1)

(a)Rav Aba bar Kahana explains - that the removal of Achashverosh's ring caused Klal Yisrael to do Teshuvah more effectively than all the combined words of the prophets (which fell mainly on deaf ears).

(b)The Beraisa refers to - forty-eight prophets and seven prophetesses.

(c)We learned in another Beraisa that - in fact, they had twice as many prophets as the people who left Egypt ...

(d)... and the Tana does not include them - because, unlike those that he does mention, they did not leave any recorded prophesies for future generations.

2)

(a)Most of the forty-eight prophets prophesied in Eretz Yisrael during the time of the Beis Hamikdash, the first of them being Yehoshua. There were four however, who prophesied earlier - Avraham, Yitzchak, Yakov and Moshe (see Hagahos ha'Gra).

(b)Besides Moshe Rabeinu, there were two kings who were also prophets - David and Shlomo.

(c)Daniel cannot be included in the list - because we learned above (on 3a.) that Daniel was not a prophet. (The Tana of the Beraisa later (on 14a.) however, does include Daniel among the prophets).

(d)The prophet who prophesied together with Chagai, Zecharyah and Mal'achi - was Mordechai (Balshan).

3)

(a)The only Mitzvah that the Nevi'im added to the Torah of Moshe - was that of Mikra Megilah.

(b)Rebbi Chiya bar Avin Amar Rebbi Yehoshua ben Korchah - explains that since Yisrael sang Shirah when they went from slavery to freedom, then how much more so should one sing Shirah when going from death to life.

(c)Hadlakas Ner Chanukah is not also counted - because it was not instituted by the prophets (but in the post prophet period).

4)

(a)Rav Yitzchak explains that we do not recite Halel on Purim - because (once Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael) Halel is no longer said on a miracle that takes place in Chutz la'Aretz.

(b)According to Rav Nachman, we do say Halel on Purim - in the form of Megilas Esther.

(c)Rava is surprised at the very suggestion of saying Halel on Purim - because, how can we say "Halelu Avdei Hash-m" implying 'v'Lo Avdei Paroh', when we are still under the jurisdiction of 'Paroh' (of one sort or another).

(d)Rava and Rav Nachman reconcile their opinions with the Tana of the Beraisa, who said that once they entered Eretz Yisrael, miracles in other lands were no longer subject to Halel - by confining his statement to the period when they lived in Eretz Yisrael (but from the time they went into Galus, Chutz la'Aretz regained its original status in this regard).

5)

(a)We have already cited the answer to the Kashya on the Beraisa citing forty-eight prophets from the Pasuk 'Echad mi'Masayim Tzofim', from which we extrapolate - that Shmuel was only one of two hundred prophets who prophesied at that time.

(b)Rebbi Shmuel bar Nachmeni explains that Shmuel ha'Navi is described as "Ish Echad min ha'Ramasayim" (in the plural), because he came from two peaks that 'looked at one another'; According to Rebbi Chanin it is - because he descended from people who stood 'on top of the world' (i.e. the sons of Korach).

(c)After the earth swallowed them up - the sons of Korach remained standing on a specially-reserved place in Gehinom (From which, according to the Medrash, they later emerged).

6)

(a)Four of the seven prophetesses were Sarah, Miriam, Devorah and Chanah - the other three, were Avigail, Chuldah and Esther.

(b)We prove that Sarah was a prophetess from her other name, Yiskah - which means that she saw with Ru'ach ha'Kodesh.

(c)'Yiskah' could also mean - that people would gaze at her beauty.

(d)The Torah explicitly indicates that she was indeed a prophetess - in Vayera, where Hash-m told Avraham to do whatever Sarah told him (with regard to sending away Hagar and Yishmael), because, as Rashi explains there, she was his superior in prophesy.

7)

(a)Rav Nachman Amar Rav explains that the Pasuk writes "Miriam ha'Nevi'ah Achos Aharon"- because it was when she was the sister of Aharon (only - before Moshe was born) that she prophesied.

