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REVIEW QUESTIONS ON GEMARA AND RASHI

prepared by Rabbi Eliezer Chrysler
Kollel Iyun Hadaf, Jerusalem

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Megilah 9

MEGILAH 6-10 sponsored by a generous grant from an anonymous donor. Kollel Iyun Hadaf is indebted to him for his encouragement and support and prays that Hashem will repay him in kind.

1)

(a) In a Beraisa, the Tana requires a Seifer to be written in Ashuris (the script used in our Sifrei Torah), on a scroll and with ink.
How does Rava try to reconcile this with the Tana of our Mishnah, who permits a Seifer in any language?

(b) We refute Rava's answer however, on the basis of the Reisha of the Beraisa which invalidates what should be written in Lashon ha'Kodesh if it is written in Arama'ic, and vice-versa.
Why does that create a problem with Rava?

(c) What is wrong with establishing the Beraisa like Raban Shimon ben Gamliel in our Mishnah, who is more stringent than the Tana Kama?

2)
(a) We then try to establish the Beraisa by Tefilin and Mezuzos.
From where do we learn that Tefilin and Mezuzos must be written in Lashon ha'Kodesh?

(b) On what grounds do we refute this suggestion?

(c) Where do Aramaic words appear in the Torah?

3)
(a) So we finally establish the Beraisa by Megilah.
From where do we learn that the Megilah must be written in Lashon ha'Kodesh?

(b) The Gemara brings two Aramaic words in the Megilah. One of them is "ve'Nishma *Pisgam* ha'Melech" (Rav Papa).
What is the other?

(c) Rav Ashi reestablishes the Beraisa according to Raban Shimon ben Gamliel by all Sefarim (other than Sifrei Torah), but according to Rebbi Yehudah's interpretation of Raban Shimon ben Gamliel.
What does Rebbi Yehudah say?

The fifteen changes in the Septuagint.
4)
(a) The Chachamim made fifteen changes in the Torah for the benefit of King Ptolomy of Egypt.
What did they write instead of ...
  1. ... "Bereishis Bara Elokim"?
  2. ... "Na'aseh Adam be'Tzalmeinu Kidmuseinu"?
(b) Why did they change "va'Yechal Elokim ba'Yom ha'Shevi'i ... " to "va'Yechal Elokim ba'Yom ha'Shishi ... "?

(c) What did they write instead of ...

  1. .... "Zachar u'Nekeivah Bera'am"?
  2. ... "Havah Nerdah ve'Navlah Sham Sefasam"?
(d) Why did they write "va'Titzchak Sarah bi'K'rovehah" (and she laughed among her relatives) instead of "va'Titzchak Sarah bi'Kirbah" (and she laughed inside her)?
5)
(a) What did they write instead of ...
  1. ... "Ki be'Apam Hargu Ish u'vi'Retzonam Ikru Shor"?
  2. ... "va'Yikach Moshe es Ishto ve'es Banav va'Yarkiveim al ha'Chamor"?
  3. ... "u'Moshav B'nei Yisrael Asher Yashvu be'Mitzrayim Arba Mei'os Shanah"?
(b) Why did they change from ...
  1. ... "va'Yishlach es Na'arei B'nei Yisrael" to "va'Yishlach es Za'atutei B'nei Yisrael"?
  2. ... "ve'El Atzilei B'nei Yisrael Lo Shalach Yadav" to "ve'El Za'atutei B'nei Yisrael Lo Shalach Yadav"?
(c) What did they write instead of ...
  1. ... "Lo Chamor Echad Meihem Nasa'si"?
  2. ... "Asher Chalak Hashem Elokim Osam le'Chol ha'Amim"?
  3. ... "va'Yeilech va'Ya'avod Elohim Acheirim Asher Lo Tzivisi"?
(d) Why did they find it necessary to change "es ha'Arneves" to "es Tze'iras ha'Raglayim"?
Answers to questions

9b---------------------------------------9b

6)

(a) Rebbi Yochanan rules like Raban Shimon ben Gamliel in our Mishnah.
From where does Raban Shimon ben Gamliel learn that the Torah may be written in Greek over and above all other foreign languages?

(b) How does he know that the Torah was referring specifically to (the language of) Yavan, and not to (some specialty of) one of the other sons of Yefes (such as Gomer or Magog)?

7)
(a) What is the only difference between a Kohen Mashu'ach be'Shemen ha'Mishchah (a Kohen Gadol who was inaugurated with the anointing oil) and a Merubeh Begadim (one who was inaugurated by wearing the eight garments of the Kohen Gadol)?

(b) Why would the latter not have been anointed with the anointing oil?

(c) Which two things do we infer from our Mishnah that a Kohen Merubeh Begadim may perform just like a Kohen Mashu'ach be'Shemen ha'Mishchah?

8)
(a) What is ..
  1. ... a 'Kohen Meshamesh'?
  2. ... a 'Kohen she'Avar'?
(b) Neither of them may allow their hair to grow long or tear their clothes for a dead relative and both are obligated to marry a virgin of under twelve and a half (should they not be married).
In which other two areas of Halachah *does* a Kohen she'Avar have the same Din as a Kohen Meshamesh?

(c) In which two areas does he *not*?

9)
(a) We inferred from our Mishnah that a Kohen Merubeh Begadim may bring the bull on Yom Kipur and the tenth of an Eifah daily-offering just like a Kohen Mashu'ach be'Shemen ha'Mishchah. The author of our Mishnah is the Chachamim of Rebbi Meir.
What does Rebbi Meir say? How does he learn this from the Pasuk in Vayikra "Im ha'Kohen ha'Mashi'ach"?

(b) The author of the *Seifa* of our Mishnah however (which gives a Kohen she'Avar the same Din as a Kohen Meshamesh), appears to be Rebbi Meir.
Who argues with Rebbi Meir in this point? What does he say?

(c) Why, according to Rebbi Yossi, does a Kohen she'Avar not ...

  1. ... retain the Din of a Kohen Gadol?
  2. ... at least return to his previous status of Kohen Hedyot?
(d) Rav Chisda explains 'Reisha Rabbanan, Seifa Rebbi Meir'.
What does Rav Yosef say?
10)
(a) The only difference, says our Mishnah, between a Bamah Gedolah and a Bameh Ketanah, is 'Pesachim'.
What is a Bamah Gedolah and what is a Bamah Ketanah?

(b) The author of our Mishnah is Rebbi Shimon.
What does Rebbi Shimon really hold? What does he mean by 'Pesachim'?

(c) What do the Rabbanan hold?

11)
(a) What was the only difference between Mishkan Shiloh and Yerushalayim ...
  1. ... at the time when they both stood?
  2. ... after they were both destroyed?
(b) How do we learn this latter distinction from the Pasuk in Re'ei "Ki Lo Ba'sem Ad Atah El ha'Menuchah ve'El ha'Nachalah"?
Answers to questions

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