(Mishnah - R. Yehudah ben Beseira): If he wrote one letter Notrikun, he is liable; Chachamim exempt.

Question: Where does the Torah write Notrikun?

Answer #1 (R. Yochanan citing R. Yosi ben Zimra): "Ki Av Hamon Goyim Nesaticha":

"AV" - I made you (Avraham) Av (a father) and Bachur (choicest) among the nations;

"HaMON" (Hei and Ches are interchangeable) - you are CHaviv (dearest), Melech, Vatik (wisest), and Ne'eman (the most faithful) of the nations.

Answer #2A (R. Yochanan himself): "ANoCHI" (in the 10 utterances) is Notrikun - Ani Nafshi Kesivas Yehavis (I wrote and gave Myself [with the Torah]).

Answer #2B (Chachamim): This stands for Amirah Ne'imah Kesivas Yehavis (Maharsha - a pleasant utterance was [automatically] written and given - the Torah attributes the writing to 'Etzba Elokim' for that is easier for people to fathom).

Answer #2C: Some expound this backwards - Yehivah Kesivah Ne'emanim Imreha (Maharsha - it was given written, it may not be transmitted orally).

Answer #3 (Tana d'vei R. Noson): "Ki YaRaT ha'Derech l'Negdi" - [Bil'am's donkey] Yar'ah Ra'asah Notsah (it feared the angel, saw him and turned away).

Answer #4 (Tana d'vei R. Yishmael): [The barley for the Omer must be] "KaRMeL" - KaR MaLei (the straw is full with barley).

Answer #5 (Rav Acha bar Yakov): "V'Hu Kilelani Kelalah NiMReTZeS" - [Shim'i ben Gera cursed David, saying that he is] No'ef (an adulterer), Mo'avi (forbidden to marry a Bas Yisrael, for he descends from Rus the Mo'avis), Rotze'ach (for causing the death of Uriyah), TZorer (one who causes pain), To'evah (abomination).

Answer #6 (Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak): "Mah Nedaber u'Mah NiTZTaDaK" - we (Yosef's brothers) are Nechonim (truthful), TZadikim, Tehorim, Dachim (humble) and Kedoshim.

(Mishnah - R. Gamliel): If one wrote one letter in the morning and one in the evening, in two Ha'alamos (Tosfos; Rashi - because he had enough time to remember, it is like two Ha'alamos), he is liable;

Chachamim exempt.

(Gemara) Question: What do they argue about?

Answer: R. Gamliel holds that Ein Yedi'ah l'Chetzi Shi'ur (if one finds out that he transgressed [b'Shogeg] half a Shi'ur, if he later completes the Shi'ur [b'Shogeg] he is liable, as if he did not find out in the middle);

Chachamim hold Yesh Yedi'ah l'Chetzi Shi'ur.

(Mishnah - R. Eliezer): If one wove three threads at the beginning, or added another thread onto something woven, he is liable;

Chachamim say, whether he wove at the beginning or at the end, the Shi'ur is two threads.

If one makes two Batei Nirim (passes warp threads through holes in a frame that lifts and lowers warp threads) b'Nirim or a Kirus (these will be explained), [or weaves a reed in and out when making a] sieve or basket, he is liable;

If one sews two stitches or tears in order to sew two stitches [he is liable].

(Gemara - R. Yitzchak): R. Eliezer is Mechayev for weaving two threads.

Question: The Mishnah says that he is Mechayev for three!

Answer: One discusses strong threads, the other discusses small threads.

Version #1: He is Mechayev for three strong threads, or two small threads - this amount will not come apart;

Version #2: He is Mechayev for two strong threads, or three small threads - this amount is noticeable.

(Beraisa #1): If one wove three threads at the beginning, or added another thread onto something woven, he is liable;

Chachamim say, whether he wove at the beginning or at the end, the Shi'ur is two;

On the edge, the Shi'ur is two threads for the width of three Batei Nirim.

This is like one who weaves a small belt - he is liable for two threads the width of three Batei Nirim.

The Beraisa is Mechayev for three threads at the beginning or adding one onto something woven - this is like R. Eliezer.

(Beraisa #2): If one added two threads onto a large amount of something woven or the border [beginning] of a garment, he is liable;

R. Eliezer is Mechayev even for one.

If he wove two threads on the edge the width of three Batei Nirim he is liable.

This is like one who weaves a small belt - he is liable for two threads the width of three Batei Nirim.

It is Mechayev for two threads onto a large amount of something woven or on the border - this is like Chachamim.

(Mishnah): If one makes two Batei Nirim b'Nirim...

Question: What is this?

Answer (Abaye): It is threading two [warp] threads through heddle eyes (used to move the warp threads alternatingly above and below the woof. We explain like R. Chananel - there are many varied Pirushim on these words.)

(Mishnah): In a Kirus.

Question: What it this?

Answer (Rav): It is a foot loom (Rashi; R. Chananel - it is a strainer).

(Mishnah): If one sews two stitches.

Question: This was already taught among the 39 Melachos (73A, and no Chidush is added here)!

Answer #1: It was repeated on account of the Seifa, one who tears in order to sew two stitches [is liable].

