[29a - 52 lines; 29b - 54 lines]
1)[line 1]åúîðé ñøé ã÷ðéíTAMNEI SREI D'KANIM- eighteen of the branches; the verse (Shemos 25:33) states that each of the six branches requires three Gevi'im
2)[line 5]úîðéà äååTEMANYA HAVU- there are only eight (two of the central shaft of the Menorah and six of the branches)
3)[line 5]"åæä îòùä äîðøä î÷ùä æäá òã éøëä òã ôøçä î÷ùä äåà ëîøàä àùø äøàä ä' àú îùä ëï òùä àú äîðøä""[V'ZEH MA'ASEH HA'MENORAH MIKSHAH ZAHAV,] AD YERECHAH AD PIRCHAH MIKSHAH HI..."- "[And the workmanship of the candelabra was of hammered gold,] including its base and its flower, it was of hammered work; [according to the pattern which HaSh-m had shown Moshe, so he made the candelabra.]" (Bamidbar 8:4) - The word "Pirchah" in this verse adds one flower to the central shaft of the Menorah (RASHI).
4)[line 9]îòìåúMA'ALOS- steps
5)[line 9]åîèéáU'METIV (HATAVAS HA'NEROS)
(a)Every evening a Kohen lights the Menorah in the Beis ha'Mikdash. This is called Hadlakas ha'Neros. Enough oil is put into the Menorah's lamps to burn until the morning.
(b)In the morning, a Kohen would clean out the burned wicks and leftover oil that remained in the Menorah's lamps, and replaced them with fresh oil and wicks. This is what the Torah, and the Mishnah, calls Hatavas ha'Neros, or Dishun ha'Menorah. The spent wicks were placed in the same pile of ashes near the ramp of the Mizbe'ach into which the Terumas ha'Deshen was placed.
(c)The cleaning of the lamps was done in two stages. First the Kohen would clean five of the lamps of the Menorah, then he would wait while other services of the Mikdash were done, and only afterwards would he complete the job and clean out the remaining two lamps of the Menorah.
(The above description is based on the opinion of the majority of the Rishonim. However, others assert that some or all of the lamps of the Menorah were lit in the morning as well, or that the Menorah was cleaned in a single step, according to some Tana'im. Also, the process described is altered slightly if some of the lamps are still burning by the morning. The Tana'im argue as to which service was done between the cleaning of the first five and the last two lamps. For more information, see Yoma 14a, Chart #2.)
6)[line 10]?ùéîé àúSHIMI AT?- [Rav responded to Rav Shimi bar Chiya's question,] "Are you Shimi?" (i.e. "Are you not supposed to be wise; why are you asking such a question?")
7)[line 10]îùôú ÷ðéí åìîòìäMI'SEFAS KANIM UL'MA'ALAH- from the [lower] border of the branches and up
8)[line 11]"åäôøç åäðøåú åäîì÷çéí æäá; äåà îéëìåú æäá""VEHA'PERACH VEHA'NEROS VEHA'MELKACHAYIM ZAHAV; HU MICHLOS ZAHAV."- "And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, [were made] of gold, of purest gold." (Divrei ha'Yamim II 4:21)
9)[line 13]ùëéìúå ìëì æäá ñâåø ùì ùìîäSHE'KILATU L'CHOL ZAHAV SAGUR SHEL SHLOMO- it finished off all of the Zahav Sagur (the finest type of gold) of Shlomo
10)[line 16]ìëåøKUR- the gold smelting furnace
11)[line 17]"åëì ëìé îù÷ä äîìê ùìîä æäá åëì ëìé áéú éòø äìáðåï æäá ñâåø àéï ëñó ðçùá áéîé ùìîä ìîàåîä.""V'CHOL... EIN KESEF NECHSHAV BI'YEMEI SHLOMO LI'ME'UMAH"- "And all king Shlomo's drinking utensils were of gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver; silver was accounted for nothing in the days of Shlomo." (Melachim I 10:21)
12)[line 23]áãéðø æäá ÷åøãé÷éðéB'DINAR ZAHAV KORDIKINI- by the weight of a golden Dinar of Kordikin
13)[line 24]ëéåï ã÷àé ÷àéKEIVAN D'KAI KAI- since it was smelted thoroughly by Shlomo when it was made, it subsequently did not loose as much metal when smelted again
14)[line 27]îî÷åí èäøäMI'MAKOM TAHARAH- from a pure place (the Heavens; a Menorah descended for Moshe in the form of a Menorah of fire from the Heavens)
15)[line 28]îëìì ùäåà èîàMI'CHELAL SHE'HU TAMEI - this shows that [it is a considered a Halachic utensil, since] it may become Tamei (RASHI) (KELEI ETZ: TUM'AH)
A utensil is considered "ready" to receive Tum'ah only after it is completely finished. If the artisan only decided that the utensil needs no more work, it is considered complete and may become Tamei. (For a further discussion of the principles of Tum'ah and Taharah, see Background to Nazir 54:13.)
