1)

(a)Aba Shaul learns from "Arvei Nachal" the two Mitzvos of Aravah - one that is part of the Mitzvah of Lulav, and the other 'Aravah she'ba'Mikdash (that requires the Kohanim to go round the Mizbe'ach with the Aravah).

(b)The Tana Kama learns the Mitzvah of Aravah in the Beis-Hamikdash from the source cited by Rebbi Asi Amar Rebbi Yochanan - 'Halachah l'Moshe mi'Sinai'.

(c)The other Mitzvah of Sukos that Rebbi Yochanan learns from 'Halachah l'Moshe mi'Sinai' is - that of 'Nisuch ha'Mayim' (which will be discussed later).

(d)'Eser Neti'os' too, is 'Halachah ... ' - if ten saplings are planted evenly in an area of a Beis Sa'ah (fifty Amos square), one is permitted to plow the entire area right up to Rosh Hashanah of the Shemitah year, in spite of the Mitzvah to add a little to the Shemitah. Otherwise, it would only be permitted to plow under and around each tree, and in the case of older trees, even that will be forbidden as from Rosh Chodesh Elul (min ha'Torah).

2)

(a)A Tzaftzafah grows - in the mountains.

(b)Rebbi Zeira learns from the Pasuk in Yechezkel "Kach al Mayim Rabim, Tzaftzafah Samo" - that a Tzaftzafah is not of the same species as a Hadas, and is therefore not Kasher.

(c)Abaye asked Rebbi Zeira how we know that the Pasuk is not simply telling us that a 'Tzaftzafah' is another name for a 'Kach' (an Aravah), to which he replied that if it was - then the word "Samo" would be superfluous.

(d)Rebbi Avahu explains this Pasuk (which refers to Yisrael going astray [see Redak]) to mean - that even though Hash-m had designated Yisrael to be before him like a 'Kach' (an Aravah) that grows beside water, they turned into a Tzaftzafah, which is Pasul.

(e)According to an alternative Lashon, the Beraisa itself cites the Pasuk in Yechezkel and not Rebbi Zeira - who goes on to pose Abaye's Kashya, and Rebbi Zeira's reply is stated - anonymously.

3)

(a)The three signs that distinguish an Aravah from a Tzaftzafah are 1. That the stem of an Aravah is red (brown), 2. its leaf is elongated and 3. the edge of its leaf is smooth; whereas the stem of a Tzaftzafah is white (pale green), its leaf round and the edge of its leaf serrated (with the edges all pointing upwards [like a scythe]).

(b)A 'Chilfa Gilah' is a Kasher species of Aravah - whose notches all point upwards (like those of a Tzaftzafah). The same type of serrated edge however, will invalidate an ordinary Aravah.

(c)If the edges all face the middle however, then even a Chilfa Gilah will be Pasul.

(d)Abaye extrapolates from this Beraisa that Chilfa Gila is Kasher - even though it has a Shem Levai (a secondary name) ...

(e)... and the reason that it is nevertheless Kasher is due to the Pasuk "Arvei Nachal" (in the plural) which teaches us that even a Chilfa Gilah is a Kasher.

4)

(a)A 'Chilf'sa' is a Tzaftzafah.

(b)It is obvious why we need to know that an Aravah and a Chilfesa switched their names. We also need to know whether they call ...

1. ... a Shofar 'Shofar' or 'Chatzotzeres' - in order to fulfill the Mitzvah of Shofar on Rosh Hashanah.

2. ... a large table 'Pesora' or 'Pesorta' (which originally meant a small table) - so that a person who purchased one should receive what he paid for.

(c)The difference between ...

1. ... Beis ha'Kosos and Huvlila concerns the Din of Tereifus - because the original Beis ha'Kosos (one of the stomachs of an animal) has a thick wall, and a needle that is found sticking into one side of it, but that ha not pierced right through, does not render the animal Tereifah; whereas a needle that is found sticking into one side of the Huvlila renders the animal a Tereifah, due to the fact that the wall of the Huvlila is thin, and we suspect that the needle pierced right through. If the names have been switched, then a needle that is found in the Beis ha'Kosos will render the animal Tereifah; whereas one that is found in the Huvlila, will not.

