(Mishnah): On the first (really, the last Brachah before those we add on a fast), he says "He who answered Avraham Avinu on Har ha'Moriyah, He will answer you and hear the voice of your cry today. Baruch Atah Hash-m Go'el Yisrael.''

(Gemara) Question: Was not Yitzchak saved [on Har ha'Moriyah? The closing of the Brachah should mention him!]

Answer: Since Yitzchak was saved, it is as if all of Yisrael were saved.

(Rav Bivi Aba citing R. Yochanan): Avraham said in front of Hash-m, Master of the worlds! It is revealed and known in front of You that when You told me to offer Yitzchak my son, I had what to answer;

[I could have] said 'yesterday You told me "Ki v'Yitzchak Yikarei Lecha Zara'', and now You say "v'Ha'alehu Sham l'Olah''!'

Heaven forbid, I did not do so. Rather, I held back my Yetzer, and I did Your will. So may it be Your will in front of You, Hash-m Elokai, that when Yitzchak's children will enter affliction, and there is no one to advocate for them, You will advocate for them.

"Hash-m Yir'eh'' - You will recall for them the Akediah of Yitzchak their father, and be filled with mercy upon them;

Question: What is written afterwards? "Va'Yisa Avraham Es Einav va'Yar v'Hinei Eil Acher...'' What is "Acher''?

Answer (R. Yudah bei R. Simon): After all the generations, your children will be caught in Aveiros and he tangled in afflictions, and in the end they will be redeemed through the horns of this ram - "va'Shem Elokim ba'Shofar Yiska v'Halach b'Sa'aros Teiman.'' (Only one horn will be used. Perhaps He said horns, for both horns helped detain it for Avraham. ALEI TAMAR changes the text to the singular, like the text in Bereishis Rabah 56:13.)

(R. Chunah citing R. Chinena bar Yitzchak): That entire day, Avraham saw that ram caught in this tree, and it was freed, and held in this forest, and it was freed, and caught in this thicket, and was freed and left;

Ha'Kadosh Baruch Hu told Avraham, so in the future your children will be caught in Aveiros and tangled in kingdoms - from Bavel to Madai, from Madai to Yavan, and from Yavan to Edom.

[Avraham] said in front of Him, Master of the worlds! Will it be so forever?! He said, in the end they will be redeemed through the horns of this ram - "va'Shem Elokim ba'Shofar Yiska v'Halach b'Sa'aros Teiman.''

(Mishnah): On the second [Brachah], he says "He who answered our fathers at Yam Suf, He will answer you and hear the voice of your crying out today. Baruch Atah Hash-m, who remembers forgotten matters.''

(Gemara): There were four classes of our fathers at the sea. One was saying "let us fall to the sea!'', one was saying "let us return to Mitzrayim'', one was saying "let us make war with them'', and one was saying "let us cry out [in prayer] against them!''

The one that said "let us fall to the sea!'', Moshe told them "Hisyatzvu u'Re'u Es Yeshu'as Hash-m...'' The one that said "let us return to Mitzrayim'', Moshe said "Ki Es Asher Ra'isem Es Mitzrayim ha'Yom...'' (you will not see them again).

The one that said "let us make war with them'', Moshe told them "Hash-m Yilacem Lachem.'' The one that said "let us cry out against them!'', Moshe told them "v'Atem Tacharishun.''

(Mishnah): On the third, he says "He who answered Yehoshua in Gilgal, He will answer you and hear the voice of your crying out today. Baruch Atah Hash-m, who hears Teru'ah!''

(Gemara - Reish Lakish citing R. Yanai): Hash-m joined His great name (Kel) to Yisrael. [A parable for this is] a king who had a key to a box [of valuables]. The king said, if I leave it like it is, it will be lost!

Rather, I will make a chain for it. If it is lost, the chain will prove about it.

So ha'Kadosh Baruch Hu said - if I leave Yisrael like they are, they will be swallowed among the nations. Rather, I will join My great name to them, and they will live.

What is the source? "Va'Yishme'u ha'Kena'ani v'Chol Yoshvei ha'Aretz v'Nasabu Aleinu v'Hichrisu Es Shemenu Min ha'Aretz u'Mah Ta'aseh l'Shimcha ha'Gadol'' which is joined to us?

