1)

(a)Rebbi Yochanan comments in the name of Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai on the word "Vayelchu" (in the Pasuk "Va'yashuvu mi'Tur ha'Aretz ... Va'yelchu Va'yavo'u"), - that already at the time of their departure they intended to speak evil about the land (like they actually did upon their return [because they were afraid of losing their positions of leadership upon entering it]).

(b)Meir on the Pasuk "Efes Ki Az ha'Am" (implying falsely, that the land is unconquerable) - that they deliberately preceded it with the statement that the land does indeed flow with milk and honey (which is true) - because nobody will believe a total lie, unless one begins with something that is true.

(c)The people stopped Yehoshua from speaking - on the grounds that, since he did not yet have any children who would inherit his portion in Eretz Yisrael, he had no right to speak on their behalf.

(d)Rabah explains that Kalev cunningly got them to listen to him without interrupting him - by referring to Moshe as ben Amram, as if he meant to speak about him in a derogative manner ('Is that all ben Amram did to us') [though the word "Lanu" can also mean for us [on our behalf]).

2)

(a)Kalev continued - 'He took us out of Egypt, split the Sea and fed us the Man'.

(b)When he said "Aloh Na'aleh Ve'yarashnu Osah" - he meant that even if Moshe were to order us to build ladders to climb to the heavens and capture it, we would succeed.

(c)The other spies insisted however, that it was impossible to capture the land. When they said "Ki Chazak Hu Mimenu", says Rav Chanina bar Papa - they meant that the Kena'anim were stronger than Hash-m (kiv'Yachol), and even if He wanted to remove vessels (i.e. the Kena'anim) that He had deposited there, He would be unable to do so.

(d)When they called Eretz Yisrael "Eretz Ocheles Yoshvehah", says Rava - Hash-m lamented that He had done them a favor by killing many of the inhabitants of the land in order to keep the people occupied, to prevent them from concerning themselves with the spies, of whom they were fully aware.

3)

(a)Some say that a great man - (Iyov) had just died and it was when the spies saw the size of the Hesped, they perhaps thought that many people had died and expressed the above comment.

(b)Rav Mesharshaya comment on the Pasuk (said by the spies) "Van'hi b'Eineinu ka'Chagavim, v'Chen Hayinu b'Einehem" - that the spies lied when they said "v'Chen Hayinu b'Einehem", because they could not possibly have known what the Kena'anim were thinking.

(c)He was mistaken however - on the grounds that, afraid to stand in full view of the Kena'anim, the spies climbed trees to hide in the foliage, from where they overheard them expressing surprise at the human-looking grasshoppers in the trees.

4)

(a)The spies returned - on the eighth of Av, says Rebbi Yochanan (and cried throughout the night of the ninth). Hash-m's response to Yisrael's tears was - 'They cried in vain, I will fix for them good reason to cry for future generations'.

(b)Rebbi Chiya bar Aba explains the juxtaposition of the two phrases "Va'yomru Kol ha'Eidah Lir'gom Osam ba'Avanim, u'Chevod Hash-m Nir'ah b'Ohel Mo'ed" - inasmuch as they not only planned to stone Yehoshua and Kalev, but they even threw stones upwards towards the Shechinah (kiv'Yachol).

(c)According to Resh Lakish, they died a horrible death. Rebbi Chanina bar Papa citing Rebbi Shilo Ish Kfar Tamarta describes - how their tongues extended down to their navels, and worms crawled from their tongues to their navels and from their navels to their tongues.

(d)According to Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak, the spies died of croup (an illness in the throat which fits the crime of Lashon ha'Ra. These Amora'im both derive their opinions fom the Pasuk "Va'yamusu ha'Anashim ... ba'Mageifah Lifnei Hash-m" (the plague), rather than "b'Mageifah" (a plague) - implying that the plague fitted the crime.

5)

(a)After Yisrael crossed the Jordan River to wnter Eretz Cana'an, the wall of water (of the Yarden) returned to its course - after the last person had crossed the river, and the Kohanim had stepped back onto the east bank of the Yarden.

(b)The Kohanim - were then transported by the Aron across the flowing river.

(c)The Pasuk "Vayehi Ka'asher Tam Kol ha'Am La'avor, Va'ya'avor Aron Hash-m v'ha'Kohanim" (suggesting that the Kohanim crossed to the west bank of the Yarden immediately, together with the rest of the people) cannot be in its correct place - because if it was, how could Yehoshua subsequently command the Kohanim to leave the Yarden?

6)

(a)Many years later, this episode would cause the death of Uza - who was walking behind the Aron, which David was transporting to Yerushalayim.

(b)... when suddenly, the Aron appeared to slip and threatened to fall from the wagon on which David had placed it. At which point Uza grabbed hold of it to prevent this from happening. He should have realized however, that if the Aron was able to support those who were holding it, as we just learned, then it could also support itself.

(c)Rebbi Yochanan and Rebbi Elazar argue over this. One of them learns that Uza died solely for the reason that we just explained, and "Va'yakeihu Sham al ha'Shal" [Shmuel] means because of his mistake. The other one explains (see Agados Maharsha) that he died - because he urinated in front of the Aron (from the word "Ki Yishal Zeisecha" which means to drop from a high place to a low one).

(d)Rebbi Yochanan learns from the Pasuk "Va'yamas Sham Im Aron ha'Elokim" - that Uza received a portion in Olam ha'Ba (i.e. he lived permanently just like the Aron is permanent).