16)[line 30]ëìé òõ äòùåé ìðçúKELI ETZ HE'ASUY L'NACHAS
(a)The Torah states that wooden utensils can become Tamei if they are touched by a person or object that is an Av ha'Tum'ah, of if they are under the same Ohel as a dead person (Vayikra 11:32, Bamidbar 31:20). However, since the Torah compares a wooden object that becomes Tamei to a sack ("Sak"), the wooden object must have certain qualities in common with a sack in order to become Tamei.
(b)Among these qualities are:
1.The object must have a receptacle, i.e. an area in which it can contain other objects, as opposed to a flat board.
2.It must not be large enough to hold 40 Se'ah, for if it is that large it cannot be transported when filled, as opposed to a sack, which is made to be transported either empty or full.
3.It must be an object that is sometimes transported, and not one that is always stationary. If it is left stationary, it is called a "Kli he'Asuy l'Nachas" and is not Mekabel Tum'ah.
17)[line 31]ùîâáéäéï àåúåSHE'MAGBIHIN OSO- that they (the Kohanim) pick it up
18)[line 32]çéáúëíCHIBASCHEM- how beloved you are (i.e. see HaSh-m's affection for you!)
19)[line 32]"åéúï ìå äëäï ÷ãù ëé ìà äéä ùí ìçí ëé àí ìçí äôðéí äîåñøéí îìôðé ä' ìùåí ìçí çí áéåí äì÷çå""[VA'YITEN LO HA'KOHEN KODESH KI LO HAYAH SHAM KI IM LECHEM HA'PANIM HA'MUSARIM MI'LIFNEI HASH-M], LASUM LECHEM CHAM B'YOM HILAKCHO" - "[And the Kohen (Achimelech, the Kohen Gadol) gave to him (David) Kodesh, for there was no bread there, other than the Lechem ha'Panim that had been removed from before HaSh-m,] to [re]place [it with] hot bread on the day that it had been removed." (Shmuel I 21:7) (David and Achimelech the Kohen Gadol)
(a)The incident described in this verse occurred following Yonasan's discovery of the depth of the jealousy of his father towards David. After Yonasan shot the arrows and signaled to David that all was not well between Shaul ha'Melech and David (Shaul's son-in-law and right-hand man), he gave David his blessings and sent him, now a fugitive, on his way. Upon his arrival at Nov, the town of Kohanim and the location of the Mishkan, David pretended that he had been sent on a secret mission by the king, and he asked the Kohen Gadol for bread. The only bread available, Achimelech pointed out, was the Lechem ha'Panim on the Shulchan. David, of course, was forbidden, like any Zar (non-Kohen), from eating the Lechem ha'Panim, which was Kodesh. However, he had contracted an illness (called Bulmus) which would have been life-threatening had he not eaten, which is why Achimelech offered to give some to him.
(b)Besides his state of near starvation, David also told Achimelech how he was forced to leave suddenly, and due to Shaul's urging, he did not manage to take with him a sword or spear. Achimelech responded by offering David the sword of Golyas (Goliath), which David gladly accepted. David thus escaped from Shaul and arrived safely in the territory of Achish, King of Gas.
(c)At that time, there was a man studying Torah in Nov named Do'eg ha'Edomi. Do'eg ha'Edomi was the head of the Beis Din, but in spite of being an erudite Torah scholar, his hatred of David caused him to hound him at every opportunity.
(d)Do'eg, who saw and heard the entire episode between David and Achimelech, reported it to Shaul ha'Melech, omitting the fact that Achimelech had been unaware that David was a fugitive. Shaul, under the impression that Achimelech had rebelled against him by supporting David, ordered Do'eg to eradicate the entire town of Nov, comprising eighty families of Kohanim. The sole survivor was a son of Achimelech, who managed to escape and flee to David. When he informed him of the terrible tragedy, David remarked that he knew that Do'eg was in the town at that time and that he would inform Shaul of his arrival and of the assistance that Achimelech had given him.
