SOTAH 33 (16 Kislev) - Today's Daf has been dedicated in honor of the Yahrzeit of Reb Moshe ben Eliyahu Feinberg by his daughter Libi.

1)

(a)Why is one permitted to Daven in any language?

(b)What did Rebbi Yochanan say about Davening in Aramaic?

(c)What does Rav Yehudah extrapolate from Rebbi Yochanan's statement?

(d)How do we reconcile this with our Mishnah, which permits Davening in any language?

1)

(a)One is permitted to Daven in any language - because the idea of Tefilah is to plead for mercy, and must come from the heart (so it needs to be expressed in whichever language one feels comfortable expressing oneself).

(b)Rebbi Yochanan said - that if someone Davens in Aramaic, the angels (who carry one's Tefilos before the Heavenly Throne) will not respond, because they are not conversant with Aramaic.

(c)Rav Yehudah extrapolates from Rebbi Yochanan's statement - that one should not make requests in Aramaic.

(d)We reconcile this with our Mishnah, which permits Davening in any language - by establishing Rav Yehudah by a Tefilas Yachid, and our Mishnah, by a Tefilas Rabim (which does not require angels to carry our prayers before Hash-m's Throne, because the Pasuk in Iyov states "Hein Keil Kabir Lo Yim'as" (Hash-m will never reject the prayers of a community).

2)

(a)Yochanan Kohen Gadol heard a Bas-Kol (in Aramaic) announcing that the youngsters had been victorious. When and where did he hear it?

(b)To which youngsters was the Bas-Kol referring?

(c)What did Shimon ha'Tzadik hear a Bas-Kol in the Kodesh Kodshim say on Yom Kippur, concerning the Greek king Gaskalgas and his decrees?

(d)This seems to clash with what we just said (that the angels do not understand Aramaic). We answer this in two ways; one of them, by differentiating between angels and a Bas-Kol. What is the other?

2)

(a)Yochanan Kohen Gadol heard a Bas-Kol (in Aramaic) - in the Kodesh Kodshim, as he performed the Avodah on Yom Kippur, announcing that the youngsters had been victorious.

(b)The Bas-Kol was referring - to the young Kohanim of the Chashmona'im, who had gone to fight the Greeks in Antioch, and whom they had just defeated.

(c)Shimon ha'Tzadik heard a Bas-Kol in the Kodesh Kodshim on Yom Kippur - saying that the Greek king Gaskalgas, on his way to attack the Beis ha'Mikdash and nullify the Avodah, had been killed, and his decrees annulled.

(d)This seems to clash with what we just said (that the angels do not understand Aramaic). We answer this in two ways; one of them, by differentiating between angels and a Bas-Kol - the other, that most angels do not understand Aramaic, but Gavriel (who taught Yosef all seventy languages) does, and it was Gavriel whom the Kohanim Gedolim heard in the Kodesh Kodshim.

3)

(a)From where do we know that Birchas ha'Mazon may be recited in any language?

(b)What do we learn from ...

1. ... the Pasuk in Tzav "v'Nefesh Ki Secheta, Ve'sham'ah Kol Alah" (rather than "Ve'hishbi'a Kol Alah")?

2. ... the 'Gezeirah-Shavah' "Secheta" "Secheta"?

(c)What do we learn from the 'Gezeirah-Shavah' ...

1. ... "Moshe Yedaber v'ha'Elokim Ya'anenu b'Kol" and "Kol Ram"?

2. ... "Ve'anu ha'Leviyim ... " and "Ve'anisa v'Amarta (in connection with Bikurim)"?

3)

(a)We know that Birchas ha'Mazon may be recited in any language - from the Pasuk "Ve'achalta, Ve'sava'ta U'verachta ... ", which does not indicate any particular language.

(b)We learn from ..

1. ... the Pasuk "v'Nefesh Ki Secheta, Ve'sham'ah Kol Alah" (rather than "Ve'hishbi'a Kol Alah") - that Shevu'as ha'Edus is effective in any language.