(b)She prophesied - that her mother would give birth to a son who was destined to save Yisrael.

(c)Following her prophesy - Yocheved did indeed give birth to Moshe, at which the entire house was filled with light. Her father (Amram) then kissed her on the head and praised her wisdom. But when Moshe was later thrown into the Nile, he tapped her on the head and asked her what had happened to her prophecy.

(d)That is why the Torah writes "va'Tesatzav Achoso me'Rachok l'De'ah Mah Ye'aseh Lo" - because she wanted to know what would happen to her prophesy.

8)

(a)Devorah merited prophesy - because she used to manufacture wicks for the Mishkan (see Agados Maharsha DH 'Mai Eishes Lapidos').

(b)Devorah sat under a date-palm, when she judged the people, because its size ruled out any possibility of Yichud (the prohibition of being alone with a man in a confined space). In addition - the palm-tree has only one heart (see Agados Maharsha), symbolizing Yisrael of that generation, who had only one heart for their Father in Heaven.

(c)We prove that Chanah was a prophetess from her words (recorded in Shoftim - Navi) "Ramah Karni ba'Hashem" - indicating that those who would be anointed with the horn of oil (David and Shlomo) would rule for a long time; whereas those who were not (Shaul and Yehu ben Nimshi, who were anointed from an earthenware jar), would not.

(d)When Chanah said ...

1. ... "Ein Kadosh ka'Hashem Ki Ein Biltecha", says Rav Yehudah bar Menashya, she meant - "Ki Ein Levalosecha" (that none of Hash-m's works outlive Him; it is He who outlives them).

2. ... "v'Ein Tzur k'Elokeinu" she meant - 'Ein Tzayar k'Elokeinu' (a painter is able to paint an image on the wall, but he is not able to give it a Ru'ach, a Neshamah, a stomach and intestines. Only Hash-m can do that!).

9)

(a)Avigail knew full well that a Chacham is not permitted to examine Dam Nidah at night-time Rabah bar Shmuel explains. She asked David to do so - in anticipation of his reply, to which she would retort that, just as one cannot examine Dam Nidah at night, so too, can one not judge Dinei Nefashos at night.

(b)When David replied that Naval was a Mored b'Malchus (guilty of treason), whom one is permitted to judge at night-time (see Tosfos DH 'Mored') - Avigail reminded him that Shaul was currently the ruling monarch, and that since his (David's) coronation was not yet common knowledge, he was not yet authorized to apply the laws of a king to himself).

(c)David thanked her for having prevented innocent blood from being shed. He used the expression "mi'Bo b'Damim" (in the plural) - because she stopped him from committing two sins connected with blood (from shedding the blood of a currently innocent man, and from committing adultery with a woman who was a Nidah - see Agados Maharsha).

10)

(a)Earlier, David, aroused by the sight of Avigail's calf, had accosted her (see ha'Gahos ha'Gra). The reason that she revealed her calf in the first place - was to enable David to travel by the bright light that emanated from it (He did indeed walk three Parsah by that light).

(b)When she said to him "v'Lo Tih'yeh Zos Lecha l'Fukah" ('as a weakness' or 'to bring you to Gehinom') - she meant to say that he should not allow this sin to cause a weakness in his merits (implying that there would later be another occasion when he would).

(c)She said to him "v'Hayesah Nefesh Adoni Tzerurah bi'Tzror ha'Chayim" (which presumably, we cite because it constitutes part of Avigail's prophesy) to predict that, in spite of his sin with Bas-Sheva, he would go to Gan Eden (due to his Teshuvah). When she added "v'Heitiv Hash-m la'Adoni, v'Zachart es Amasech", she was hinting to him - that, after Hash-m would seat him on the throne, he should marry her (which he did).

(d)This conforms with the adage cited by Rav Nachman: 'Even as a woman talks, she still sews'. Others cite the adage: 'Although the duck walks very low, he nevertheless looks far ahead.

