- The character traits of young talmidei chochomim
The Gemara brings statements about young rabbinical students, Rava said: האי צורבא מרבנן דמי לפרצידא דתותי קלא דכיון דנבט נבט – A young rabbinical student is like a seed beneath the earth. Once he sprouts, he sprouts. Rashi explains that once a seed breaks through the earth it grows unimpeded, so too, once a talmid chochom’s name becomes known, he grows in prominence. Rava also said: האי צורבא מרבנן דרתח אורייתא הוא דקא מרתחא ליה – When a young rabbinical student gets heated up, (meaning he gets angry), it is the Torah that is causing him to get angry. As it says in the passuk: "הלוא כה דברי כאש נאם ה'" – Is My word not like a fire, says Hashem. Rashi explains that he becomes more sensitive than others, due to his Torah knowledge, and therefore we are chayav to judge him favorably. Ravina said: אפילו הכי מיבעי ליה לאיניש למילף נפשיה בניחותא – Nevertheless, a person should train himself to be calm, as the passuk says: "והסר כעס מלבך" – And remove anger from your heart.
- שלשה שאלו שלא כהוגן
Rebbe Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rebbe Yonasan: שלשה שאלו שלא כהוגן – Three people asked in an improper way: לשנים השיבוהו כהוגן לאחד השיבוהו שלא כהוגן – Two were answered in a proper way and one was answered in an improper way. Eliezer asked in an improper way, when he davened for a wife for Yitzchak. He davened that whoever offered him and his camels to drink would be the wife of Yitzchak, implying אפילו חיגרת אפילו סומא, that even a lame or blind girl would be suitable. Hashem answered him in a proper way, by sending him Rivkah. Shaul asked in an improper way, when he said that whoever killed גלית would be offered his daughter in marriage. This left open the possibility for an eved or a mamzeir. Hashem answered him properly, and Dovid came his way. Yiftach HaGiladi made an improper oath to bring as a korban the first thing that came through his door, leaving open the possibility for something tamei like a dog or pig. Hashem answered him שלא כהוגן and his daughter was sent his way. The Gemara brings a source that Hashem did not want Yiftach to offer up his daughter.
- When do those in galus begin mentioning rain?
The Gemara asks what those in galus do, who keep two days of Shemini Atzeres, when it comes to begin mentioning rain. Rav said: מתחיל במוספין ופוסק במנחה ערבית ושחרית וחוזר במוספין – One starts mentioning rain in Mussaf and then stops mentioning it in the following Minchah, Maariv and Shacharis, and then goes back to mentioning it in Mussaf of the ninth day. Shmuel said to those that told him what Rav had said, to go back to Rav and say to him, אחר שעשיתו קודש תעשהו חול – After you treated Shemini Atzeres as kodesh you retract and treat it as chol, by not mentioning rain on the same day at Mincha? Shmuel then said that one mentions rain at Mussaf and then at Minchah on Shemini Atzeres, and then refrains from mentioning rain at Maariv and Shacharis, and then resumes mentioning it at Mussaf on the second day of Yom Tov. Rava said: כיון שהתחיל שוב אינו פוסק – Once one begins mentioning rain, he does not stop. Rav Sheishess said the same thing. Rav eventually retracted his position and said that one does not stop mentioning it once he began .
