The First Levels        Part 3      Standard Words and Phrases
                 Decreed to be the same           גזרה שוה          Comparable                   היקש                  . R:F 
There are two types of  .גזרה שוה
The first type tells us that a term which is used in one place and carries with it certain laws, carries the same laws with it when it is used in another place. 
For example, the Rosh Yeshiva tells us, " You are allowed to go   out to go swimmimg, but only if you wear a hat and jacket ." 
Then he tells us, " You are allowed to go out to the store."  
Since, when he told that we can go to the store, he used the term " go out ", we understand that we must wear a hat and jacket also then. 

The second type, sometimes called a ,הקש tells us that when the laws of one topic are written next to the laws of another topic, it was placed there to tell us that one or more laws of the first topic apply also to the second topic, and also one or more laws of the second topic apply also to the first. 
For example, the Rosh Yeshiva tells us, " You are allowed to go   out to go swimmimg, but only if you wear a hat and jacket, and   when you go to the wedding tommorow, make sure that you behave   well and are a credit to the Yeshiva."  
We understand that, because he put the two topics together, even though they have nothing to do with each other: 
a. When we go swimming, we must behave ourselves and be a credit to the Yeshiva 
b. When we go to the wedding, we must wear our hats and jackets. 
  108  .R:E 3.           General construction         בנין אב        As it is found           מה ממצינו          . R:F 
Generally speaking, once a law is given regarding one topic, we understand that it should be applied to all other similar topics. 
For example, the Rosh Yeshiva tells us, " You are allowed to go   swimmimg, but only if you wear a hat and jacket."  
So we understand ourselves that we should wear a hat and jacket also when we go out of the Yeshiva, to go to the store or to go to a wedding, etc. 
  109  .R:E 4.       General statement followed by a      כלל ופרט     specific statement  .R:F 
When a person makes a general statement and then follows it with a specific example, his intention is that we should understand that the example illustrates how the general statement is to be applied. 
For example, the doctor tells me, " You should relax! You should   go swimming!"  
From the example, I understand that he wants me to relax only by going swimming. 
If the doctor would have only told me to go swimming, I might have thought that he is only suggesting one way to relax. So if I prefer lounging around in an armchair, I would do that instead. But, because he prefaced his advice with the general statement and then gave the example, I understand that he does NOT advise ANY form of relaxation, but only the type he recommended. 
Therefore, when the Torah states a halacha in the form of a  ופרט,כלל it is to tell us that the כלל is to be applied in the way of the ,פרט not in a way which is unlike the  .פרט

 כלל ופרט אין בכלל אלא מה שבפרט

  110  .R:E 5.         Specific statement followed by a     פרט  וכלל    general statement  .R:F 
When a person gives a specific example and then follows it with a general statement, his intention is that the general statement should override the specific example and therby tell us that the general rule is not limited in any way. 
For example, the doctor tells me, " Take some exercise by going   swimming! Relax!"  
By telling me to go swimming, the doctor is simply suggesting one form of relaxation. The main point he stressed at the end - " Relax! " By this, I understand that I can choose ANY form of relaxation, including lounging in an armchair, if that is how I can best relax. 
If the doctor would have said only, " Relax! " I might have assumed that he meant the type of relaxation that he usually recommends - swimmimg. 
So, the fact that he first mentioned swimming and then gave the general advice tells me that this time he is not limiting his recommendation only to swimming but he is now permitting ANY form of relaxation. 
Therefore, when the Torah states a halacha in the form of a  וכללפרט it is to tell us that the כלל is not to be limited in any way at all. 

 פרט וכלל נעשה כלל מוסף על הפרט ונתרבה הכל
(If the Torah would mention only the ,כלל we would assume that it is to be limited by any of the other rules. In the form of  פרט וכללthe כלל may not be limited in any way.) 
  111  .R:E 6.         General statement followed by a     כלל ופרט וכלל    specific statement followed by a general statement 
 .R:F 
When a person makes a general statement and then follows it with a specific example, his intention is that we should understand that the example illustrates how the general statement is to be applied. So, when he follows it up with a furthur generalization, we understand that he wants that example to serve as a model for that subsequent generalization. 
For example, the doctor tells me, " You should relax! You should   go swimming? Make sure that   you relax."  
From the example, I understand that he wants me to relax by taking vigorous exercise. By repeating the advice to relax, I understand that the need to relax overrides the specific example. But it does not override it entirely, otherwise he would have said, " Go swimming! Relax!"  
So, the type of relaxation which the doctor has in mind is a form of exercise which is simmilar to swimming, though not necessarily as vigorous. Walking would therefore be recommended, but lounging around in an armchair is definitely not recommended. 
Therefore, when the Torah states a halacha in the form of a  וכלל,כלל ופרט it is to tell us that the first כלל is to be applied in a way similar to that of the ,פרט not in a way which is unlike the  .פרט
 כלל ופרט וכלל אי אתה דן אלא כעין הפרט לרבות כל הדומה לפרט ולמעט כל מה שאינו דומה לו
  112 a.        Inclusion and exclusion       רבוי ומיעוט     
When a person makes a general statement, he intends that it should include all possible examples which are included within the generality. When he then gives a specific example, he intends to tell us that we should exclude from the generality any case which is not like the example. 
For example, the doctor tells me, " You should relax! You should   go swimming?"  
When the doctor tells me to relax, I understand that he wants me to relax in any way I want. So, when he then addds that I should go swimming, I understand that he wants me to relax by taking exercise, and he does not want me to relax by merely taking it easy. 
Therefore, when the Torah states a halacha in the form of a ,רבוי ומיעוט it is to tell us that the רבוי is to be applied in a way similar to that of the ,מיעוט not in a way which is unlike the  .ומיעוט

 רבוי ומיעוט רבה הכל ומיעט שאינו דומה

(So the effect of a רבוי ומיעוט is the same as a כלל ופרט וכלל) 
  113 b.        Exclusion and inclusion       מיעוט  ורבוי     
When a person tells us a single case, he wants us to apply what he said to that one case. If he then tells us a more general description, he intends to add on to the one example he gave. He is merely widening the scope of the application. But the fact that he did first give one example tells us that this at least one type which is  not  included in the generality. 
For example, the doctor tells me, " Go swimming! Relax!"  
Clearly, the doctor wants me to relax any way I want. He originally mentioned swimming because he doesn't want me to relax by just lounging around. 
Therefore, when the Torah states a halacha in the form of a  ורבוי,מיעוט it is to tell us that everything is to be included in the רבוי except one or more cases which are not like the  .מיעוט

 מיעוט ורבוי המעיוט הוא כמו שנכתב אחר הרבוי וממעט לפחות אחד

(You will notice that in פרט וכלל the general statement contradicts the specific statement. 
But in רבוי ומיעוט the general statement simply complements and adds on to the specific statement.) 
  114 c.   Inclusion, exclusion and inclusion   רבוי ומיעוט ורבוי  
When a person makes a general statement, he intends that it should include all possible examples which are included within the generality. 
When he then gives a specific example, he intends to tell us that we should exclude from the generality any case which is not like the example. So when he then goes and states another generality, he must intend to override the limitation and include absolutely everything. 
So why did he state the example? He must have intended to tell me that he still wants to exclude one thing that is totally the opposite of that example. 
What is that one thing? I do not know I will have to ask him. 
  115 For example, the doctor tells me, " You should relax! You should   go swimming! Make sure that   you relax."  
When the doctor tells me to relax, I understand that he wants me to relax in any way I want. 
So, when he then addds that I should go swimming, I understand that he wants me to relax by taking exercise, and he does not want me to relax by merely taking it easy. 
When he repeats that I should relax, obviously, he wants me to relax in absolutely any way I like. So why did he mention swimming? 
He must want to tell me that there is one way of relaxing which he does not recommend, which the complete opposite of swimming. 
What is that type of relaxation? 
I asked the doctor and he told me that I should not stay in bed all day! 
Therefore, when the Torah states a halacha in the form of a  ורבוי,רבוי ומיעוט it is to tell us that everything is to be included, except one case which the most unlike the example. 
And it is left for the Rabbonim to decide what that one case is. 

 רבוי ומיעוט ורבוי רבוי ומיעוט - רבה הכל ומיעט שאינו דומה אלא שחזר וריבה אפילו אותו שאינו דומה ולא מיעט לך אלא דבר אחד היותר רחוק ומסרו הכתוב לחכמים לדעת איזה דבר ראוי למעט
  116 The difference between those who expound in terms of כלל ופרט and those who expound in terms of רבוי ומיעוט is as follows:- 

Those who expound in terms of כלל ופרט regard the general statement as a  generalizing statement which widens the scope of the specific example. 
And they regard the specific example as a limiting statement which reduces the scope of the general statement. 

