1)

(a)Rav Huna thought that his son Rabah should go and learn by Rav Chisda - because he was exceptionally sharp.

(b)Rabah bar Rav Huna initially declined to accept his father's advice - because he claimed, instead of Torah, Rav Chisda taught him worldly matters ...

(c)... such as not to sit down quickly and forcefully (when excreting) - and not to push too hard when relieving oneself, in order not to damage one of the three glands of the rectum.

(d)Rav Huna's reaction to this was - to chastise him with the words 'He is dealing with life itself, and you complain that he teaches you worldly matters! You should most certainly go and learn by him!'

2)

(a)Rebbi Yochanan taught us on the previous Amud that one should rather use a piece of rock to clean oneself than a piece of clay; and this is also a Machlokes between Rav Huna and Rav Chisda. Rav Huna (and Rebbi Yochanan) will establish the Beraisa, which advocates using a piece of clay to clean oneself, by the handle of a vessel, which is smooth, and is not dangerous to use, and is preferable to use to a rock, which is Muktzeh. Whereas they (Rav Huna and Rebbi Yochanan) are referring to a rough piece of clay. (The Beraisa does not appear to concern itself with the fear of witchcraft - see previous Amud 9c.)

(b)Rav Chisda and Rav Hamnuna argue over whether it is better to use a clod of earth or grass to clean oneself on Shabbos. To reconcile the latter opinion with the Beraisa, which forbids grass forbids the use of grass, when it writes 'ha'Mekanei'ach be'Davar she'ha'Or Sholetes Bo, Shinav ha'Tachtonos Noshros' (someone who cleans himself with something that is inflammable, causes his lower glands to fall out) - we establish the Beraisa by dry grass, whereas the Amora who permits it, is speaking about wet grass, which is not.

(c)The Beraisa bears out the opinion which holds that the failure to relieve oneself results in a Ru'ach Zuhama - which is when the whole body smells from sweat, which is the result of not relieving oneself when one needs to.

(d)According to others, the failure to relieve oneself - results in an evil spirit seizing him.

3)

(a)When the Rabbanan say that someone who is constipated should 'take his mind away', they mean that he should take his mind away from everything else, and concentrate on relieving himself exclusively.

(b)Rebbi Yirmiyah bar Aba saw a certain Arab stand up and sit down, stand up and sit down, until he 'poured like a pot' - concurring with the opinion of Rav Chisda.

(c)Rav Chanan from Neherda'a suggested that, after trying unsuccessfully to relieve oneself in one corner, he should move to another corner and try again. And according to Rav Hamnuna, he should try opening his bowels with a piece of rock.

(d)Before entering a banqueting hall, the Beraisa suggests that, in order to loosen one's bowels - one should walk ten times four Amos, or four times ten Amos (to avoid the embarrassing situation of needing to go out in the middle of the banquet).

4)

(a)The Shiur Rebbi Yehudah gives for carrying out a piece of clay, is one that is sufficiently large to place in between two boards in a pile, that are not lying flush one on top of the other - to prevent them from warping.

(b)Rebbi Meir argues that, since the Navi warns that there will not even remain a piece of clay to stoke a fire ("ve'Lo Yimatzei bi'Mechitaso Cheres, Lachtos Eish mi'Yakud"), it appears that the smallest Shi'ur for a piece of clay to be considered Chashuv - is one that is large enough to stoke a fire.

(c)Rebbi Yossi counters this with the continuation of the Pasuk, which concludes "ve'Lachsof Mayim mi'Geive" (meaning "nor to draw water from a pit".

5)

(a)If it appears from the Mishnah that Rebbi Yossi's measure is larger than that of Rebbi Meir (because he gives a specific Shiur; whereas Rebbi Meir does not), then from the Pasuk it appears that the Shiur of Rebbi Meir (large enough to stoke a fire) is larger - since the Pasuk first mentions "to stoke a fire", and then, "to draw water from a pit", implying that not a piece will remain to stoke a fire, and not even to draw water from a pit", and the sequence would make no sense, if the latter was larger than the former.

