1)

(a)In spite of the Beraisa that we just discussed, Rav Ashi learns from the fact that "al Yadechah" is written with an extra 'Hey' that - Tefilin are worn on the left arm (because "Yadechah" is the acronym of 'Yad Keiheh' [the weak arm]).

(b)Alternatively, the extra 'Hey' has connotations of weakness (as it is the letter which denotes the feminine form).

(c)Rebbi Aba asked Rav Ashi how he knew not to Darshen "Yadchah she'be'Ko'ach" (presumably based on the principle that 'Hey' and 'Ches' are interchangeable). To which he replied that - since the Torah writes "Yadechah" with a 'Hey', that is how we Darshen it.

(d)This is actually the opinion of the Tana Kama in a Beraisa. Acheirim learns from "Yadechah" that - even a person without a left hand and lower arm is Chayav Tefilin (because "Yadechah" with a 'Hey' implies even one that is incomplete).

(e)Acheirim repeats his opinion in another Beraisa too. The Tana Kama there - exempts someone who has no left arm at all from Tefilin (see Tosfos DH 'Ein lo Zero'a').

2)

(a)The Beraisa rules that - a left-handed person lays Tefilin on his left (weaker) arm, which is what we would call his right one.

(b)We reconcile this with another Beraisa, which requires him to wear his Tefilin on the same arm as everybody else - by establishing the latter Beraisa by someone who is able to use both hands (and we do not exempt him altogether on the grounds that he has no weak hand).

(c)We learned in a Beraisa of de'bei Menasheh that "al Yadechah" means on the 'Kibores' - (the fleshy part of the arm above the elbow).

(d)And "bein Einecha" he explains as on the skull, which de'bei Rebbi Yanai interprets as - the location above the forehead, the area that is extremely vulnerable on that of a year old baby (see also Tosfos DH 'Makom').

3)

(a)Rebbi reacted to P'limu's She'eilah, on which head someone with two heads should wear Tefilin (see Keren Orah) - by giving him the choice of either going into exile or accepting a Shamta (a Cherem).

(b)The reason that he reacted in this way was - because he thought that P'limu was pulling his leg (by asking impractical She'eilos).

(c)At that moment - a man entered to ask Rebbi a She'eilah concerning the two-headed B'chor to whom his wife had just given birth.

4)

(a)The father of the two-headed baby wanted to know - how much he needed to give the Kohen for Pidyon ha'Ben.

(b)The She'eilah was solved by a Beraisa cited by that old man. The Tana rules in this very case - that the father is obligated to pay the Kohen ten Sela'im (one for each head).

(c)The father of twins is only Chayav to pay the Kohen - five Sela'im as Pidyon ha'Ben ...

(d)... because, whereas there we have a principle 'I Efshar Letzamtzem' (it is impossible for the two babies to have been born at exactly the same moment), in the current case there is only one baby, and the S'vara 'I Efshar Letzamtzem' does not apply. And the reason that he pays ten Sela'im is because the Torah writes "Chamesh Shekalim la'Gulgoles" (relating the amount of Pidyon ha'Ben to the number of heads).

5)

(a)The Beraisa cited by Rami bar Chama learns from the word "Ach" in the Pasuk in Korach "Ach Padoh Sifdeh es B'chor ha'Adam" that - a baby that is killed before the age of thirty days is not subject to Pidyon ha'Ben.

(b)In spite of the fact that the Torah only requires the redemption of a baby who has survived thirty days to be redeemed, we might have thought otherwise - because the baby in question was a healthy baby and would presumably have survived thirty days (See also Tosfos DH 'Shomei'a Ani').

(c)The problem this Beraisa creates with our current ruling is that - in our case too, the baby cannot survive thirty days (vindicating Rebbi's ruling against P'limu), in which case the father ought to have been Patur from paying anything.

(d)We reconcile the two - by drawing a distinction between a baby that died and one that is still alive. Note, that the Gemara's answer Sha'ani Hacha de'be'Gulgoles Tala Rachmana does not seem to answer the Kashya (see Tosfos and Seifer Eizehu Mekoman).

6)

(a)The Tana Kama of the Beraisa learns that "al Yadecha" means on the arm and not on the hand - from the Hekesh to Tefilin shel Rosh, where the Torah writes "bein Einecha" (which means high on the head).

(b)According to Rebbi Eliezer, this is not necessary, since we can learn it from the preceding words "Vehayah l'cha le'Os" - from which we learn 've'Lo la'Acherim le'Os', which would be extremely difficult to implement if Tefilin were worn on the hand.

(c)Rebbi Yitzchak learns it - from the juxtaposition of the Pasuk "Vesamtem es Devarai Eileh al Levavchem" to "u'Keshartem" - which teaches us that Tefilin should be worn next to the heart (which the upper-arm is, but the hand is not).

(d)Rebbi Chiya b'rei de'Rav Ivya therefore arranged his Tefilin - on the upper-arm, slightly inclined towards the heart.

7)

(a)When Rav Ashi was sitting in front of Ameimar, he noticed that the latter's shirt-sleeve was torn - so that the sleeve should not rub against a sore on his arm.

(b)As a result of the tear, Ameimar's Tefilin shel Yad were visible. When Rav Ashi queried him from "Vehayu Lecha le'Os", 've'Lo la'Acheirim le'Os' he replied that - this merely comes to specify the location of the shel Yad, but not that the Tefilin must actually be out of sight.

(c)"bein Einechem" implies literally between the eyes. The Tana Kama in the Beraisa learns that the Tefilin shel Rosh must be worn above the forehead from the Gezeirah-Shavah - "bein Einechem" "bein Einechem" (from the Pasuk in Re'ei "Lo Sasimu Korchah bein Einechem la'Meis", which clearly refers to a place on the head where hair grows).