2. ... the 'Gezeirah-Shavah' "Secheta" "Secheta" - that the same applies to Shevu'as ha'Pikadon.

(c)We learn from the 'Gezeirah-Shavah' ...

1. ... "Moshe Yedaber v'ha'Elokim Ya'anenu b'Kol" and "Kol Ram" - that the Leviyim had to read the Berachos and Kelalos in Lashon ha'Kodesh (like Moshe taught the Torah at Har Sinai in Lashon ha'Kodesh).

2. ... "Ve'anu ha'Leviyim ... " and "Ve'anisa v'Amarta (in connection with Bikurim)" - that the Parshah of Bikurim too, has to be read in Lashon ha'Kodesh.

4)

(a)Rebbi Yehudah in our Mishnah learns that Chalitzah must be said in Lashon ha'Kodesh from the word "Kachah Ye'aseh la'Ish" (and "Kachah" always implies that one may not deviate in any way from the Torah's specific instructions). What do the Rabanan learn from "Kachah"?

(b)And how do they respond to Rebbi Yehudah, who makes two Derashos out of the word ("Kachah" ["Koh", "Kachah"])?

(c)According to Rebbi Yeudah, why does the Torah write "Ve'ansah v'Amrah" by Chalitzah?

(d)Why can he not learn that from "Kol" "Kol" (like the Rabanan)?

4)

(a)Rebbi Yehudah in our Mishnah learns that Chalitzah must be said in Lashon ha'Kodesh from the word "Kachah Ye'aseh la'Ish" (and "Kachah" always implies that one may not deviate from the Torah's specific instructions). The Rabanan learn from "Kachah" - that all the practical aspects of Chalitzah must be performed without change (seeing as the Torah writes "Kachah Ye'aseh").

(b)Their response to Rebbi Yehudah, who makes two Derashos from the word ("Kachah" ["Koh", "Kachah"]) is - that "Kachah" is a perfectly regular word, and does not lend itself to two Derashos.

(c)According to Rebbi Yehudah, the Torah writes "v'Ansah v'Amrah" by Chalitzah - to learn a 'Gezeirah-Shavah' from Chalitzah on to the Berachos and Kelalos (to teach us that they need to be said in Lashon ha'Kodesh).

(d)He cannot learn that from "Kol" "Kol" (like the Rabanan) - because his tradition for the 'Gezeirah-Shavah' was from "v'Ansah v'Amrah" and not from "Kol" "Kol."

33b----------------------------------------33b

5)

(a)To substantiate what we just said, we quote a Beraisa, where Rebbi Yehudah learns from "Kachah" and 'Aniyah va'Amirah' that Chalitzah and the Berachos and the Kelalos must be said in Lashon ha'Kodesh. What does he learn from the Pasuk in Naso "Koh Sevarchu"?

5)

(a)To substantiate what we just said, we quote a Beraisa, where Rebbi Yehudah learns from "Kachah" and 'Aniyah va'Amirah' that Chalitzah and the Berachos and the Kelalos must be said in Lashon ha'Kodesh. He learns from the Pasuk "Koh Sevarchu" - that Birchas Kohanim too, must be said in Lashon ha'Kodesh.

6)

(a)The Torah in Re'eh describes the location of Har Gerizim and Har Eival as "Acharei Derech Mevo ha'Shemesh". How does Rebbi Yehudah in a Beraisa, interpret ...

1. ... "Derech Mevo ha'Shemesh"?

2. ... "Acharei"?

(b)Much later, the Kusim lived there. Who were the Kusim?

(c)Based on the 'Gezeirah-Shavah' "Elonei Moreh" "Elonei Moreh", how did Rebbi Elazar b'Rebbi Yosi prove the Kusim wrong?

(d)Rebbi Elazar disagrees with Rebbi Yehudah. How does he interpret the Pasuk in Re'eh ...

1. ... "Ve'hayah b'Ovrechem Es ha'Yarden"?