11)

(a)We know that Chuldah was among the prophetesses, because the Pasuk in Melachim specifically relates how Yoshiyahu ha'Melech sent Chilkiyahu ha'Kohen, Chanan and Achbur to her for a prophesy, and even records her response. Rav is quoted as saying that Chuldah prophesied even though Yirmeyahu was available - because he was a relation of hers, and she knew that he would not mind if she did.

(b)d'Bei Rebbi Shilo ascribe the reason that Yoshiyahu chose to send to her (rather than to Yirmeyahu) to the fact that women are generally softer than men, and he hoped for a merciful prophecy. According to Rebbi Yochanan, it was - because Yirmeyahu was not there. He had gone to bring back (some of) the ten tribes from Galus.

(c)We know for sure that Yirmeyahu succeeded in his mission - because Yechezkel would later prophesy that the Yovel would become nullified, something which it should have been anyway (from the moment the ten tribes, and even Reuven and Gad and half Menasheh, went into Galus), since all ten tribes were not in their place. Consequently, Yechezkel's prophesy would not make any sense, unless we say that, at some stage, the exiles returned.

(d)

1. Rebbi Yochanan learns from the episode of Yoshiyah and the Mizbe'ach in Beis-El (which belonged to the ten tribes - that Yirmeyahu brought the exiles back in the eighteenth year of Yoshiyahu's reign - the year that they found the Sefer-Torah and he did Teshuvah, and that he (Yoshiyahu) subsequently ruled over them.

2. Rav Nachman learns - the same basic thing (that Yirmeyahu returned the ten tribes) from the Pasuk in Hoshei'a "Gam Yehudah Shas Katzir Lach b'Shuvi Shevus Ami".

12)

(a)We learn from the Pasuk in Esther "va'Tilbash Esther Malchus" (and not "Bigdei Malchus") - that when Esther appeared before Achashverosh to save Klal Yisrael, she dressed in Ru'ach ha'Kodesh.

(b)Rav Nachman learns from the names of the two prophetess, Devorah and Chuldah - that high positions are not good for women (because it goes to their heads (despite the fact that they had disgusting names which ought to have humbled them [Agados Maharsha]).

(c)This was manifest in the words of ...

1. ... Devorah - who called Barak (a leader of Klal Yisrael, as well as being her husband according to the Medrash) to come to her, instead of going to him.

2. ... Chuldah - who referred to Yoshiyah ha'Melech as "the man" (a disrespectful way of referring to a king).

13)

(a)Rav Nachman learns from the 'Gezeirah-Shavah' "ben Charchos" (in Melachim, in connection with Chuldah) and "b'Timnas Cheres" (in Yehoshua, in connection with Yehoshua's burial-site) - that Chuldah was a descendent of Yehoshua.

(b)Rav Eina Saba queries Rav Nachman from a Beraisa. The Tana Kama discusses Neriyah, Baruch, Sarayah, Machseyah - Yirmeyahu, Chilkiyah, Chanamel and Shalum.

(c)Besides the fact that they were all descended from Rachav, he says - that they were both prophets and Kohanim.

14)

(a)Rebbi Yehudah disagrees. Based on the 'Gezeirah-Shavah' "ben Tikvah" (Ibid.) and "Tikvas ha'Shani" (Ibid.), he maintains - that Chuldah was a descendent of Rachav ha'Zonah, too ...

(b)... creating a problem with Rav Nachman, who just taught that she descended from Yehoshua.

(c)We reconcile Rav Nachman...

1. ... with Rebbi Yehudah by pointing out - that Yehoshua married Rachav ha'Zonah.

2. ... with the Pasuk in Divrei ha'Yamim, which lists Yehoshua's genealogy, but stops at Yehoshua (from which it would appear that he had no children) - in that although he had no sons, he did have daughters, and it is from them that Chuldah descended.