1)

(a)We learn the order of a Ta'anis Tzibur from Nechemyah. In the course of the morning, the people were coming to tell him about the terrible things that many of the returned exiles were perpetrating (i.e. that they had intermarried with the forbidden nations and that they had begun to emulate their behavior), leaving him in a daze.

(b)He reacted by renting his clothes, and later going on to pray to Hash-m on their behalf.

(c)"uve'Minchas ha'Erev Kamti mi'Ta'aneisi" - does not mean that he stopped fasting but that he arose in the middle of his fast, and tore his clothes before Davening to Hash-m.

2)

(a)Washing with water is forbidden on Tisha b'Av, when one is an Avel, and on a Ta'anis Tzibur. Rafram bar Papa Amar Rav Chisda - forbids the former two even in cold water (due to the fact that they are both based on the laws of mourning), whereas on a Ta'anis Tzibur (when the prohibition of washing is based on depriving oneself from pleasures) he permits washing in cold water.

(b)Rav Idi bar Avin proved that one may wash in cold water on a Ta'anis Tzibur from our Mishnah 've'No'alin es ha'Merchetza'os'. Abaye rejected that proof - on the grounds that 'What should the Mishnah have said (assuming that washing in cold water is also forbidden) - that they drain the rivers?'

(c)Rav Idi's son Rav Shisha explains his father's proof - from the fact that, having said that bathing is forbidden, why does the Tana need to add 've'No'alin es ha'Merchetza'os?' Unless it is to deduce from there that it comes to stress that only bathing in hot water that is forbidden, but not in cold.

3)

(a)We try to prove Rav Chisda right from the Beraisa, which permits someone who is Chayav Tevilah to Tovel on Tisha b'Av and on Yom Kipur (because it is a Mitzvah to Tovel immediately). The Tana cannot be referring to Toveling in warm water - because Toveling in warm water in those days entailed Toveling in drawn water, which is not a Kasher Tevilah.

(b)We prove Rav Chisda right from there - by extrapolating that it is only someone who is Toveling a Tevilas Mitzvah who is permitted to enter cold water on Tisha b'Av, but not anyone else.

(c)Rav Chana bar Ketina refutes this proof however, by suggesting that the Tana is referring to the hot springs of Teverya (warm water which has not been drawn).

(d)The problem this creates with Rebbi Chanina Sgan ha'Kohanim in the Seifa, who forbids Tevilah on the grounds that 'the House of our G-d deserves that we lose one Tevilah on its account' is - why can one not then Tovel in cold water, which is permitted (according to the current opinion).

(e)We reconcile Rebbi Chanina Sgan ha'Kohanim with establishing the Beraisa by the hotsprings of Teverya by establishing in a place where cold water is simply not available.

4)

(a)The Beraisa permits work on the night of a Ta'anis Tzibur, including Tisha b'Av. One should take care however - not to publicize this.

(b)The Tana permits ...

1. ... the wearing of shoes on a Ta'anis Tzibur - whilst traveling between towns.

2. ... washing - face, hands and feet.

(c)The Beraisa adds that the same applies to an Avel and a Menudeh (someone in Cherem). If this concession extends also to washing of one's face, hands and feet - this will leave us with a Kashya on Rav Chisda (who forbids an Avel to wash even in cold water). Neither can the Tana be talking about washing in hot water, in light of Rav Sheishes, who specifically forbids an Avel to place even his finger into warm water on a Ta'anis Tzibur.

(d)We answer by establishing the Beraisa by warm water, and when the Tana says that the same applies to an Avel and a Menudeh, he is referring to the other cases (regarding Melachah and wearing shoes), but not to washing.

5)

(a)In spite of Rafram Amar Rav Chisda, we will explain the Beraisa where Rebbi Aba ha'Kohen ... relates that, when Rebbi Yosi ben Rebbi Chanina's sons died, he bathed in cold water all seven days - because it speaks when one son died after the other, and certain leniencies apply when one is faced with two consecutive periods of mourning, as we shall now see.

(b)The Beraisa also permits cutting one's hair and washing one's clothes under such circumstances. These are restricted however, in that ...

1. ... cutting one's hair is permitted only using a razor (which is irregular) and not scissors (which is the normal way of cutting it).

2. ... washing one's clothes is permitted only as long as one uses only water, but no detergents.

6)

(a)Rava (in the first Lashon) permits an Avel to bathe in cold water all seven days - on the grounds that it is no different than eating meat and drinking wine, which an Avel is permitted to do.

7)

(a)A 'Na'arah' is a girl who has reached the age of twelve, and who has grown at least two pubic hairs. She becomes a Bogeres six months later.

(b)a Bogeres forbidden to uglify herself, even when she is in mourning for her father - in order to be attractive for men to marry, whilst a Na'arah is permitted to do so (since she still has time).