2. ... Bavel and Bursif - concerns the bringing of a Get: someone who brought a Get from Chutz la'Aretz to Eretz Yisrael had to state that the Get was both written and signed in his presence. This was not however necessary, if he brought it from Eretz Yisrael, either because (unlike other countries), it was easy to find witnesses to verify the Get, or because, they were experts in writing a Get 'Lishmah' in Eretz Yisrael (so that the two reasons for requiring that testimony did not apply). The same applied to a Get that was brought from Bavel, but not from Bursif (where they were not Bnei Torah like they were in Bavel) and were therefore not experts in writing a Get, nor was it easy to find witnesses to verify the Get. Now that they switched their names, someone who brought a Get from Bavel would have to declare 'Befanai Nichtav u've'Fanei Nechtam', whereas if he came from Bursif, he would not.

5)

(a)Rebbi Yishmael in our Mishnah requires one Lulav, one Esrog, three Hadasim and two Aravos, adding 'even if two of them (the Hadasim) are cut'. The problem with this is - if he requires three Hadasim, then either a cut Hadas is Kasher (in which case all three should be Kasher) or it is not (in which case they should be Pasul).

(b)Rebbi Tarfon - permits all three Hadasim to be cut.

(c)Rebbi Akiva requires - one Lulav, one Esrog, one Hadas and one Aravah.

6)

(a)Rebbi Yishmael learns one Esrog - from "Pri Etz Hadar", implying a single fruit, and he learns ...

1. ... one Lulav - from the fact that the Torah writes "Kapos Temarim" without a 'Vav' (as if it was 'Kapas Temarim') ...

2. ... two Aravos - from "Arvei Nachal" (in the plural), and ...

3. ... three Hadasim - from the three words "Anaf Etz Avos".

(b)Rebbi Eliezer learns that the Esrog is not tied together with the other three species - from the fact that the Torah writes "Pri Etz Hadar, Kapos Temarim" (without a joining 'Vav'), whereas it continues "va'Anaf Etz Avos, ve'Arvei Nachal" joining the latter three together).

(c)And we learn that all four species are required in order to perform the Mitzvah - from the word "u'Lekachtem", whose acronym is 'Lekichah Tamah' (a complete taking - with none of the species missing).

7)

(a)Bira'ah Amar Rebbi Ami reconciles the contradiction in Rebbi Yishmael (who first requires three Hadasim and then permits two of them to be cut) - by interpreting his second statement as a retraction of the first. What he is now saying is that if two of the Hadasim are cut it doesn't matter, because in fact, he requires only one Hadas (which needs to be complete, because he requires 'Hadar' even by the Hadas).

(b)Rav Yehudah Amar Shmuel rules like Rebbi Tarfon (who requires three Hadasim, but whose tops may be cut).

(c)That is why he threatened the Hadas merchants - that unless they lowered the prices of good whole Hadasim he would issue a public ruling like Rebbi Tarfon.

(d)He did not warn them that he would rule like Rebbi Akiva (who requires only one whole Hadas) - because it is easier to obtain three cut Hadasim (like Rebbi Tarfon) than one whole one (like Rebbi Akiva). (See Tosfos DH 've'Lidrosh'.)

8)

(a)Our Mishnah rules that an Esrog ...

1. ... of Orlah - is Pasul.

2. ... of Terumah Temei'ah - is Pasul, too.

3. ... of Terumah Tehorah - is Kasher, but one should refrain from using it.

(b)Beis Shamai forbid an Esrog of Demai and Beis Hillel, whereas Beis Hillel permit it.

(c)The Tana permits an Esrog of Ma'aser Sheni that is in Yerushalayim (though l'Chatchilah, one should refrain from using it); but declares Pasul one that is outside.

9)

(a)our Mishnah - invalidates an Esrog that is ...

1. ... covered with spots, that has lost its Pitum (the stalk that grows at the pear-shaped end of the Esrog) ...

2. ... and one that is peeled or split.

(b)The Tana declares Pasul a hole - only if it actually detracts from the body of the Esrog.

(c)The Mishnah rules - that ...

1. ... an Esrog that is slightly spotted or that has lost its Ukatz (the stalk that grows at the wider end of the Esrog).

2. ... a black Esrog - is Pasul (though this will be qualified later in the Sugya).

10)

(a)Rebbi Meir validates an Esrog that is as green as a leek, and one that is slightly larger than a walnut. Rebbi Yehudah invalidates an Esrog that is...

1. ... as green as a leek, and one that is ...

2. ... only slightly larger than a nut. According to him - the minimum size Esrog is that of an egg.

(b)Rebbi Yehudah validates a large Esrog, provided one can hold two in one hand. According to Rebbi Yosi - it is Kasher even if it requires two hands to hold it.