(R. Yochanan): The voice ["ha'Kol Kol Yakov''] was due to Adriyanus Kaiser. He killed in Beitar 800,000 people.

(R. Yochanan): 80,000 pairs of horn blowers (troop leaders) surrounded Beitar, and each was appointed over many soldiers, and Ben Koziva was there, with 200,000 men with cut off fingers (he said that to serve in his army, one must bite off his finger to prove his Gevurah).

Chachamim sent to him "how long will you make Yisrael Ba'alei Mumim?'' He asked, how can I test [their Gevurah]? They said, anyone who cannot ride on a horse and uproot a cedar of Levanon will not be written in your list of soldiers. (ALEI TAMAR - he need not uproot it. It suffices to move its roots.)

He had 200,000 of these (men with cut off fingers), and 200,000 of these (men who rode on a horse and uprooted a cedar), and when he went out to war, he said 'Master of the world - do not help us, and do not destroy us - "ha'Lo Atah Elokim Zenachtanu v'Lo Setzei Elokim b'Tziv'oseinu''!

For three and a half years Adriyanus surrounded Beitar. R. Eliezer ha'Moda'i was sitting with sackcloth and ashes and praying every day, and saying Master of the worlds - do not sit in judgment today! Do not sit in judgment today!

Adriyanus wanted to go away. One Kusi said to him "do not go - I will see what can be done to give the city to you!''

He entered through a drainage ditch to the city, and he found. R. Eliezer ha'Moda'i standing and praying. He pretended to whisper in [R. Eliezer's] ear.

People of the city saw him, and brought him to Bar Kochba. They said to [Bar Kochba] him "we saw this elder speaking to your dear [uncle].'' [Bar Kochba] said to him, what did you say to him, and what did he tell you?

[The elder] said "if I tell you, the king will kill me. If I do not tell you, you will kill me! It is better that the king kill me, and not you. He said to [Bar Kochba], he said to me "I will give over the city [to the besiegers].''

[Bar Kochba] went to R. Eliezer ha'Moda'i. He said to him "what did this Kusi say to you?'' He did not say anything. "What did you say to him?'' I did not say anything. [Bar Kochba] kicked him once, and killed him.

Immediately, a Bas Kol came out and said "Hoy Ro'i ha'Elil Ozvi ha'Tzon Cherev Al Zero'o v'Al Ein Yemino Zero'o Yavosh Tivash v'Ein Yemino Kaho Tichheh'' - you killed R. Eliezer ha'Moda'i, the arm of all of Yisrael and their right eye - therefore, the arm of that man will dry, and his right eye will weaken.

Immediately, Beitar was captured and Bar Kochba was killed. They carried his head to Adriyanus Kaiser. He said "who killed him''? A Kusi said "I killed him.'' He said "show to me his body.'' He showed his body to him.

He saw a snake wrapped around him. He said, had Elokim not killed him, who could have killed him?! He applied to him "Im Lo Ki Tzuram Macharam va'Shem Hisgiram.''

[The Romi'im were killing [people of Beitar] and going, until the horse was submerged in blood until its nose, and the blood was causing rocks the weight of 40 Sa'im to roll, until the blood went into the sea (and it had the appearance of blood) for four Mil (HA'GAON RAV C. KANIEVSKY, SHLITA. A mil is about a kilometer.) If you will say that [Beitar] is close to the sea - it is 40 Mil from the sea!

They said that they found brains of 300 children on one rock, and they found three baskets of Ketzitzos (the boxes that house the parchments of) Tefilin (of people killed) of nine Sa'im each, and some say nine baskets of three Sa'im each.

(Beraisa - R. Shimon ben Gamliel): There were 500 schools in Beitar, and the smallest did not have less than 500 children. They used to say, if the haters come upon us, with these styluses we will go out [to fight them] and poke out their eyes;

Note: R. Yochanan said that 800,000 people were killed. It seems that almost everyone was killed. If there were at least 250,000 [male] school children, and 400,000 soldiers in Ben Koziva's army, surely there were more than 800,000 people in all! We must say that they did not kill most of the women, or some of these numbers are not precise.