Question: Also this was taught among the 39 Melachos!

Answer: Sewing was repeated on account of [tearing in order to sew, and tearing was repeated on account of] the Seifa (continuation of our Mishnah on Amud B), one who tears out of anger or on account of a Mes [is exempt].

(Mishnah): One who tears in order to sew two stitches.

Question: What is the case?

Answer: The garment had a protrusion (it must be torn to make it straight).

(Mishnah): If one tore out of anger or on account of his Mes, or did anything destructive, he is exempt;

If one ruined something in order to fix it, the Shi'ur to be liable is like one who fixes;

The Shi'ur to be liable for the following is twice Malei ha'Sit (this will be explained) - laundering, Menapetz (banging wool, or separating clumps into fibers, or brushing and combing it), dying and spinning. One who weaves two threads, the Shi'ur is Malei ha'Sit.

(Gemara) Contradiction (Beraisa): If one tore out of anger, or if a mourner tore [his clothing] on account of his Mes, he is liable;

Even though he desecrated Shabbos, [the mourner] fulfilled his obligation to tear.

Answer - part 1: He is liable for a Mes he must mourn over, he is exempt for any other Mes.

Question: The Mishnah exempts one who tore for his Mes!

Answer: It is his Mes, i.e. he is obligated to bury it - but it is not one of the relatives over which he must mourn [and tear, i.e. a parent, child, sibling or spouse].

Question: If the Mes was a Chacham, he is liable!

(Beraisa): Everyone is a relative of a Chacham.

Objection: This cannot be!

Correction: Rather, everyone is like a relative of a Chacham, he must tear, leave his shoulder uncovered and eat the first meal after the burial from others' food in the street.

Answer: The Mes was not a Chacham.

Question: If the Mes was a proper person, he is liable!

(Beraisa): A person's children die in order that he will cry and mourn over a proper person.

Objection: Does Hash-m take a 'security' from one who did not yet sin?!

Correction: Rather, they die because he did not cry and mourn over a proper person.

If one cries over a proper person, all his sins are forgiven on account of the honor he showed.

Answer: The Mes was not a proper person.

Question: If he was present at the time of death, he is liable!

(Beraisa - R. Shimon ben Elazar): If one was present at the time of death, he must tear - this is like a Sefer Torah that was burned.

Answer: He was not present at the time of death.

Question: This resolves tearing on account of his Mes, but the contradiction regarding tearing out of anger remains!

Answer - part 2: The Beraisa is R. Yehudah, who is Mechayev for Melachah she'Einah Tzerichah l'Gufah; the Mishnah is R. Shimon, who exempts.

Question: We know that R. Yehudah is Mechayev when he did something constructive - is he Mechayev for something destructive?!

Answer #1 (R. Avin): It is considered constructive, for it calms his anger.

Question: This is forbidden [for it strengthens the Yetzer - it is not constructive]!

(Beraisa - R. Shimon ben Elazar): One who tears his clothes or breaks Kelim in his anger is like one who serves idolatry, for this is the way of the Yetzer ha'Ra - today it tells one to do a small transgression, and another one tomorrow, in the end it gets him to serve idolatry! (Iyun Yakov - doing the desire of his Yetzer in place of that of his Creator is itself like idolatry.)

(R. Avin): He learns from "Lo Yihyeh Vecha El Zar v'Lo Sishtachaveh l'El Nechar" - the foreign god in a person is his Yetzer ha'Ra (if he obeys it, in the end he will bow to idolatry).

Answer #2: The case is, he did so to instill fear in his household;

[To instill fear, Chachamim would do actions that appeared destructive -] Rav Yehudah would remove the edge from his garment, Rav Acha bar Yakov would break Kelim that were already broken, Rav Sheshes would throw brine at his Shifchah (it is not fitting to drink - Yoma 81A), and R. Aba would break a lid.

(R. Yehoshua ben Levi): If one sheds tears over a proper person, Hash-m counts them and puts them in his treasure-house - "Nodi Sofarta Atah Simah Dim'asi v'Nodecha ha'Lo b'Sifrasecha".

(Rav Yehudah): If one is lazy and neglects to properly eulogize a Chacham, he should be buried alive - "V'Yikberu (Yehoshua)...mi'Tzafon l'HaR Go'aSH" - this teaches that he ROGASH (aroused) the mountain against them to kill them, because he was not eulogized properly.

(R. Chiya bar Aba citing R. Yochanan): If one is lazy and neglects to properly eulogize a Chacham, he will not live long, Midah k'Neged Midah - "B'Sas'ah (in the same Se'ah (measure)) b'Shalchah Terivenah".

Question (R. Chiya bar Aba): "...Ha'Zekenim Asher He'erichu Yomim Acher Yehoshua" (they lived long)!

Answer: (R. Yochanan): [Foolish] Babylonian! They had length of days, but not length of years. (Rashi - they lived well, but not long; Maharsha - they lived long, but not well, it was as if they already died).

Question: "Lema'an Yirbu Yemeichem vi'Mei Veneichem" - does Mezuzah give length of days, but not of years?!

Answer: A Berachah is different (it gives both).

(R. Chiya bar Aba): If one brother died, all of the brothers should worry;