[41a - 44 lines; 41b - 41 lines]

1)[line 1]"ויקרא בו לפני הרחוב אשר לפני שער המים""VA'YIKRA BO LIFNEI HA'RECHOV ASHER LIFNEI SHA'AR HA'MAYIM..." - "And he read in it before the plaza which was in front of the Water-Gate, [from the beginning of the day until mid-day, in the presence of the men and the women and the wise men, and all the people bent their ears to hear the words of the Sefer Torah. And Ezra opened the Sefer, for he stood above all the people, and when he opened it, all the people arose.]" (Nechemyah 8:3, 5) (EZRA READS THE TORAH TO THE PEOPLE)

See Background to Nedarim 37:7.

2)[line 1]הרחובRECHOV- a plaza

3)[line 3]מדלגין בנביאMEDALGIN BA'NAVI- it is permitted to skip from one chapter to another while reading from the Prophets in public

4)[line 5]התורגמןHA'TURGEMAN- the one who translates into Aramaic each verse of the Torah reading (this is still the custom today in Yemenite congregations)

5)[line 6]והא עלה קתניV'HA ALAH KA'TANI- but about this [Beraisa the following stipulation] was recorded

6)[line 13]שנים עשרSHNEIM ASAR- The book of Scriptures known as the Trei Asar, which is a compilation of the prophecies of twelve different prophets

7)[line 14]מסוף הספר לתחילתוMI'SOF HA'SEFER LI'TECHILASO- backwards (lit. from the end of the book to its beginning)

8)[line 16]שלא להוציא לעז על ספר תורהSHE'LO L'HOTZI LA'AZ AL SEFER TORAH- in order not to cause bad rumors to be spoken about the Sefer Torah (that it was missing the portion that the Kohen Gadol was now saying by heart)

9)[line 18]וליכרכיהV'LIKARCHEI- Why does he not roll it (lit. fold it - but see Yoma 70a) [to the location of "ube'Asor"]?

10)[line 19]פגמו של ראשוןPEGAMO SHEL RISHON- the discredit of the first Sefer Torah (so that people should not think that the second Sefer Torah was used because the first Sefer Torah was missing some letters or words)

11)[line 25]כתיקנןK'TIKNAN- the way they are instituted, similar to the way we say the blessings of Retzeh (Avodah), Modim (Hoda'ah), and Mechol la'Avonoseinu (Mechilas he'Avon) in our prayers on Yom ha'Kipurim. Retzeh ended with the words "she'Osecha Levadecha b'Yir'ah Na'avod," which is the Nusach of most Machzorim.

12)[line 27]תחנה רנה ובקשהTECHINAH RINAH U'VAKASHAH- [we are offering] a petition, a prayer and a request

13)[line 30]להראות חזותו לרביםL'HAR'OS CHAZUSO LA'RABIM- to show its beautiful appearance (and the splendor of its owner, who wrote it) to the populace

14)[line 30]פרשת המלךPARSHAS HA'MELECH (HAKHEL)

All of the Jewish people are obligated in the Mitzvah of Hakhel once every seven years, as it states in Devarim 31:10-13, "At the end of every seven years, in the Shemitah year, during the festival of Sukos, when all of Yisrael comes to appear before HaSh-m in the place which He shall choose, you shall read this Torah before all of Yisrael. Gather the people together, men, women and children... that they may hear, and learn, and fear HaSh-m, your Elokim, and observe all the words of this Torah." This takes place in the Beis ha'Mikdash on the second day of Sukos in the year following the Shemitah year. During Hakhel, the king reads from the Torah portions of Devarim, as specified in our Mishnah.