Aveiros caused that [the enemy] wrapped each [child] in his Sefer (from which he learned) and burned him, and from all of them, only I remained. [R. Shimon ben Gamliel] applied to himself "Eini Olelah l'Nafshi mi'Kol Benos Iri.''

The evil Adriyanus Kaiser had a big vineyard 18 Mil by 18 Mil, like from Tiverya to Tzipori. He made a fence around it from people killed in Beitar, (he piled up the bodies) to a person's height with his hands extended (i.e. four Amos).

Note: If the bodies were lengthwise around the perimeter, if an average person is about half an Amah thick, there were only about 150,000 bodies there. If the bodies were widthwise around the perimeter, e.g. all the heads faced in or out, and an average person is about two thirds of an Amah wide, there were about 800,000 bodies there, the full number killed according to R. Yochanan.

[He decreed not to bury them,] and he did not [retract and] decree to bury them, until another king took power and decreed to bury them.

(Rav Huna): From when they permitted burying those killed in Beitar, they enacted [in Birkas ha'Mazon the Brachah] ha'Tov veha'Meitiv. Ha'Tov, for they did not decay; veha'Meitiv, that they were permitted to bury them.

(Beraisa - R. Yosi): Beitar lasted 52 years after Churban Beis ha'Mikdash. Why was it destroyed? It is because they lit Neros [out of joy] after Churban Beis ha'Mikdash.

Why did they light Neros? It is because officers of Yerushalayim dwelled in the middle of the city and when they would see someone (Ploni) ascend to Yerushalayim, they would say to him "it is because we heard about you that you want to become an officer or advisor'', and he would say "that is not my intent'';

[They would say to him] "it is because we heard about you that you want to sell your field'', and he would say "that is not my intent.'' [The officer's] friend said to him "what do you want from this person?'' Write, and I will sign!'' He wrote [that he bought his field], and his friend signed. They sent the document to his household, and said to them "if Ploni will come to enter the field, do not let him, for I bought it from him.''

Once [Ploni] heard from them, he said "I wish that that man's (my) legs were cut, and he did not go to Yerushalayim'' (for through this, I lost my field)!

This is what it says "Tzadu Tze'adeinu mi'Leches bi'Rchovoseinu.'' "Tzadu Tze'adeinu'' - Atzdi (should be desolate) the path to that Bayis (we should not need to go there). "Karev Kitzeinu'' - may the end of that house come close. "Mal'u Yameinu'' - should be filled (finished) the days of that Bayis. (ALEI TAMAR - they mourned the Churban, just they rejoiced over the end of the evil officers. Our Gemara connotes otherwise! Perhaps these Drashos show that intent of a small minority, but most were guilty over rejoicing over the fall of the officers. Alternatively, because they rejoiced over the fall of the officers, the verse attributes as if they desired the Churban - PF.)

Also they (people of Beitar), it did not turn out good for them - "Same'ach l'Eid Lo Yenakeh'' (one who rejoices over another's downfall will not be cleansed).

There were two brothers in the village Chareivah. Romans would come upon them, and [the brothers] would kill them. [The brothers] said "the essence of the matter is to put Adriyanus' crown on Shimon (bar Kochba's) head!''

[They heard that] the Romans are coming. When [the brothers] went out, an elder encountered them. He said to them "your Creator should help you!'' [One of the brothers] said "we do not need His help, nor His support'' - "ha'Lo Atah Elokim Zenachtanu''! (Due to this, they died. We explained this like ETZ YOSEF on Eichah Rabah.)

There were two cedar trees in Har ha'Mishchah. Under [the branches of] one of them were four stores selling Taharos, and from one they took out four Sa'im of chicks [from birds that nested in its branches] every month, and this sufficed for Kinim (bird offerings) for all of Yisrael.

Note: If the average chick was at least the size of half an egg, this is less than 1200 per month. If there were 250,000 school children in Beitar, more than 15,000 boys were born each year (even if they learned in school from age three until 19), the chicks would not suffice for their births alone (and all the more so for births of girls and in the rest of Yisrael, and others obligated to bring birds)! Perhaps there were multiple births (a Yoledes brings only one bird per pregnancy, even if she gave birth to many babies), or four Sa'im was the amount they took in poor months, but in good months, they took much more.

