- סימנא מילתא היא (simanim on Rosh Hashanah)
A Baraisa states that kings are only anointed by a spring, כדי שתמשך מלכותם – [as a siman] that their reign will last. Rebbe Ami says that one who wishes to know if he will live out the year should light a lamp between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in a house where wind does not blow. If the light lasts, we know he will live out the year. Rebbe Ami similarly gives omens for determining the success of a future business venture, or if he will return from a journey. However, one should not do so, because he may become disheartened if the test does not indicate success, causing his mazal to worsen, which may result in his not returning. Abaye said: השתא דאמרת סימנא מילתא היא – Now that you have said that an omen is a significant thing, [לעולם] יהא רגיל למיחזי בריש שתא – one should always be accustomed to see, on Rosh Hashanah, קרא ורוביא כרתי וסילקא ותמרי – a gourd, fenugreek, leek, beets, and dates. Rashi explains that these grow quickly.
- Advice for learning in front of one’s Rebbeim
Rav Mesharshiya told his sons: When you want to go and learn in front of your Rebbeim, גרסו מתניתא ועלו לקמי רבייכו – study the Mishnah well beforehand, וכי יתביתו קמיה חזו לפומיה – and when you sit before him, look at his mouth, as the passuk says: והיו עיניך רואות את מוריך – and your eyes should see your teachers. When you learn, learn by a river of water, דכי היכי דמשכן מיא משכן שמעתתייכו – so just as the water flows constantly, your learning should flow constantly. It is better to live in the garbage heaps (i.e., poor conditions) of מתא מחסיא, which had תלמידי חכמים and a fine civilization, rather than live by the palaces of פומבדיתא, which was deficient in both. Also, it is better to eat "גילדנא" fish from מתא מחסיא which is about to spoil, rather than superior כותח, because the latter is harmful to the body.
- קריעה of a Kohen Gadol
The next Mishnah states: כהן גדול פורם מלמטה – a Kohen Gadol tears his garment when a relative dies “from below,” וההדיוט מלמעלה – and the ordinary [Kohen] tears it “from above.” Rav says "למטה" means למטה ממש – literally below, i.e., the bottom of the garment, and "למעלה" means למעלה ממש – literally above, i.e., the neck of the garment. Shmuel says both refer to the neck area of the garment: "למטה" means למטה מקמי שפה – from below the border (of the neck-opening), meaning he may tear a hole below this border, and "למעלה" means למעלה מקמי שפה – from above the border, meaning he must begin tearing from the neck-opening itself. The Gemara objects that a Baraisa teaches that regarding most relatives, רצה מבדיל קמי שפה שלו – if he wants, he may separate the [neck-opening’s] border, but he does not need to (rather, he may tear a hole underneath). For a parent, however, one must tear from the border. Since tearing a hole under the border is ordinarily a valid קריעה, how can a כהן גדול do so? The Gemara answers that Shmuel holds like Rebbe Yehudah, that any tearing which does not divide the neck-opening, אינו אלא קרע של תפלות – is merely a tearing of frivolity, i.e., invalid.