1)

(a)Our Mishnah rules that, when smashing open a barrel of dried figs on Shabbos (using a knife or a Sayaf (a sword-like knife) - one should take care not to deliberately fashion a neat opening.

(b)The basic act is permitted - because Kilkul is permitted on Shabbos (at least when it is for Oneg Shabbos).

2)

(a)Rebbi Yehudah forbids piercing a hole in the lid of a barrel which is cemented to it - because he considers it Mesaken Pischa (forming a new opening).

(b)The Rabbanan on the other hand, permit it - because, they say, it is not common to make an opening in the lid of a barrel.

(c)The Tana - forbids stopping up a hole in a barrel with wax (because it constitutes Memare'ach (smoothening).

(d)Rebbi Yehudah cites Rebbi Yochanan ben Zakai, who commented, when, in Arav, someone once did stop up a hole in a barrel with wax - that he suspected that the man was Chayav a Chatas.

3)

(a)Rebbi Oshaya qualifies the Mishnah's ruling prohibiting breaking a barrel for the G'rogros - by limiting it to where the dried figs are pressed together ...

(b)... because he establishes the author of our Mishnah as Rebbi Nechemyah, who forbids taking a K'li for any function other than that for which is has been manufactured (and the Sayaf [sword-like knife] was made to cut cakes of dried figs, not loose ones).

(c)We query Rebbi Oshaya however, from a Beraisa, where Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel permits opening a barrel by slicing off the lid using a Sayaf.

(d)We reconcile our Mishnah with the Beraisa - by establishing the former like Rebbi Nechemyah (like we explained), and the latter, like the Chachamim (who permit taking a K'li for any purpose).

(e)What forced Rebbi Oshaya to establish our Mishnah like Rebbi Nechemyah is - the fact that the Tana chose to speak about a barrel of dried figs (which need to be cut) and not just fruit.

4)

(a)'Choslos' are - makeshift baskets made of palm branches, into which they would place poor-quality dates to ripen.

(b)We reconcile the Beraisa, which permits even taking the Choslos apart or cutting them open (to get to the dates) with the Beraisa which forbids it - by establishing the latter like Rebbi Nechemyah, and the former, like the Rabbanan. It is not clear however, what their Machlokes is regarding 'Mafki'a' (taking it apart), which does not require a K'li.

(c)Rebbi Nechemyah in a Beraisa - forbids even taking a Tarvad (a kind of spoon), a Talis or a knife on Shabbos, for anything other than what they are made for.

5)

(a)The She'eilah of piercing a hole in the side of a barrel is - whether one's intention is to make a new opening (which is forbidden), or just to obtain a larger quantity of wine (but not as a permanent opening, since he did not do it in the conventional manner [bear in mind that Tikun Pesach is only de'Rabbanan]).

(b)The Gemara concludes this She'eilah to the strict side. This does not clash with Raban Shimon ben Gamliel, who permits slicing off the top of the barrel below the lid - because there, his intention is clearly to obtain more wine, and not to create a new opening, because if it had been, he would simply have opened the lid.

6)

(a)Rebbi Yehudah and the Rabbanan argue in our Mishnah whether one may or may not pierce a hole in the lid of the barrel. Rav Huna establishes their Machlokes by the top of the lid - which the Rabbanan permit, because that is something that people do not normally do (seeing as it would be easier to remove the lid); whereas at the side, they both agree that it is forbidden - since it is a common thing to do (to avoid removing the lid - to prevent dirt and insects from falling into the wine).

(b)Whereas according to Rav Chisda - they argue about piercing a hole at the side of the lid, which Rebbi Yehudah forbids, (because it is relatively common), and the Rabbanan permit; but on top, where it is uncommon (as we explained), it is permitted even according to Rebbi Yehudah.

(c)'ve'Lo Yikavena mi'Tzidah' according to Rav Chisda refers (not to the side of the lid, which the Rabbanan permit, but) - to the side of the barrel itself.