From Mount Shimon they extracted 300 barrels of jam in summer, every Erev Shabbos. Why was it destroyed? Some say, it was due to Zenus. And some say, it was because they played with a ball [on Shabbos].

There were 10,000 cities in Har ha'Melech, and R. Elazar ben Charsom owned 1000 of them, and corresponding to them, 1000 boats on the sea, and all of them were destroyed.

Three cities, their ledger of royal revenue [from them] ascended to Yerushalayim in a wagon - Kavul, Shichin and Migdal Tzavyei. All three of them were destroyed - Kavul due to argument, Shichin due to witchcraft, and Migdal Tzavyei due to Zenus.

Three villages, each of them had twice as many people as left Mitzrayim - Kefar Bish, Kefar Shichliya and Kefar Dichriya;

Why was it called Kefar Bish? They did not accept guests. Why was it called Kefar Shichliya? They increased children like Shichlayim (cress; it grows quickly). Why was it called Kefar Dichriya? All their women gave birth to Dichrin (males). If one would not leave there, she would not give birth to a female.

(R. Yochanan): Eighty pairs of Kohanim brothers married eighty pairs of Kohanos sisters in one night in one place - this excludes brothers who married non-sisters, sisters who married non-brothers, Leviyim and Yisraelim. (There must have been an awesome number of people in order for this to occur!)

(R. Yochanan): Eighty stores of people who weave silk scarves (PNEI MOSHE) were in Migdal Tzavyei.

(R. Chiyah bar Ba): Eighty stores of people who sell Taharos were in Kefar Imra.

(R. Yirmeyah citing R. Chiyah bar Ba): Eighty wagons of [pure] metal were in Sichin.

(R. Yanai): We do not have one such wagon nowadays.

(R. Ze'irah citing R. Chunah): [Sichin] was the smallest Mishmar, and it had 85,000 young Kohanim.

(R. Yochanan): Due to the blood of Zecharyah, 80,000 young Kohanim were killed.

Question (R. Yudan, to R. Acha): Where did they kill Zecharyah - in the Ezras Nashim, or in Ezras Yisrael?

Answer (R. Acha): It was not in Ezras Yisrael, and not in Ezras Nashim, rather, in Ezras Kohanim.

Question: Did they conduct with his blood less honorably than the blood of a wild goat or deer?! There, it says "v'Shafach Es Damo v'Chisahu be'Afar''! (Why did they leave it exposed?)

Answer: However, here it says "Ki Damah b'Socho Hayah Al Tzechi'ach Sela Samas'hu.'' (Hash-m arranged that it remain exposed.) Why? "Leha'alos Chemah Linkom Nakam Nasati Es Damah Al Tzechi'ach Sela l'Vilti Hikasos'' (in order that it will be avenged).

Yisrael transgressed seven Aveiros that day [through killing him] - they killed a Kohen, Navi and judge, they spilled innocent blood, they were Metamei the Azarah, and it was Shabbos and Yom Kipur.

Once Nevuzaradan ascended to here, and he saw the blood bubbling, he said to them "what is special about this blood?'' They told him, it is blood of bulls, sheep and rams that we used to offer on the Mizbe'ach.

Immediately, he brought bulls, rams and sheep and slaughtered them on [the blood], and still the blood was bubbling. Since they did not admit to him, he hung them in the court [to make them confess - HA'GAON RAV C. KANIEVSKY, SHLITA]. They said, since Hash-m wants to demand [punishment of his blood] through our hands, [we will admit to him].

They said to him, it is blood of a Kohen, Navi and judge. He was prophesizing about us all that you do to us, and we stood upon him and killed him;

Immediately, he brought 80,000 young Kohanim and slaughtered them, and still the blood was bubbling. At that time he rebuked [the blood]. He said, what do you want - will we destroy the entire nation for you?!

Immediately, Hash-m was filled with mercy. He said, if [Nevuzaradan], who is flesh and blood and cruel, was filled with mercy on My children - I, about whom it says "Ki Kel Rachum Hash-m Elokecha Lo Yarpecha v'Lo Yashchisecha v'Lo Yishkach Es Bris Avosecha'', how much the more so! Immediately, [Hash-m] hinted to the blood, and it was swallowed in its place.