(c)Assuming that the Beraisa is referring to the prohibition of bathing - the Tana can only be referring to washing in cold water (as we learned above from Rafram Amar Rav Chisda), and nevertheless, it is forbidden for a Na'arah to do so - posing a Kashya on Rava.

(d)And we refute the Kashya by establishing the Beraisa (not by washing, which is permitted in cold water, but) by wearing make-up.

8)

(a)There is no proof for Rava from Rebbi Yosi b'Rebbi Chanina, who bathed for the seven nights following the death of his sons - because it speaks when they died consecutively, as we explained earlier.

(b)In the second Lashon, Rava forbids an Avel to bathe even in cold water, all seven days. This is not the same as eating meat and drinking wine, which are permitted - because that one does in order to drown one's sorrow (and not for pleasure, as is the case by washing, even in cold water).

(c)There is no proof for Rava from the Beraisa, which permits a Na'arah to walk around looking ugly because perhaps the Tana is referring to wearing makeup, and not to washing.

(d)Rav Chisda derives from there that - an Avel is forbidden to wash clothes all seven days, because, if wearing makeup is forbidden, then it stands to reason that so is washing clothes (see Gilyon ha'Shas).

9)

(a)We conclude that an Avel is forbidden to bathe, even in cold water - though he is permitted to wash his face, hands and feet in cold water.

(b)Anointing oneself with oil is forbidden, even on a small part of one's body - though if it is to remove the perspiration, it is permitted.

10)

(a)Rav Yehudah told his son Rav Yitzchak, that a Yachid who fasts inserts Birchas 'Aneinu' between 'Go'el and 'Rofei'. Rav Yitzchak (or Rav Yosef) queries this however in that a Yachid is not that important to warrant an extra Berachah especially for him.

(b)Both Rav Yitzchak and Rav Sheishes therefore conclude - that he inserts the Berachah of 'Aneinu' in 'Shome'a Tefilah'.

11)

(a)The Beraisa differentiates between a Yachid who is fasting (who says eighteen Berachos) and a Tzibur (who says nineteen) - because the former inserts Birchas 'Aneinu' in 'Shome'a' Tefilah' (of which it becomes part), whereas the latter says it after 'Go'el Yisrael' in the form of an independent Berachah.

(b)We initially establish the Reisha of the Beraisa by a Yachid who undertakes to fast a Ta'anis Yachid, and the Seifa by a Yachid who undertakes to fast a Ta'anis Tzibur. The Seifa cannot refer to a Tzibur on a regular Ta'anis Tzibur (for rain) - because then they would recite not nineteen Berachos, but twenty-four (as we will learn in the next Perek).

(c)In any event, we see that - sometimes, even a Yachid is sufficiently important to warrant a special Berachah (a Kashya on Rav Yitzchak [or Rav Yosef] in the previous question).

(d)We answer the Kashya by nevertheless establishing the Beraisa by a regular Ta'anis Tzibur for rain - but during the first set of fasts (and the six extra Berachos were added only by the second set.

12)

(a)We query the previous answer on the basis of the Lashon of the Beraisa which (using the Lashon 'Ein Bein') writes that the only difference between the first set of fasts and the second set is regarding the prohibition of work (but not regarding the twenty-four Berachos of the Amidah). Besides the argument that 'Ein Bein' is not necessarily exclusive - we reject this argument on the grounds that a Tana will never omit one thing from a list, unless there is something else that it has omitted as well. And what else besides the twentyfour Berachos did he omit that would authorize him to omit this too?

(b)The problem in answering that the Tana omits other differences besides that of the Berachos ('Tana v'Shiyer') is - what are they ('Mai Shiyer d'Hai Shiyer')?!

(c)The other reason we give to explain why the Tana omits the distinction of the number of Berachos - is because the Tana is dealing with Isurim, and is not concerned with Berachos.

(d)Alternatively, we answer the initial Kashya - by pointing out that one does not recite the twenty-four Berachos in the second set of fasts, either.

13)

(a)We query the previous answer however, on the basis of the Lashon of the Beraisa 'Ein Bein' (just as we queried the earlier answer). The only two distinctions listed by the Tana between the second set of three fasts and the third set of seven are - blowing of the Shofar and shutting the stores (but not the twenty-four Berachos).

(b)To reinforce the alternative answer, we suggest that even if one does not recite the twenty-four Berachos in the middle set too, the Tana omitted this distinction because of 'Tana v'Shiyer'. The Tana has omitted - 'Teivah' (taking the Aron ha'Kodesh into the street), allowing him to omit this distinction too.

(c)We refute this suggestion, based on the fact - that 'Teivah' is not considered an omission, since the Tana is dealing with private issues, and is not concerned with things done in public such as that.

(d)The Lashon 'Ein Bein' is Davka - if it precludes only one exception, but Lav Davka, if there is a second exception to go with it.