How do Chachamim engage in Binyan of the world?

Maharsha: They engage in Torah, which was Hash-m's craft in creation. Therefore, they are more adamant about [cleanliness of] their garments, and a stain even on one side is a Chatzitzah.

Anaf Yosef: Torah sustains the world - "Nimogim Eretz v'Chol Yosheveha Anochi SIkanti Amudeha."

Rav Elyashiv: Mishnah Acharonah (Mikva'os) says that 'Bana'im' are those who fulfill one of the three pillars of the world. It includes also one who engages in Avodah and Chesed, and not only Chachamim who engage in Torah. (NOTE: In Rav Elyashiv's final version, he omitted Avodah. Perhaps this is because nowadays, there is no Avodas ha'Mikdash. - PF)

How is he adamant about his garment, to reverse it?

Rashi: If he put it on inside-out, he reverses it, lest the stitching and hem be seen.

Maharsha: This is not relevant to here!

Anaf Yosef: Every person should be careful about this l'Chatchilah (OC 2:3).

Maharsha: Even if a stain is not seen from one side, he reverses it to check the other side, lest a stain be found. For Chachamim, also on one side is a Chatzitzah!

Daf Al ha'Daf: Tosfos Yom Tov (Mikva'os 9:6) says that our Gemara forbids only Revav on the outer garment. The Mishnah there teaches that a Chacham is adamant about any stain on any garment, therefore it is a Chatzitzah!

Iyun Yakov: If it is stained on one side, a boor reverses it. A Chacham is adamant not to reverse it. He does not dress in order to appear honorable. Rather, all his deeds are for the honor of his Torah. If a Chacham's inside is unlike his outside, he is not a Chacham!

Anaf Yosef: The Vilna Gaon (on Eshes Chayil) explained that man's Midos are his cloak. Mido is like "v'Lavash ha'Kohen Mido Vad." Chachamim said "Mido" - like his Midah, i.e. like the Midah that he is Moded (how he treats others). "Ein Tzadik ba'Aretz Asher Ya'aseh Tov v'Lo Yecheta" - however, if a Chacham stumbles in something lowly, he immediately reverses it. Torah is a great city containing everything. Ben Bag Bag ends Pirkei Avos, which is to fix Midos, with 'Hafoch Bah (peruse Torah) Hafoch Bah, for everything is in it. Do not budge from it.' (NOTE: 'Perek 6' of Avos is really a Beraisa appended to Avos. Avos ends with the teachings of Ben Bag Bag and Ben Hei Hei. - PF) Cures of the Nefesh are like cures of the body - one heals illness via reversal. So one must reverse Midos to good. The primary bad Midah is desire - it brings to all bad Midos. 'Every sickness is due to too much blood' (Bava Basra 58b), for blood is the Nefesh that desires. The primary cure is wine (ibid.) - this is wine of Torah - "Rif'us Tehi l'Sharecha", "ul'Chol Besaro Marpei." It is an elixir of life. Chachamim listed the good Midos in Avos for one who is not a Ba'al Torah. Where there is no wine, medicines are needed (ibid.)

Daf Al ha'Daf: The Vilna Gaon (Shir ha'Shirim 5:3) says that 'a Chacham's cloak' hints to his Midos. Some Midos are revealed, e.g. Chesed and mercy, and some are hidden, e.g. modesty and humility. So there are garments of modesty and garments of honor. He must be careful not to reverse a good Midah to a bad Midah. Moryiah (23:6 p.255) explains that he must separate external from internal. For himself, he must be precise and do everything according to Din, but for others, he pardons liberally. If a Chacham sees to distinguish these, we rely on his vision to distinguish what pertains to him and does not pertain to him. Yosef's eye did not want to enjoy what was not his (Potifar's wife), therefore his border (NOTE: the Heter to eat Kodshim of Shilo, which was in his portion - PF) extended to any place from where it can be seen (Zevachim 118b).

Why is he believed about recognizing an Aveidah only if he is adamant about his garment, to reverse it?

Maharal: If he is not adamant about his garment, surely he was not meticulous to see the form of the Kli that he lost. If he is adamant about his garment, he was meticulous also to see the form of his Aveidah to recognize it, so we return it.

Rif (on the Ein Yakov): If he recognizes when his garment is reversed, surely he recognizes his Aveidah.

Rav Elyashiv: If an Aveidah was found where Chachamim are found, one must be concerned lest a Chacham lost it, and there is no despair even if there is no Siman. Where Chachamim are not found, he despairs, so one need not return it via recognition.

Rav Elyashiv: Indeed, what is the connection? The Rif and Ramban omitted this! However, the Rosh and Shulchan Aruch bring it. If he is not adamant about his garment, this shows that he is absent-minded. However, this does not show that he is not a Chacham.

Here it says that he believed about an Aveidah only if he is adamant about his garment. In Bava Metzi'a 24a, it says that he lies only about three matters - [not knowing] a Maseches, intimacy and his hosts!