(d)According to Rebbi Yehudah, this Limud is not necessary, because he learns it from the Hekesh to Tefilin shel Yad. When he says Mah Lehalan be'Makom ha'Ra'uy Litamei be'Nega Echad ... , he means that - just as Tefilin shel Yad are worn in a location where only one type of Tzara'as applies (the arm, which is subject to Tzara'as via two white hairs only), so too, must the Tefilin shel Rosh be in such a location (the head, which is subject to Tzara'as via two yellow hairs only), and not between the eyes, which can become Tzara'as on two ways, via two white hairs on the skin and via yellow hairs on the eye-brows.

8)

(a)The Tana Kama in our Mishnah considers the four Tzitzis to be one Mitzvah; Rebbi Yishmael considers them four. The basis of the Kashya Mai Beineihu is that - both agree that the garment requires four Tzitzis, one on each corner, so what difference does it make whether we consider it one Mitzvah or four?

(b)When ...

1. ... Rav Yosef answers Sadin be'Tzitzis Ika Beinaihu, he means that - if one attaches three Tzitzis including Techeiles (which is made of wool), to a linen garment, he has performed the Mitzvah of Tzitzis according to Rebbi Yishmael; whereas according to the Tana Kama, not only has he not performed the Mitzvah, but he has also transgressed the sin of Sha'atnez.

2. ... Rava bar Ahina answers Talis Ba'alas Chameish Ika Beinaihu, he means that - according to the Tana Kama, a garment of five corners requires four Tzitzis (as we will learn in the next Perek), whereas according to Rebbi Yishmael, it will require five, one for each corner.

(c)According to Ravina, they argue over a statement of Rav Huna, who said that someone who walks into the street on Shabbos wearing a Talis that has Tzitzis which are not Kasher - is Chayav a Chatas.

(d)Consequently, if someone goes into the street wearing a Talis with three Tzitzis - he will be Chayav, according to the Tana Kama, but Patur, according to Rebbi Yishmael.

9)

(a)Rav Shisha b'rei de'Rav Idi rules that someone who cuts a corner of his garment (turning it into a five-cornered garment, instead of a four-cornered one), in order to exempt it from Tzitzis - has achieved nothing (because a five-cornered garment is Chayav Tzitzis too, as we just learned).

(b)In a similar ruling, Rav Mesharshaya states that someone who folds the corners of his garment and ties or glues them to the garment, has achieved nothing. The garment remains Chayav Tzitzis - because tying or gluing in this way is only temporary, and stands to be undone (Consequently, it is as if it has not been tied).

(c)Alternatively, we might explain the expression Hai Ma'an de'Tzayreih li'Gelimeih to mean that - the owner folded the garment in two and tied or glued it, before attaching Tzitzis to its four current corners. Here too, seeing as the stitches are not permanent, the two Tzitziyos that hang from the corners that have been tied, are considered to be hanging from the middle of the garment.

(d)We support this ruling with a Mishnah in Keilim, which rules that leather flasks which became receptacles by tying all four ends together - are not subject to Tum'ah (because they are not considered receptacles).

10)

(a)The Tana in Keilim precludes Arabian flasks from the previous ruling on the grounds that - they are commonly made that way (and are therefore subject to Tum'ah).

(b)For (non-Arabian) flasks to be subject to Tum'ah - one would have to stitch the ends together.

(c)Rav Dimi from Neherda'a maintains that even sewing the ends of the garment will not be effective in our case - because if the owner wanted to remove the corners of the garment or to reduce its length permanently, he would have cut off the excess material, and not just sewn it (and the fact that he did not do so indicates that the stitches are only temporary).

(d)The problem with our second explanation of Hai Ma'an de'Tzayreih li'Gelimeih (that he folded the garment, sewed it and attached Tzitzis) is that - a Beraisa in the fourth Perek rules that a garment that is sewn in this way is Chayav Tzitzis the way it is.

11)

(a)Rav Yehudah Amar Shmuel rules like Rebbi Yishmael in our Mishnah (who considers the four Tzitzis four Mitzvos). The last word on the subject however is - ve'Leis Hilch'sa Kavaseih.

12)

(a)When Ravina, following Mar bar Rav Ashi one Shabbos Chol-ha'Mo'ed, noticed that one of his Tzitziyos was torn - he remained silent until he arrived home, when he informed him of the problem.

(b)The problem, despite the fact, that according to Rebbi Yishmael, one is permitted to go out with three Tzitziyos on Shabbos was that - we do not rule him (as we just conclded).

(c)Ravina later justified his silence to Mar bar Rav Ashi - on the basis of Mar's principle 'Gadol Kavod ha'Beriyos, she'Docheh Lo Sa'aseh she'ba'Torah' (and which he assumed, refers to any Lo Sa'aseh, even if it d'Oraysa).

(d)Mar bar Rav Ashi retorted with a quote from Rav bar Sh'va, who had cited in front of Rav Kahana the Pasuk "Lo Sasur" - intimating that the Lo Sa'aseh referred to by Mar is confined to that of "Lo Sasur", incorporating Isurim de'Rabbanan (such as carrying Muktzah stones to a bathroom when necessary, even though these are otherwise Muktzah), but does not pertain to a La'av d'Oraysa.

13)

(a)In the second Lashon, Ravina informed Mar bar Rav Ashi immediately. Mar bar Ashi reacted by querying him from 'Gadol Kavod ha'Beri'os'.

(b)When Ravina cited Rav bar Sh'va - Mar bar Rav Ashi retorted that they were currently standing in a Karm'lis, where carrying was indeed forbidden only mi'de'Rabbanan. Consequently, Ravina need not have informed him of his Pasul Tzitzis.