(R. Yochanan): Eighty thousand young Kohanim fled into the cells of the Beis ha'Mikdash (around the Heichal), and all of them were burned;

Note: It is hard to take this literally, that an average of more than 2100 Kohanim was in each of the 38 cells. The average length and width of the interior of the cells was six Amos. There were three stories of cells. Their total height was less than that of the Heichal (40 Amos), for there were windows above them, and the ceiling over each had some thickness. If the total height of the interiors was 36, and the average Kohen was only half an Amah wide and a third of an Amah thick and two Amos tall and they were in stacks of six, each standing on the shoulder of the one below him, this is less than 1300 in a cell!

Of all of them, only Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak the Kohen Gadol remained - "ha'Lo Zeh Ud Mutzal me'Esh'':

(R. Yochanan): Eighty thousand young Kohanim fled from Nebuchadnetzar's soldiers and went to Yishmaelim. They said, give to us to drink, for we are thirsty!

They brought in front of them kinds of salty food and inflated pouches. They told them "eat, and then drink!'' Once one of them untied the bind [around the flask's opening] and put it to his mouth, the air [left the pouch] and choked him.

This is why it says "Masa ba'Rav'' - a great burden of punishments [will come] on Araviya. "Ba'Ya'ar ba'Rav Talinu'' - those who were in the forest of Levanon (Beis ha'Mikdash), they lodge in Arav;

Are these "Orchos Dedanim'' - is this the way beloveds act?!

When Yishmael was thirsty, did not "Likras Tzamei Hesayu Mayim'' (Hash-m miraculously gave to him water) - "va'Yifkach Elokim Es Eineha va'Tere Be'er Mayim''!

[Yisrael] did not come to you willingly - "Ki Mipnei Charavos Nadedu Mipnei Cherev Netushah'' - [they were exiled] because they did not want to guard their Shemitos, like it says "veha'Shevi'is Tishmetenah u'Ntashtah''!

"U'Mipnei Keshes Deruchah'' - because they did not want to guard their Shabbosos, like it says "ba'Yamim ha'Hemah Ra'isi vi'Yehudah Dorchim Gitos ba'Shabbos.''

"U'Mipnei Koved Milchamah'' - because they did not want to fight in the war of [deeply learning] Torah, like it says "Al Ken Ye'amer b'Sefer Milchamos Hash-m.''

(R. Yochanan): From Geves to Antifaris, there were 600,000 cities. The smallest was Beis Shemesh, about which it says "va'Yach b'Anshei Veis Shemesh (50,000 men) Ki Ra'u b'Aron Hash-m.'' If there were so many from one side of the city (the south, you can calculate how many were in the entire city)!

Question: Nowadays, if you fill [from Geves to Antifaris] with sticks, it will not bear [600,000 sticks]!

Answer (R. Chaninah): Eretz Yisrael shrank.

(R. Ze'irah): See how brazen is Eretz Yisrael! It produces Peros [even though Yisrael were exiled, and it says "Gafris v'Melach Sereifah Kol Artzah'']!

Question: How does it produce Peros?

Answer: Two Amora'im [argued about this] - one said that it is because they fertilize it. The other said that it is because they turn over the earth.

There was a case in which one was seeding in the valley of Arkal. He pressed his hand [on the plow] and scorched earth came out and burned the seeds.

(Beraisa - R. Yosi): For 52 years, a bird was not seen flying in Eretz Yisrael. What is the reason? "Me'Of ha'Shamayim v'Ad Behemah Nadedu Halchu'' (the Gematriya of Behemah is 52).

(R. Chaninah): Forty years before Yisrael were exiled to Bavel, [Hash-m arranged that] they planted date trees in Bavel. Through avid pursuit of sweetness, this accustoms the tongue to Torah.

(R. Chanina brei d'R. Avahu): Seven hundred kinds of Tahor fish, 800 kinds of Tahor locusts, and birds without number were exiled with Yisrael to Bavel. When they returned, all of them returned, except for the fish called Shibuta.

