1)

(a)The world is judged four times a year. It is judged ...

1. ... on Pesach - for produce.

2. ... on Shavu'os - for fruit of the tree.

3. ... on Rosh Hashanah - we are all judged.

4. ... on Sukos - for rain.

(b)The problem that we initially have in explaining that the judgment on the produce pertains to the corn that is already growing - is to explain when the judgements took place, that would have decided the degree of the produce's success up until then.

(c)And we reject the alternative suggestion that it pertains exclusively, to the corn that has yet to be sown on the basis of a Beraisa - which emphatically ascribes two judgements to the corn (similar to that of people).

(d)The two judgements that ...

1. ... people have to undergo are - one regarding things that happen to them between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (which was judged last year), and the other, regarding things that happen to him after Yom Kippur (which were judged this year).

2. ... the produce has to undergo are - one, regarding whatever happens to the produce before Nisan (which was decided on the previous Nisan), and the other, regarding things that happen to it after Nisan (which were decided this year).

2)

(a)Rava concludes that all produce undergoes two judgments - one in the Nisan that precedes the planting (which decides its fate up until the following Nisan), the other, in the Nisan that follow the current year (before it is harvested), which decides its fate from then on.

(b)One normally sows ...

1. ... wheat and spelt - in Mar-Cheshvan.

2. ... barley - in Adar.

(c)Consequently, if that year's wheat and spelt crops are growing well - Abaye advises one to sow barley early, in time for the second rains, in order to take advantage of that year's blessing (because nobody knows whether the judgement due in the forthcoming Nisan will be as favorable).

3)

(a)According to Rebbi Meir, the entire world is judged on Rosh Hashanah, and their Din is sealed on Yom Kippur. According to Rebbi Yehudah - everything is judged on Rosh Hashanah, and the Din of each individual species is sealed in the time specified in our Mishnah.

(b)Rebbi ...

1. ... Yosi learns from the Pasuk "va'Tifkedenu la'Bekarim" - that each person is judged every day (in the morning).

2. ... Nasan learns from the Pasuk "li'Rega'im Tivchanenu" - that a person is judged every hour.

(c)Neither Rebbi Meir nor Rebbi Yosi nor Rebbi Nasan could possibly be the author of our Mishnah. Nor could it be Rebbi Yehudah - because if the Tana of our Mishnah was concerned with the sealing of the Din, then he should have given the date on which man is judged as Yom Kippur, and not Rosh Hashanah.

(d)The author of our Mishnah is Tana d'Bei Rebbi Yishmael, who gives all four Roshei Shanim exactly as they are listed in our Mishnah.

4)

(a)Rav Chisda initially suggests that Rebbi Yosi (who learns that a person is judged only once a day) disagrees with Rebbi Nasan, because the Lashon 'Bechinah' (Rebbi Nasan's source) implies no more than a perfunctory judgment. We reject this however - on the grounds that, in that case, so does 'Pekidah' (Rebbi Yosi's source).

(b)Clearly, then, the Pasuk "va'Tifkedenu la'Bekarim" (which was originally quoted) cannot be Rebbi Yosi's source. Instead, Rav Chisda cites the Pasuk - in Melachim "La'asos Mishpat Avdo u'Mishpat Amo Yisrael Devar Yom b'Yomo)".

(c)Rav Yosef suggests that we Daven for Ketziri and Meri'i, according to Rebbi Yosi exclusively. 'Ketziri' means sick people, 'Meri'i' -Talmidei-Chachamim, who are weak from learning Torah.

(d)Alternatively, even the Rabanan might agree with praying daily, due to what Rebbi Yitzchak said - that Tefilah always helps, even (for individuals and) even after the judgement has been sealed (see Tosfos).

5)

(a)Rav Chisda learns from the Pasuk in Melachim "La'asos Mishpat Avdo, u'Mishpat Amo Yisrael Devar Yom b'Yomo" - that Hash-m judges a king before he judges the people.

