Ask A Question on the daf

1a) [line 1] LIFNEI EIDEIHEN - before their festivals of idol worship
(a) It is prohibited for a Jew to cause an idol worshipper to give thanks to his idols. As such, our Mishnah lists certain dealings with idol worshippers that the Rabanan prohibited for this reason, from three days before their festivals. For example, one who lends money to an idol worshipper with a deed of debt may not collect the loan at the time of their festivals (i.e. from three days before the festival), because it will cause the idol worshipper to give thanks to his idols that he no longer has the obligation to pay the debt (since there is no way that he can deny the debt when the lender is holding a Shtar).
(b) One who lends money to a idol worshipper without a Shtar may collect the loan at the time of their festivals, because the idol worshipper does not experience great joy at no longer having to pay the debt, since he could have denied it (for there is no Shtar).

b) [line 2] EIDEIHEN - (lit. their destruction) their festivals of idol worship

2) [line 3] LASEIS V'LASES IMAHEM - to do business with them
3a) [line 3] L'HASH'ILAN - to lend them items that will be returned
b) [line 3] LISH'OL MEHEN - to borrow from them items that must be returned

4a) [line 4] L'HALVOSAN - to lend them money (Halva'ah (a loan) is different from Hash'alah (lending an item) since the borrower need not return the coins that he borrowed)
b) [line 4] LILVOS MEHEN - to borrow [money] from them

5a) [line 4] L'FOR'AN - to pay them back
b) [line 4] LIFRO'A MEHEN - to collect one's debts from them
c) [line 5] NIFRA'IN MEHEN - it is permissible to collect one's debts from them

6) [line 6] MEITZER HU LO - it causes him anguish
7) [line 8] EIDEIHEM - (with an Ayin) their testimonials
8) [line 9] LO MISHTABESH - does not make a mistake, does not blunder
9) [line 10] "KI KAROV YOM EIDAM" - "for their day of destruction is near" (Devarim 32:35)
10) [line 11] "YITNU EIDEIHEM V'YITZDAKU?" - "shall they (the idols) give witness and they (the idols worshippers) will be vindicated?" (Yeshayah 43:9)

11) [line 12] TAVRA ADIF - [referring to] their destruction is preferable
12) [line 16] YITNU EIDEIHEM V'YITZDAKU, ELU YISRAEL - they (Yisrael) will give their evidence (the Mitzvos, that testify that Yisrael should be vindicated) and they (Yisrael) will be vindicated

13) [line 18] "YOTZREI FESEL KULAM TOHU, VA'CHAMUDEIHEM BAL YO'ILU; V'EDEIHEM HEMAH, [BAL YIR'U U'VAL YED'U, L'MA'AN YEVOSHU.]" - "All who make a graven image are nothingness, and the things in which they delight do not help them; they (the idols) bear witness against them (the idol worshippers) [for they do not see, nor know; so that they should be ashamed.]" (Yeshayah 44:9)

14) [line 20] B'CHEIKO - next to His heart (kiv'Yachol)
16) [line 21] "KOL HA'GOYIM NIKBETZU YACHDAV, [V'YE'ASFU LE'UMIM, MI VAHEM YAGID ZOS, V'RISHONOS YASHMI'UNU; YITNU EIDEIHEM V'YITZDAKU, V'YISHME'U V'YOMRU 'EMES.']" - "Let all the nations be gathered together, [and let the people be assembled; who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified; or else let them hear them say, 'It is truth.']" (Yeshayah 43:9)

17) [line 1] SOFREHA - its wise men (RASHI)
18) [line 2] "[SHNEI GOYIM B'VITNECH, U'SHNEI LE'UMIM MI'ME'AYICH YIPAREDU;] U'LE'OM MI'LE'OM YE'EMATZ, [V'RAV YA'AVOD TZA'IR.]" - "[Two nations are in your womb, and two kingdoms shall be separated from your insides;] and one kingdom shall be stronger than the other [and the elder shall serve the younger.]" (Bereishis 25:23)

19) [line 6] MISHUM D'CHASHIVA - because it is important
20) [line 7] "[KEN AMAR, 'CHEIVASA REVI'AISA]... V'SEICHUL KOL AR'A U'SEDUSHINAH V'SADEKINAH.'" - "[Thus he (the Angel) said, 'The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be different from all kingdoms,] and shall devour the whole earth, and shall trample it down, and break it into pieces.'" (Daniel 7:23) - This vision refers to Rome, the "fourth kingdom" represented by the fourth beast in Daniel's vision.