15)[line 31]חגCHAG- Sukos

16)[line 31]במוצאי שביעיתB'MOTZA'EI SHEVI'IS- in the [beginning of the] year that follows the Shemitah year

17)[line 31]בימה של עץBIMAH SHEL ETZ- (O.F. almenbre) a wooden platform

18)[line 34]אגריפס המלךAGRIPAS HA'MELECH- King Agrippa (Herod Agrippa I), the last king of Yisrael, grandson of King Herod and his wife Miriam (the granddaughter of Hyrkanus the Hasmonean), who ruled between the years 41-44 CE. Agrippa was a pious and benevolent king.

19)[line 35]זלגו עיניו דמעותZALGU EINAV DEMA'OS- his eyes flowed with tears

20)[line 37]"עשר תעשר""ASER TE'ASER"- among the verses which the king reads during Hakhel (see above, entry #14) are the verses in Devarim 14:22-29

21)[line 37]"כי תכלה לעשר""KI SECHALEH LA'ASER"- among the verses which the king reads during Hakhel (see above, entry #14) are the verses in Devarim 26:12-15

22)[line 39]שנותן של רגלים תחת מחילת העוןNOSEN SHEL REGALIM TACHAS MECHILAS HE'AVON- he substitutes the blessing "Mekadesh Yisrael veha'Zemanim" in place of "Mechilas ha'Avon" (Mishnah Daf 40b, Background to Sotah 40:35)

23a)[line 40]בשמיניB'SHEMINI- on the eighth (in the male gender) day, "Yom ha'Shemini"

b)[line 40]בשמיניתB'SHEMINIS- on the eighth (in the female gender) year, "Shanah ha'Sheminis"

24)[line 41]מתרמיMISRAMI- comes out, falls

41b----------------------------------------41b

25)[line 8]"ויבא המלך דוד וישב לפני ה' ויאמר מי אנכי ה' אלקים ומי ביתי כי הבאתני עד הלם""VA'YAVO HA'MELECH DAVID VA'YESHEV LIFNEI HASH-M VA'YOMER: MI ANOCHI HASH-M ELOKIM U'MI BEISI, KI HAVI'OSI AD HALOM?" - "And the king, David, came and sat before HaSh-m (as only the king of Yehudah is permitted to do) and he said: Who am I, HaSh-m Elokim, and what is my family, that you have brought me until here?" (Shmuel II 7:18) (DAVID'S HUMILITY)

See Background to Sotah 40:41

26)[line 14]"שום תשים עליך מלך""SOM TASIM ALECHA MELECH..."- "You shall surely set over yourself a king... [from among your brothers you shall set over yourself a king, you may not put over you a foreigner who is not your brother.]" (Devarim 17:15)

27)[line 17]שונאי ישראלSON'EI YISRAEL- (lit. the enemies of Yisrael) a euphemism for the Jews

28)[line 17]כלייהKELAYAH- destruction

29)[line 18]שהחניפוSHE'HECHENIFU- that they flattered

30)[line 19]לאגריפסL'EGRIPAS- (lit. to the fist) the strength (this word includes a play on the name Agripas - MAHARSHA)

31)[line 20]נתעוותו הדיניןNIS'AVSU HA'DININ/HA'DAYANIN- the laws or judges became crooked

32)[line 22]רבי יהודה בר מערבאREBBI YEHUDAH BAR MA'ARAVA- Rebbi Yehudah of the West, i.e. from Eretz Yisrael

33)[line 24]"לא יקרא עוד לנבל נדיב ולכילי לא יאמר שוע""LO YIKAREI OD L'NAVAL, NADIV; UL'CHILAI LO YE'AMER SHO'A"- "The vile person shall be no more called noble, nor the miser said to be generous." (Yeshayah 32:5)

34)[line 27]"[ויאמר יעקב אל נא אם נא מצאתי חן בעיניך ולקחת מנחתי מידי כי על כן ראיתי פניך] כראות פני אלקים ותרצני""[VA'YOMER YAKOV, 'AL NA, IM NA MATZASI CHEN B'EINECHA, V'LAKACHTA MINCHASI MI'YADI; KI AL KEN RA'ISI FANECHA,] KI'R'OS PENEI ELOKIM VA'TIRTZENI.'"- "[And Yakov said, 'No, I beg you, if now I have found favor in your eyes, then receive my present from my hand; forasmuch as I have seen your face] as one sees the face of an Angel of Elokim, and you were pleased with me.'" (Bereishis 33:10)