Question: How were fish exiled? (Water does not connect the rivers and lakes of Eretz Yisrael to those of Bavel!)

Answer (R. Chunah bar Yosef): They were exiled through the Tehom (underground water), and returned through the Tehom.

(R. Yochanan): Fortunate is one who sees the downfall of Tarmud. It was a partner in the Churban of Bayis Rishon and Churban Bayis Sheni;

In Churban Bayis Rishon, it raised 80,000 armed soldiers [to help conquer Yerushalayim]. In Churban Bayis Sheni, it raised 8,000 armed soldiers.

[Our Mishnah says that] the city was plowed. Rufus, may his bones be ground, plowed the Heichal.

(Mishnah): From when Av begins, we decrease Simchah. The week in which Tish'ah b'Av falls, it is forbidden to cut hair and launder. On Thursday it is permitted due to Kevod Shabbos.

On Erev Tish'ah b'Av, one may not eat two Tavshilim (cooked foods). One may not eat meat and drink wine;

R. Shimon ben Gamliel says, he changes;

R. Yehudah obligates turning over the bed. Chachamim did not agree to him.

(Gemara - R. Yehoshua ben Levi): (A Mishnah (1:7) says that we decrease building.) This refers to building of Simchah, but [other building is permitted;] if one's wall was leaning to fall, he destroys it and rebuilds it.

(Shmuel): [One may rebuild only] a wall [of a house] in which he sleeps.

(R. Ba bar Kohen, in front of R. Yosah): R. Acha said in the name of R. Yakov bar Idi, it is forbidden to be Mekadesh a woman on Erev Shabbos.

Explanation: One may not make a Seudah [of Eirusin], but one may be Mekadesh.

(Shmuel): Even on Tish'ah b'Av one may be Mekadesh, lest someone else [be Mekadesh her] first.

Question: Shmuel contradicts himself! There he said "Elokim Moshiv Yechidim Beisah'', "b'Moznayim La'alos Hemah me'Hevel Yachad'' (Hash-m makes matches while they are fetuses), and here he says so (it depends on people's actions)!

Answer: Rather, it is lest someone else [be Mekadesh her] first through prayer. Even so, it will not last (she will be widowed or divorced, and marry the one whom Hash-m intended for her - RAN, Mo'ed Katan 18b).

(R. Yonah): It is forbidden to launder and wear, but one may launder and prepare [garments to wear them after Tish'ah b'Av].

(Rav Sheshes): We say that a launderer may not do his work [in the week of Tish'ah b'Av. This shows that it is forbidden even in order to wear them after Tish'ah b'Av!]

Question (against R. Yonah - Mishnah): The week in which Tish'ah b'Av falls, it is forbidden to cut hair and launder. On Thursday it is permitted due to Kevod Shabbos [i.e. to wear on Shabbos, after Tish'ah b'Av. The rest of the week it is forbidden!]

Answer (R. Yonah citing Rav Hamnuna): [On Thursday it is permitted due to Kevod Shabbos] refers to cutting hair (but the entire week one may launder in order to wear after Tish'ah b'Av).

Question: What is the law of after [the fast]?

Answer #1 (R. Yochanan): After it is forbidden.

R. Chiya bar Ba expounded to people of Tziporin like R. Yochanan's teaching, and they did not accept so on themselves.

Question (R. Imi, to R. Yosi): Doesn't [Rav], the son of the brother of R. Chiyah ha'Gadol, argue with [R. Yochanan]?

Answer (R. Yosi): They explicitly argue - R. Yochanan says that after is forbidden, and Rav permits after.

Answer #2 (Reish Lakish): After it is permitted.

Question: How does Reish Lakish explain [our Mishnah, which forbids the week of Tish'ah b'Av? It does not distinguish after from before!]

Answer: He explains that it discusses when Tish'ah b'Av falls on Shabbos. You do not learn anything [about after Tish'ah b'Av] from this.

(R. Ba bar Kohen in front of R. Yosi, and R. Acha citing R. Avahu): When Tish'ah b'Av falls on Shabbos, the two weeks (before it and after it) are permitted. (They argue with Reish Lakish.)