(e)This was a terrible sin for which Shaul ha'Melech and Do'eg ha'Edomi were destined to pay with their lives, and for which David, too, almost died, because of his role in it.
20)[line 33]ñéìå÷å ëñéãåøåSILUKO K'SIDURO- its removal [from the Shulchan] is like its arrangement [on the Shulchan]; just as the loaves of the Lechem ha'Panim were warm and soft (TOSFOS DH Siluko) when they were placed on the Shulchan, they were warm and soft a week later when they were removed.)
21)[line 39]ëîùôèåK'MISHPATO- according to its rules, laws (RASHI)
22)[line 39]ëúáðéúíK'SAVNISAM- like their forms
23)[line 40]çâåø ëîéï ôñ÷éàCHAGUR K'MIN PISKIYA- wearing (lit. belted) [an apron] like an artisan
24)[line 42]åøàù çãùROSH CHODESH- the first day of the lunar month. The new moon is a mere sliver and is barely noticeable
25)[line 42]åùøöéíSHERATZIM
(a)A Sheretz (a crawling pest, see Vayikra 11:29-38), even if it or a part of it is only the size of an Adashah (lentil bean), is an Av ha'Tum'ah (Chagigah 11a). It makes a person or object Tamei through Maga (contact), whether the Sheretz was touched willingly or unwillingly. The person who becomes Tamei by touching a Sheretz may not eat Terumah or Kodshim or enter the Azarah of the Beis ha'Mikdash. However, he can immediately immerse in a Mikvah. After nightfall he becomes Tahor and may eat Terumah and Kodshim, and enter the Azarah.
(b)HaSh-m showed Moshe all Sheratzim, so that he could distinguish between the Tehorim and the Teme'im. The eight Sheratzim that are Teme'im that are mentioned in the Torah are:
1.CHOLED - weasel [alt., a martin or an ermine (ARUCH), a rat (TARGUM, TOSFOS YOM TOV), mole or mole-rat (ARUCH), or field mouse (TARGUM YONASAN)]. According to the Gemara, it is a predatory animal that bores under the ground and undermines houses.
2.ACHBAR - mouse; some sources appear to include also the rat
3.TZAV - toad (RASHI Vayikra 11:29, Nidah 56a; this is also evident from the Mishnah in Taharos 5:1 which implies that it is similar in appearance to a frog - see Rishonim there). Alternatively, tortoise (ME'AM LOEZ, TIFERES YISRAEL to Taharos ibid.). According to the Septuagint it is the land crocodile (perhaps the monitor, see KO'ACH; a Talmudic source (Chulin 127a) indeed associates it with the salamander and snake). Others identify it with the ferret.
4.ANAKAH - hedgehog; alt., beaver (RADAK). [The Septuagint translates it as a mole, shrew mouse or field mouse.] Rabeinu Sa'adya Gaon translates it as a gecko, which is up to five inches long with a soft speckled hide; "Anachah" denotes groaning and the gecko makes a groaning sound.
5.KO'ACH - a lizard (RADAK quoting RASHI) [chameleon, according to the Septuagint.] From the translation of others it would appear to be the monitor or monitor lizard, the largest reptile in the Holy Land, growing as long as four feet. Living on the coast, the Negev, and Aravah, it eats rodents and reptiles (RADAK, RABEINU SA'ADYA GAON).
6.LETA'AH - lizard; alt., the white lizard, or the great gecko.