35)[line 31]מיסתפיMISTEFI- he is afraid

36)[line 31]ולא קטיל ליהV'LO KATIL LEI- and does not kill him

37)[line 32]"וחנפי לב ישימו אף לא ישועו כי אסרם""V'CHANFEI LEV YASIMU AF; LO YESHAV'U KI ASARAM."- "But the flatterers heap up wrath; they do not cry out [to Him] when He afflicts them (because it will not help)." (Iyov 36:13)

38)[line 35]"אמר לרשע צדיק אתה יקבהו עמים יזעמוהו לאמים. [ולמוכיחים ינעם ועליהם תבוא ברכת טוב.]""OMER LA'RASHA 'TZADIK ATAH,' YIKVU'HU AMIM, YIZ'AMUHU L'UMIM. [VELA'MOCHICHIM YIN'AM, VA'ALEIHEM TAVO VIRKAS TOV.]"- "He who says to the wicked, 'You are righteous'; him shall the people curse, nations shall loathe him. [But those who rebuke him shall have delight, and a good blessing shall come on them.]" (Mishlei 24:24-25)

39)[line 36]"[מה אקב] לא קבה אל?""[MAH EKOV] LO KABO KEL?"- "How can I curse when HaSh-m has not cursed?" (Bamidbar 23:8)

40)[line 37]"[שני גוים בבטנך ושני לאמים צצעיך יפרדו] ולאם מלאם יאמץ [ורב יעבד צעיר]""[SHNEI GOYIM B'VITNECH, U'SHNEI L'UMIM MI'ME'AYICH YIPAREDU;] U'L'OM MI'LE'OM YE'EMATZ, [V'RAV YA'AVOD TZA'IR.]"- "[Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples shall be separated from your insides;] and one people shall be stronger than the other [and the elder shall serve the younger.]" (Bereishis 25:23)

41)[line 38]"הוי האומרים לרע טוב ולטוב רע [שמים חשך לאור ואור לחשך שמים מר למתוק ומתוק למר!]""HOY HA'OMRIM LA'RA TOV VELA'TOV RA; [SAMIM CHOSHECH L'OR V'OR L'CHOSHECH, SAMIM MAR L'MASOK U'MASOK L'MAR!]"- "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; [who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!]" (Yeshayah 5:20)

42)[line 41]"ויאמר ירמיה הנביא אמן כן יעשה ה' יקם ה' את דבריך...""VA'YOMER YIRMEYAH HANAVI, 'AMEN, KEN YA'ASEH HASH-M; YAKEM HASH-M ES DEVARECHA..." - "[And Yirmeyah ha'Navi said to Chananyah the [false] prophet, before the eyes of the Kohanim and of all the people who were standing in the House of HaSh-m.] And Yirmeyah ha'Navi said, 'Amen, so may it be the will of HaSh-m. May HaSh-m fulfill the words [that you prophesied to return the vessels of the House of HaSh-m together with all the exiles from Bavel to this place.']" (Yirmeyahu 28:5-6) (CHANANYAH'S FALSE PROPHECY)

(a)This was Yirmeyah's response to the prediction of the false prophet Chananyah, who "prophesied" that the vessels of the Beis ha'Mikdash and Galus Yechonyah, who had already been sent to Bavel into Galus, were destined to return soon.

(b)See Background to Kesuvos 111:1.

(c)It is a positive prophecy which only proves the veracity of the Navi who delivers it when it comes true, whereas in the event that it does not, the Navi stands exposed as a false Navi. This is no so in the case of a Navi who delivers a negative prophecy, which can always be negated if the people do Teshuvah.