7)

(a)Rebbi Elazar explains the Pasuk "Va'yichar l'David al Asher Paratz Hash-m b'Uza" to mean - that David's face turned black (like a "Chararah" [a cake that has been baked on coals]) from the pain that he felt.

(b)We cannot however, explain every "Va'yichar ... " in Tanach in this way - because the Pasuk always adds the word "Af".

8)

(a)The connection between the Pasuk "Zemiros Hayu Li Chukecha b'Veis Megurai" and this episode is - that it was because David referred to Torah as songs that it occurred.

(b)Hash-m's response to David's statement lies in the Pesukim "Ha'sa'if Einecha Bo v'Einenu" and "v'Livnei Kehos Lo Nasan ... " - meaning that Hash-m was angry with David for referring to the Torah (which requires constant concentration in order not to forget it) as songs. Consequently, said Hash-m, He would cause David to forget an explicit Pasuk which even small children knew "v'li'Venei Kehos Lo Nasan ... " (which teaches us that the Aron must always be carried on the shoulders and not on a wagon).

(c)When the Aron returned from the Pelishtim (in the time of Shmuel), the people of Beis Shemesh died because they looked at (or inside) the Aron. The problem with this is - that this is hardly sufficient justification for the death-sentence.

(d)Rebbi Avahu and Rebbi Elazar argue over the real reason for their death. One of them ascribes it to the fact that they carried on reaping even as they bowed down to the Aron. According to the other opinion, it was because as they looked at it, they said - 'Who made you angry when you vented your anger and failed to save yourself from captivity? And who appeased you now that you came back on your own volition'?

9)

(a)The Pasuk in Shmuel gives the number of those who died in Beis-Shemesh as seventy men and fifty thousand men. Rebbi Avahu and Rebbi Elazar argue over its interpretation. One of them explains that each of the seventy men who died was equal to fifty thousand. The other one explain - that fifty-thousand died, each one of whom was equal to the seventy members of the Sanhedrin.

(b)Rav Papa bar Shmuel reconciles the Pasuk in Shmuel which describes how, when David transported the Aron to the house of Oved Edom ha'Giti, they sacrificed an ox and a fat ox with every six steps, with the Pasuk in Divrei ha'Yamim, where it writes seven bulls and seven rams - by establishing the former, with every step, and the latter, with every six steps.

(c)Rav Chisda objects to this explanation, on the grounds that this would have entailed filling the land with Bamos. Consequently, he reconciles the two Pesukim - by establishing the former, with every six steps, and the latter, with every six sets of six steps.

10)

(a)According to Rebbi Yochanan - the Pasuk in Divrei ha'Yamim which refers to the granary where the incident with Uza occurred as "Goren Kidon" refers to the time of the incident; whereas the Pasuk in Shmuel, which calls it "Goren Nachon" (which means established) refers to the six-month period that followed it, during which time the wife of Oved Edom ha'Giti and his eight daughters-in-law each gave birth to six children.

(b)According to Rebbi Menachem b'Rebbi Chelbo's interpretation of Rebbi Yochanan, the granary under discussion was that of Aravna ha'Yevusi, which was the location on which the Beis ha'Mikdash was later built. 'Mitechilah Nachon, v'li'Besof Kidon' (inverted from the way it was previously cited) - refers to the Mizbe'ach, which was initially built and later destroyed.

11)

(a)We learned earlier that after demolishing the Mizbe'ach that they had constructed from the twelve stones which they took from the Yarden, they set them up in Gilgal. According to the Seifa of that Beraisa (which is quoted here) they set-up three groups of stones; one in the Plains of Mo'av (on the east bank) one in the Yarden, whilst they were crossing, and one in Gilgal (see Agados Maharsha).

(b)The Pasuk explicitly obligates the setting-up of the stones in the Yarden and in Gilgal. And we learn that they did likewise already in the plains of Mo'av - from a 'Gezeirah-Shavah' "Ho'il Moshe Ba'er ... " from "Ve'chasavta Aleihen ... Ba'er Heitev" (written in connection with Har Gerizim and Har Eival).

(c)Rebbi Shimon responded 'According to you, how did the nations study them' - when Rebbi Yehudah said that they wrote on the stones and covered the writing with lime.

(d)Rebbi Yehudah replied - that Hash-m filled with the understanding to send their scribes to peel off the lime and copy the Torah in their respective languages.

12)

(a)Rebbi Shimon learns from the Pasuk "Ve'hayu Amim l'Misrefos Sid" - that they wrote on top of the lime, and it was because they did not take the teachings that they had copied to heart, they deserved to burn in Gehinom.

(b)The significance of the words ...

1. ... "Hacharem Tacharimem' that was written on top of the stones" was - that all Kena'anim (members of the seven nations) who lived in Eretz Yisrael, had to be destroyed and that Teshuvah would not help.

2. ... "Lema'an Asher Lo Yelamdu Eschem od ... " that was written at the bottom (both, according to Rebbi Shimon) was - that Teshuvah would save those Kena'anim who lived outside Eretz Yisrael from death.

(c)Teshuvah would not help the Kena'anim who had not left Eretz Cana'an - because their Teshuvah stemmed from fear of being killed and was therefore not genuine.

13)

(a)Rebbi Yehudah interprets the Pasuk "Ve'hayu Amim l'Misr'fos Sid" - to mean like lime, which has no purpose other than to be burned, so too, did the Kena'anim who lived outside Eretz Cana'an would burn in Gehinom, unless they converted.

(b)The author of the Beraisa which includes Kena'anim who lived in Chutz la'Aretz in the Pasuk "v'Shaviso Shivyo" (meaning that they could be kept alive) - is Rebbi Shimon.