarter (of a meal, it will suffice).
(b)The Beraisa, which gives the Shi'ur for wine as 'enough to soak one's bread in' - is referring to boiled wine; Rav, who gives the Shi'ur as half a Lug, to wine that has not been boiled.
(c)Some say that the quantity of vinegar that is required, is sufficient to dip two full meals of vegetables, others explain that it refers to the amount of vegetables that are normally eaten in the course of two meals.
5)
(a)How do we reconcile Rebbi Shimon ben Elazar in one Beraisa, who includes onions among the commodities that are eligible to be used for an Eruv, and the same Tana, in another Beraisa, quoting Rebbi Meir, who disqualifies them?
(b)Under which two conditions are onion-leaves not dangerous?
(c)What happened to Rebbi Chanina, when he ate half an onion with half its poison?
5)
(a)When, in the first Beraisa, Rebbi Shimon ben Elazar includes onions among the commodities that are eligible to be used for an Eruv - he is referring to the actual onions themselves; whereas in the second Beraisa, when in the name of Rebbi Meir, he disqualifies them, he is referring to the peels, which are not Chashuv because they are not good to eat - even dangerous.
(b)Onion-leaves of onions that have grown to the size of a Zeres (half a Tefach) are not dangerous, nor are they dangerous if one drank beer after eating them - whatever size the onions.
(c)When Rebbi Chanina (ben Dosa - Agados Maharsha) ate half an onion with half its poison - he nearly died. He was saved by his colleagues, who prayed - successfully - for his recovery.
29b----------------------------------------29b
6)
(a)Rebbi Zeira quotes Shmuel, who says that beer is eligible to use for an Eruv, and three Lugin of it invalidate a Mikveh? What is the Chidush of the latter statement? Why might we have thought that beer would not invalidate a Mikveh?
(b)How does 'Trein Revai Shikra' in our Sugya mean two Lugin, and why did Rav Acha Brei de'Rav Yosef think that two Lugin of beer are required for an Eruv?
(c)On what grounds does the Gemara reject that contention?
6)
(a)We would have thought that beer will not invalidate a Mikveh - because it is not officially called 'water' (unlike paint-water, which is), and it is only drawn water that can invalidate a Mikveh, not other liquids.
(b)'Trein Revai Shikra' in our Sugya means two Lugin - because a Lug is a quarter of a Kav (so 'two quarters' means two quarter Kabin = two Lugin. The Gemara initially thought this to be the Shi'ur for beer to make an Eruv, because it is four times the Shi'ur of wine (half a Lug, as we learnt earlier), in the same way as the Shi'ur (of Chiyuv) for carrying beer on Shabbos is a Lug - four times the Shi'ur for carrying wine.
(c)The Gemara reject this contention however - on the grounds that with regard to the Din of carrying on Shabbos, less than one Lug is not Chashuv, whereas by Eruv, people tend to drink a cup of beer in the morning, and one in the evening, so that two cups (each the size of a Revi'is ha'Lug = one and a half egg-volumes), will be the required Shi'ur for an Eruv.
7)
(a)'Achal Gerogeros ve'Shilam Temarim, Tavo Alav Berachah'. How does Rav Yosef explain this Beraisa, and what is his reason for this?
(b)How does he prove from there that the quantity of dates required for an Eruv is one Kav (twenty-four egg-volumes).
(c)How does Abaye refute Rav Yosef's proof?
(d)What is the Shi'ur Eruv of Shesisa (a dish including honey made from flour which in turn, was made from kernels roasted in the oven and dried)?
7)
(a)'Achal Gerogeros ve'Shilam Temarim, Tavo Alav Berachah' - means that if a Yisrael inadvertently ate a measure of dried figs, and paid back the same measure of dates, he will receive a Divine blessing for paying back something that is more valuable than what he ate. It cannot mean that he paid back the equivalent value in dates, Rav Yosef explains, because if so, why would he deserve a Divine blessing (since the values are the same)?