21) [line 8] ROMI CHAYEVES - Rome, the wicked
22) [line 9] SHE'TIV'AH YATZA B'CHOL HA'OLAM - whose renown has gone out in the world, i.e. who is the current world power

23) [line 12] "... LA'ASOS MISHPAT AVDO U'MISHPAT AMO YISRAEL [DEVAR YOM B'YOMO.]" - "[And let these, my words, with which I have made supplication before HaSh-m, be near to HaSh-m, our G-d, day and night,] that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Yisrael [at all times, as each day may require.]" (Melachim I 8:59) - The "servant" mentioned in this verse is Shlomo ha'Melech (who is also the speaker), indicating that the king comes before the people.

24) [line 13] LAV ORACH AR'A L'MEISAV MALKA ME'AVRAI - it is not Derech Eretz (proper conduct) for the king to sit outside

25) [line 15] MEKAMEI D'LEIFUSH CHARON AF - before the anger of HaSh-m increases (if he judges the people first, His anger (kiva'Yachol) will be kindled against them for their innumerable sins and the king will bear the brunt of the punishment when he is judged

26a) [line 17] SHEVAKIM - open-air markets
b) [line 17] MERCHATZA'OS - bathhouses

*27*) [line 18] V'CHULAM LO ASINU ELA BISHVIL YISRAEL KEDEI SHE'YIS'ASKU BA'TORAH - since this Gemara describes the Romans (and Persians, etc.) at the time of the Final Judgement in the Olam ha'Emes, they realize that everything that they did was for the purpose of enabling Benei Yisrael to learn Torah (CHIDUSHEI HA'GRIZ AL HA'TORAH, citing RAV CHAYIM MI'BRISK)
*b*) [line 20] SHOTIM SHEBA'OLAM! - You big fools! (HaSh-m does not call them "Shakranim" (liars) because they are speaking the truth; however, since they lost the opportunity to accomplish their acts with the correct intention, they are called "Shotim," for a fool is defined as someone who loses that which is given to him -- Chagigah 3b, see Background to Bava Metzia 80:14a) (ibid.)
*c*) [line 21] KOL MAH SHE'ASISEM L'TZORECH ATZMECHEM ASISEM - You did not know during your lifetime that everything you did was in order to enable Benei Yisrael to learn Torah; your intentions were only for your own benefit (ibid.)

28) [line 23] L'ADEN BAHEN ATZMECHEM - [in which] to refresh yourselves; to improve your complexions

29) [line 28] YATZ'U B'FACHEI NEFESH - they went out devastated, dejected
30) [line 30] "VA'ARU CHEIVAH ACHORI SINYANAH DAMYAH L'DOV, [VELI'STAR CHAD HAKIMAS, U'SELAS IL'IN B'FUMAH BEIN SHINAH; V'CHEN AMRIN LAH, 'KUMI ACHULI BESAR SAGI!']" - "And behold another beast, a second one, like a bear, [and it was lying on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, 'Arise, devour much flesh!']" (Daniel 7:5)

31) [line 32] MESURBALIN BASAR K'DOV - cloaked with flesh like a bear
32) [line 34] HARBEH KERACHIM KAVASHNU - we captured many large, walled cities
33) [line 37] ANAGARYA - the king's service, including forced labor of man and beast, army service and tax collection

34) [line 43] MAI SHENA HANEI D'CHASHIVEI, U'MAI SHENA HANEI D'LO CHASHIVEI LEHU? - Why were these [kingdoms who subjugated Yirael] mentioned (i.e. Rome and Persia) and why were those [kingdoms who subjugated Yirael] not mentioned (i.e. Babylon and Greece)?