(b)He gives two reasons for this. One of them, because it is not Derech Eretz to make a king wait; the other - because it is better to judge him before the Hash-m's anger accumulates on account of the people's sins.

6)

(a)Rebbi Yehudah in the name of Rebbi Akiva explains that the Torah instructs us ...

1. ... to bring the Omer before Hash-m on Pesach - because Pesach is the time that we are judged for produce, and bringing the Omer will help procure a good judgement for that year's crops.

2. ... to bring the two Loaves on Shavu'os - because Shavu'os is the time that we are judged for fruit of the tree ... .

3. ... to pour water on the Mizbe'ach on Sukos - because on Sukos, we are judged for that year's water supply ... .

(b)The connection between loaves of bread and fruit of a tree - is confined to Rebbi Yehudah (who happens to be the author of this Beraisa, and) who holds that the forbidden fruit which Adam ha'Rishon ate was wheat, and the Torah refers to it as a tree.

(c)On Rosh Hashanah, we recite ...

1. ... 'Malchuyos' - in order to remember to crown Hash-m over ourselves.

2. ... 'Zichronos' - so that our remembrance should ascend before Hash-m for the good.

3. ... 'Shofros' - because that is the vehicle through which that ascension will be achieved.

7)

(a)Rebbi Avahu gives the reason to explain why we blow specifically on a ram's horn as being - to evoke the Divine Mercy, on the merit of Yitzchak Avinu, who gave up his life in order to be a Korban for Hash-m, and who was then replaced by a ram.

(b)Rav Yitzchak's question, why we blow the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah is strange - because it is obvious that we blow the Shofar, since that is what the Torah instructs us to do.

(c)The source for Teki'as Shofar is the Pasuk in Emor - "Zichron Teru'ah".

(d)What Rav Yitzchak means to ask is - why we blow twice, first 'Te'ki'os di'Meyushav' and then, 'Teki'os di'Me'umad'.

(e)And he answers - that we do so in order to confuse the Satan.

8)

(a)

1. ... 'Te'ki'os di'Meyushav' - refers to the first set of thirty notes, during which one is permitted to sit.

2. ... 'Teki'os di'Me'umad' - to the Teki'os that one blows during the Amidah during which one stands (perhaps this is a proof for the Minhag to blow during the silent Amidah, where everyone is obligated to stand).

(b)The Satan becomes confused when he sees us blowing more than we have been commanded - because he sees how eager we are to perform the Mitzvos, and this eagerness is a most powerful antidotes against his accusations.

(c)The Pasuk in Ekev writes "Tamid Einei Hash-m Elokecha Bah me'Reishis ha'Shanah v'Ad Acharis Shanah". Bearing in mind that the word "me'Reishis is missing an Aleph, Rebbi Yitzchak interprets the latter part of this Pasuk to mean - that if the year has a poor beginning (from the word 'Rash' [meaning 'a poor man'] in that we humble ourselves and plead with Hash-m for Divine mercy), then it will have a rich ending.

9)

(a)When our ancestors were being taken into Galus - the Bnei Yishmael first offered the starving and thirsty exiles very salty food and then large empty flasks full of air (which our ancestors believed to contain water). After eating the very salty food, they opened the flasks to drink, but the air in the flasks filled their lungs, and they died.

(b)Rebbi Yitzchak learns from the Pasuk "Ki Shama Hash-m es Kol ha'Na'ar ba'Asher Hu Sham" - that Hash-m only judges a person as he is at the time, without taking into account sins that he will perform in the future.

10)

(a)A tottering wall, anticipation that one's prayers will be answered - and asking Hash-m to punish someone who has done him harm, all result in highlighting one's sins.

(b)Rav Chanan learns this from Sarah - who asked Hash-m to intercede between herself and Avraham (when she said "Hash-m will judge between us") due to the fact that Hagar (who was pregnant from Avraham, whilst she was barren) disrespected her, and he had not Davened for her (Sarah) to have children. As a result of that request, died before Avraham.