7.CHOMET - snail (RASHI) [alt., a lizard or the skink, a lizard with small legs of which there are four varieties in the Holy Land]
8.TINSHEMES - mole (Rashi Chulin 63a) [alt., a large-headed lizard that burrows underground, probably a type of gecko]
(Based on Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's "The Living Torah" and other sources)
26)[line 47]ì÷åöä ùì éåãKOTZAH SHEL "YUD"- (a) the lower leg of the letter "Yud," on the bottom right corner of the letter (RASHI); (b) the protruding point on the bottom left corner of the letter "Yud" (RABEINU TAM, cited by TOSFOS DH Kotzo)
27)[line 48]âåéì îå÷ó ìäGEVIL MAKIF LAH- [blank] parchment surrounding it
28)[line 49]ðé÷áNIKEV- was pierced
29)[line 49]úåëå ùì ä''éTOCHO SHEL "HEH"- (a) the left foot of the letter "Heh" (RASHI, first explanation); (b) the blank parchment inside of the letter "Heh" (RASHI, second explanation)
30)[line 50]éøéëåYEREICHO- its right leg
31)[line 50]ìãéãé îôøùä ìé îéðéä ãøá äåðàL'DIDI MIFARSHAH LI MINEI D'RAV HUNA- the statement made by Rebbi Huna was explained to me [as follows]
32)[last line]ðùúééø áåNISHTAYER BO- if there remained of it (of the right leg)
33)[last line]ëùéòåø àåú ÷èðäK'SHI'UR OS KETANAH- [a mark of ink connected to the Gag (roof) of the "Heh"] the size of the smallest letter, i.e. (a) the size of the letter "Yud"; (b) the size of the lower leg of the letter "Yud"
34)[last line]àâøà çîåä ãø' àáàAGRA CHAMUHA D'REBBI ABA- Agra, the father-in-law of Rebbi Aba
29b----------------------------------------29b
35)[line 1]àéôñé÷àIFSIKA- was broken
36)[line 1]ëøòà ãä''éKAR'A D'"HEH"- the [right] leg of the letter "Heh"
37)[line 1]ãäòíD'"HA'AM"- of the word "ha'Am" (Shemos 13:3)
38)[line 1]áðé÷áàB'NIKVA- by a hole [in the parchment]
39)[line 5]ãåé''å ãåéäøâD'"VA'YAHAROG"- of the word "va'Yaharog [HaSh-m]" (Shemos 13:15)
40)[line 6]æéì àééúé éðå÷à ãìà çëéíZIL AISI YENUKA D'LO CHAKIM V'LO TIPESH- bring a child who is neither [too] smart (and will automatically read the letter as a "Vav" so as not to pronounce blasphemy - see next entry) nor [too] stupid (who is unable to discern variations in letters and will definitely not read the letter as a "Vav" since he only recognizes whole, perfect letters)
41)[line 8]éäøâ äåà"YEHAREG" HU- it means "He (kiv'Yachol) will be killed," which is blasphemously stating the impossibility of HaSh-m being killed (Rachmana Litzlan)
42)[line 9]áùòä ùòìä îùä ìîøåíB'SHA'AH SHE'ALAH MOSHE LA'MAROM- at the time that Moshe went up to the Heavens
43)[line 10]å÷åùø ëúøéí ìàåúéåúKOSHER KESARIM LA'OSIYOS- tying crowns to the letters [of the Torah]
44)[line 11]îé îòëá òì éãêMI ME'AKEV AL YADCHA?- What prevents You from giving the Torah as it is, without the crowns at the top of certain letters? (RASHI)
45)[line 13]òì ëì ÷åõ å÷åõAL KOL KOTZ V'KOTZ- regarding every single spike
46)[line 14]úéìéï úéìéï ùì äìëåúTILIN TILIN SHEL HALACHOS- mounds and mounds of Halachos
47)[line 15]äøàäå ìéHAR'EHU LI- Show him to me
48)[line 15]çæåø ìàçåøêCHAZOR LA'ACHORECHA- Go to the back [of the rows of the Beis ha'Midrash] (see MAHARSHA)
49)[line 16]ùåøåúSHUROS- rows
50)[line 17]úùù ëçåTASHASH KOCHO- his strength was weakened
51)[line 17]ëéåï ùäâéò ìãáø àçãKEIVAN SHE'HIGI'A L'DAVAR ECHAD- as soon as he arrived at a topic that needed explanation (RASHI)
52)[line 22]ùúå÷!SHESOK!- Keep quiet!
53)[line 23]äøàéúðé úåøúåHER'ISANI TORASO- You have shown me his Torah teaching
54)[line 25]ùùå÷ìéï áùøå áî÷åìéïSHE'SHOKLIN BESARO B'MAKULIN- that they were weighing his flesh in the meat market
55)[line 26]æå úåøä åæå ùëøä?ZO TORAH V'ZU SECHARAH?- This is [his] Torah and this is its reward?!