Immediately, "va'Yomer Hash-m El Yehoshua Kum Lach'' - what you mentioned Kam Lach (stands for you, i.e. I accept your claim).

(R. Yanai Ze'ira citing his ancestors): Anyone who is not Kosher like Yehoshua, that if he falls on his face, and Hash-m will tell him "get up'' (answer his prayer), he may not fall.

Limitation: This applies only to an individual [praying for] the Tzibur. (If he will not be answered, it is a Chilul Hash-m, for people will say that he is a Tzadik only in external appearance.)

(Mishnah): On the fourth, he says "He who answered Shmuel in Mitzpah, He will answer you and hear the voice of your crying out today. Baruch Atah Hash-m, who hears crying.''

(Gemara) Question: It is written "va'Yikavtzu ha'Mitzpasah va'Yish'avu Mayim va'Yishpechu Lifnei Hashem'' - did they spill water?!

Answer: Rather, this teaches that they spilled their hearts like water (repented), and Shmuel said "Chatanu la'Shem.''

(R. Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak): Shmuel wore the cloak of all Yisrael (spoke on behalf of them). He said in front of [Hash-m] Master of the worlds - You judge (punish) a person only for saying in front of You "I did not sin'' - "Hineni Nishpat Osach Al Amrech Lo Chatasi'', and these (Yisrael) say in front of you "we sinned.''

(Mishnah): On the fifth, he says "He who answered Eliyahu in Har ha'Karmel, He will answer you and hear the voice of your crying out today. Baruch Atah Hash-m, who hears prayer.''

(Gemara): It is written "va'Yhi ba'Alos ha'Olah va'Yigash Eliyahu ha'Navi va'Yomer Hash-m Elokei Avraham Yitzchak v'Yisrael ha'Yom Yivada...''

Question: Did Eliyahu offer [outside the Mikdash] at a time when Bamos were forbidden?!

Answer (R. Simlai): Hash-m told him [to do so - SHA'AREI TORAS ERETZ YISRAEL]. "Uvi'Dvarcha Asisi'' - I did b'Diburcha (through Your word).

"Aneni Hash-m Aneni'' - answer me in my merit, answer me in the merit of my Talmid (Elisha).

(Mishnah): On the sixth, he says "He who answered Yonah in the innards of the fish, He will answer you and hear the voice of your crying out today. Baruch Atah Hash-m, who answers at a time of affliction.''

On the seventh, he says "He who answered David and Shlomo his son in Yerushalayim, He will answer you and hear the voice of your crying out today. Baruch Atah Hash-m, who has mercy on the land.''

(Gemara): It is written "va'Yomer Karasi mi'Tzarah Li El Hash-m va'Ya'aneni.'' (Therefore, we close this Brachah "ha'Oneh b'Es Tzarah'' - PNEI MOSHE.)

Question: Should not David and Shlomo [be mentioned before] Eliyahu and Yonah (who were after them)?

Answer: [David and Shlomo are last] in order to conclude "who has mercy on the land.''

On the seventh, they said in the name of Sumchus, they said [in the closing] "blessed is He who lowers the high'' (He humbled David and Shlomo after they became haughty).

Question: Granted, Shlomo [became haughty] - it says about him "Bano Vanisi Beis Zevul Lach.'' Where do we find [haughtiness in] David?

Answer: He wanted to know the number of Yisrael (the size of his kingdom. We explained the question and answer like YEFEI MAR'EH, cited in SHIREI KORBAN.)

(R. Avahu): It is written "b'Kar'i Aneni Elokei Tzidki ba'Tzar Hirchavta Li'' - David said in front of ha'Kadosh Baruch Hu, Master of the worlds! Every affliction that I entered, You made me gain [through it]!

I entered the Tzarah of Bas Sheva, and You gave to me Shlomo. I entered the Tzarah of [counting] Yisrael, and You gave to me (I was able to buy the place of) the Beis ha'Mikdash.