(b)We therefore interpret Rebbi Meir in our Mishnah, to mean, not a minimal fire (which would imply that his Shiur is smaller than Rebbi Yossi's), but to stoke a large fire - in which case, his Shiur will be the larger of the two (like it is in the Pasuk).

(c)And to counter Rebbi Yossi's proof from the Pasuk (that even a piece of clay just large enough to draw water, is also Chashuv), he explains the Pasuk to mean - that, not only will they not be able to find a piece of clay large enough to stoke a fire (which is Chashuv), but they will not even find one with which to draw water (which is not).

6)

(a)From the comparison of Avodah Zarah to a Nidah (Davah), Rebbi Akiva in our Mishnah, learns that Avodah Zarah is Metamei someone who carries it, just like a Nidah is.

(b)The Rabbanan appear to derive from "Shaketz Teshaktzenu" (which has connotations of a 'Sheretz') that Avodah Zarah, like a Sheretz, is only Metamei by touching (Tum'as Maga), but not by carrying (Tum'as Masa).

(c)Someone whose wall (the one that divides between his house and Avodah Zarah) collapses is forbidden to re-build it in its original position (since by doing so, he benefits the Avodah Zarah). Consequently - he must move four Amos (including the original location of the wall) into his own domain, and then re-build it.

(d)If the wall was jointly owned - then he may only reckon half of the thickness of the original wall in the four Amos, when he moves back four Amos into his own domain. Note that in the latter case, all the stones are Metamei like a Sheretz (according to the Rabbanan of Rebbi Akiva) - even though half of them belong to him. This is due to the principle of 'Ein Bereirah'.

7)

(a)Based on the stringent Lashon of the Pasuk "Tizrem K'mo Davah", Rabah explains that, in fact, the Rabbanan agree with Rebbi Akiva that Avodah Zarah is Metamei be'Masa - and they are arguing over whether it is even Metamei through E'ven Mesama (Rebbi Akiva) or not (the Rabbanan).

(b)E'ven Mesama is a form of Moshav - when a Zav or a Nidah sits on a large stone which is placed on top of vessels, which it actually touches, but there are pegs supporting the stone, preventing the vessels from carrying the weight of the stone and the Zav.

(c)Rebbi Akiva learns from the Torah's comparison of Avodah Zarah to Sheretz - that the serving vessels of Avodah Zarah are not subject to Tum'as E'ven Mesama, or even to Masa.

(d)And the Rabbanan learn from the Torah's comparison of Avodah Zarah to Nidah (rather than to Neveilah) that, although it is Metamei be'Masa - a piece of Avodah Zarah (that came apart, as we shall see later), is not Metamei (just like a piece of Nidah).

8)

(a)When we say that the limb of a Nidah is not Metamei, we mean - that it is not Metamei because of Nidah, but it is Metamei because of Ever Min ha'Chai (the difference between them being E'ven Mesama, to which Ever Min ha'Chai is not subject).

9)

(a)Rav Chama bar Guri'ah asks what the Din will be, regarding a piece of Avodah Zarah being Metamei (declining to learn it from the Rabbanan) - because he holds like Rebbi Akiva, who does not mention this Din at all.

(b)His She'eilah therefore is - whether, since, according to Rebbi Akiva, we have compared Avodah Zarah to a Nidah (regarding E'ven Mesama), perhaps we will also say that, just like a Nidah is not Metamei le'Evarim, neither is Avodah Zarah; or perhaps he only compares Avodah Zarah to a Nidah le'Chumra, but not le'Kula?

(c)Rebbi Elazar explains that, according to the Rabbanan, the comparison to Sheretz teaches us that Avodah Zarah is not Metamei be'Masa (like we originally thought); whereas Rebbi Akiva learns Tum'as Masa (by Avodah Zarah) from Neveilah, and from the fact that the Torah compares Avodah Zarah to Nidah, and not to Neveilah, that Avodah Zarah is not Metamei le'Evarim (like the Rabbanan according to Rabah). In that case, Rav Chama bar Guri'ah, who asked the She'eilah - must learn the Sugya like Rabah (as we just explained).