- Why Doniel was not present when חנניה מישאל ועזריה were thrown into the furnace
The Gemara asks where Doniel was when חנניה, מישאל, and עזריה were thrown into the furnace for refusing to bow to the idol. Amoraim answer with three missions he was sent on by נבוכדנצר: to dig a great river in טבריא, to bring אספסתא seed (for animal fodder) to Bavel, or to bring the larger Alexandrian pigs to breed in Bavel (although their exported pigs were normally castrated, he exported young ones without their realizing his purpose). A Baraisa states: שלשה היו באותה עצה – there were three involved in that plan that Doniel should not be present when the idol was erected: הקדוש ברוך הוא, Doniel, and נבוכדנצר. Hashem said Doniel should not be present, דלא לימרו בזכותיה איתנצל – so that [people] will not say, “[חנניה, מישאל, and עזריה] were saved in [Doniel’s] merit.” Doniel decided to leave, because נבוכדנצר worshipped Doniel as a deity, so he was afraid that he would be burned in the furnace, fulfilling the passuk "פסילי אלהיהם תשרפון באש" – their idolatrous statues you shall burn in fire. נבוכדנצר sent Doniel away, so people should not say he burned his own god in fire.
- יהושע כהן גדול’s being cast into the furnace with the נביאי שקר
The passuk says about two false prophets, צדקיהו and אחאב, "אשר קלם מלך בבל באש" – whom the king of Bavel burned in fire. The unusual word "קלם" (instead of "שרפם") indicates שעשאן כקליות – that he made them like toasted grain. Each had “prophesied” to נבוכדנצר’s daughter that she should have relations with the other. נבוכדנצר told them that חנניה, מישאל, and עזריה said it is categorically forbidden, but they replied that they were also prophets, and that Hashem only told them. נבוכדנצר said he would test them the same way he tested the others, by casting them into the furnace. The two false prophets protested that they also required a third person, and chose יהושע כהן גדול, hoping his merit would protect them. Still, they were burned, and he was saved, but his clothing was singed. נבוכדנצר asked יהושע why his clothing was singed, whereas Avraham was unharmed when he was cast alone into a furnace. יהושע replied that Avraham did not have רשעים with him, so no permission was given to the fire to harm, whereas he was with רשעים. The Gemara explains that Yehoshua was punished because he did not protest when his sons married women unfit for Kehunah.
- The six blessings of Dovid, Moshiach, etc. hinted in the שש שעורים given to רות
The passuk says בועז gave Rus "שש שעורים" – six barleys, which was to hint to her שעתידין ששה בנים לצאת ממנה שמתברכין בשש [שש] ברכות – that six sons are destined to descend from her who would each be blessed with six blessings: Dovid, Moshiach, Doniel, חנניה, מישאל, and עזריה. Dovid’s six blessings are described in Doeg’s report to Shaul, which was intended as לשון הרע, to make Shaul jealous, which Rav interpreted: "ידע נגן" שיודע לישאל – Dovid is “one who knows how to play,” meaning that he knows how to ask Torah questions. "גבור" שיודע להשיב – “Mighty,” that he knows how to answer Torah questions. "איש מלחמה" שיודע לישא וליתן במלחמתה של תורה – “A warrior,” that he knows how to give and take in the “battle” of Torah debates. "איש תאר" שמראה פנים בהלכה – “A man of appealing looks,” who reveals facets in halachah proving his opinion. "ונבון דבר" שמבין דבר מתוך דבר – “And understanding in matters,” who understands one matter from another. "וה' עמו" שהלכה כמותו בכל מקום – “And Hashem is with him,” that the halachah always follows his opinion. Shaul said about the first five qualities that his son יהונתן also possesses them, but when he heard the sixth, a quality he lacked, he became jealous of Dovid.
