(Mishnah): Similarly, [a Zav may not eat with a Zavah...]

(Beraisa - R. Shimon ben Elazar): See how far Taharah spread! "Ki Me'at Asher Hayah Lecha Lefanai va'Yifrotz la'Rov'', "u'Veis Avoseihem Partzu la'Rov'';

[Chachamim] did not [need to] decree and say that a Tahor man may not eat with a Temei'ah [lest they come to have Bi'ah, for in any case he would not eat with her, lest she be Metamei his food]! Rather, they [needed to decree only] that a Zav may not eat with a Zavah.

Inference: (They forbade only a Zav with a Zavah.) This implies that a Zav with a Metzora's is permitted. [We learn from] "v'Yashav mi'Chutz l'Ohalo'' (a Metzora is forbidden to have relations) - l'Ohalo, and not l'Ohalah (a Metzora is forbidden, but not a Metzora'as);

A Metzora with a Zavah are forbidden [to eat together, lest they come to have relations, and similarly] a Metzora with a Metzora'as are forbidden.

(Beraisa): Beis Shamai say, a Zav Parush (who is meticulous about Taharah) may not eat with a Zav Am ha'Aretz. Beis Hillel permit.

What is Beis Hillel's reason? He is a Zav and he is a Zav (he cannot be Metamei him).

What is Beis Shamai's reason? If [the Parush] regularly eats with [the Am ha'Aretz] when [the Parush] is Tamei, he will regularly eat with him when he is Tahor.

R. Chiya Raba instructed Rav "if you can eat the entire year Chulin in Taharah, eat [so]. If not, eat seven days of the year [in Taharah, i.e. between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kipur].''

From here (our Mishnah, that a Zav may not eat with a Zavah), R. Pinchas ben Ya'ir said that zealousness leads to cleanliness (from sin), cleanliness leads to Taharah, Taharah leads to Kedushah, Kedushah leads to humility, humility leads to fear of sin, fear of sin leads to Ru'ach ha'Kodesh, Ru'ach ha'Kodesh leads to Chasidus (going beyond the letter of the law), Chasidus leads to Techiyas ha'Mesim, and Techiyas ha'Mesim leads to Eliyahu;

Zealousness leads to cleanliness - [we learn from] "v'Chilah [mi'Kaper Es ha'Kodesh...] v'Chiper [Ba'ado u'V'ad ha'Am].'' Cleanliness leads to Taharah - "v'Chiper Aleha ha'Kohen v'Taherah.'' Taharah leads to Kedushah - "v'Tiharo v'Kidsho'';

Kedushah leads to humility - "Ki Ko Amar Ram v'Nisa Shochen Ad v'Kadosh Shmo Marom v'Kadosh Eshkon v'Es Daka u'Shfal Ru'ach.'' Humility leads to fear of sin - "Ekev Anavah Yir'as Hashem'';

(R. Yitzchak ben Elazar): [Yir'as Hash-m], which Chachmah made to be a crown for its head, humility made it the heel for the sole of its shoe. It says "Reishis Chachmah Yir'as Hashem'', and "Ekev Anavah Yir'as Hash-m.''

Fear of sin leads to Ru'ach ha'Kodesh. It says "Az Tavin Yir'as Hash-m v'Da'as Elokim Timtza.'' Ru'ach ha'Kodesh leads to Chasidus - "Az Dibarta v'Chazon la'Chasidecha.''

Chasidus leads to Techiyas ha'Mesim - "v'Nasati Ruchi Vachem vi'Chyisem.'' Techiyas ha'Mesim leads to Eliyahu - "Hine Anochi Shole'ach Lachem Es Eliyahu ha'Navi Lifnei Vo Yom Hash-m ha'Gadol veha'Nora v'Heshiv Lev Avos Al Banim v'Lev Banim Lev Al Avosam.''

(Beraisa, in the name of R. Meir): Anyone who is fixed in Eretz Yisrael, and eats his Chulin in Taharah, and speaks Leshon ha'Kodesh, and reads Shma morning and evening, he is guaranteed that he is a Ben Olam ha'Ba.

(Mishnah): These are among the Halachos said in the attic of Chananyah ben Chizkiyah when Chachamim came to visit him.

They counted, and found that Beis Shamai outnumbered Beis Hillel. They decreed 18 matters that day.

(Gemara): That day was as harsh for Yisrael as the day the golden calf was made.

R. Eliezer says, that say they filled the measure to overflowing (they decreed well). R. Yehoshua says, they removed the excess (they decreed too much, and Divrei Torah will not be fulfilled)!

R. Eliezer: If the measure was full, and they removed from it, [you would say] properly [but this was not the case! Rather, it was like] a barrel full of nuts - as much sesame as you put in, it holds it (in the gaps between the nuts);

R. Yehoshua: If the measure was lacking, and they filled it [you would say] properly [but this was not the case! Rather, it was like] a barrel full of oil - as much water as you put in, it scatters the oil (makes that amount spill out)!

(Beraisa - R. Yehoshua Uniya): Talmidim of Beis Shamai stood below, and were killing Talmidei Beis Hillel.