However, those who expound in terms of  רבוי ומיעוטregard the general statement as a statement which tells us what is to be included. 
And they use the specific example to tell us what is to be left out. 
  117  .R:E 7.        A rule which needs a detail      כלל שהוא צריך לפרט     A detail which needs a rule      פרט שהוא צריך לכלל     . R:F 
This rule tells us that Rules 4 (כלל ופרט) and 5 (פרט וכלל) only apply when they give all the details required. 
However, if a rule requires the explanation of some detail before it can be applied, or if a detail can only be understood with the backing of a rule, then the rules and details do not change each others scope. 
For example, the doctor tells me, " If you don't feel well, you   should relax! You should go   swimming if your back hurts."  
I cannot use the general advice " If you don't feel well, you   should relax"  because I don't know what he means by " If you don't   feel well " - it is too vague. Does it mean that if I have a toothache, I should relax? 
Therefore, I need the detail, " You should go swimming if your   back aches " to put the general advice into effect. 
Or, for example, the doctor tells me, " Go swimming! Relax!"  
What type of swimming should I do? Should I swim myself to the point of exhaustion? Should I swim in ice-cold sea water? I don't know! 
But when the doctor tells me the general advice " Relax! " I understand that he wants me to take a relaxing type of a swim. 
  118  .R:E 8. Any matter which was included in a    כל דבר שהיה   generality                    בכלל                  but was singled out           ויצא מן הכלל          to teach us a specific law            ללמד          is not singled out to teach us        לא ללמד       only about itself             על עצמו יצא           but to teach us about            אלא ללמד           the entire generality         על הכלל כלו יצא       . R:F 
 "Boys, you are allowed to go out during lunchtime, but don't   forget - when you go and come from swimming, you must wear your   hat and jacket!"  
This rule tells us that when the Rosh Yeshiva singled out going swimming to tell us about wearing a hat and jacket, he was only using it as an example. Really, he wants us to understand that  whenever  we go out, we must wear our hats and jackets. 
  119  .R:E 9.  Any matter included in a           כל דבר שהיה         generality                     בכלל                    but was singled out                 ויצא               to be explained differently        לטעון טעון אחר      though still basically the same,       שהוא כענינו     it was singled out to be lenient,        יצא להקל      not to be stringent              ולא להחמיר            . R:F 
 "Boys, you are allowed to go out during lunchtime, but don't   forget - when you go, you must go wearing your hats and jackets!   Try not to run out to the store too often."  
Really,  going to the store  is already included in the general phrase " When you go out. " 
So when the Rosh Yeshiva refered to going out to the store as " running out ", he must have singled it out like that to tell us that when we go to the store, we do not have to put on our hats and jackets. 
" Running out " is only another way of saying " going out".  

  120  .R:E 10.  Any matter which was included in a     כל דבר שהיה   generality                    בכלל                   but was singled out                ויצא              to be explained differently       לטעון טעון אחר     to be unlike the generality         שלא כענינו       was singled out to be lenient         יצא להקל       and to be stringent              ולהחמיר             . R:F 
 "Boys, you are allowed to go out during lunchtime, but don't   forget - when you go, you must go wearing your hat and jacket!   But, when you visit your relatives, make sure you come back in   time for seder."  
I would have thought that visiting relatives is also called " going out ", so I would assume that we must wear our hats and jackets. 
But now that the Rosh Yeshiva has singled it out and referred to it as " visiting ", I do not know what to do. 
Perhaps he means that because its only to relatives, we can go without hats and coats, or perhaps he means that we must be extra careful and brush our shoes as well. 
  121  .R:E 11.Any matter which was included in a           כל דבר שהיה          generality                           בכלל                         but was singled out                      ויצא                     to be given a new law                לדון בדבר החדש               cannot be reincluded in the generality  אי אתה יכול להחזירו לכללו until the Torah stipulates it        עד שיחזירנו הכתוב לכללו      explicitly                          בפירוש                        . R:F 
 "Boys, you are allowed to go out during lunchtime, but don't   forget - when you go, you must go wearing your hats and jackets!   But you can visit your relatives any time, provided you have a   letter from your parents."  
I would have thought that visiting relatives is also called " going out ", so I would assume that we must wear our hats and jackets. 
But now the Rosh Yeshiva has singled it out and given it a new status - we can go to visit anytime, so long as we bring a letter. 
This means that he does not regard " visiting relatives " as a usual type of " going out ". The usual type of " going out " is only permitted during lunchtime and we do not need a letter. 
Therefore, whatever he now says about " going out " does not refer to when we go to visit relatives. 
  122  .R:E 12.    A matter which is learnt from     דבר הלמד מענינו    the immediate context 
A matter which is learnt from     ודבר הלומד מסופו   the end of the passage  .R:F 
 "Each member of our Yeshiva must go dressed as a true   representative of the Yeshiva. His hat must be brushed and his   jacket must be clean! You may go swimming during lunchbreak."  
Sometimes, when a person makes a statement, he expects you to understand that you should take into account the general context of the statement. 
In the above example, since the Rosh Yeshiva has just been stressing that the we must always look good, I understand that if we do go swimming, he expects us to wear hats and jackets and look neat and well groomed. 
 "Each member of our Yeshiva must go dressed as a true   representative of the Yeshiva. His hat must be brushed and his   jacket must be clean! And do not forget to get permission from   the Mashgiash before you go swimming "  
In the above example, the Rosh Yeshiva finishes off his speech by reminding us that we must obtain special permission befor we can go swimming. We can tharefore assume that when he told us that we should be well dressed when we go out of the Yeshiva, he assumes that we have obtained permission to go. 
  123  .R:E 13.  Two quotations                 שני כתובים                which contradict each other       המכחישים זה את זה      until a third quotations comes    עד שיבוא הכתוב השלישי  which decides between them          ויכריע ביניהם        
 .R:F 
I didn't know what to do! Reuven said that the Rosh Yeshiva said that we can go swimming and Shimon said the Rosh Yeshiva said that no-one is allowed to leave the building! 
Then Levi came and told me that the Rosh Yeshiva told him that the usual permission to go swimming has been revoked and we all must stay in. 
  124  .R:F F A I L U R E 
When Rabbi Yehuda haNasi wrote down the Mishna, and when Ravina and Rav Ashi wrote down the Gemora, they were recording the essence of the Oral Law. Packed into those few thousand pages of Shass is more information than any system of stored information known to the secular world. 
Very little of that information can be obtained simply by reading through the Gemora as if it is a textbook. The Gemora must first be unpacked to reconstitute the Oral Law and then we study that reconstituted Oral Law. Discussion of more intensive analysis and `unpacking' is given in further volumes in the `Breakthrough' Series, such as `Breakthrough To Thinking For Yourself'. 
The Oral Law itself is a complex system of logically-linked concepts interfacing the Written Law with practical Halacha. Part of the purpose of the Oral Law is to train the talmid to think as a Jew should think. Therefore, the talmid must be receptive to the programing of the discussions and accurately define not only the content of each stage of an arguament but also its logical connections with other stages. 
  125 STAGES IN LEARNING 
1. Reading the text to understand its literal, superficial meaning 
2. "Unpacking" the text to understand its real, effective meaning 
3. Defining the content of each stage of the arguament 
4. Determining the logical connection between each stage of the arguament 
5. Stringing together all the stages in their correct configuration to form a fully-structured arguament 
6. Determinimg the conclusions and consequences of the arguament 
So, when you learn a sugya, firstly, you must read the sugya accurately and see what the text means literally. Then you must realise what the words of the Gemora really mean. Then you must work out each part of the discussion - who says what. Then you have to try to understand how all the parts fit together, and finaly you must try to understand the final conclusion of the sugya. 
Detailed discussion on reasons for failure to learn a sugya are due to be the topic of a further book in the "Breakthrough Series". However, we can now list four main causes: 
  126 1. The talmid cannot read text sufficiently accurately (See "Breakthrough to Dynamic Reading") 
2. The talmid does not process information accurately. In many ways, problems processing information resemble problems in reading. 
Some people do not know how to process information because they have never been trained. Others have problems equivalent to dyslexia in which they omit, invert, or otherwise scramble information, like the dyslexic corrupt their reading. 
However, processing information also involves understanding the information and evaluating it, which provide further scope for error. 
3. The talmid does not know how to go about solving problems 
4. The talmid is convinced that he will never be able to learn, e.g. because he is too young, too old, not clever enough, has tried before and it didn't work out, doesn't know enough, etc.. 
Therefore, he feels that he is doomed to failure and does not have a relaxed posotive attitude. Such an attitude alone can be sufficient to guarantee failure 

As discussed in "Breakthrough to Learning Gemora", there is no one simple piece of advice which can be given which will guarantee success. 
However, the fact is that 9-year-old boys learn and understand Gemora, which proves that at least the most basic levels of learning Gemora are well within the capability of most people. 
 .R:E  .H: The First Levels        Part 4                   Sample Sugyos  .H:...  .H:  .F:  .F:...  .F:...$$$...  .PR   127 

P A R T   4 

S A M P L E 

S U G Y O S 

  128  .R:F On the following pages, you will find some small Sugyas. 
For each Sugya, you will find first the page of the Gemora with the Sugya highlited. 
Facing it, you will see the Sugya broken down into phrases. 
Try to translate each phrase. 
If necessary, you can use the small dictionary at the end of the book where every word has been translated. 
But be careful, because some words can have several distinct meanings and even if a word is given only one meaning, its effective meaning in the Sugya might be slightly different to that given in the dictionary. 
When you have translated each phrase, try to work out the meaning of the entire Sugya. 
Then, try to make a diagram which summarizes the Sugya. 
See how your explanation compares with the explanations given on the two subsequent pages. 
If your explanation is different from that of the book's it does not mean that you are wrong! 
You might have thought of a valid alternative explanation. 
You can check your explanation with those of the Rishonim. 
You might find that a Rishon describes the Sugya just as you did! 
The last Sugya does not come with a breakdown into phrases or an explanation 
  129  L-----------------------------------------------                R  .XT:10  .XB:10  .H: The First Levels        Part 4                   Sample Sugyos  .H:...  .H:  .F:  .F:...  .F:...$$$... : סוכה כט

 קא פסיקגמ'  ותני לא שנא ביו"ט ראשון ולא שנא ביום טוב שני  בשלמא   יבש  הדר בעינן   וליכא  אלא   גזול   בשלמא  יום טוב ראשון דכתיב לכם משלכם      אלא   ביום טוב שני  אמאי  לא  

 קא פסיק ותני                   לא שנא..... ולא שנא
 בשלמא                אלא                    אמאי
   130  .R:F   קא פסיק ותני
 לא שנא  ביו"ט ראשון
  ולא שנא  ביום טוב שני
 בשלמא   יבש
 הדר בעינן
  וליכא
 אלא   גזול
 בשלמא  יום טוב ראשון
 דכתיב
 לכם
 משלכם
 אלא   ביום טוב שני
  אמאי לא