(Mishnah): A case occurred in the days of R. Chalifta and in the days of R. Chananyah ben Tradyon in which someone passed in front of the Aron and finished the entire Brachah (Go'el Yisrael), and they did not answer Amen after him;

[The Shamash said] "blow Teki'ah, Kohanim, blow Teki'ah!'' He who answered Avraham on Har ha'Moriyah, He will answer you and hear the voice of your cry today.

"Blow Teru'ah, Bnei Aharon, blow Teru'ah!'' He who answered our fathers at Yam Suf, He will answer you and hear the voice of your crying out today.

When word of this came to Chachamim, they said "the custom was like this (not to answer Amen) only in the eastern gate [of the Mikdash].''

(Gemara - Beraisa): They did not answer Amen in the Mikdash. What did they answer? Baruch Shem Kevod Malchuso l'Olam va'Ed.

What is the source that we do not answer Amen in the Mikdash [rather, Baruch Shem Kevod...]? It says "Kumu Barachu Es Hash-m Elokeichem Min ha'Olam Ad ha'Olam [vi'Yvarchu Shem Kevodecha].''

What is the source that [this is] for every Brachah? [The above verse ends] "u'Merumam Al Kol Brachah u'Sehilah.''

(Mishnah): The first three fasts, people of the Mishmar (the division of Kohanim that serves in the Mikdash this week) fast, but do not complete the fast. People of the Beis Av (Kohanim of the Mishmar who serve today) do not fast [at all];

In the second three fasts, people of the Mishmar fast and complete the fast. People of the Beis Av fast and do not complete it;

In the last seven fasts, these and these fast and complete the fast. R. Yehoshua says so;

Chachamim say, the first three fasts, these and these do not fast. In the second three, people of the Mishmar fast and do not complete it; people of the Beis Av do not fast. In the last seven, people of the Mishmar fast and complete it, and people of the Beis Av fast and do not complete it.

People of the Mishmar may drink wine at night, but not during the day. People of the Beis Av do not [drink wine] during the day, and not at night.

People of the Mishmar and people of the Ma'amad (representatives of Yisrael to oversee the Avodah) may not cut their hair or launder. On Thursday it is permitted due to Kevod Shabbos.

(Gemara) Question: Why are people of the Mishmar permitted to drink wine at night, but not during the day?

Answer: If the Avodah will be too much for people of the Beis Av, they will rely on [Anshei Mishmar to help] them.

People of the Beis Av may not [drink wine] during the day and not at night, for they are constantly doing Avodah. (MASA D'YERUSHALAYIM - the Ra'avad explains that this refers to the night after they serve, for limbs and Chelev may be offered at night. The Rambam forbids even the night before, lest they awake and they are still drunk.)

People of the Mishmar and people of the Ma'amad may not cut their hair or launder. On Thursday it is permitted due to Kevod Shabbos, but all other days are forbidden.

Explanation (R. Yosah citing R. Avahu citing R. Yochanan, and R. Avun citing R. Yosa citing Chizkiyah): [Chachamim] decreed on them, lest they enter their week [to serve or oversee Korbanos] unkempt.

It was taught there - the following may shave during the festival - one who came from overseas, or from captivity, or left jail, and a Menudah (someone excommunicated) whom Chachamim permitted. Everyone else is forbidden.

Explanation (R. Simon): [Chachamim] decreed on them, lest they enter the festival unkempt.

(Beraisa): Anyone who knows people of his Mishmar (i.e. he knows which week his Mishmar serves) and people of his Beis Av, and is from a fixed Beis Av (they serve), he is forbidden [to drink wine] that entire day;

Anyone who knows people of his Mishmar, but does not know people of his Beis Av, and is from a fixed Beis Av, he is forbidden that entire week;

Anyone who does not know people of his Mishmar, and not people of his Beis Av, and is from a fixed Beis Av, he is forbidden the entire year;

Rebbi says, I say that he [should be] always forbidden, but he is fixed due to his ruin (if we will forbid him the entire year, we must forbid also cutting hair and laundering, and he cannot fulfill this. Rather,) he may cut hair [and launder and drink wine];

Just like you say that his ruin fixes him, and he cut hair, similarly his ruin fixes him and he is permitted to work. (We explained this like HA'GAON RAV C. KANIEVSKY, SHLITA.)