35) [line 44] MASHCHEI B'MALCHUSAIHU AD D'ASI MESHICHA - their kingdoms will last until the coming of Mashi'ach

36) [line 46] "VA'YOMAR, HASH-M MI'SINAI BA V'ZARACH MI'SE'IR LAMO, [HOFI'A ME'HAR PARAN V'ASA ME'RIVEVOS KODESH; MI'YEMINO ESH DAS LAMO.]" - "And he (Moshe) said, HaSh-m came from Sinai and radiated from Se'ir to them (to the descendants of Esav). [He revealed Himself from the Mountain of Paran (to the descendants of Yishmael) and then approached with some of the myriad Angels of the Holy Sanctum; from His right hand He presented the fiery Torah to them.]" (Devarim 33:2) - HaSh-m offered the Torah to all of the nations before he offered it to Benei Yisrael.

37a) [line 46] "ELOKA MI'TEIMAN YAVO..." - "HaSh-m comes from Teiman, [and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.]" (Chabakuk 3:3)
b) [line 47] SE'IR - the mountains of Se'ir, home of the descendants of Esav (Bereishis 36:8)
c) [line 47] PARAN - the wilderness of Paran, home of the descendants of Yishmael (Bereishis 21:21)

38) [line 47] HECHEZIRAH - he circulated it (the Torah); he brought it to [the nations of the world]

39a) [line 47] UMAH - kingdom b) [line 48] LASHON - people who speak the same language

40) [line 49] V'AL DA TEVARTEHON, AMAI LO KIBALNUHA?! - But their ruin is due to this - why did they not accept it?!

41) [line 50] KELUM KAFISA ALEINU HAR K'GIGIS? - Did you ever hold over us a mountain like an upturned barrel (O.F. cuve) [as you did for Benei Yisrael]?

42) [line 51] "... VA'YISYATZVU B'SACHTIS HA'HAR." - "... and they stood at the foot of the mountain." (Shemos 19:17) - Based upon the word "b'Sachtis," which has the connotation of "underneath," the Gemara renders this verse as, "... and they stood *underneath* the mountain."

43a) [line 53] HA'RISHONOS YASHMI'UNU - let us hear about the prior ones (i.e. the Mitzvos that were commanded before the Torah was given)
b) [line 54] "V'RISHONOS YASHMI'UNU" - see above, entry #16

c) [line 54] SHEVA MITZVOS (SHEVA MITZVOS BENEI NOACH)
(a) People other than Jews are often referred to as Benei Noach (since all of mankind is descended from Noach). Mankind was commanded to keep seven Mitzvos from the time of Adam ha'Rishon and Noach, before the Jewish nation existed. Although the Mitzvos of the Torah superceded these Seven Mitzvos for the Jewish nation, these Mitzvos remain binding to Benei Noach today.
(b) The seven Mitzvos are:

1. Avodah Zarah, not to worship idols.
2. Birkas (i.e. Kilelas) HaSh-m, not to curse HaSh-m.
3. Shefichus Damim, not to murder.
4. Giluy Arayos, not to engage in illicit or incestuous relationships. (Besides adultery, the Gemara (Sanhedrin 57b-58b) discusses which relatives a Ben Noach is prohibited to marry.)
5. Gezel, stealing.
6. Ever Min ha'Chai, not to eat a limb that is detached from an animal when it is alive (see Background to Sanhedrin 56:27).
7. Dinim, enacting courts and appointing judges to keep law and order.

1. Dam Min ha'Chai, not to eat blood that is taken from an animal when it is alive.
2. Sirus, not to perform castration.
3. Kishuf, witchcraft.
4. Harba'as Behemah, mating different species of animals.
5. Harkavas ha'Ilan, grafting.

1. Keeping Shabbos, that is, choosing a day of the week on which to refrain from work (Sanhedrin 58b).
2. Learning Torah other than the portions that deal with the seven major Mitzvos above (Sanhedrin 59a).

44) [line 55] "AMAD VA'YEMODED ERETZ, RA'AH VA'YATER GOYIM, [VA'YISPOTZETZU HAREREI-AD, SHACHU GIV'OS OLAM; HALICHOS OLAM LO.]" - "He stood, and shook the earth; He beheld, and caused the nations to tremble; [and the everlasting mountains are dashed in pieces, the everlasting hills bow; His ways are as of old.]" (Chabakuk 3:6) - The Gemara renders the words "va'Yater Goyim" as "and He rescinded [the prohibitions previously commanded to] the nations."

45) [last line] ISGUREI ISGUR?! - Do they profit?!

Next daf