  131  .R:E 1       קא פסיק ותני לא שנא ביו"ט ראשון    ולא שנא ביום טוב שני                          3                     2                                                                              אלא                                   בשלמא                                                                                                                 גזול                                    יבש                                                                                         5          4                                      הדר בעינןוליכא                                                               אלא                  בשלמא                                                      ביום טוב שני           יום טוב ראשון                                                  אמאי לא              דכתיב "לכם"                   משלכם   
  132  .R:F BACKGROUND: The Mishna states that a dried and a stolen esrog is posul. The Gemora is going to show us that there seems to be an inconsistency in the way the Mishna is stating the Halocha. Therefore, there must be some basic principle which the Mishna is assuming we know.  .R:C 1 3  2                                           The Gemora notes      אלא   However, this                      בשלמא   Granted that          that the Mishna does     lack of differention                         this lack of              not differentiate           is not valid                          differentiation is           between the first       regarding the posul                      valid regarding the           day of Yom-tov and        of being stolen.                        psul of being dry,           the second day of                            because the                    Yom-tov.                                        requirement of being                         beautiful  appplies                     to all the days of                          Yom-Tov.                        5                     4         אלא    However, why          בשלמא   Granted that       should it apply to          the statement of the     the second day (when          Mishna applies to            the Torah                  the first day,        requirement does not           because then the             apply)?                 Torah requires the            lulav to be yours.     
 .R:F ANSWER: Rabbi Yochnan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai that performing a mitzva by way of an avairah invalidates the mitzva. Therefore, the reason why the Mishna forbids a stolen lulav is because its being stolen means that the person using it is doing so by way of an avairah. This prevents its use on both days of Yom-Tov.   133 . סוכה ל

   רב נחמן בר יצחק  לולב הגזולמיתב אילימא שאול כשר אימת הא והיבש פסול והאי ביו"ט ראשון הא כתיב לכם משלכם לעולם גזול פסול (*רבא אמר)  וקתני ביו"ט שני  אלא לאו  לאו דידיה הוא     לא מבעיא   שאול  דלאו  דידיה הוא   אבללא מבעיא קאמר ביו"ט   ראשון  וקא משמע לן יאוש בעלים הוא וכדידיה דמי אימא גזול סתם גזלן  אמר רבה*

 
 מיתב     אילימא        אלא לאו         לעולם         לא מבעיא קאמר
   134  .R:E  .R:F  מיתב   רב נחמן בר יצחק
 לולב הגזול
 והיבש
 פסול
 הא  שאול
 כשר
 אימת
 אילימא  ביו"ט ראשון
 הא כתיב לכם
 משלכם
  והאי
 לאו דידיה הוא
  אלא לאו 
 ביו"ט שני
  וקתני
 גזול פסול
( אמר רבה*  (*רבא אמר
  לעולם
 ביו"ט   ראשון
  ו לא מבעיא קאמר
  לא מבעיא
 שאול
 דלאו דידיה הוא
 135  אבל גזול
 סתם גזלן
  אימא
 יאוש בעלים הוא
 וכדידיה דמי
  קא משמע לן
  136  .XT:2  .XB:2 2       1  מתיב רב נחמן בר יצחקלולב הגזול והיבש פסול                  3      הא שאולכשר      אימת  4                    6                         5                                               אלא לאו                                             אילימא                                                                                        ביו"ט שני                                          ביו"ט ראשון                                                                                                             7         הא כתיב"לכם"משלכם                                                            וקתניגזול פסול                        והאי                              לאו דידיה הוא   8                    *רבא אמר))  10                                                                 9  לעולםביו"ט ראשוןו "לא מבעיא"   קאמר                                                   12                      11                                                                                      אבל גזול                                   לא מבעיא  שאול          15            13                                                                               דלאו דידיה הוא   קא משמע לן                        אימא                                              סתם גזלן      יאוש בעלים הוא    14  וכדידיה דמי   
  137  .L:88  .R:C  .XT:1  .XB:1  .H:PART  4                                          SAMPLE SUGYOS...  .H:...  .F:...  .F:...$$$...  0 BACKGROUND: Rabbi Yitzchak bar Nachmaini maintains that the Mishna is referring only to the first day of Yom-tov, and that performing a mitzva through an avaira does not invalidate the mitzva. He therefore deduces that since you can use a borrowed lulav on the second day, this proves that the lulav does not have to belong to you then and so you can also use a stolen lulav. 
                                                         The Mishna states that                                                         מתיב Rabbi Nachman bar      a stolen lulav is     2                                                     Yitzchok refutes Rabbi    posul. The reason why                                                              Yitzchak bar            it is posul is    Nachmaini's statement    1.  because a stolen lulav                                                         by quoting the Mishna,      is not  yours  as                                                          which is a superiour    required by the Torah.                                                          authority than Rabbi                                                                Yitzchak bar                                         Nachmaini.         3                                                 Therefore any greater degree        of ownership  than a stolen       Every statemant of law defines the exact limits of the law. The    lulav, will be alright - and       Mishna states that only a stolen lulav is not considered as  yours .   something which you  borrow is      If the Mishna would have held that other forms of possession are     more  yours  than something     not considered as  yours , such as a borrowed or a shared lulav, then   which  is stolen -therefore, a      the Mishna would have used that form of possession as its example of    borrowed lulav is not posul.       a posul lulav.     Now, let us analyse      4   this consequence. On        which day could a         borrowed lulav be             alright?          6                          5                                  . Therefore, it must be                                   If we will say that         that the Mishna is                                        the Mishna is         referring to the second                                  referring to the first              day.                                             day, that would be                                     impossible, because on                                                  the first day the      7                                                    Torah says                                        specifically that the       And the Mishna states                                 lulav must be  yours ,      openly that a stolen                                    and this borrowed            lulav is posul.                                    lulav is not  yours .                                 This proves that the objection to a stolen lulav is that the person using it is performing his mitzva by way of an avairah. 
 10                9       8    And the reason why                       לעולם Really we can            (Rovo) Rabboh says         this essential                         say that the Mishna           that that the Mishna     point is ommitted is  is actually telling  does not have to be         because this                          us about the first            interpreted as Rabbi     essential point is so                       day of Yom-tov.             Nachman Bar Yitzchak       obvious that the                                       asserts.           Mishna does not need                                                        to mention it.         12   11                                               However, that a                                               Obviously, a borrowed     stolen lulav is posul                                            lulav is posul on the      is not so obvious.                                              first day of Yom-tov,                                               because it is not     15      13                             yours                                                          קא משמע לן  Therefore,                                   אימא  Because we might   13    the Mishna needs to                                     think that we assume      tell us that a stolen                                     that a person gives      lulav is also posul.                                        up hope of ever                                         regaining a robbed             article.               Therefore, we would    14     consider that the        luvav does actually       belong to the thief      2  .L:66   138  .R:E  .XT:10  .XB:10  .H:PART  4                                          SAMPLE SUGYOS...  .H:...  .H:  .F:  .F:...  .F:...$$$... : סוכה לא

 אמר מר  כשם  שאין  פוחתין מהן  כך  אין   מהו דתימא   הואילפשיטא מוסיפין עליהן   ואמר רבי יהודה לולב צריך אגד ואי מייתי מינא אחרינא האי לחודיה קאי והאי לחודיהקמ"ל קאי 

 
 פשיטא           מהו דתימא            קמ"ל
 
  139  .R:F  אמר מר
 כשם שאין פוחתין מהן
 כך אין מוסיפין עליהן
  פשיטא
  מהו דתימא
 הואיל ואמר רבי יהודה
 לולב צריך אגד
 ואי מייתי מינא אחרינא
 האי לחודיה קאי
 והאי לחודיה קאי
  קמ"ל 140   1                   אמר מרכשם שאין פוחתין מהןכך אין מוסיפין עליהן  |                      | | | 2                                     |                                 |                                 פשיטא  |                                 |                                     |            7                                          3 |             |                                                         |                                                         |                                                         |                                                         |                                                   קמ"ל                                     מהו דתימא                                         4            הואילואמר רבי יהודהלולב צריך אגד                 5 ואי מייתי מינא אחרינא     האי לחודיה קאי והאי לחודיה קאי  6  
  141  .XT:1  .XB:1  .H:PART  4                                          SAMPLE SUGYOS...  .H:...  .F:...  .F:...$$$...  .R:F BACKGROUND: The Tanna of the Braisa (סוכה לא.) tells us that just as we cannot use less than the four species, so we cannot use more than four. At that point, the Gemora uses the Braisa to try to prove that Rabbi Yehuda's opinion is that there is no Torah requirement for  הדרregarding the Esrog. After this issue is discussed, the Gemora returns to the Braisa.  .L:88  .R:C  .S:8 1     Our Master said       that just as we       cannot use less        than the four        species, so we        cannot use more         than four                 2   פשיטא  Isn't this          obvious?                    No!          It is not obvious   7                                                                            3                                                                                                                                                  קמ"ל                         4                                         מהו דתימא          Therefore, the                                      If the Tanna would    Tanna needs to tell                              We would have              not have told us     us that this is not                              thought that           this           correct. If we also                                  הואיל                    what would we         hold a fourth                                  since Rabbi                have mistakenly     plant, even though                            Yehuda's opinion is               thought?          this fourth plant                              that the Torah               is not inside the                             requires that the    bundle, it is still                            Lulav, Hadass and        forbidden.                                  Willow must be                                 bound together,             5    if we also hold a    fourth plant, since    this fourth plant     is not inside the          bundle,                 6   the bundle and the     fourth plant are         regarded as        separate entities    
 .L:66  .S:6   142  .R:E  .XT:10  .XB:10  .H:       PART  4                                          SAMPLE SUGYOS...  .H:       ...  .H:  .F:  .F:       ...  .F:...$$$... . סוכה לא

