Commentary for Bava Metzia 118:19

Akhnai: It is the way of a snake to make [itself] into a circle, to place its tail inside its mouth.

And this is the oven of akhnai: Some have the version, chakhnai, and so is it in the Yerushalmi. And this chakhan is a snake. But perhaps the name of the owner of the oven who made [it] is like this.

It is not in heaven: And that which it said in the first chapter of Yevamot (Yevamot 14a; and see Tosafot on Yevamot 14a, s.v. Rabbi) that the law is like the House of Hillel because a Divine Voice emerged - it is different here; since it is coming to disagree with words of the Torah, as it is written (Exodus 23:2), "After a majority to incline." Whereas there it is just the opposite, the House of Hillel is the majority [such that the law would follow them even without the Divine Voice], if it were not that we were in doubt if we follow the majority, because the House of Shammai is very sharp. And also (another answer) is that here the Divine Voice only emerged on account of the honor of Rabbi Eliezer, who said, "Heaven will prove [it]." And that which it said over there that [disregarding the Divine Voice] is [always the position of] Rabbi Yehoshua, who said that we do not pay attention to a Divine Voice - yet we do not hear it from Rabbi Yehoshua except in this incident of Rabbi Eliezer from here - it is making an exact inference there: Since he says, "It is not in heaven, the Torah was already given from Sinai," it is implied that we do not pay attention [to it] in any place.

He, smiled and said, "My children have triumphed over Me": And that which it said at the beginning of Avodah Zarah (3b), "There is no more laughter in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, since the Temple was destroyed" - that is fixed [laughter], whereas here it is just [regarding] a joke that He said.

All the ritually pure items deemed pure by Rabbi Eliezer: As a result of an incident that occurred, there was an inquiry about this law in the study hall - that ritual impurity fell into the space of this oven, and they then prepared pure foods on top of it. And Rabbi Eliezer deemed them pure; but they brought them and burned them before him.

He wore black: This is a matter (an indication) of distress and mourning.

He rent his garments and removed his shoes: It cannot be proven from here [about] that which it asked in Moed Katan (Moed Katan 15b; and see Tosafot on Moed Katan, s.v. La), whether one excommunicated must rent his garments and remove his shoes. As perhaps here, he is only doing it from plain distress.

He too, rent his garments: As one excommunicated is obligated to tear.

And removed his shoes: Since one excommunicated is forbidden to wear shoes. This is in Moed Katan (15b).

And he dropped: From the chair.

Spoiled: Went bad.

Great anger: A great plague.

Rabban Gamliel: He was the leader (nassi). And [this] was done by his [command].

So that disputes will not proliferate: So that an individual will not accustom himself to disagree with the many.

Imma Shalom: That was her name.

A full [month] and a deficient [month]: She reasoned that it would be a deficient month and the ratification [of the incoming month] would be on the thirtieth day, so that he would not lower his head. But it was full and they did not ratify it until the thirty-first day; so she was not careful about him on the thirtieth day and he lowered his head.

From the house of the father of my father: From the house of the patriarch of the family. As she was the daughter of leaders (nesiim), and they are from the House of David.

From the house of the father of my father: [Rashi] explained, "From the House of David, the patriarch of the family. As she was the daughter of leaders (nesiim), and they are from the House of David."

Except for the gates of mistreatment: Since [it refers to] the pain of the heart; and it is close to [causing] tears to come down.

Except for the gates of mistreatment: [Rashi continues to explain,] "Since [it refers to] the pain of the heart; and it is close to [causing] tears to come down." It is implied [that he explained it this way] because it is derived earlier (59a:5) from a verse in Tehillim (Psalms 39:13). But he forced this for no reason. As behold Rav Chisda expounded earlier (59a:7) explicitly from that which it is written (Amos 7:7), "behold, the Lord stood upon a wall built with a plumb line" (the term for mistreatment and the term for plumb line are spelled in a similar manner). But perhaps she received [the tradition] from the House of Rabban Gamliel [the Elder], as he was the patriarch of the family; and it was not said about David. It is as we find (Rosh HaShanah 25a) also, that Rabban Gamliel said, "I received it from the house of the father of my father, that sometimes [the new moon] comes by a long [path]."

And some say 46 - there are those who explain this because they count "because you were strangers in Egypt" and similar ones.