7)

(a)It is forbidden to make a hole in a vessel from which to pour. The Tana Kama of the Beraisa permits adding to an existing one - because by Torah law, any hole that is not made to take in as well as to let out, is not considered an opening (with regard to Hilchos Shabbos), and one will not be Chayav for making it. However, the Rabbanan decreed even by one that is made to let in exclusively, or out exclusively - because of the window of a chicken-run, which is meant to let in fresh air and to let out the stale air. Now it is certain that by a chicken-run, one does not add to the window, since that would allow small Sheratzim (such as weasels) to enter and cause havoc among the chickens. Consequently, they did not extend the decree to adding to an existing hole. Adding to a building, on the other hand, constitutes an Isur d'Oraysa.

(b)Some nevertheless forbid adding to a hole in a vessel - because it sometimes happens that one initially fails to make the hole of the chicken-run large enough to serve its dual purpose, and it is therefore necessary to enlarge it.

(c)Rav Nachman quotes Rebbi Yochanan - who rules like the second opinion which forbids it.

8)

(a)The Beraisa permits unplugging a hole in a barrel that became stopped up, on Shabbos. Rav Yehudah Amar Shmuel qualifies this ruling - by confining it to where it was stopped up in order to prevent the smell from escaping (Lishmor), but not if it is to stop the wine from escaping (Lechazek), which is more of a professional job, and unplugging it is then akin to demolishing it.

(b)Rav Chisda considers anything below the level of the (top of the) wine to be 'Lechazek'. According to Rabah however - below the level of the wine is considered Lishmor too ...

(c)... because since at that point, the barrel does not bear the full weight of the wine, a professional plugging is not yet necessary ...

(d)... and it is only below the level of (the top of) the dregs that is considered Lechazek, according to him, and that one is therefore forbidden to unplug.

9)

(a)Abaye supports Rabah from a Beraisa, which rules - that each for each doorway, the owner acquires four Amos in the Chatzer, whilst the rest of the Chatzer is divided equally among the residents of the houses that surround it.

(b)The difference between ...

1. ... a 'Bayis Sasum' and 'Paratz es Petzimav' (technically speaking) is - that the former is a room that has been sealed but whose door-posts still stand; whereas the latter means that the door-posts have been removed too.

2. ... a house and a grave with regard to Tum'as Meis is - that the former is not Metamei (mi'de'Rabbanan) anyone who stands within four Amos of it, whereas the latter does.

(c)The difference between a Bayis Sasum and Paratz es Petzimav with regard to ...

1. ... the owner's rights in the Chatzer is - that whereas a Bayis Sasum does not lose the owner his right to the four Amos in the Chatzer that it gains him, 'Paratz es Petzimav' does.

2. ... a house with a Jewish corpse inside is considered a grave, in that it is Metamei four Amos all around it, only in the case of the latter, but not in that of the former.

(d)Abaye proves from here - that plugging a hole will only negate its original status if it is strong (like Paratz es Petzimav, which is equivalent to a plug that holds back both the dregs and the wine [like Rabah], and not just the top of the wine [like Rav Chisda]).

10)

(a)Both Rav and Shmuel ...

1. ...forbid cutting a hollow cane to size on Shabbos, to use as a tap for a barrel.

2. ... permit re-placing it in the tap-hole in the event that it fell out.

(b)They argue over whether - one may place a cane that has already been cut to size in the tap-hole (where it might turn out not to fit) in the first instance (Shmuel) or not (Rav) ...

(c)... Rav decrees placing it in the hole, in case it does not fit, and one will need to cut a fresh one, whereas Shmuel does not.

(d)In this case, we rule like Shmuel (in spite of the principle that in matters of Isur, we rule like Rav against Shmuel) - because this Machlokes is also a Machlokes Tana'im, and Rav Shisha b'rei de'Rav Idi Amar Rebbi Yochanan rules like Rebbi Yashiyah, which supports the opinion of Shmuel.