  רביוהתנן ו בלולב לא בעי ר'יהודה הדר   משוםלאו יהודה אומר יאגדנו מלמעלה  מ"ט    כדקתני  טעמא רבי יהודהלא דבעי הדר    אומר משום ר'טרפון כפות תמרים כפות ואם היה פרוד יכפתנו

 
 ו****   והתנן        מ"ט      לאו משום     לא
 
  143  .R:F  ו בלולב
 לא בעי ר'יהודה הדר
  והתנן
 רבי יהודה אומר
 יאגדנו מלמעלה
  מ"ט
 לאו  משום
 דבעי הדר
  לא
 כדקתני
 טעמא
 רבי יהודה אומר משום ר'טרפון
 כפות תמרים
 כפות
 ואם
 היה פרוד
 יכפתנו
  144 2                                   1                              ו בלולב     והתנן                      לא בעי ר'יהודה הדר                             רבי יהודה אומר     יאגדנו מלמעלה       מ"ט  3                    5                         4                                   לא                                       לאו                                     משום דבעי הדר                                      כדקתני טעמא  6      רבי יהודה אומר משום ר'טרפון           כפות תמריםכפות  7                ואם היה פרודיכפתנו  8       145  . R:F BACKGROUND: Rovo has just stated that according to Rabbi Yehuda, there is no Torah requirement of  הדר  regarding the Lulav. The Gemora reacts with surprise.  .R:C 2                                     1             ו התנן   Look! We have learnt in the             ו בלולב     So,        Mishna that Rabbi Yehuda says that a             concerning the      lulav which is splayed out should be           Lulav, Rabbi Yehuda         bound together at the top                doesn't require  הדר             ?  That cannot be!                                 3          מ"ט              Why is this?       5                                                                       4                                                                                                                                          No!                                                              לאו משום Is it not                                                                  because Rabbi       6                                                             Yehuda requires the                                                 lulav to be  הדר ?     There is a different reason                                                 mentioned by Rabbi Yehuda     who quotes  Rabbi Tarfon.          8                    7   and if it spreads                       who says that the  phrase of   out, you must bind  the Torah כפות תמרים tells        it together                            us that the lulav must be         (יכפתנו).                               together like a palm                           
  146  .R:E 

: סוכה לא

תא    שיעור אתרוג קטן   רבי מאיר  אומרשמע   משום  דבעילאו כאגוז ר'יהודה אומר כביצה   משום  דלא גמר פיראלא הדר 

 
 תא שמע          לאו משום        לא          משום
   147  .R:F   תא שמע
 שיעור אתרוג קטן
 רבי מאיר אומר
 כאגוז
 ר'יהודה אומר
 כביצה
 לאו   משום  דבעי הדר
  לא
 משום  דלא גמר פירא

  148 
2                   1   3                   תא שמעשיעור אתרוג קטןרבי מאיר אומר   כאגוז                                   4      ר'יהודה אומר כביצה                                  6               5                                                                     לא                                לאו                                                                                                                                                                                                   משום דלא גמר פירא                    דבעי הדרמשום                    

  149  .R:F BACKGROUND: Rovo has just stated that according to Rabbi Yehuda, there is no Torah requirement of  הדר  regarding the Lulav. The Gemora seeks an authoritative statement which will prove whether or not Rovo's statement is correct.  .R:C 
                                            3                                      2                                   1              Rabbi Meir says                       The Mishna (  (לד:                 תא שמע   Come and     that it is the size    states that          hear an              of a nut;                            regarding the                       authoritative                        minimum size of an                    statement which                     esrog,                        will shed light on                                our problem                                                                          4                      Rabbi Yehuda says             that it is the size      of an egg.               6               5                                                                          לא     That is not necessarily so.                         לאו   Is this not       Rabbi Yehuda might be objecting to                          because Rabbi      such a small esrog because he assumes                       Yehuda holds that        that an esrog that small is not                         the Torah reqires    considered as being a completed fruit.                     the esrog to be  הדר                        (and an esrog the     size of a nut is        not  הדר  )?!!!      
  150  .R:E : ב"ב   ב
 בונין את הכותל   לא   צריכא  דקדים חדפשיטא באמצע וכו' :    מצי א"ל  כימהו דתימא ורצייה  לחבריה   איתרצאי לך באוירא בתשמישתא לא איתרצאיקמ"ל לך 

 
 פשיטא    לא צריכא     מהו דתימא    מצי א"ל     קמ"ל
   151  .R:F :  בונין את הכותל באמצע וכו'
  פשיטא
  לא
  צריכא
 דקדים חד
 ורצייה לחבריה
  מהו דתימא
  מצי א"ל
 כי איתרצאי לך באוירא
 בתשמישתא לא איתרצאי לך
  קמ"ל

  152  .................................  בונין את הכותל באמצע:                                   :        ^                                   :          :                                   :  1                                :                                   :                                :                                   :                                :                                   :פשיטא.........<..................                                    :                                                                    ^   ^                                                                  :     :                                                                  :     :...........>....................>.........                        :                                             :                        :                                          :                        :  :                        :                                       2    :                        :                                        :                        :                                         לא                                           :                        ^                                          :                        :                   :                        :3      :                        :........<........ צריכא   דקדים חד                                               : ורצייה לחבריה                                                   :                                                  :                                                    :  4                                                                  :                                                                  :  :                                  6                 5               :                              ^           מהו דתימאמצי א"לכי איתרצאי לךבאוירא                        :                                                     :                                               :   8             7     בתשמישתאלא איתרצאי לךקמ"ל               
  153  .XT:1  .XB:1  .H:PART  4                                          SAMPLE SUGYOS...  .H:...  .F:...  .F:...$$$...  .R:F BACKGROUND: The Mishna states that if partners in a courtyard want to make a wall dividing their parts, they should build it in the middle.  .R:C  .S:8 
....................................... :  (THE MISHNA IS CORRECT)               בונין את הכותל באמצע:                                         : ^                                                  :  :                                                  :(‑attack - it is obvious‑) :                                                  : :                                                  :                               1 :                                                  :                      :                                                  :                       The Gemora reacts   :                                                  :                       to this statement   :                                                  :                      by protesting that   :                                                  :                      ,פשיטא    it is      :                                                  :                       obvious, and need   :                                                  :.....................  not be stated by    :                                                                             the Mishna.      :                                                                         :                                                                                  ^ (‑attack‑) :                                                                                  : (‑it is‑ :                                                                                  :  ‑not‑ :                             .....................................................:‑obvious‑) :                             :                           3                        2 :                             :                      :                             :................. one owner took the The Gemora replies   :                                                  initiative and         that in fact לא the  :                                                   convinced his          statement is not    :                                                     partner.            obvious, but  צריכא                                                     : it is necessary in   :                                                                         the situation that   :                                                                         :                                                         :                   6                                  5                             4 :                              :           "When I agreed to מצי א"ל  We could   Without the Mishna,  :           this wall, I only                  have assumed that         ,מהו דתימא    what    :             agreed on the                    the other partner             would we have     :          understanding that                  could say to the                assumed?        :          it would be a thin                     first one,             :            wall which will                  :          cut-down only on my           :           air-space (view).            :                   :                                        :           8                            7        קמ"ל Therefore, the Mishna       But I never agreed    needs to tell us that once  to a thick wall      he has agreed to dividing       which will cut-down        the courtyard, he           on my working area.     automatically agrees to          If you want to          building half of the         build a thick wall,   regulation (thick) wall on        you can build it            his own part.              all on you part -            not on mine!"        154  .L:66  .S:6  .XT:10  .XB:10  .H:PART  4                                          SAMPLE SUGYOS...  .H:...  .H:  .F:  .F:...  .F:...$$$...  .R:E 
: ב"ב   ב

  אין חולקין אתת"ש  החצר עד שיהא בה ד' אמות לזה וד' אמותמאי  יש בה  כדי לזה  חולקין  הא לזה   במסיפס בעלמאלא בכותל לאו 

 
 ת"ש        הא       מאי לאו       לא
   155  .R:F   ת"ש
 אין חולקין את החצר
 עד שיהא בה ד' אמות לזה
 וד' אמות לזה
  הא
 יש בה
 כדי לזה
 חולקין
  מאי לאו
 בכותל
  לא
 במסיפס בעלמא

  156 
3                      2                       1                             האיש בה כדי לזה   אין חולקין את החצר   ת"ש           עד שיהא בה ד' אמות לזה                                                   וד' אמות לזה                                     חולקין   
4                                                     מאי לאובכותל                                                      ^ : : : : : :................................ : : : 5                                  :                    :...........: לאבמסיפס בעלמא            157  . R:C BACKGROUND: The Gemora has just asserted that invasion of privacy caused by someone looking into a courtyard does not have the status of causing a type of damage which is recognised by Bais Din as being retrievable from the inflictor. The Gemora now wants to see if this opinion is confirmed by an authority.  .R:C 
3                                    2                                     1                                    הא   This implies                     The Mishna (  (יא.                   תא שמע   Come and      that if there is    states that one        hear an          this amount, they                     brother cannot                         authoritative         will divide.                        force the other                       statement which                      brother to divide                    will shed light on      their inherited                        our problem.        courtyard unless                      each will recieve a    piece of land at     least 4 amos long     
5                                                                 4                                          לא!   This is not                                           מאי לאו   Surely this means that       necessarily so!                                           they will divide with a regulation    Perhaps it means                                             thick wall! So this proves that       that they can   invasion of privacy of a courtyard   divide it just with                                         is a recognised damage. From this      ordinary wooden                                           Mishna we can see that one brother    stakes, which do                  ......................>    can force the other brother to       not stop anyone                  :                        join him in building a wall which     looking into the                  :                             will protect his privacy.           courtyard.                     :                                       : :                          : :                          :  ( attack ) :..........................: 
  158  .R:E . סוכה לג

