- Machlokes how many hours the sun stood still for Yehoshua
The passuk which describes the sun standing still for Yehoshua states: ויעמד השמש בחצי השמים ולא אץ לבוא כיום תמים – and the sun stood still in the middle of the sky, and it did not hasten to set, [as long] as a whole day. Amoraim dispute how many hours the daytime lasted in total, based on the passuk’s implication that it stopped twice, and that the event is described as being a whole day: (1) Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi says it was twenty-four hours long; the sun rose for six hours, stood still for six, then sank for six hours, and stood still at the horizon for six hours before setting (for “a whole day” of daytime altogether). (2) Rebbe Elazar says it was thirty-six hours long, standing for twelve hours at noon, and another twelve at sunset (“a whole day’s” worth of standing still). (3) Rebbe Shmuel bar Nachmani says it was forty-eight hours, standing still at noon for twelve hours, and then standing still for twenty-four hours (“a whole day”) by sunset. In another version, the above opinions were about the additional hours, i.e., how long it stood still. A Baraisa teaches that the sun stood still for Yehoshua, Moshe, and Nakdimon ben Guryon.
- לא תתייחד אשה עמהם, why there is no concern of שפיחות דמים
The Mishnah on Daf 22a taught that a woman may not be secluded with an עכו"ם, because they are suspect for עריות. The Gemara asks that יחוד is prohibited with any Jew, and even with numerous Jews if they are פרוצים – promiscuous, as idolators are!? It answers that יחוד with an idolator is prohibited even באשתו עמו – when his wife is with him. This יחוד is permitted with a Jew, whose wife watches him (and prevents him from sinning), but forbidden with an idolator, whose wife does not prevent him from sinning (since she does the same). The Gemara asks that יחוד should be prohibited even without the concern of relations, because the עכו"ם may murder her!? Rebbe Yirmiyah answers: באשה חשובה עסקינן – we are discussing a prominent woman (i.e., close to the government, and physically attractive), דמירתתי מינה – because they are afraid of killing her, and יחוד would be permitted if not for the concern of relations. Rav Idi answers: אשה כלי זיינה עליה – a woman’s “weapons” are always upon her, i.e., the עכו"ם will spare her to have relations with her. The Gemara explains the difference between these opinions.
- How to protect oneself when traveling with an עכו"ם
A Baraisa teaches that if a Yisroel finds himself traveling on a road with an עכו"ם, טופלו לימינו – he should keep [the עכו"ם] on his right side, so if the idolator attempts to kill him, he can stop him with his right hand. Rebbe Yishmael the son of Rebbe Yochanan ben Berokah says that if the עכו"ם has a sword, he should be kept to the Yisroel’s right side (so the sword, which is sheathed on the עכו"ם’s left, will be near the Yisroel’s hand), but if he has a staff (held in his right hand), he should be kept to the Yisroel’s left side. When ascending or descending an incline, the Yisroel should always be above the עכו"ם. He should never bend before him, lest he smash the Jew’s skull. If the עכו"ם asks where he is going, ירחיב לו את הדרך – he should extend the way for him, i.e., give a further destination than the true one, like Yaakov did for Eisav. Rebbe Akiva’s talmidim once did so to bandits, and when the bandits realized and were told whose students they were, they declared: אשרי ר"ע ותלמידיו – “Fortunate are Rebbe Akiva and his students, שלא פגע בהן אדם רע מעולם – that no evil man ever attacked them!”