This carob tree will prove it, etc.; the stream will prove it, etc.; the walls of the study hall will prove it, etc.: It appears that this is according to that which they said in the first chapter of Chagigah (3b), "'The words of the wise are as goads; and as nails well fastened (netuim) are those that are composed in collections; they are given from one shepherd' (Ecclesiastes 12:11), etc. Just as this plant (neti’a) flourishes and multiplies, so too matters of Torah flourish and multiply. 'Those that are composed in collections (ba’alei asufot)' - these are Torah scholars who sit in many groups (asufot) and engage in Torah [study]. These render [something] ritually pure and these render [it] impure [...]. Lest one say, 'Now, how can I study Torah [when it contains so many different opinions?]' The verse [therefore] states they are all 'given from one shepherd,' etc.; he said them from the mouth of the Master of all creation, etc. So you too, make your ears like a funnel to hear, and acquire for yourself an understanding heart, etc." What comes out of these words of theirs is that the words of those that render [something] ritually impure and those that render [it] pure are all words of the living God. As there is a side to render [it] impure and a side to render [it] pure. Yet the Torah was given below to determine [its understanding] according to the majority, as it is written (Exodus 23:2), "after a majority to incline." And therefore, it finished [with], "acquire for yourself an understanding heart, etc." As a person should not decide without the inclination and determination of the heart. However he must [also] weigh the matter in his mind according to his understanding and intellect before he inclines to one of the sides. And therefore Rabbi Eliezer said to them, "Even though you are the majority to make the determination, behold they said as a condition of, 'after, etc.,' that they are fruitful like this plant that flourishes and multiplies." And this is by way of a metaphor - that one have an understanding heart to flourish and multiply with wisdom. "But your determination of the majority against me is like the planting of a carob tree, which does not have flourishing and multiplication - it only makes fruits in seventy years. So your words are sterile (akurim, which is formed from the same letters as the word for uprooted), like this carob tree that does not make many fruits." So they said to him, "'One does not cite proof from the carob tree.' For it is possible that its teaching is the opposite - since you are from the minority, so you do not have flourishing and multiplication with wisdom." So he said to them, "The stream will prove it, etc." For he spoke to them according to the answer that he gave them that, "There are many among you that have an understanding heart to concede to my words. But it is because of pride that each one of you is embarrassed to retract his words about which the majority was already with him." And this is according to that which they said in the first chapter of Taanit (7a), "Why are matters of Torah likened to water? Just as water leaves a high place, etc." And therefore he said to him, "Behold the stream will prove it, since the stream moves in the way of Torah, from a high place to a low [one]. Yet this stream will go backwards to a high place, just like you are doing - to go in the path of Torah in reverse, following your pride." So they said to him, "'One does not cite, etc.' As it is possible that the teaching of its reversal is about you - that you are twisted and one should not follow you, just like the stream is not going in its way, but in reverse." So he said to them, "The walls of the study hall, etc." That is because it is known that the study halls are a necessary thing for Torah; as Bilaam said (Sanhedrin 105b) that everything [he said] returned to being a curse except for [the blessing he said about] the study halls and synagogues. So therefore he said to them, "Based on your defective and rebuffed majority opinion, which is only by way of argumentativeness and contention - since it is not true - it would be fitting that there also not be a need and necessity for the study halls; and it would be fitting [for them] to fall." So [Rabbi Yehoushua] said to [the walls], "'If Torah scholars are contending, etc.' For true contention is said according to the true heart of the contender. And therefore, 'what is the nature of your [involvement]?' As study halls stand in order to study Torah in them, to determine [it] according to the opinion of the majority." So it said, "And they still remain leaning, etc." It is possible that it said this because in every generation, there are some that study [Torah] by way of contention and argumentativeness, like Rabbi Eliezer thought; and those that study according to true contention, like the opinion of Rabbi Yehoshua. And that which he said, "It is not in heaven, etc. and we do not heed a Divine Voice" - that is according to what hey said, "The Torah was not given to the ministering angels." And hence the only one that can determine [its understanding] are those who occupy themselves with it. And that which they said that we do use a Divine Voice in Bava Kamma, etc. - that is with something that is not against the Torah, and like Tosafot wrote. And that which [God] said, "My children have triumphed over Me; My children have triumphed over Me," with a double expression - He said this about both angles, the ones that rendered [it] impure and the ones that rendered [it] pure. As each one had an answer and a contention with their words.

Rabbi Akiva said to them, "I will go, etc." What did Rabbi Akiva do? He wore black. etc.: That means that he informed him in an honorable way. And therefore, "He work black, etc." - as if they were excommunicated from (by) him, etc. And that which he said - "it appears to me, etc." - it is not that they excommunicated and separated you, but it is rather as if they are excommunicated and separated from you. And it said, "The world was afflicted: One-third of [its] olives, etc.," because these are the mainstays of human life - as it is written in the chapter [entitled] HaSefinah; and in the chapter [entitled] Elu Neemarin. And only a third of them - which is the minority - were afflicted, on account of his having been the minority; whereas the majority disagreed with him. And this is simple to understand.

A certain day [was the day of] the New Moon, etc.: Rashi explained, "She reasoned that it would be a deficient month and the ratification [of the incoming month] would be on the thirtieth day, so that he would not lower, etc." And this was possible in their time when they would sanctify [the New Moon] by a sighting, so they would not also treat the thirtieth day in a full month [as] the day of the New Moon, but rather only the thirty-first day. But we are accustomed also in a full month to treat the thirtieth day [as] the New Moon as well. And it is a little difficult according to his explanation - since, "A certain day was the day of the New Moon," implies that it was truly the New Moon on that day. So the [correct] explanation appears to be the opposite: That that thirtieth day was the New Moon, and she mixed up the full month and the deficient month. As she reasoned that it would be a full month and it would also be the New Moon on the next day on the thirty-first day, so he would not lower [his head]. But the month was deficient, so he did lower his head on the thirty-first day. And if you will be exacting, you will find it simple.

And some say in 46 places: If you would say, "Where do we find these 46 places? Do we not find above only 3 negative commandments?" One could say that Rabbi Eliezer counted all the places where "stranger" is mentioned, such as "you were stragers" and "you shall love the stranger" etc. Thus taught the RaP (R. Perez ben Elijah of Corbeil). But the RAVaD (R. Abraham ben David) wrote: "It seems to me that every place Scripture mentions 'a stranger' or 'as a stranger' or 'as a citizen' etc. - he counts as a mention. But it appears to me that the count is only 36 and not 46, and the disagreement between these counts is due to the fact that one considers all the places where a stranger is mentioned, while the other excludes these same places in Torah where 'poor,' 'orphan,' and 'widow' are [also] mentioned."