 אסא מצראה כשר להושענאהאי אמר אביי       מהו דתימא     הואיל   ואית ליה שםפשיטא   ואימא הכי נמי קא משמע לן לווי לא מתכשר  עץ עבות אמר רחמנא מכל מקום

 
 האי    פשיטא    מהו דתימא    הואיל     קא משמע לן      ואימא הכי נמי
   159  .R:F  אמר אביי
 האי  אסא מצראה כשר להושענא
  פשיטא
  מהו דתימא
  הואיל
 ואית ליה שם לווי
 לא מתכשר
  קא משמע לן
  ואימא הכי נמי
 עץ עבות
 אמר רחמנא
 מכל מקום

  160 1   אמר אביי                            האיאסא מצראה כשר להושענא  |                                     |                                           | 2                                       |                                       פשיטא  |                                       |                    5                                          3 |                               |                                                                 |                                                                 |                                                                 |                                                      קא משמע לן                                 מהו דתימא                                  |                                            |                      |                   הואילואית ליה שם לווי  4                     ואימא  6                                                                      הכי נמי  >. . . . . . . .  לא מתכשר                          8        עץ עבות מכל מקום  7         אמר רחמנא   
  161  .R:F BACKGROUND: The Gemora has been discussing the arrangement of leaves which a myrtle must have for it to be suitable to be used as one of the 4 species. There must be rows of three leaves nesting into a common level of twig. And these leaves must envelope and cover the wood of the twig. Then, the Gemora quotes a Beraissa which says that if most of the leaves drop off, it is still suitable, so long that the twig is still covered. 
"But how can that be?" asks the Gemora. "If most leaves have fallen off, that means that only one leaf per row is left, and one leaf per row cannot envelope the entire twig." 
Abaye replies that you can find this situation in the Mitzri myrtle which have seven leaves sprouting from a common level of the twig. In such a twig, if four leaves drop off, three will be left to cover the twig. 
  162  .R:C 2                  1   The Gemora reacts by wondering                       Abaye deduces from this that     why it is necessary to rely on a                      since the only way to find a      deduction from the Beraissa to                     situation in which the Breraisa       prove that it is suitable.                       applies is by applying it to the   פשיטא  It is obvious that it is                      Mitzri myrtle, this means that                suitable.                                 the Mitzri myrtle is suitable                                  for use.                                                    5   3                                                              קא משמע לן                                                           מהו דתימא  Without    Therefore we DO need                                                       the deduction, what   the deduction from                                                            would we have        the Beraissa to                                                               thought?          tell us that this                                                              is NOT so.                                                                                                                            4.           6                           We would have                                thought that  הואיל             since its name is    ואימא So let us say that הכי נמי            only a nickname,       what we might have thought is                that would        actually true. Why should it not           disqualify it from            be disqualified?                   being regarded as a               true myrtle.                                 8          9    it does qualify      The Gemora replies that the      as being suitable                Torah defines suitability in     to be used as one               terms of the nature of the tree,   of the Four Species              not its name. Since the leaves          מכל מקום                    of the Mitzri myrtle do cover        regardless                              its twig,                 of its name.                  
  163  .R:E : קידושין ג

מנלן  דמיקניא בכסף וכסף דאבוה הוא  אמר רב יהודה אמר רב   דאמר קרא  רויצאה חנם אין כסף אין כסף לאדון זה אבל יש כסף לאדון אחר  ומאן ניהו אב ואימא לדידה   אביה מקבל קידושיה  דכתיבהכי השתא  ראת בתי נתתי לאיש הזה   ואיהי  שקלה כספא

 
 מנלן        הכי השתא

  164  .R:F 
מנלן 
 דמיקניא בכסף
 וכסף דאבוה הוא
 אמר רב יהודה אמר רב
 דאמר קרא
 רויצאה חנם אין כסף
 אין כסף לאדון זה
 אבל יש כסף לאדון אחר
 ומאן ניהו

 אב
 ואימא לדידה
הכי השתא 
 אביה מקבל קידושיה
 דכתיב
 ראת בתי נתתי לאיש הזה
 ואיהי שקלה כספא

  165 
2                              1             מנלןדמיקניא בכסף     אמר רב   דאמר קרארויצאה חנם     אין כסף        יהודה אמר רב     וכסף דאבוה הוא                              4 3                                                            7                  6  אבל יש כסף      אין כסף                            לאדון אחר       לאדון זה                   ואימא לדידההכי השתא                                                                                                                                                           ומאן ניהו  5                  9  8                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ואיהי                אביה מקבל קידושיה                          שקלה כספא                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          אב                                                    דכתיב                                                     ראת בתי נתתי לאיש הזה   
  166  .R:F BACKGROUND: Kiddushin, whereby a man marries a woman, must be performed through one of several acts of acquisition. One of these acts of acquisition involves the man gives the woman money or something worth money. If a man wants to marry a girl below the age of twelve, then he must deal through her father.  .R:C                 Rabbi Yehuda says in the name of 2              מנלן   How do we know that (a) a  1  Rav דאמר קרא that we deduce fromgirl below the age of twelve can    the statement of the Torah which                    be married with an act of            says (regarding a Jewish                   acquisition of money and (b) that    Maidservant) ` And   she goes out                    the money goes to the father?             free   without money .'                         4                                      3                  This implies that                    She goes out          there she has                   without money from    another Master from                    this Master        which she goes ot                      with money.       5                                                                          6                  7                 Who can this other                   הכי השתא  Now, let ואימא  But perhaps     Master be? It can                    us see if that is                    we can say the she     only be referring                       reasonable.                         gets the money.       to her father.                                                                   9                                            8                   But she should get                       Her father recieves her          the money?!!!!                    Kiddushin, as the Torah says, "My   That cannot be so.                    daughter I gave to this man."                       167  .R:E . סוכה לב

: ציני הר הברזל כשרה   שראשו של זהלא שנו   אלא אמר אביי      אין ראשואבל מגיע לצד עיקרו של זה   תניא של זה מגיע לצד עיקרו של זה  פסול והא אנן   ציני הר הברזל פסולה נמי הכי שמע מינה כאביי אלא ש"מ כשרא תנן 

 
 לא שנו אלא....אבל    תניא נמי הכי   והא אנן תנן    אלא ש"מ כ** שמע מינה
 
  168  .R:F 

: ציני הר הברזל כשרה
 אמר אביי
לא שנו אלא 
 שראשו של זה
 מגיע לצד עיקרו של זה
אבל 
 אין ראשו של זה
 מגיע לצד עיקרו של זה
 פסול
תניא נמי הכי 
 ציני הר הברזל פסולה
והא אנן תנן 
 כשרא
 כאבייאלא ש"מ 
שמע מינה 

  169 
2                                     1                         אמר אביי                        ציני הר הברזל כשרה:                                                4                       3                                              אבל                                                                         לא שנו   אלא                                                                                                 אין ראשו של זה מגיע לצד עיקרו של זה          שראשו של זה מגיע לצד עיקרו של זה                 פסול   

6                            5                     תניא נמי הכיציני הר הברזלפסולה                                         7 והא אנן תנןכשרא        
                 כאביישמע מינהש"מאלא  8                  170  . R:F BACKGROUND: The Mishna specifies the regulations of the type of lulav which can be used on Succos as one of the Four Species.  .R:C  2                           1       Abaye says       The Mishna says             that                                          that a type of                                     Lulav called Tzinai  4     3                      Har Barzel is                         suitable for use as   אבל But if the leaves were              שנו לא this was not to be            one of the Four     so short that head of one               learnt אלא except with the               Species           leaf did not reach the                condition that the leaves           base of the leaf above it,              were so long that head of                   :   then it is not suitable.               one leaf reached the base                   :                 of the leaf above it.                    :                  : : 6                                5   The Beraisa says   תניא נמי הכי  We       that Tzinai Har                                       have learnt a        Barzel are not                                       Beraissa which           suitable.                                       confirms what Abaye                                          said.                                                                                    7  אלא So, the only way to explain it                             והא אנן תנן But we have learnt   is to say Abaye is correct - their  8                            in the Mishna that they are    suitability depends on the length  are suitable! Therefore, there    of their leaves. Sometimes, when                                seems to be a difference of     the leaves are too short, Tzinai                              opinion between the Mishna and    Har Barzel are not suitable, and                                       the Beraisa.            sometimes, when the leaves are long                                 enough, they are suitable.          171  .R:E : סוכה לג

אין לי ערבי נחל  ערבי נחל  מכל מקוםת"ל מניין ערבי נחל של בעל ושל הרים אלא 

 אין לי אלא *        * מניין..ת"ל                 מכל מקום
   172  .R:F  ערבי נחל
אין לי 
 ערבי נחלאלא 
מניין של בעל ושל הרים 
 ערבי נחלת"ל 
 מכל מקום

  173 
2                        1            ערבי נחלאין לי אלא ערבי נחל                              3                        של בעל  מניין            ושל הרים                          4    ת"ל                           ערבי נחלמכל מקום  5                
  174  .R:F BACKGROUND: The Mishna specifies the regulations of the type of willow which can be used on Succos as one of the Four Species.  .R:C 
                                              2.                                                      1.               Apparently,                                          The Mishna quotes        אין  לי אלא      the Torah which       all we have are                                        refers to a River     the types defined                                            Willow.           by the Torah as                                           River Willow.                                                                                       3.                      So, Willows which       grow in an        irrigated field or      which grow on a      mountain -  מניין    How do we know that   are also permitted?                                                                 5.                                                           4.           Many types qualify,The Gemora replies   מכל מקום regardless                                          ת"ל that the Torah    of where they grow.                                          uses the plural to                                             defines the tree.      175  .R:E . סוכה לד

 אבא שאול אומר ערבי שתים  אחת ללולבמנא להורבנן  למקדש  ו ואחת למקדש    דא"ר אסי א"ר יוחנןהלכתא גמירי להו הלכה עשר נטיעות ערבה וניסוח המים   למשה מסיני 