R. Yitzchak ben Elazar, after Tish'ah b'Av finished, would announce "open the barber shops, and one who wants may cut his hair'' (like Reish Lakish. We explained the Sugya like SHA'AREI TORAS ERETZ YISRAEL.)

It is written "v'Hishbati Kol Mesosah Chagah Chadshah v'Shabatah v'Chol Mo'adah'' - people of the south conduct like Chagah [forbid laundering from Rosh Chodesh, i.e. eight days (RITZ GE'US, Hilchos Tish'ah b'Av); the "Ches'' (and also Gimel Hei) allude to eight days (ALEI TAMAR). People of Tziporin conduct like Chadashah (they forbid the entire month). People of Tiverya forbid Shabatah (the week of Tish'ah b'Av, like our Mishnah). Rabanan of Tiverya retracted to conduct like Rabanan of Tziporin.

(R. Yirmeyah citing R. Chiya bar Ba): It would be proper to fast on the 10th, on which Beis Elokeinu burned. Why do we fast on the ninth? The punishment began then.

Support (Beraisa): On the seventh [the besiegers] entered [the Mikdash]. On the eighth they were shouting in it. On the ninth they lit it on fire, and on the 10th it burned.

R. Yehoshua ben Levi fasted on the ninth and 10th. R. Avun fasted on the ninth and 10th. R. Levi fasted on the ninth and the night of the 10th.

(R. Ba bar Zavda citing R. Chaninah): Rebbi wanted to uproot Tish'ah b'Av (for even though there was no Mikdash, there were no afflictions in his time). They did not let him.

R. Lazar (to R. Ba): I was with you [when R. Chaninah taught this], and it was not said so! Rather, Rebbi wanted to uproot Tish'ah b'Av that falls on Shabbos, and they did not let him;

[Rebbi] said, since it was pushed off [from the ninth], it is pushed off. They told him, it is pushed off to tomorrow.

[R. Ba bar Zavda] repaid him (corrected R. Lazar when he errantly cited R. Chanina). A Mishnah says, R. Yochanan ben Brokah says, it says about both [Adam and Chavah] "va'Yevarech Osam Elokim va'Yomer Lahem Elokim Peru u'Rvu...'';

(R. Lazar citing R. Chaninah): The Halachah follows R. Yochanan ben Brokah.

R. Ba bar Zavda: I was with you [when R. Chanina taught this], and it was not said so! Rather, if she wants to marry [a fertile man, in order to have children to support her in her old age and to bury her], the law favors her (her husband must divorce her. If she says that she wants to fulfill her Mitzvah, we do not force him, for the Halachah does not follow R. Yochanan ben Brokah.)

The verse says about them "Tovim Shenayim Min ha'Echad.''

(On Erev Tish'ah b'Av, the first Tana forbids two Tavshilim, meat and wine. R. Shimon ben Gamliel says, he changes.) What is change? He decreases. If he normally eats a Litra of meat, he eats half. If he normally drinks a certain measure of wine, he drinks half.

(R. Yochanan): This is only in the primary meal (the last meal before the fast) of Tish'ah b'Av.

(R. Hoshayah): This is only from six hours of the day and onwards.

(R. Yosi): Both of them are lenient. If he ate Seudas Tish'ah b'Av before six hours, even if he puts on his table like the meal of Shlomo, it is permitted. If he ate his meal (and he intends to eat again before the fast) from six hours and onwards, even if he puts on his table like the meal of Shlomo in his time, it is permitted.

(Beraisa): If Tish'ah b'Av falls on Shabbos, and similarly if Erev Tish'ah b'Av falls on Shabbos, even if he puts on his table like the meal of Shlomo in his time, it is permitted.

Rav, after he ate as much as he needed, would dip his bread in ashes and say "this is the primary Seudas Tish'ah b'Av'', to fulfill "va'Yagres be'Chatzatz Shinai Hichpishani ba'Efer.''

Question: R. Yehudah said properly [that one must turn over the bed]! What is Chachamim's reason [to disagree]?

Answer: They made him like one whose Mes is in front of him. He is exempt from turning over the bed, and sleeps on a bed that is not inverted.