2. ... "Acharei Derech Mevo ha'Shemesh"?

6)

(a)The Torah describes the location of Har Gerizim and Har Eival as "Acharei Derech Mevo ha'Shemesh". Rebbi Yehudah in a Beraisa, interprets ...

1. ... "Derech Mevo ha'Shemesh" to mean - the east side of the Yarden, where they were currently encamped, as Moshe told them about the two mountains.

2. ... "Acharei" to mean - far from the east side of the Yarden (towards the west).

(b)Much later, the Kusim lived there. The Kusim - were one of the nations whom Sancheriv moved into Eretz Yisrael, to replace the Jews that he had exiled from the land.

(c)Based on the 'Gezeirah-Shavah' "Elonei Moreh" "Elonei Moreh", Rebbi Elazar b'Rebbi Yosi proved the Kusim wrong - because, seeing as they did not accept the oral Torah, they would not have Darshened this 'Gezeirah-Shavah', so from where would they know that Elonei Moreh was synonymous with Shechem?

(d)Rebbi Elazar disagrees with Rebbi Yehudah. He interprets the Pasuk ...

1. ... "Ve'hayah b'Ovr'chem Es ha'Yarden" to mean - that Har Gerizim and Har Eival (where they would erect the stones) were situated close to the west bank of the Yarden.

2. ... "Acharei Derech Mevo ha'Shemesh" - that it was situated far from the west coast of Eretz Yisrael.

7)

(a)What problem do we have with the Pasuk ...

1. ... "b'Eretz ha'Kena'ani"?

2. ... "ha'Yoshev ba'Aravah"?

3. ... "Mul ha'Gilgal"?

(b)Rebbi Eliezer ben Yakov therefore Darshens the Pasuk out of context. He explains the word "Derech" to mean that Hash-m was issuing them with instructions now, that, when they returned to Eretz Yisrael from Bavel, they should take their cue from the way they were about to enter the Land now and enter it via trodden paths, and not through fields and vineyards. How does he explain ...

1. ... "ha'Yoshev"?

2. ... "ba'Aravah"?

(c)Why did Hash-m need to tell them all this at that time?

7)

(a)The problem with the Pasuk ...

1. ... "b'Eretz ha'Kena'ani" is - that Shechem was situated in the territory of the Chivi (as the Torah writes in Va'yishlach), and not of the Kena'ani.

2. ... "ha'Yoshev ba'Aravah" is - that it is not situated in a flat area, but in hilly country.

3. ... "Mul ha'Gilgal" - that it is nowhere near Shechem.

(b)Rebbi Eliezer ben Yakov therefore Darshens the Pasuk out context. He explains the word "Derech" to mean that Hash-m was issuing them with instructions now, that, when they returned to Eretz Yisrael from Bavel, they should take their cue from the way they were about to enter the Land now and enter it via trodden paths, and not through fields and vineyards. He explains ...

1. ... "ha'Yoshev" - to mean that they were to enter it via built-up areas, and not via desert country.

2. ... "ba'Aravah" - that they were to enter it via flat country and not via hills and mountains.

(c)Hash-m needed to tell them all this at that time - because He knew that, although they were currently guided by the Clouds of Glory, this would not be the case when they crossed the Yarden the second time (by which time, the Clouds would have ceased to function), and that consequently, they would then have to return to Eretz Yisrael under their own steam.

8)

(a)Which procedure changed when Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael as regards ...

1. ... the way the Aron traveled?

2. ... who carried the Aron?

(b)On which two other occasions, according to Rebbi Yosi, did the Kohanim carry the Aron?

8)

(a)When Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael ...

1. ... the Aron began to travel in front of the camp - and not behind the first two tribes, as it had done in the desert.

2. ... it was the Kohanim who carried the Aron - and not the Leviyim, as they had until then.

(b)The Kohanim also carried the Aron, says Rebbi Yosi, - when they surrounded Yericho and when they brought it into its place in the Kodesh Kodshim after Shlomo built the Beis ha'Mikdash.