1)

(a)In a Beraisa, the Tana requires a Sefer to be written in Ashuris (the script used in our Sifrei Torah), on a scroll and with ink. Rava tries to reconcile this with the Tana of our Mishnah, who permits a Sefer in any language - by establishing our Mishnah when at least the script is Ashuris, and the Beraisa, when even the script is foreign too.

(b)Abaye refutes Rava's answer however, on the basis of the Reisha of the Beraisa which invalidates what should be written in Lashon ha'Kodesh if it is written in Arama'ic, and vice-versa. Now if, as Rava suggested, the Beraisa is speaking when it is written in a foreign script - then even Mikra which is written Mikra, and Targum, Targum would be Pasul too. So why does the Tana say 'Mikra she'Kasvo Targum ... ?'

(c)Neither can we answer the Kashya by establishing the Beraisa like Raban Shimon ben Gamliel in our Mishnah, who is more stringent than the Tana Kama - because the Beraisa forbids Sefarim to be written in any language, whereas Raban Shimon ben Gamliel concedes that Greek is permitted.

2)

(a)We then try to establish the Beraisa by Tefilin and Mezuzos. We learn that Tefilin and Mezuzos must be written in Lashon ha'Kodesh - from "v'Hayu ha'Devarim ha'Eileh" implying that they must remain in the same language as they are written in Torah.

(b)We refute that suggestion too - on the grounds that there are no Aramaic words in Tefilin and Mezuzos.

(c)The Aramaic words that appear in the Torah - are "Yegar Sahadusa" said by Lavan in Parshas va'Yetzei.

3)

(a)So we finally establish the Beraisa by Megilah. We learn that the Megilah must be written in Lashon ha'Kodesh - from the words "ki'Chesavam v'chi'Leshonam".

(b)We discover two Aramaic words in the Megilah. Rav Papa cites "v'Nishma Pisgam ha'Melech". Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak cites - "v'Chol ha'Nashim Yitnu Yekar l'Va'aleihen".

(c)Rav Ashi re-establishes the Beraisa according to Raban Shimon ben Gamliel, by all Sefarim (other than Sifrei Torah), but according to Rebbi Yehudah - who says that Raban Shimon ben Gamliel's concession to write Sefarim in Greek is restricted to Sifrei-Torah, due to the episode that is about to be discussed.

4)

(a)The Beraisa cites fifteen changes in the Torah that the Chachamim made for the benefit of King Ptolemy of Egypt. They wrote instead of ...

1. ... "Bereishis Bara Elokim" - "Elokim Bara Bereishis".

2. ... "Na'aseh Adam b'Tzalmenu Kidmusenu" - "E'eseh Adam b'Tzelem uvi'Demus."

(b)They changed "va'Yechal Elokim ba'Yom ha'Shevi'i ... " to "va'Yechal Elokim ba'Yom ha'Shishi ... " - so as to dispel the impression that Hash-m performed work on Shabbos. (The truth is that the creation that Hash-m formed on Shabbos was 'Menuchah' [rest]).

(c)They wrote instead of ...

1. ... "Zachar u'Nekevah Bera'am" - "Zachar u'Nekevah Bera'o".

2. ... "Havah Nerdah v'Navlah Sham Sefasam" - "Havah Erdah v'Avaleh Sham Sefasam".

(d)They wrote "va'Titzchak Sarah bi'Krovehah" (and she laughed among her relatives) instead of "va'Titzchak Sarah bi'Kirbah (and she laughed inside her)" - so that they should not ask how it is that when Avraham laughed inside, Hash-m did not take him to task, but when Sarah did so, He did.

5)

(a)They wrote instead of ...

1. ... "Ki b'Apam Hargu Ish uvi'Retzonam Ikru Shor" - "Ki b'Apam Hargu Shor uvi'Retzonam Ikru Evus".

2. ... "va'Yikach Moshe es Ishto v'es Banav va'Yarkivem al ha'Chamor" - "va'Yikach Moshe es Ishto v'es Banav va'Yarkivem al Nos'ei Bnei Adam".

3. ... "u'Moshav Bnei Yisrael Asher Yashvu b'Mitzrayim Arba Me'os Shanah" - "u'Moshav Bnei Yisrael Asher Yashvu b'Mitzrayim uve'Sha'ar Aratzos Arba Me'os Shanah".

(b)They changed ...

1. ... "va'Yishlach es Na'arei Bnei Yisrael" to "va'Yishlach es Za'atutei Bnei Yisrael" - so that Ptolemy should not ask in surprise whether Moshe could not find any better Sheluchim that young boys.

2. ... "v'El Atzilei Bnei Yisrael Lo Shalach Yadav" to "v'El Za'atutei Bnei Yisrael Lo Shalach Yadav" - because that is the Lashon that they used in the previous question.

(c)Instead of ...

1. ... "Lo Chamor Echad Meihem Nasa'si" - they wrote "Lo Chemed (any precious object) Echad Meihem Nasa'si".

2. ... "Asher Chalak Hash-m Elokim Osam l'Chol ha'Amim" - "Asher Chalak Hash-m Elokim Osam l'Ha'ir l'Chol ha'Amim".

3. ... "va'Yeilech va'Ya'avod Elohim Acheirim Asher Lo Tzivisi" - "va'Yeilech va'Ya'avod Elohim Acheirim Asher Lo Tzivisi l'Ovdam".

(d)They found it necessary to change "es ha'Arneves" to "es Tze'iras ha'Raglayim" - because Arneves was the name of Ptolemy's wife, and he would have been insulted to find her name among the Tamei animals (Agados Maharsha).