11)

(a)The Tana Kama of the Beraisa forbids cutting a tube to size on Yom-Tov - how much more so on Shabbos.

(b)And he permits re-placing it should it fall out on ...

1. ... Shabbos - how much more so on ...

2. ... Tom-Tov.

(c)Rebbi Yashiyah is lenient. We refute the suggestion that he argues with the Tana Kama's first ruling - because nobody permits Tikun Mana.

(d)So he must be arguing with the Tana Kama's second ruling - and the Tana Kama permits re-placing it should it fall out - but not placing it initially (in case one comes to cut it to size), where Rebbi Yashiyah permits it (like Shmuel).

12)

(a)Shmuel permits stopping a hole in a barrel with lubricant oil on Shabbos - Rav forbids it, a decree because one may then go on to use to use wax, which is Asur because of Memare'ach.

(b)Rav Shmuel bar bar Chanah reminded Rav Yosef that he had permitted it.

(c)Tavos Rishba (- the hunter) Amar Shmuel forbids placing a large myrtle-leaf in the hole as a stopper.

(d)According to Rav Yeimar mi'Difta the reason for this prohibition is because people will come to use a pipe (which the myrtle-leaf resembles) - Rav Ashi ascribes it to a decree that one may come to detach it from the tree (for which one would be Chayav a Chatas).

(e)The difference between the two reasons will be - there where it is already detached and there are many other detached leaves (see Hagahos ha'Gra).

13)

(a)Rav and Shmuel argue over carrying bei Sadya through the streets by wearing them. 'bei Sadya' - are furs (made of felt) that one intends to fold and use as a cushion or a cover.

(b)Wearing ...

1. ... soft furs in this manner - is permitted, seeing as they are used to keep people warm (in which case this is a conventional way of carrying, but ...

2. ... hard furs is not.

(c)Rav and Shmuel are arguing about - medium furs, which ...

(d)... which according to Rav resembles carrying, but according to Shmuel, does not.

14)

(a)We conclude that Rav never actually said that the furs are forbidden. What happened was - that Rav once arrived at a town where there was no room for the Talmidim to sit. So he went and sat in a Karmelis, and when they brought him furs in the above manner, he refused to sit on them (leading us to believe that he forbade them).

(b)His real reason was out of deference to Rav Kahana and Rav Asi, who were sitting on the ground.

(c)Rav Kahana and Rav Asi were Talmidei-Chaverim of Rav.

(d)We know that this answer is correct - because Rav himself announced that bei Sadya is permitted.

15)

(a)Our Mishnah permits placing on Shabbos ...

1. ...a cooked dish inside a pit, to prevent it from going off in the heat.

2. ... a jar of cold water - and placing it inside a gathering of foul water, to prevent it from becoming hot on a hot day.

3. ... a jar of cold water that one wishes to heat - outside in the sun.

(b)Our Mishnah permits someone whose clothes fell into the water whilst traveling to continue walking in them, until he reaches the first courtyard. Then - he must remove them and hang them up in the sun to dry; not in public however, so that people will not suspect him of having washed them on Shabbos.

(c)Our Mishnah permits placing a cooked dish into a pit, and bowl of good water into a collection of foul water. We might we have thought that it is forbidden to do ...

1. ... the former - out of concern that he may, in the process, come to fill in any unwanted grooves in the ground (as we learned many times).

2. ... the latter - (not the second case [permitting good water ... in foul water, but) the third [heating it in the sun] which the Chachamim might have forbidden, in case one comes to cook in hot coals.

16)

(a)Our Mishnah permits hanging up wet clothes to dry, provided that it is done discreetly - Rav Yehudah Amar Rav forbids doing in a private room whatever the Chachamim forbade because of Mar'is ha'Ayin.

(b)Rav argues with our Mishnah - because he holds like another Tana (as we shall now see).

(c)In the Beraisa cited by Rav, the Tana Kama follow the opinion of our Mishnah - Rebbi Elazar and Rebbi Shimon forbid it (like Rav).