(c)What all three cases have in common is - that they cause Hash-m to query the person's worthiness.

(d)What the current Sugyos have in common is - that they are all authored by Rebbi Yitzchak.

11)

(a)Rebbi Yitzchak now presents a list consisting of four things. He learns from the Pasuk ...

1. ... "u'Tzedakah Tatzil mi'Ma'ves" - that Tzedakah has the power to tear up the evil decree.

2. ... "va'Yitz'aku el Hash-m ba'Tzar Lahem, u'mi'Metzukoseihem Yotzi'em" - that Tefilah does too.

(b)He learns that an evil decree can be altered ...

1. ... by changing one's name - from Sarai, who was able to bear a child only after her name was changed to Sarah.

2. ... by changing one's deeds - from the inhabitants of Ninveh, whose evil decree was rescinded after they mended their ways.

(c)Three of the above things correspond to 'Teshuvah, Tefilah and Tzedakah' (which, we say on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, avert the evil decree). Some add to the list, changing one's place of residence - which they learn from Avraham Avinu, whom Hash-m promised would become a great nation only after he moved from Charan to Eretz Yisrael.

(d)Not everyone agrees with this however - on the grounds that that particular case may well have been due the merit of Eretz Yisrael (though one could then ask why Rav Yitzchak did not include moving to Eretz Yisrael in his list).

12)

(a)We learn from the husband of the Shunamis, who asked his wife why she was going to visit the Navi, seeing as it was neither Shabbos nor Rosh Chodesh - that one is obligated to visit one's Rebbe on Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh (and Yom-Tov is no different than Rosh Chodesh - see Agados Maharsha). The Gemara mentions specifically Yom-Tov, says the Ritva, because it speaks even to those who live far away, who are not obligated to visit him every Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh.

(b)The Torah writes in Shemini "uve'Nivlasam Lo Siga'u". This cannot be taken literally (as a prohibition for a Yisrael to become Tamei) - because, if he is not included in the injunction not to become Tamei Mes (which is a more stringent category of Tum'ah, and which is confined to Kohanim) then how much more so will they be permitted to touch the dead carcass of an animal (which is a less stringent category of Tum'ah).

(c)Rebbi Yitzchak therefore concludes - that it must be coming to teach us is the obligation on a Yisrael not to become Tamei on Yom-Tov.

(d)This final statement of Rebbi Yitzchak is borne out by a Beraisa, which extrapolates that a Yisrael is permitted to become Tamei during the year - from the Pasuk "Emor el ha'Kohanim Bnei Aharon ... l'Nefesh Lo Yitama b'Amav".

13)

(a)Rebbi Kruspedai Amar Rebbi Yochanan teaches us about the three Books open before Hash-m on Rosh Hashanah - the Book of complete Tzadikim, the Book of complete Resha'im and the Book of Beinonim.

(b)Rebbi ...

1. ... Avin learns it from the Pasuk in Tehilim "Yimachu mi'Sefer" - which refers to the Book of Resha'im; "Chayim" - to the Book of Beinonim; "v'Im Tzadikim al Yikaseivu" - to the Book of Tzadikim, whereas ...

2. ... Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak learns it from the Pasuk "v'Im Ayin, Mecheini Na" - from the Book of Resha'im; "mi'Sifrecha" - from the Book of Tzadikim; "Asher Kasavta" - from the Book of Beinonim.

(c)Beis Shamai in a Beraisa, refer to three groups on the Day of Judgment - meaning Techi'as ha'Meisim (the day when the dead will be brought back to life).

(d)At that time ...

1. ... the complete Tzadikim (who have more Mitzvos to their credit than sins) will be written and sealed for everlasting life (body together with Soul).

2. ... the complete Resha'im - (who have more sins than Mitzvos) will be written and sealed to go to Gehinom (where they will burn in a fire which is sixty times stronger than the fire that we know).

3. ... the Benonim - (those whose Mitzvos are equal to their sins) will go down to Gehinom, where they will suffer for a short time, before returning to join the Tzadikim.