 
 ור*  מנא להו         הלכתא גמירי להו      הלכה למשה מסיני
 
  176  .R:F 
 אבא שאול אומר
 ערבי שתים
 אחת ללולב
 ואחת למקדש
רבנןו 
 למקדש
מנא להו 
הלכתא גמירי להו 
 דא"ר אסי א"ר יוחנן
 עשר נטיעות ערבה
 וניסוח המים
הלכה למשה מסיני 
  177 

2                                                       1                                 אבא שאול אומרערבישתיםאחת ללולב     ואחת למקדש                                  

3                   רבנןלמקדשמנא להוו                   

7               6                   5                           4                א"ר אסי א"ר יוחנןעשר נטיעות    הלכה    דהלכתא גמירי להו   למשה מסיני      ערבה                       וניסוח המים   

  178  .R:F BACKGROUND: The Gemora has just replied that the Torah uses the plural ערבי נחל to tell us that willows qualify for use as one of the Four Species on Succos, regardless of which type of land they grow. This is the opinion of the Rabbonim.  .R:C 
2                                 Firstly, as one of   Abba Shaul says    1   the Four Species,                                   that the Torah uses   and secondly in the                                  the plural form to     Bais HaMikdosh to                                    tell us that the        surround the                                      Willow is used for        Mizbayuch.                                          two mitzvos:                                       
3   So now there is a question on the Rabbonim: מנא להו how do they      know that it is a mitzva to use willows in the Bais HaMikdosh?    They cannot learn it from the fact that ערבי נחל is in the plural       because they use that to learn that willows are suitable,             regardless of which location of land they were grown.           4 7                          6                       5                                        are all Halochos    The laws of Ten   just as Reb Assi  The Gemora explains    which come to us          Plants (relating to     said in the name of       that    גמירי להו   from Moshe which he           Shemitta), of           Rab Yochanan:        הלכתא the Rabbonim      recieved on Mt.          Willow (used in the        learnt the Halocha    Sinia directly from        Bais HaMikdosh) and                             as not being based     HaShem Yisboruch,           the Pouring of                                on the open text of   without their being           Water (during                                   the Chumash,        based on the open           Succos, on the                                     text of the                Mizbayuch)             Chumash.                 179  .R:E : כתובות ב

 אמר רבא ולענין גיטין אינומנא קסבר רבא אין אונס בגיטין אלמא כן    הריאילימא  מהא דתנן  ליה לרבא  הא  זה גיטיך  אם לא באתי  מכאן  ועד שנים עשר חדש ומת בתוך  שנים עשר חדש  אינו חלה הרי זה גטהא דאינו גט  הוא גט מת   חלה נמי אינו גטודלמא לעולם אימא לך   דאין גט  לאחר  מיתהוהיא גופא  קמ"ל 
 
... אלמא    מנא ליה ל* הא      אילימא מהא דתנן        הוא...הא.
 ודלמא לעולם אימא לך              והיא גופא קמ"ל  180  . R:F  .XT:7  .XB:7  אמר רבא
 ולענין גיטין אינו כן
אלמא 
 קסבר רבא
 אין אונס בגיטין
רבאמנא ליה ל 
הא 
אילימא מהא דתנן 
 הרי
 זה גיטיך
 אם לא באתי
 מכאן ועד שנים עשר חדש
 ומת בתוך שנים עשר חדש
 אינו גט
 דאינו גטהוא מת 
 חלההא 
 הרי זה גט
ודלמא 
 לעולם אימא לך 
 חלה נמי אינו גט
והיא גופא קמ"ל 
 דאין גט לאחר מיתה. XT:10  .XB:10   181 
2                               1                      קסבר רבאאין אונס בגיטין אלמא אמר רבאולענין גיטין                  אינו כן            

5                             4                   3                  לרבאאילימאמהא דתנן    הרי זה גיטיך     מנא ליה        אם לא באתי                           הא        מכאן ועד שנים עשר חדש                                                       7       6       חלההא     מת            דאינו גטהוא                      הרי זה גט   
  182  .R:F BACKGROUND: We have been discussing whether or not a contract assumes that an accident is not included in the contract. 
For example, a man and woman agree to set up home together within a year after their Kiddushin. 
If the man fails to keep to the schedule, he has to support the woman even though they have not yet completed the marriage process by performing  .נישאוין
If the woman falls behind in the schedule, then the man is exempt. 
What happens if the man or woman are prevented from keeping to the schedule because of an accident? 
The Gemora concludes that under certain circumstances, the person suffering the accident is not penalised. 

  183  .R:C 2                    1  אלמא So, from this statement of   Rabbo says that      Rabbo, we can deduce that he                         this is not so when   holds that a accident is not a                        dealing with a Get     mitigating circumstance when                           - a contract of     considering the force of a Get.                            divorce.                              

5            4        3  this is your Get ifאילימא If you might             מנא ליה לרבא הא     I do not return by                say that he derives  From where does     twelve months from                 it מהא דתנן from              Rabbo get such a             now.                         the following                     rule.                        Mishna which says                                         6     If he dies,   הוא   that is when it is      not a valid Get         even though          condition was          fulfilled.            7   הא   So we can deduce from this     that failure to return through      being ill will not invalidate    the condition. The illness will    not be regarded as an excuse for            not returning.              184  .R:E  .L:13i  .XT:0  .XB:0  .H: The First Levels              Part 4                Dictionary  .H:...  .F:...  .F:...$$$... between them        -----  א  -----                ביניהם      between it         בינייהו          regarding / to            ... א.regarding the wall      בכותל       father             אב           generally           בכלל            Father/Name of Amora     אבא    with money/silver       בכסף        his father          אביה        with a lulav         בלולב          Name of Amora        אביי       regarding what         במאי         Name of Amora        אבין       with sticks         במסיפס          but, however         אבל        a building           בנין           we need           אבעיא         ask / enquire          בעא          bind             אגד            ask / need           בעי            man              אדם            need              בעיא              say             אומר            we need            בעינן            she says          אומרת         owner              בעל              forced / accident      אונס     owners            בעלים             other / after         אחר       generaly           בעלמא            other one         אחרינא        explicitly          בפירוש          one              אחת            son               בר                if               אי             granted            בשלמא            there is           איכא         granted            בשלמה            if we say         אילימא        within             בתוך             let us say          אימא        houses of...  בתי                   when             אימת           regarding its use     בתשמישתא      there is not(H) אין            /-----  ג  --           yes(A) high              גבוה              is not            אינו          body / it itself        גופא        I will ask you a     איתיביה    stolen             גזול             query thief             גזלן              agree to         איתרצאי        decree             גזרה             ate             אכילה           Get = bill of divorce      גט       but              אלא            your Get           גיטיך            according to        אליבא       Mesechta Gitin        גיטין         therefore          אלמא         it has been learnt      גמירי       mother             אם           finish             גמר              when             אמאי                      -----  ד  --(a linear measure) אמות         of                       ....  ד.   say              אמר            four               ד'               we say           אמרינן         this               דא               us              אנן             which R'* said         דא'ר         Hadassim (myrtles) אסא          of his father         דאבוה         Name of Amora         אסי       that there is not       דאין        but              אף             which/that is not       דאינו       with/the            את          who/that said         דאמר          you              אתה            who needs           דבעי            overpower through     אתקפתא    that they need        דבעינן        force of argument thing/matter/word        דבר        Esrog / citron       אתרוג      of these           -----  ב  --                  דהני         of his            דידיה             regarding/in/at/by         .. ב.law/ logical          דין           regarding the       באוירא      as it is written       דכתיב        airspace that is not           דלא           in the middle        באמצע      which is not          דלאו          i have come         באתי        like / money of         דמי         regarding Gitin      בגיטין     who possese         דמיקניא         regarding the matter     בדבר   intention/knowledge      דעתיה      regarding me        בדידי       who/which preceeded      דקדים      according to the law     בדין   of/that R' *  דר'                   there             בה            that we should say      דתימא       regarding this        בהא       as we have learnt in     דתניא      with permission       בהיתר     a Braisah                           there             בו            as we have learnt in      דתנן      they build         בונין        a Mishna                            by/on the day        ביום       
  185 and one            -----  ה  --                  וחד          and strict          וחומר           the                       ... ה.and decide/balance      ויכריע      behold!            הא           and went out          ויצא          this             האי            and she went out       ויצאה        the iron          הברזל         and like him        וכדידיה         the stolen (one) הגזול          etc.              וכו'              beauty (H) return (A) הדר       and general rule        וכלל        he              הוא             and silver/money        וכסף        since            הואיל          and not             ולא             this one           הזה          and to be strict      ולהחמיר       the new (one) החדש              and according to your    ולטעמיך    the courtyard        החצר       reason                              was              היה            and there is not       וליכא        related/adjoined       היקש     and the language       ולישנא       permission/extra       היתר     and regarding        ולענין         here             הכא            and the one who        ומאן         the wall          הכותל         and minority         ומיעוט         like this           הכי         and the Master         ומר          the general rule       הכלל     and died            ומת             the sentence (of      הכתוב     and got married       וניסוח        Torah) and until/ and         ועד          that which is learnt    הלומד   witness                             law             הלכה            and the detail         ופרט         it is a law         הלכתא       and we have learnt      וקתני       which is learnt       הלמד      and R'*  ור'                        the water          המים         and an inclusion       ורבוי        those which       המכחישים      and he raised a       ורמינהו       contradict contradiction                       mountain            הר          and they raised a      ורמינהי      behod/these          הרי        contradiction                       mountains          הרים         and he agreed to him     ורצייה     the equals          השוה        and of             ושל              the third         השלישי        and we have learnt       ותני       now             השתא            and straighten /  ותפשוט            now             השתה            clarify                             behold we have learnt    התנן   -----  ז  --           in the Mishna this             -----  ו  --                  זאת            this               זה               and                       ... ו.-----  ח  --           and one           ואחת          one               חד                and if            ואי           new               חדש               and if you need      ואיבעית    his obligation        חובותו        and him           ואיהי         divide/argue         חולקין         and let us say       ואימא      the Sages           חכמים           and there is         ואית       take effect           חלה           and if            ואם           free              חנם               and say           ואמר          -----  ט  --           and it/you          ואת         good              טוב               and regarding the    ובפלוגתא   impure             טמאה             argument plead/require         טעון          and of the          וד'         reason             טעמא             and the thing/word      ודבר    -----  י  --           and perhaps         ודלמא       bind it together       יאגדנו       and behold          והא         despair/give up hope      יאוש      and this           והאי         dry               יבש               and they discussed     והוינן   through             ידי             and him           והיא          (a name of a person)  יהודה         and the dry         והיבש       (a name of a person)  יוחנן         and here           והכא         refutes            יוכיח            and we have laernt in    והתנן  the Mishna 