56)[line 28]ùìùä æéåðéïSHELOSHAH ZIYUNIN- [the crown that consists of three points that resemble] three [little] letters "Zayin"
57)[line 29]ùòèð''æ â''õSHA'ATNE"Z GE"TZ- this is a mnemonic device to remember the letter that require the three-pronged Tagim (crowns): the letters "Shin" (and "Sin"), "Ayin," "Tes," "Nun" (and "Nun Sofis")," "Zayin," "Gimel" and "Tzadi Sofis" (and "Tzadi")
58)[line 29]çæéðà ìäåCHAZINA LEHU- I saw them, i.e. their writing
59)[line 29]ìñôøé ãåå÷ðéL'SAFREI DAVKANEI- the exacting scribes
60)[line 30]ãçèøé ìäå ìââéä ãçé''úD'CHATREI LEHU L'GAGEI D'"CHES"- who add a hump to the roof of the letter "Ches"
61)[line 31]åúìå ìéä ìëøòéä ãä''éV'TALU LEI L'CHAR'EI D'"HEH"- and they "hang" the left foot of the letter "Heh" [in the air, disconnected from its roof]
62)[line 36]äúåìä áèçåðåHA'TOLEH BITCHONO- who puts (lit. hangs) his trust
63)[line 36]îçñäMACHASEH- a shelter, protection
64)[line 41]áä''é áøàíB'"HEH" BERA'AM- He created them (the heavens and the earth) with a "Heh"
65)[line 42]ìàëñãøäACHSADRAH- a portico (a three-sided structure)
66)[line 43]ãàé äãø áúùåáäIY HADAR BI'TESHUVAH- if he repents
67)[line 43]îòééìé ìéäME'AILEI LEI- they elevate him
68)[line 43]ìéòééì áäêV'LI'AYEIL B'HACH?- Why does he not ascend through the opening through which he fell down
69)[line 43]ìà îñúééòà îéìúàLO MISTAYA MILSA- it will not work, i.e. he will not receive Heavenly assistance
70)[line 44]àí ììöéí äåà éìéõ åìòðåéí éúï çï"IM LA'LETZIM HU YALITZ, VELA'ANAVIM YITEN CHEN."- "[HaSh-m] scoffs at the scoffers, and gives grace to the humble." (Mishlei 3:34) - Since HaSh-m scoffs at the Leitzim, he holds back Divine assistance and does not prevent their spiritual downfall.
71a)[line 45]áà ìèäø îñééòéï àåúåBA LITAHER MESAI'IN OSO- one who wants (lit. comes) to become Tahor, they help him
b)[line 45]áà ìèîà ôåúçéï ìåBA LITAMEI POSCHIN LO- one who wants (lit. comes) to become Tamei, they open for him [the opportunity to do so]
72)[line 46]úàâàTAGA- a point (resembling one little "Zayin")
73)[line 47]îåòèéíMU'ATIM- small in number
74)[line 47]ëôåó øàùåKAFUF ROSHO- (lit. its head is bent) the bottom left corner of the letter "Yud" has a protruding point
75)[line 49]áñôøéíBI'SEFARIM- with regard to Sifrei Torah (the writing of Torah scrolls)
76)[line 49]åúðéà úéåáúéäV'TANYA TIYUVTEI- and we find contradictions to his teachings in Beraisa'os
77)[line 50]ùúé èòéåúSHTEI TA'UYOS- two mistakes
78)[line 50]ãóDAF- column [of a Sefer Torah]
79)[line 50]éâðæYEGANEZ- it shall be hidden away [in a Genizah (a repository for holy items that have become Pesulim or unusable)]
80)[line 51]îöìú òì ëåìåMATZELES AL KULO- it saves the entire Sefer Torah [from being hidden in a Genizah]
81)[line 52]ùôéø øåáéä ãñôøàRUBEI D'SIFRA SHAPIR- most of the Sefer Torah [is written] correctly
82)[line 52]åàéúéäéá ìàéú÷åðéV'ISYAHIV L'ISKUNEI- that it is able to be given in to be fixed
83a)[line 53]çñéøåúCHASEIROS- [words with letters] missing (four words with letters missing in one column causes the Sefer Torah to be put into a Genizah)
b)[line 53]éúéøåúYESEIROS- [words with letters] added
84)[line 53]ìéú ìï áäLEIS LAN BAH- we need not [put the Sefer Torah in a Genizah; rather, it may be fixed]
85)[line 53]ãîéçæé ëîðåîøD'MICHAZEI KI'MENUMAR- since it will appear spotted (with many extra letters added between the lines)
86)[last line]áñéôøéäB'SIFREI- in his Sefer Torah