Rav Elyashiv: Both of these are required. There it discusses trustworthiness - he may depart from Emes only for three matters. Here we discuss when he truly recognizes. One who wears his garment reversed, he does not recognize matters. He will err to say that he recognizes even when he does not, even though he does not intend to lie.

What is the significance of one who abandons his business and engages in Shamayim's work?

Maharal: This is like we find in man - his intellect engages only in Shamayim's work (Torah), and Hash-m created limbs that do the intellect's work; via them, the intellect is financed. Even though intellect does not need its own income, when man is not fed, the intellect cannot survive. A Chacham in a city is like an intellect in a body. Man's body is called a city (Koheles Rabah 9) - "Ir Ketanah va'Anashim Bah Me'at." If you will ask that some intellectual people work and do not engage in Torah - this is not absolute intellect, rather, physical intellect. Real (Divine) intellect is understanding Hash-m and Torah.

Elsewhere, we asked who is a Chacham regarding an Aveidah, or to be appointed over the Tzibur, or for Anshei ha'Ir to do his work? Why do we ask now about a Chacham Stam?

Maharsha: Only here, he is an absolute Chacham. He may be appointed over the Tzibur for any particular matter, and if he can answer about any Maseches, he can be Rosh Yeshivah. Above, he could be appointed only for the matter about which he is expert.

What is 'Kalah'?

Rashi: It is a minor tractate. (It is printed after Maseches Avodah Zarah.) It begins 'a Kalah without Berachah [of Nisu'in] is forbidden to her husband like a Nidah.'

Tosfos: It is laws of the festival that are learned 30 days beforehand. Most people are familiar with it.

What is the Chidush 'one can ask him Halachah anywhere, even 'Kalah''?

Rashi: Even though most people are not fluent in Kalah, he put his heart to it and learned it by himself.

Tosfos: If one was Mekadesh 'on condition that I am a Talmid', he need not be as great as Ben Azai or Ben Zoma. It suffices if one may ask him Halachah [and he can answer], even Maseches Kalah (Kidushin 49b). Rashi explained there that it is simple! Here, it says Kalah to show his esteem - he knows even what most people do not know. There, even if he learned only Kalah, he is considered a Chacham.

Iyun Yakov, Etz Yosef: Rashi holds that he learned the entire Talmud. However, when he is engaged in one Maseches, he cannot answer about another Maseches.

Tosfos: He must know something so well that he can answer questions on it, even Kalah (laws of the festival), which most people know. (This was repeated below, to distinguish the law of one who can answer in any Maseches.) Also in Kidushin, it means like this.

Rif (on the Ein Yakov): He knows all the Gemaros, and even Maseches Kalah. To be appointed over the city, he must be able to answer all people's questions about different matters. If he is expert in the entire Torah, he can be appointed Rosh Yeshivah. (NOTE: Perhaps 'the entire Torah' includes Tanach and Midrashim of Halachah and Agadah. - PF)

What is the source that residents of the city must do a Chacham's work?

Rashi: It says "v'Asisa Lecha Aron" (Moshe must make it), and it says "v'Asu Aron" (others will make it for Moshe - Yoma 72b).

Must others supply only his bread?

Rashi: No, it includes also other essentials that he himself cannot do.

Rav Elyashiv: We learn from the Aron - anything that the Chacham must do, others do it for him.

What is the meaning of 'in all Masechtos'?

Rashi: When engaged in this Maseches, he can answer a question about another Maseches.

R. Yanai asked not to be buried in white clothing, lest he be like a Chasan among mourners. Our custom is to bury in white shrouds!

Rav Elyashiv: The Vilna Gaon brings that the Yerushalmi (Kil'ayim 9:3) says oppositely, and so is our custom. (NOTE: There, R. Yochanan said like R. Yanai, but R. Yoshiyah and R. Yirmeyah commanded to be buried in white. Why do we follow the Yerushalmi against the Bavli? Perhaps we should assume that the Mes will be among Tzadikim; R. Yanai's command was amidst great humility, or to arouse others to inspect their deeds, and R. Yochanan did not want to consider himself better than his Rebbi. In the text of Chasam Sofer (Teshuvos, YD 331), R. Gamliel commanded to be buried in white linen shrouds (Mo'ed Katan 27b). - PF) The shrouds decay; one will be revived in the garments that he wore. (NOTE: Tosfos (Kesuvos 111b) explains, that he wore in his lifetime. Presumably, he means at the time of death; one wore many clothes in his lifetime! Perhaps adamancy about the color of shrouds is amidst hope that Techiyas ha'Mesim will be soon, before the shrouds will decay, for then he will rise in the shrouds! - PF)

What are Ulyarin garments?

Rashi: They are distinguished towels in which esteemed people wrap themselves when leaving the bathhouse.

Rav Elyashiv: i.e. Bani refers to bathhouse attendants. This is difficult - the Beraisa contrasted them to a boor! It seems that boor is not the opposite. The Beraisa merely teaches the law of bathhouse attendants, and also of a boor. Do not say that a boor is not adamant even from both sides.