The Gemara in Megillah 6a only describes the empty-ones of Tiveria as filled with Mitzvos. Why are they different to such people in other places?

Chida - Pesach Einayim (Megillah 6a): The Gemara in Megillah says explains that the city of 'Rekes' refers to Tiveria and then expounds 'Rekes' as meaning 'Rekanim She'bahem' - their empty ones. The Gemara in Shabbos 118b tells us that since Tiveria is surrounded by mountains, they could not see the true time of sunset and they would accept Shabbos early, when the sun dipped behind the mountains. Chazal tell us (Zohar Chelek 2, 89a) that whoever keeps the Shabbos, it is as if he kept the whole Torah. Therefore, even the empty ones of Tiveria are full of Mitzvos.

Ahavas Eisan (Hashmatos of Megillah 5): The Mishnah in Rosh Hashana (2:2) describes that originally, the news of the declaration of the New Moon was spread by people waving torches on mountaintops. But when the heretics ruined this (by waving torches at the wrong times), the method was replaced by using messengers. The Yerushalmi there quotes from R. Abahu that the use of torches continued at 'Yam Tiveria'. This shows that the heretics did not live around the city of Tiveria and the ignorant Jews there were not negatively affected by them. The 'empty-ones' of Tiveria were therefore more observant than their counterparts elsewhere, who had come under the influence of the heretics.

Why are the 'empty-ones' compared specifically to a pomegranate?

Chikrei Lev 4:77: A pomegranate branch was used for roasting the Korban Pesach (Pesachim 74a) because its wood has no internal moisture - it is considered a tree 'without a heart'. He interprets this as a symbol for those whose Mitzvos are performed without joy or kavanah. Their actions are technically correct, but spiritually dry - Mitzvot done without heart.

Rav Yechiel Michel Stern: Pomegranate seeds, unlike other fruits such as apples or figs, are each separate surrounded by their own membrane, and not connected by a central core. This symbolizes individuals whose Mitzvos are isolated and disconnected, done without cohesion or an overarching sense of purpose. Their observance is fragmented rather than part of a unified Avodas Hash-m.

What is the meaning behind R. Zeira's Pasuk and how did his comparison between garments and traitors help him to bring those people close?

Maharal: Garments allude to the empty ones - those who act rebelliously. Just as garments are merely an external covering and not part of a person's essence, so too, the rebellious actions of these individuals are only surface-level. Their defiance does not reflect their true inner identity. This perspective enabled R. Zeira to see beyond their actions and connect with their true inner essence.

Einei Shmuel: The Pasuk (Devarim 28:47) says that the people are punished because they did not serve Hash-m "with happiness and a glad heart." Rav Sa'adyah Gaon explains this does not refer to those who sin but feel regret, but to those who sin joyfully, glad to defy Hash-m's will. The Pasuk can be read as: "With joy and gladness, you did not serve Hash-m" - meaning that you rejoiced in sin. Their punishment is, "You will serve your enemies." R. Zeira was adding that even sinners have merit if they feel guilt when they sin.

Why does the Mishnah say that 'his blood was cast on the trees and on the stones'? Why not on the ground?

Maharsha: Since Kayin actually used sticks and stones to kill Hevel, they became stained with his blood.

Einei Shmuel: There are four categories of existence in this world: Inanimate (Domem), Vegetation (Tzomeach), Animal (Baal Chai), and Human (Medaber). The greatest elevation for one of the lower categories is to be uplifted into a higher one. For example, when an animal eats vegetation, it ingests and thereby elevates the vegetation into becoming part of a Baal Chai. In the time of Adam, Kayin, and Hevel, it was prohibited for humans to eat meat. Therefore, humans could only elevate the lower categories - Domem and Tzomeach. Hevel had been the only righteous person capable of performing this spiritual elevation. When Kayin killed him, this process of uplifting the inanimate and vegetation ceased. This is symbolized by the Gemara's statement that Hevel's blood was spilled on wood (vegetation) and stones (inanimate matter).

If animals were also created alone, what is unique about man being created alone?

Yefei Mareh: Unlike animals, there was a practical need to create multiple humans at the beginning to populate the world without resorting to sibling marriages, yet only one man was created to convey messages such as the value of each life.

Is the Mishnah explaining why no other men were created with Adam, or why Adam was created alone before Chavah?

Maharsha: The Mishnah is focusing on why Adam was created first and Chavah only afterward, to prevent people from claiming superiority by attributing their traits to either Adam or Chavah, since both came from a single original being.

But even if Adam and Chavah were created separately, would all people not still descend from both equally?

Maharsha: If they had been created as separate beings, people might claim to resemble one more than the other and argue that one was greater, but since Chavah was formed from Adam, all traits trace back to the same source.

Why did Shimon ben Shetach refer to Hash-m as 'He Who knows thoughts'?

Maharsha: The reason the murderer could not be put to death was that there had been no warning (Hasra'ah). Without a warning, one cannot be certain that the act was committed intentionally, which is a necessary condition for capital punishment. However, Shimon ben Shetach was personally convinced of the man's guilt and that he had acted intentionally. Therefore, he referred to Hash-m as 'He Who knows thoughts', invoking the One who knows what is hidden in the heart to bring about justice, since the human court was unable to do so.

Ben Yehoyada: The Yerushalmi in Chagigah (2:2) recounts an incident in which a certain pious Jew approached Shimon ben Shetach and told him about a dream he had had. In the dream, he saw that Shimon ben Shetach would be punished for not fulfilling a vow he had made to eradicate witches. Shimon ben Shetach was taken aback, as he had never shared this vow with anyone. Realizing that the man's knowledge could only have come from a Divine source, he recognized the truth of the dream. From that point on, he began referring to Hash-m as "He Who Knows Thoughts", emphasizing Hash-m's intimate knowledge of even our innermost intentions.

If Shimon ben Shetach was the only person present, how anyway could the murderer have been convicted, since two witnesses are needed to convict?

Tosfos: There was another person present, but since Shimon was the great Sage, the other person was not mentioned in the story.

Why does the Gemara bring a proof to 'exile atones for half of sin' from Kayin? Does the Gemara (Makos 2b) not teach that exile only atones for inadvertent sin (Shogeg), not intentional sin (Meizid)?

Iyun Yaakov: Since the Torah was not yet given and Kayin killed without witnesses or warning, exile sufficed.

Margalios haYam: Since this was the first time in history that someone died, perhaps Kayin was considered to be acting inadvertently as he did not understand what death was.

According to this Gemara, how exactly do the phrases about Kayin, 'והייתי נע ונד' and 'וישב בארץ נוד', teach this principal that exile atones for a half of sin?

Maharsha: Based on the Gemara's Drasha, the phrase "Na ve'Nad" ("a wanderer and an exile") cannot be referring to literal exile alone. It would be illogical to say that "And Kayin went out", which already implies exile, would serve as atonement for the earlier decree of "Na ve'Nad". Rather, as explained by the Midrash Tanchuma (Bereishis 9), wherever Kayin stood, the ground would tremble beneath him. The Ein Yosef (who lived after the Maharsha) explains that this is the meaning of the term "Nad"-that the earth was unstable beneath him-while "Na" refers to being physically driven from place to place. In the verse "וישב בארץ נוד", Kayin was no longer a "Na", as he had settled in one location, but he remained a "Nad", since the ground continued to shake under him. This illustrates Chazal's teaching that exile (in the sense of being unsettled and disoriented) serves as atonement for half of the sin.