  186 to me              לי               day              יום            to him             ליה              go out            יוצא          let us say           לימא           can/able           יכול         isn't              לית              palm it together      יכפתנו    to you              לך              go out/fulfilled       יצא      to the generality          לכלל     (a name of a person) יצחק       to its generality       לכללו       there is            יש          to them            -----  כ  --                  לכם          to the lulav         ללולב          like                      ... כ.to teach            ללמד            like Abaye         כאביי        to refute          למיפרך           like a nut         כאגוז        to sanctify          למקדש          here             כאן            to Moshe/for a weight     למשה      like an egg         כביצה       to us              לן               in order to / כדי               always/ everywhere/  לעולם          worthwhile really                              as we have learnt     כדקתני    according to          לפי           because            כי           to specify           לפרט           tale / כך                       to the side/aspect       לצד        all of it           כל          to Rovo (Amora)  לרבא               at all /general        כלל      -----  מ  --           yes              כן             from                       ..  מ.   silver/money         כסף        why               מאי               of sover/money        כספא      to enlighten/ (name      מאיר       like it's         כענינו        of Tanna - R' Meir)                 matter/topic   מאן   palms            כפות           the one            מבעי             as fitting          כראי        need/require         מבעיא          just like           כשם         reach             מגיע              fitting/suitable       כשר      what               מה               it is suitable        כשרא      from this            מהא            he is suitable        כשרה      what              מהו               Mesechta Kesubos      כתובות    from them            מהן            writings          כתובים        we add           מוסיפין            written           כתיב          we need           מיבעיא            like the Tannaim      כתנאי     we bring          -----  ל  --                  מייתי         from it            מינא             to/regarding/for          ... ל from her            מינה            no               לא             from them           מיניה           to the master        לאדון      from them           מינין           not              לאו            minority           מיעוט            to another          לאחר        let us differentiate     מיפלגי     to a man           לאיש         we ask             מיתב             heart             לב            protest            מיתה             according to the      לדברי     we asked a question     מיתיבי      words from here           מכאן            to judge           לדון         from all            מכל             according to him      לדידה     from above          מלמעלה          to her             לה           money             ממון              to that one          להא        from the sort/type       ממין       to him            להו           from               מן               for a Hoshana       להושענא     from it             מנא             to return it       להחזירו      who               מני               to be stringent      להחמיר     from where/how do we     מניין      to those           להלן         know                                to be lenient/lighten    להקל   how do we know         מנלן         accompany          לווי         from its end         מסופו          Lulav            לולב           fron Sinai          מסיני           to this            לזה            מסיקה   to its friend       לחבריה      from its topic        מענינו        specifically        לחודיה      tithe             מעשר              to plead/need        לטעון      

  187 it says            קאמר             found/can           מצי         minor/small           קטן           we find           מצינו         its sanctity        קידושיה         from its boundry      מצראה     1st stage of marriage    קידושין    recieve           מקבל          light              קל               place            מקום           they argue         קמיפלגי          Master             מר           they think           קסבר           because           משום          sentence of Torah        קרא        from that which is     משלכם    -----  ר  --           yours Reb, Rabbi            ר'            apparent           משמע         fitting             ראי             dead              מת            its head            ראשו            ask             מתיב            first             ראשון             make fit          מתכשר         Reb / Rav (Amora) -----  נ  --                  רב            Rovo (Amora)  רבא                   stream            נחל           big /Rabboh (Amora)     רבה         (name) נחמן                     inclusion           רבוי            plantings         נטיעות        Rebbi /Rebbi (Tanna)  רבי           it is            ניהו           Rabbonim            רבנן            difrentiate        ניפלוג       All-Merciful         רחמנא          marriage         נישאוין        raise up            רמי             also/certainly        נמי       permission          רשאון           I gave            נתתי           -----  ס  --                        -----  ש  --which/that/because         ..  ש.   reckon/think        סבירא       borrow             שאול             think             סבר           which is not          שאין          he thinks          סברוה        which are of them       שבהן        Tabernacle          סוכה        which is in Jerusalem   שבירושלים   go up            סלקא           which is            שהוא            plain/ordinary        סתם       which is           -----  ע  --                  שהיה         equal/worth           שוה           thick            עבות           which will come        שיבוא        until/witness         עד        which will be         שיהא          root/main point       עיקרו     that he will return    שיחזירנו     on/regarding          על        it                                  on them           עליהן         (required) size        שיעור        dealing with        עסקינן      of                של                tree              עץ            which is not          שלא           itself            עצמו          there / name           שם           Willow            ערבה          listen             שמע              myrtles           ערבי          year / year           שנא           Orleh (first 3 years) ערלה      we learnt            שנו            ten              עשר            two              -----  פ  --                  שני            two of them          שנים           open with         פוחתין        good/fine           שפיר            fruit            פירא           took/weighed          שקלה          argue            פליגי          that its head         שראשו         invalid           פסול          two              שתים               it is invalid        פסולה      -----  ת  --           decide            פסיק          his cooked food       תבשילו        separate           פרוד         under              תחת              detail            פרט           refutation          תיובתא          obvious/ פשיטא                  undecided           תיקו            straightforward dates            -----  צ  --                  תמרים          we learnt            תנא            palms            ציני           regarding Tannaim       תנאי        necessary          צריך         we learnt in a         תניא         it is necessary       צריכא     Braisah                                          -- -----  ק  we learnt in a Mishna      תנן      surly (emphasis) ק....          finalize/sort out      תסתיים       surly (emphasis) קא             Terumah (tithe)  תרומה              applies (to) קאי                 188  . XT:10  .XB:10  .H: The First Levels          Part 5            General Guidelines  .H:...  .H:  .F:  .F:...  .F:...$$$... 

