REVIEW QUESTIONS ON GEMARA AND RASHI
prepared by Rabbi Eliezer Chrysler
Kollel Iyun Hadaf, Jerusalem
Previous daf
Berachos 55
1)
Rav Yehudah lists three things as being elixirs for long life.
(a) What are they?
(b) What do the following three have in common: 'a leaning wall, scrutiny
in Tefilah and asking Hashem to punish someone for his sake'?
(c) Why is that?
(d) In light of the second statement, how can we include a long Tefilah in
the first list?
2)
(a) What does the Gemara comment on the Pesukim in Yechezkel "ha'Mizbei'ach
Eitz Shalosh Amos Gavoha" ... "va'Yedaber Elai, 'Zeh ha'Shulchan Asher
Lifnei Hashem"', and what do we learn from there?
Another Beraisa includes someone who is 'Toleh Atzmo be'Veis ha'Kisei',
among the list of things that lead to an internal illness called
'Tachtoniyos'.
(b) Then how can we include someone who sits long in the bathroom in the
list of the elixirs of long life?
(c) What did Rebbi Yehudah reply to the Roman matron who told him that he
had the healthy complexion of those who rear pigs and who lend on interest?
(d) Why did she use those two examples?
3)
(a) What will happen to someone who declines to go when he is called up to
read from the Torah, or to Bensch Mezuman when it is offered to him?
(b) What is the third thing in this list, and from whom do we learn it?
(c) What do we learn from the following three Pesukim, respectively:
"Palgei Mayim, Leiv Melech be'Yad Hashem" (Mishlei);
"Tamid Einei Hashem Elokecha Bah, mei'Reishis Shanah Ad Acharis Shanah" (Devarim);
"va'Tachlimeini ve'Hechyeini" (Yeshayah).
Hashem Himself declares three things: Hunger, satisfaction ...
(d) What is the third thing, and from whom do we learn it?
4)
One does not appoint a communal leader, without consulting the people
first.
(a) What did Mosheh and Yisrael reply, when Hashem asked Moshe about
Betzalel, and Moshe consulted them?
(b) Why was Betzalel called by that name?
(c) What was the extent of Betzalel'a knowledge, and from where do we know
that?
(d) What do we learn from "Yahiv Chochmesa la'Chakimin", and from which
Pasuk in Shemos can we learn the same thing?
5)
(a) What is the meaning of Rav Chisda's statement: 'Kol Chalom, ve'Lo
Tavas'?
Rav Chisda also said that a dream needs interpretation like a letter needs
to be read.
(b) Which two statements did he make concerning good dreams and bad ones?
(c) And what does he learn from the Pasuk in Koheles "ve'ha'Elokim Asa
she'Yir'u mi'Panav"?
(d) What do we learn from the Pasuk in Yirmiyah (written in connection with
dreams) "Mah le'Teven es ha'Bar"?
(e) How do we learn the same thing from Yosef's dream?
Answers to questions
55b---------------------------------------55b
6)
(a) How long did it take for Yosef's dream to materialize from the time
that he dreamt it, and what do we learn from there?
The Gemara wants to say that a good person only has bad dreams, and a bad
person only good ones. David Hamelech is the example of a good person who
had only bad dreams, Achitofel the example of a bad one.
The Gemara refutes this from the Pasuk in Tehilim "Lo Se'uneh Eileicha
Ra'ah".
(b) What is the disproof from that Pasuk?
(c) What else do we learn from that Pasuk?
(d) What does the Gemara subsequently conclude with regard to the dreams of
a Tzadik?
(e) Why does the Gemara reject the contention that the Tzadik himself does
not dream at all, and it is others who dream bad dreams about him (and who
then tell him what they dreamt)?
7)
'ha'Ro'eah Chalom, ve'Nafsho Agumah Alav, Yeilech ve'Yifterena Bifnei
Shalosh'.
(a) On what grounds does the Gemara reject this version of Rebbi Yochanan's
statement?
(b) What then should he do, and what is the gist of what he says?
(c) What briefly, is meant by the three Hafachos, the three Pediy'os and
the three Shelomos?
8)
Ameimar, Mar Zutra and Rav Ashi each said a Chidush. One provided a text
for making good a dream that one has forgotten.
(a) What is the gist of that text?
The second one advised a peson who entered a town, and was afraid of Ayin
ha'Ra, what to do and what to say.
(b) What did he advise him to *do*?
(c) Why does one mention Yosef in the accompanying text - What does Yosef
have to do with Ayin ha'Ra?
(d) And what is someone who is afraid of his own Ayin ha'Ra advised to do?
9)
The third member of the trio gave the advice which he learnt from Rava to a
sick person.
(a) What did he learn from Rava, and why did Rava do that?
(b) How does Shmuel interpret the Pasuk in Zecharya "ve'ha'Chalomos le'Shav
Yedabeiru"?
(c) How does Rava reconcile the apparent contradiction between the above
Pasuk and the Pasuk in Bamidbar "ba'Chalom Adaber Bo"?
10)
(a) How many dream-interpreters were there in Yerushalayim?
(b) What personal incident did Rebbi Banah relate with regard to them?
With his tale, he proves Rebbi Elazar's statement.
(c) What does Rebbi Elazar say, and from where does he learn it?
(d) What is his statement conditional to?
11)
(a) How did the Chief Baker know that Yosef's interpretation of the Chief
Butler's dream was correct?
(b) What is the significance of someone who gets up early and inexplicably
quotes a Pasuk?
(c) What do the following three have in common: a morning-dream, a dream
which someone else dreams about oneself, and a dream which is interpreted
within a dream?
(d) What might one add to the list?
12)
(a) What do we learn from the Pasuk in Daniel "Ant Malka, Ra'ayonech Al
Mishkavach Saliku"?
(b) How does Rava prove this from daily life?
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