(b)This proves, Rav Yosef concludes, that dates are more valuable than dried figs -Consequently, having learnt above that the Shi'ur for dried figs is a Kav, it goes without saying that one Kav of dates will suffice, and that more than that is not necessary.
(c)Abaye refutes Rav Yosef's proof - it may well be, he explains, that dried figs are more valuable than dates; In fact, he continues, the Beraisa is referring to paying back the equivalent value in dates (the very interpretation which Rav Yosef rejected). Why would he deserve a Divine blessing, Rav Yosef asked? Because he ate something which does not sell so well, and paid the Kohen with something which is more marketable.
(d)The Shi'ur Eruv of Shesisa - is the quantity that can be made from two spoonfuls of kernels.
8)
(a)Abaye's nurse was a particularly knowledgeable woman. How, according to her, would the above-mentioned parched ears of corn make a person healthier and give him a better disposition?
(b)Against which type of disorder did she teach Abaye to eat the meat of the right thigh of a ram roasted in either cow's dung or coals from chips of a willow-tree?
(c)What did she recommend that one drink afterwards?
8)
(a)According to Abaye's nurse - Shesisa was good for the heart and dispelled worry.
(b)She also taught Abaye to eat the meat of the right thigh of a ram roasted in either cow's dung or coals from chips of a willow-tree - as an antidote to a weak heart.
(c)She recommended diluted wine afterwards.
9)
(a)What is the difference between something that is eaten as a condiment and something that is eaten independently (with regard to using it for the two meals of an Eruv).
(b)In the same regard, what is the difference - according to Rabah, between raw meat and roasted meat?
(c)What does Rav Yosef hold?
9)
(a)If one uses a condiment as an Eruv - then one requires only the quantity that was commonly used in that capacity in the course of two meals; whereas if regular food is being used, the full quantity of food that is eaten will be required.
(b)According to Rabah, raw meat is not eaten as a condiment, and therefore requires the amount that one normally eats on its own for two meals - whereas only the quantity of roasted meat that is normally eaten together with bread is required, since that is the way it is normally eaten.
(c)According to Rav Yosef, even roasted meat is measured independently, and not as a condiment.
10)
(a)Rav Yosef proves his point from the Persians, who used to eat pieces of roasted meat independently. What is Abaye's objection to this?
(b)The minimum Shi'ur of a rich man's clothes is three by three Tefachim; of a poor man's clothes, three finger-breadths by three finger-breadths. A rich man's clothes only receive Tum'as Medras (see Tosfos DH 'Bigdei) if they are at least three Tefachim by three Tefachim. What is the Shi'ur for Tum'as Medras of a poor man's clothes, and how does Abaye prove his point from here?
(c)How does the Gemara refute the attempted answer that we go Lechumra in both cases?
(d)Do we have an answer to Abaye's Kashya (which really leaves Rav Yosef unanswered)?
10)
(a)Abaye rejects Rav Yosef's proof (from the Persians, who used to eat pieces of roasted meat independently) - because, he argues, since when are the Persians the majority of the world? And he proves his point from a poor man's clothes, as we shall now see.
(b)A poor man's clothes are Tamei Medras if they are the size of three finger-breadths by three finger-breadths - despite the fact that this is not the Shi'ur of a garment for a rich man. From here we see that we do not contend with minorities for Shi'urim, but rather follow the majority (in this case, the poor).
(c)The Gemara refutes the attempted answer that we go Lechumra in both cases - by citing the opinion of Rebbi Shimon ben Elazar in another Beraisa - where he gives the Shi'ur Eruv for an ordinary person as that of a sick or an elderly person (who is unable to eat as much), and the Shi'ur for a person with a hearty appetite, as that of an ordinary person - both leniencies.
(d)No! The Gemara has no answer to Abaye's Kashya on Rav Yosef.