6)

(a)Rebbi Yochanan rules like Raban Shimon ben Gamliel in our Mishnah - who learns that the Torah may be written in Greek over and above all other foreign languages, from the Pasuk in Noach "Yaft Elokim l'Yefes v'Yishkon b'Oholei Shem" (meaning that the things of Yefes will dwell in the tents [of Torah] of Shem.

(b)Rebbi Chiya bar Aba explains that the Torah must be referring specifically to (the language of) Yavan, and not to (some specialty of) one of the other sons of Yefes (Gomer or Magog) - because "Yaft Elokim l'Yefes ... " means that the beauty of Yefes should rest in the Torah tents of Shem, and the most beautiful aspect of Yefes was the Greek language.

7)

(a)The only difference listed by our Mishnah between a Kohen Mashu'ach b'Shemen ha'Mishchah (a Kohen Gadol who was inaugurated with the anointing oil) and a Merubeh Begadim (one who was inaugurated by wearing the eight garments of the Kohen Gadol) - is the bull that a Kohen Gadol has to bring for all the Mitzvos (if he issued a ruling permitting something that the Torah forbids with an Isur Kares, and went on to practice his own ruling), which the former brings, but the latter does not ...

(b)... because the Torah writes in va'Yikra "Im ha'Kohen ha'Mashi'ach Yecheta ... ").

(c)If the latter was not anointed with the anointing oil, it was - because he lived in the period of the second Beis Hamikdash, when the jar of anointing oil was not available (because it had been hidden by Yoshiyah towards the end of the first).

(d)We infer from our Mishnah - that a Kohen Merubeh Begadim may bring the bull (which he brings together with Klal Yisrael's goat) on Yom Kippur, and the Asiris ha'Eifah (the Minchah consisting of a tenth of an Eifah which the Kohen Gadol brings daily) just like a Kohen Mashu'ach b'Shemen ha'Mishchah.

8)

(a)

1. A 'Kohen Meshamesh' - is the current Kohen Gadol (who became Tamei and was re-placed by the deputy Kohen until he became Tahor) after he became Tahor and resumed the Avodah.

2. A 'Kohen she'Avar' - is the deputy Kohen Gadol who re-placed him and then had to stand down when the Kohen Gadol returned.

(b)Neither of them may allow their hair to grow long or tear their clothes for a dead relative, and both are obligated to marry a virgin of under twelve and a half (should they not be married already). They are also forbidden - to marry a widow and both continue to perform the Avodah even when they are Onenim (the day that one of their close relations dies).

(c)A Kohen she'Avar cannot bring the bull of a Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur or the daily Asiris ha'Eifah, as our Mishnah specifically states.

9)

(a)We inferred from our Mishnah that a Kohen Merubeh Begadim may bring the bull on Yom Kippur and the tenth of an Eifah daily-offering just like a Kohen Mashu'ach b'Shemen ha'Mishchah. The author of our Mishnah is the Chachamim of Rebbi Meir - because, according to Rebbi Meir, a Merubeh Begadim too, brings the bull for all the Mitzvos ...

(b)... and he learns this from the extra 'Hey' in the Pasuk in Vayikra "Im ha'Kohen ha'Mashi'ach".

10)

(a)The author of the Seifa of our Mishnah however (which gives a Kohen she'Avar the same Din as a Kohen Meshamesh), appears to be Rebbi Meir. Rebbi Yosi, who argues with Rebbi Meir, holds - that a Kohen she'Avar who stands down does not perform the Avodah at all, neither like a Kohen Gadol nor even like a Kohen Hedyot.

(b)According to Rebbi Yosi, a Kohen she'Avar does not ...

1. ... retain the Din of a Kohen Gadol - because we are afraid that this will lead to enmity between him and the Kohen Gadol.

2. ... even return to his previous status of Kohen Hedyot - because of the principle 'Ma'alin ba'Kodesh v'Lo Moridin'.

(c)Rav Chisda says 'Reisha Rabanan, Seifa Rebbi Meir'. Rav Yosef explains that the author of our Mishnah is Rebbi who happens to hold like the Chachamim in the Reisha and like Rebbi Meir in the Seifa.

11)

(a)A Bamah Gedolah was the one large Bamah on which the Korbenos Tzibur were brought when there was no Beis Hamikdash and no Mishkan; whereas a Bamah Ketanah was a private Bamah which anyone was permitted to build in order to bring on it Korbenos Yachid.

(b)The author of our Mishnah is Rebbi Shimon - who holds that one may bring on a Bamah Gedolah all Korbenos Tzibur that have a fixed time (like Pesachim), but not Korbanos that do not.

(c)The Rabanan hold that whatever they brought on the Mizbe'ach in the desert, could be brought on the Bamah Gedolah, even Chata'os Tzibur (that have no fixed time), such as the Par He'elam Davar shel Tzibur and the goats of Avodah-Zarah.

12)

(a)The only difference between Mishkan Shilo and Yerushalayim ...

1. ... at the time when they both stood - is that, in the former, they were permitted to eat Kodshim Kalim and Ma'aser Sheni at any point from where they could see it; whereas in Yerushalayim these could only be eaten within the walls of Yerushalayim itself.

2. ... after they were both destroyed - was that, after the fall of the former, they were permitted to bring on Bamos once again until the Beis Hamikdash was built, but not after the destruction of the latter.

(b)We learn this latter distinction from the Pasuk in Re'eh "Ki Lo Ba'sem Ad Atah El ha'Menuchah v'El ha'Nachalah" - because had Bamos been permanently forbidden already from the time of the Mishkan, then the Torah should have written "Ki Lo Ba'sem Ad Atah El ha'Menuchah" and stopped.