Commentary for Bava Metzia 167:5

Reish Lakish saw him: As [Reish Lakish] was a brigand.

If you return, etc.: From this, Rabbenu Tam said that Reish Lakish knew much at first, except that he removed the yoke of Torah [from himself], became an ignoramus and occupied himself with brigandry. Since he said, "If you return" - it implies, being like [you were] at first, and not to remove the yoke of Torah from upon you. And also [since] he said, "What benefit did you provide me, there they called me, Master" - meaning at first they also called me, Master, except I forgot [my learning]. And that which [Rashi] explained - "Master," is the master of the brigands - does not appear [correct]. Even though [it is true] that we find in Tractate Avodah Zarah (17b), "What is the reason they call you, Master? I am the master of weavers." And this is [also the explanation of] that which we say in the chapter [entitled] Kol Kitvei (Shabbat 119b), "Said Reish Lakish to Rabbi Yehudah Nesiah, 'So have I received it from my fathers' - and some say, from your fathers - 'any city that does not have children in a rabbi's school, etc.'" This implies that before Rabbi Yochanan taught him, he studied from others.

Shevar: He jumped.

If you return: Later it is shown that he married [her]; as it says, "His sister came and she cried in front of him." And [Reish Lakish] was not concerned about, perhaps they will say that this one returned (repented) because of this, in the way that it was a concern later (Bava Metzia 85b).

He said: Rabbi Yochanan.

Your strength is fit for Torah: How proper is your strength to carry the yoke of Torah.

Shufrech: Your beauty.

For women: It is suitable for women.

But he was unable to jump, as at first. For from when he accepted the yoke of Torah upon himself, his strength weakened.

The sword, the knife: It is a mishnah in Tractate [Kelim (14:5)].

The knife, the dagger [...], from when are they susceptible to impurity: Rabbenu Tam found it difficult - for we learn in Tractate Kelim, Chapter 14 (14:5), "A sword and a knife, from when does it become susceptible to impurity? The sword, from when it has been polished; and the knife, from when it has been sharpened." And that is not like Rabbi Yoachanan and not like Reish Lakish! But it appears that that mishnah is about when they got rusty and one comes to fix them. As it is learned in the Tosefta, "A sword and a knife that became rusty are pure. [If] one polishes them or sharpens them (they are susceptible to impurity). But at the beginning, their completion [which makes them susceptible to impurity], is as it is explained in our discussion (here in the Gemara). And it appears that, "polishes" refers to the sword; and "sharpens" refers to the knife, even though it is taught in the plural (them). So then the Tosefta is like the Mishnah.

The pigyon: Esped.

A hand sickle and a harvest sickle: Falcile in [Old French].

From when one fires them: Recuit in [Old French].

A brigand knows about his brigandry: Since you were a brigand, you are an expert about all those tools of brigandry.

They called me, Master: The master of the brigands, as I was their head.

His sister came: [The sister] of R. Yochanan, the wife of Reish Lakish.

And she cried in front of him - of R. Yochanan - to pray for her husband.

"Leave your orphans, I will sustain them; and let your widows trust in Me: This is a verse in Jeremiah (49:11).

He pained: He regretted having killed him, since he could not find a distinguished disciple like him.

His mind was taken: His mind was taken away from him and he went insane.

What benefit did you provide me? There they called me, Master, etc.: It appears that it can be explained that Reish Lakish's intention was certainly not like Rabbi Yochanan understood from him. But [he responded] since Rabbi Yochanan told him, "A brigand knows about his brigandry" - that since you were a brigand, you saw that shining a sword is the completion of its production. As swords are in the hands of brigands to intimidate and scare those who are robbed, so that they not stand up to them. For the shine of a sword is something that bewilders and scares. So Reish Lakish answered him - that what benefit did you provide me with this, to concede to my words, since I know about this more than you from this reason, that I was a brigand? For it is not so! As already even there, they called me, Master, etc. - like Tosafot explained - and now I remember [this]. For then, before I became a thief, I also taught this - that shining is the completion of their production. But Rabbi Yochanan understood his words according to their simple meaning, like the explanation of Rashi. And that is why he got so angry with him and punished him. And it is easy to understand.

He went around, rending his clothing, etc.: Because now he saw that, from those twenty-four difficulties and answers, the discussion would become broadened. So it was as if he learned from him, and he was [then] obligated to rend [his clothing] for him. As it is for that reason that we say, at the end of the chapter [entitled] Elu Metziot, "The Torah scholars of Babylonia would stand up before one another" - and like Rashi's explanation there. And the matter of the twenty-four difficulties and the twenty-four answers is that they were [all] about one matter. So twenty-four difficulties and twenty-four answers were newly generated about that matter, such that there were forty-eight faces (approaches). And with the matter itself, these are the forty-nine faces of the Torah, as it is written (Proverbs 2:4), "and search for it, as for treasures (matmonim, which can also be broken down into two words, which mean, forty-nine counts)." And it is simple to understand.