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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON GEMARA AND RASHI

prepared by Rabbi Eliezer Chrysler
Kollel Iyun Hadaf, Jerusalem

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Berachos 56

1)

(a) How did Shmuel react to Shavur Malka (the King of Persia')s challenge to tell him what he would dream the following night?

(b) Why did Bar Hedya interpret Abaye's dreams in a positive light, and those of Rava (who dreamt exactly the same dreams as Abaye) in a negative one?

2)
(a) What did Rava say to the two blind man when they wanted to strike him a third blow for trying to stop them from fighting?

(b) Why did Bar Hedya suddenly have a change of heart towards Rava?

(c) How did Bar Hedya interpret the following dreams of Rava ...

1. ... that his wall caved in;
2. ... that Abaye's house fell, and its dust covered him;
3. ... that his own house fell, and everyone came and took the bricks, one by one;
4. ... that his head split open, and his brains fell out;
5. ... that they read him Hallel ha'Mitzri (What is Hallel ha'Mitzri)?
(d) How did Bar Hedya's interpretation of the last dream cause Rava to discover Bar Hadya's secret?
3) Bar Hedya caused Rava untold agony and huge losses.
Which loss caused him the most agony?

4)

(a) Why did Bar Hedya run away to Rome?

(b) Leopards don't change their spots. How do we see this from Bar Hedya's clash with the Master of the King's wardrobe?

(c) How did the Master of the King's wardrobe cause Bar Hedya's demise? (d) What happened to him in the end?

Answers to questions

56b---------------------------------------56b

5) How did Rebbi Yishmael interpret the following dreams of his nephew, in a positive light ...

(a) ... that his nose fell off;

(b) ... that his two hands were cut off;

(c) ... that his two legs were severed;

(d) ... that he would die in Adar, and not see Nisan.

6)
(a) The Tzedoki whose dreams depicted his sordid life-story, admitted to all of Rebbi Yishmael's interpretations except for one. Which was the sin that pricked his conscience?

(b) How was his guilt proven?

(c) He also dreamt that his father had left him some money in Kepudki. He had no property in Kepudki, nor had his father ever been there. So how did Rebbi Yishmael interpret that?

7) The interpretation of someone who dreams about a well lies in the Pasuk in Bereishis (concerning the shepherds of Yitzchak) "va'Yimtze'u Sham Be'er Mayim Chayim".
Due to the context of the Pasuk, the connotation of such a dream is peace.
(a) What are the other two possible interpretations of the dream, that stem from the two meanings of the word "Chayim"?

(b) What does dreaming about a river, a bird and a pot signify?

(c) Which kind of pot are we talking about?

(d) What do we learn from the Pasuk in Michah "u'Farsu Ka'asher ba'Sir, u'che'Basar be'Soch Kalachas"?

8)
(a) The Pasuk in Shemos writes "u'le'Chol Benei Yisrael, Lo Yecheretz Kelev Leshono". Another Pasuk, in Yeshayah, writes "ve'ha'Kelavim Azei Nefesh". Why does the Gemara quote these two Pesukim in connection with someone who dreams about a dog?

(b) What principle do we see applied here which is applicable to all dreams where the object of the dream has its roots in a number of Pesukim?

(c) What do the following Pesukim (both from Mishlei) have to do with dreams:

1. ... "Kenei Chochmah"?
2. ... "u've'Chol Kinyanecha , Kenei Binah"?
9)
(a) What do the following have in common with regard to dreams: Kera (pumpkin), Koreh (soft bark), Kirah (wax) and Kanya (cane)?

(b) What does Kera (alias Dilu'in) signify?

10)
(a) Someone who eats from an ox, will become wealthy; if it gores him, he will have sons who fight the battles of Torah; if it bites him, he will be stricken with pain; What will happen if the ox kicks him?

(b) What is the difference whether *he* rides on the ox, or *the ox* rides on *him*?

11)
(a) What does it signify, if one sees the following in a dream:
1. A Donkey?
2. A cat? (depending on whether they call it a Shunra or a Shinra)
3. Yishmael (what does it mean, to see 'Yishmael')?
4. A camel?
5. Pinchas?
6. An elephant?
(b) When are elephants not a good sign in a dream?

(c) What else is mentioned together with elephants, as not being a good sign in a dream?

Answers to questions

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