P A R T   5 

Some 

GENERAL GUIDELINES 

quoted from 

 ספר הליכות עולם
  189  .R:F The Gemora often refers to the Rabbonim by shortened versions of their names or by nicknames. 
The following are a few of the more common examples:- 
אחרים is  רבי מאיריש אומרים usually refers to  רבי נתןWhen רבי מאיר quotes ,אחר he is refering to  אלישע בן אבויההדנין לפני חכמים refers to  ,שמעון בן זומא ,חנן המצרי ,חנניהand  שמעון בן עזאירביתינו שבארץ ישראל is  ר' אבארבותינו שבבבל are רב and  שמואללמדין לפני חכמים refers to what לוי learnt from  רבדייני גולה is  קרנאדייני ארץ ישראל are רבי אסי and  רבי אמידייני דסורא are רבי יצחק and  רב הונאדייני דפומבדיתא is  רב פפא בר שמואלדייני דנהרדעא is  רב אחא (אדא) בר מניומיסבי דסורא are רב חסדא and  רב הונאסבי דפומבדיתא are  עיפא ואבימי בני רחבהאמוראי דפומבדיתא are רב יוסף and  רבהאמוראי דנהרדעא is  רב חמא אמרי בבי רב refers to  רב הונא אמרי במערבא refers to  רבי ירמיהאמרי עליו במערבא refers to  רבי חנינאשלחו מתם refers to  רבי אלעזר
 מערבא(= the west) refers to Eretz Yisroel (which is to the west of Bovel) 
Some say the name of אביי was really ,נחמני but he changed his name because his Rebbi's name was .רבה בר נתמני Therefore to save his Rebbi the disrespect of calling someone else by the name of his own father, he called himself a name which hinted to the fact that it was the same name as the father of his Rebbi. Others say that his name was really אביי but that he changed it to נחמני in gratitude to רבה בר נתמני who, apart from being his Rebbi, was also his adoptive father. 
Plain רב יהודה refers to  רב יהודה בריה דרב יחזקאלPlain רבה refers to  רבה בר נחמניPlain רב נחמן is רב נחמן בר יצחק according to רש"י or  בר יעקברב נחמן according to  .תוספותPlain רבי is , רבי יהודה הנשיא otherwise known as  ,רבינו הקדושwho compiled ther  .משנהBut רב יהודה נשיא is an  .אמוראPlain ר' יהושע quoted in a Mishna is  רבי יהושע בן חנניהPlain רבי אליעזר is  רבי אליעזר בך הורקנוסPlain רבי יהודה is  רבי יהודה בר אלעאיPlain רבי שמעון is  רבי שמעון בן יוחאיPlain רבי אלעזר is  רבי אלעזר בן פדסיוחנן כהן גדול is יוחנן בן מתתיה who was in the days of the  190 Chashmonaim and their children. רבי יהושע בן קרחה is the son of Rabbi Akiva Every story which refers to חסיד אחד refers to  רבי יהודה בר אלעאיר' מאיר is also called ר' נהוראי because he enlightened the Sages with his Halachos. His real name was  ר' נחמיהEvery plain תקנה is of the  תקנת עזרא
רבי is the title given to a Sage who came from Israel. רב or מר is the title given to a Sage who came from Bovel. 
Regarding status of titles,  רבי is greater than רבן ,רב greater than רבי and the plain name is greater than  .רבן
An anonymous Mishna is assumed to be by  רבי מאירAn anonymous Tosefta is assumed to be by  ר' נחמיהAn anonymous Sifra is assumed to be by  ר' יהודהAn anonymous Sifri is assumed to be by  רבי שמעון(though some say it is  רבי ישמעאל‑ספר כריתות‑) And they all decide according to their Rebbi, Rabbi Akiva 
Whenever an halacha is quoted directly, in the form  ,אמר ר' פלוניas, for example, ,א"ר יהודה אמר שמואל it means that the  ר' פלוניhe is quoting is his Rebbi and he heard it directly from  ר' פלוני
But, whenever an halacha is quoted indirectly, in the form  ,משום ר' פלוניas, for example, ,א"ר יוחנן משום רשב"י it means that he himself did not hear the Halacha from ר' פלוני  he is quoting, but he heard it from someone else who heard it from  ר' פלוני
תנן introduces a quotation from a Mishna תני עלה and תנא introduces a quote from a Tosefta תנו רבנן and תניא introduces a quote from a B'raisah. Similarly, when the Gemora quote ,מהא as when it says, ,תפשוט מהא the Gemora is quoting a B'raisah. 
(A B'raisah is a quotation of a Tanna which used to be learnt as a Mishna but which Rabbainu HaKodesh decided not to include in the final compilation of the Mishnayos, perhaps because he did not consider it to be accurate. It was therefore edited out of the final text of Mishnayos Therefore B'raisos are introduced with תנו רבנן and תניא which indicate that they were already learnt before the Mishna. [Tosefos says that the B'raisos are quotations of Tannaim of the time of Rabbainu HaKodesh - ב"ק צ"ד: ] 
A Tosefta is a Tanna's additional clarification of a Mishna. Therefore they are introduced with תני עלה and תנא which indicate that they were learnt regarding a Mishna.  ‑ יבין שמועה‑) 
An Amora cannot disagree with a Tanna (unless he has a different Tanna to rely on) 
רב חייא ,רבי יוחנן and ,רב though they are usually regarded as  191 being Amoraim, nevertheless, because of their importance and/or because their Rebbeim were Tannaim, they can argue with a Tanna and so are considered somewhat as Tannaim, as the Gemora says, e.g. .רב תנא ופליג But the Gemora will only use this superior rank to explain how they can argue with a Tanna only as a last resort, if there is no other way to explain the argument. 
The Amoraim knew all the Mishna, but they did not necessarily know all the B'raisah. 
When the Gemora says תני תנא קמיה דר' פלוני it tells us that the Amora learnt following B'raisah from  .ר' פלוני
בו ביום refers to the day when Rabbi Elozor ben Azaryoh was appointed Rosh Yeshiva. 
כי סליק רבי פלוני is when רבי פלוני went from Bovel to Israel. כי אתא רבי פלוני is when רבי פלוני came from Israel to Bovel. 
א and ע are sometimes interchanged (ש and ס are sometimes interchanged) (letters are sometimes interchanged   e.g אלסקן = אלקסן   כבש = כשב ) 
The prefix ו can sometimes mean  and   and sometimes it can mean  or.   The prefix ,ש which usually means  which  or  because , can sometimes mean  and  , as, for example,  ( שאפר כירה מוכן הוא  (ביצה ב.
Sometimes, a phrase can mean one thing in one place and something else in a diffetent place. For example, שור חרש sometimes refers to the שור of a ,חרש but sometimes it refers to a שור which is itself a  .חרש
The Tannaim would often speak on couched terms. Therefore, if necessary, the Gemora can interpret and explain their word when they are problematic, e.g. when the Gemora says, הכי קאמר or  .הכא במאי עסקינן
However, the Amoraim explain clearly what they want to say. Therefore their words are not usually open to being interpreted or filled-in. 
Before the Gemora asks a question on a Mishna or B'raisah, it first clarifies the accuracy and meaning of the text of the Mishna or B'raisah. 
Usually, only the opinion of a Tanna can be used to refute an Amora. However, An the opinion of an Amora can be used to refute another Amora if the Halacha is like him ‑ספר כריתות‑ .
Sometimes, a question can be answered in several ways, but the Gemora only bothers to give one answer. 
 192 (Sometimes, the Gemora prefers to ask a question or answer a question by baseing itself on a actual incident which took place involving Amoraim, even though it could have used a quotation from a Mishna instead. This is because it is more reliable to take פסק from a מעשה רב than from a  סחם משנה‑ ספר כריתות‑) 
SOME GUIDELINES TO PSAK HALACHA 
Nowadays, we do not rely on decisions of the Mishna, even when the Mishna says that the Halacha is like Rabbi Ploni, unless the decision is endorsed by the Gemora. 
The Halacha is usually like an anonymous Mishna. 
When a matter is first quoted in one Mishna as an anonymous halacha and then quoted in a later Mishna as the subject of an argument, then the Halacha is not like the anonymous Mishna. 
But when a matter is first quoted in one Mishna as the subject of an argument and then quoted in a later Mishna as an anonymous halacha, then the Halacha is like the anonymous Mishna. 
These two rules apply only to Mishnayos within one Mesechta. 
If an Halacha is quoted anonymously in a Mishna but is the subject of an argument in a Braisah, the Halacha is like the Mishna. 
If a Mishna quotes an Halacha by-the-way, out of context, then the Halacha is like that quote. 
The Halacha is like those quoted in Mesechta  עדיות
When the Mishna says, באמת אמרו or ,העיד רבי פלוני the Halacha is like that opinion, though some say that the personal testiomony is halacha only when it follows an argument. 
When the Mishna quotes an opinion at the beginning of a chapter in the form ,אמר ר' פלוני the halacha is like him. But if the halacha is quoted in the form ,ר' פלוני אמר the halcha is not like that opinion. 
Similarly, in the Gemora, when an halacha is quoted in the form ,תנא דבי רבי פלוני the halacha is like that opinion. But if the halacha is quoted in the form ,דבי רבי פלוני תנא the halacha is not like that opinion. 
In a Mishna, when an argument is resolved by a third Tanna who sides with one of the opinions, then the halacha is like that third Tanna. But this does not apply to arguments in a B'raisah. Some say that according to this rule, third Tanna must agree completely with the one side he supports. 
 193 We do not decide in favour of a Talmid against his Rebbi. But this rule only applies up to the time of Rovo. From then on, we decide according to the later opinion even when it contradicts that of his Rebbi. Whenever the Gemora says ,איכא דאמרי the halacha is like that second version. Some say that the halacha is like the more stringent regarding matters of the Torah and like the less stringent regarding matters of the Rabbonim. 
Usually, whenever a statement is quoted  לאפוקי(to reject) an opinion, then the halacha is not like the rejected opinion. 
The halacha is not like an opinion which has been refuted in the form  .תיובתא דפלוני תיובתא
Whenever the Gemora says, ,תניא כוותיה דפלוני the halacha is like that opinion. 
In a Mishna, whenever two Tannaiom argue over the opinion of a certain Tanna, that halacha is according to the second Tanna because the first one heard it when that certain Tanna was young and the second one heard it when that Tanna was old. 
  194  .XT:0  .XB:0  .H: The First Levels       Appendix      The Importance of History  .H:...  .H:  .F:  .F:...  .F:...$$$... APPENDIX - THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING HISTORY 
Many of the discussions of the Gemora centre around the seniority, and there the degree of authority, of the Rabbonim who participate or are quoted. 
Also, when learning the various Commentaries and Poskim, in order to appreciate their inter-action and relationships, it is essential to know when they lived. 
You should therefore read about the history of our people, especially noting the periods when the personalities lived. 
The following history books are especially orientated to help people learning Gemora:- 
Torah Nation                  Rabbi M. Miller Challenge of Sinai            Rabbi Z. Fendel Anvil of Sinai                Rabbi Z. Fendel Am Olam                       Rabbi S. Rotenberg History of the Jewish People The Second Temple Era  Artscroll History Series The Early Rishonom            Artscroll History Series 
The following books are also useful:- 
Aiding Talmud Study (see charts at the back of the book)    Rabbi A. Carmell Atlas of the Jewish People (in Hebrew)                      Rabbi S. Halprin 
  107  .H: The First Levels       Appendix      The Importance of History  .H:...  .F:...  .F:...$$$...  .R:F 
Creation                     0                 Death of Odom HaRishon           930    1000             The Flood                       1756      Birth of Abraham                1948    /                             2000        אבות{  Birth of Yitzchok               2048    \ Went down to Mitzrayim          2238    Greece first populated Birth of Moshe                  2368    Left Mitzrayim / Torah given    2448    Entered Israel                  2488    /                                               שופטים{                                           \ Birth of David                  2854    /                                          Greeks learned to write 3000      נביאים{                                           10 Tribes taken to captivity    3205    Rome founded 1st. Bais HaMikdosh destroyed   3338    Plato \ Miracle of Purim                3405    /                                          Alexander the Great       זוגות{  Miracle of Chanukah             3622    -             Hillel & Shammai                3700     3760 =  0 CE       תנאים{  2nd. Bais HaMikdosh destroyed   3828    \ Rebbi Yehuda HaNasi (Mishna)    3940     /                              4000      אמראים{  Ravina & Rav Ashi (Gemora)      4180     410 Rome captured \ Gemora written down             4260      רבנו סבראי{                                           /                                               גאונים{                                             \ Rav Hai Gaon / Rabbainu Gershom 4700     1066 Battle of Hastings / Birth of Rashi                  4800    Birth of Rambam                 4895    The Crusades 5000     ראשונים{                                           Expulsion from Spain            5252    \                                          /                                          Vilna Gaon/Baal Shem Tov        5530     1776  USA War of Independence    אחארונים{                                           1917  Russian Revolution   1991  U.S.S.R. collapsed   Now                             5756