Question: The permission to use the garments as a pillow should, itself, prove that benefit is permitted!?

Answer (R. Papa): They did not actually place them under their heads, but near them.

(R. Mesharshia): This Din could be extended to permit leaving one's Tefilin alongside a sleeping person.

It appears that R. Papa is correct, since understanding under their heads literally would introduce the problem of Sha'atnez (the Avnet being made of wool and linen).

The opinion which maintains that the Avnet is, indeed, made of both wool and linen would have no reading of the Mishnah in Tamid (under their heads).

This opinion maintains that the Avnet of a regular Kohen is unlike the Avnet of the Kohen Gadol.

This is unlike the opinion which maintains that the Avnet of a regular Kohen is identical with the all- linen Avnet of the Kohen Gadol, for whom the Mishnah presents no difficulty.

Question: Perhaps Sha'anez is only a problem when worn, not when used as a pillow?

Answer: Both from the concern of the Chachamim and from R. Shimon b. Pazi we know that it is prohibited, even with any number of protective separations between the Sha'atnez and the person.

We may, indeed, infer like R. Papa.

R. Ashi maintains that they placed the Avnet under their heads.

Question: What about the Sh'aatnez problem?

Answer: The Bigdei Kehunah were stiff and thus not subject to the Isur of wearing Sh'aatnez, as supported by the Din of R. Huna b. R. Yehoshua regarding stiff garments.

Question: We see clearly from the Beraisa that benefit is permitted!

The Beraisa teaches that it is permitted to wear the Bigdei Kehunah for non-Avodah purposes in the Mikdash (and is only prohibited outside out of respect).

Question: But we hear of Shimon ha'Tzadik wearing Bigdei Kehunah outside (in the reported incident wherein he appeared thus before Alexander)!?

Answer: Those may have been not actual Bigdei Kehunah, but garments fitting for a Kohen Gadol.

Alternate Answer: This was an emergency ("Eis La'asos la'Shem").

The honor bestowed on the S'gan and Rosh ha'Keneses seems to imply that we honor a student in the presence of his Rav!

(Abaye): There is no indication from there, since the entire procedure was done in honor of the Kohen Gadol.

Question: Are we to infer that previously he was sitting?

That seems unlikely since nobody excepting a Davidic King may sit in the Mikdash.

This is supported by the Pasuk.

Answer: The sitting was in the Ezras Nashim, as R. Chisda taught.

Question: Where did R. Chisda teach that it was in the Ezras Nashim?

Answer: He taught this in conjunction with the Beraisa which says that the Keri'ah was in the Azarah.

R. Eliezer b. Ya'akov says it was in the Azarah (citing a Pasuk in Nechemyah).

R. Chisda teaches that it was in the Ezras Nashim.

We continue to interpret the word "Gadol" in the Pasuk in Nechemyah.

Question: What is "Gadol" in the Pasuk, "Ezra blessed Hash-m Elokim ha'Gadol"?

Answer (R. Yosef citing Rav): Ezra exalted Hash-m employing the Shem ha'Meforash.

Answer (R. Gidel): Ezra exalted the Name by instituting the refrain at the conclusion of each Berachah, "Baruch Hash-m ... ".

Question: Perhaps it was the Shem ha'Meforash?

Answer: The Shem ha'Meforash is not uttered outside the Azarah (where Ezra was then standing).

Question: But we find that Ezra did utter the Name outside (as R. Gidal himself taught on the Pasuk in Nechemyah 9)?

Answer: That was an emergency, as extensively reported, they successfully cried out for the Yetzer Harah for idolatry to be given over to their hands.

After this success, they attempted to do the same with the Yetzer for licentiousness.

Though they were successful in having the Yetzer given over to their hands, they discovered that the world could not exist without its (positive) force, and its force could not be divided.

Thus they blinded it and freed it, thus eliminating its push to incest.

In Eretz Yisrael the word "Gadol" was interpreted by R. Masna that Ezra exalted the Name with saying 'ha'E-l ha'Gadol... '

This supports the words of R. Yehoshua b. Levi, who taught that the Anshei Kneses ha'Gedolah earned that great name because they restored the praise of Hash-m which had been removed by Yirmiyah and Daniel during the destruction and exile.

They asserted that the very oppression of the Jews and their endurance amidst the nations is the greatest testimony to His Gevurah and Nora'os.

Question: How could Yirmiyah and Daniel uproot the institution of Moshe to praise Hash-m in this Manner?

Answer: Knowing that Hash-m is Truth, they did not falsify before Him.

Question: There is a contradiction from the Mishnah in Megilah which says that one may not skip in Keri'as ha'Torah!?

Answer: A short skip (in which there is sufficient time to move to the next spot while the Turgeman is still reciting the Targum) is permitted.

Question: But the Beraisa teaches there that the short skip only applies to Nevi'im, and that no skip in the Torah is permitted!?

Answer (Abaye): When the skip maintains one topic it is permitted (as supported by the cited Beraisa).