Commentary for Berakhot 39:14

Thirteen schools. There are those who explain that they maintained experts [in Okatzin] in thirteen yeshivot; “thirteen” is not to be taken literally, rather it is a common amplification throughout Talmud, e.g. “thirteen coins” (Chulin 44a). Rashi explains it in a different manner.

The duty of burial is to show respect to the body; why should respect for a person set aside the Pentateuchal prohibition against defilement?

And (according to the Rabbinic deduction above) the Torah gives him permission.

No analogy can be drawn between the wearing of mixed stuff and the burial of a Met Miswah, because they fall into different categories. The former is a prohibition as an act — one has to "arise and do" [קום ועשה] it (by putting on the garment), to commit the transgression. With the Met Miswah, on the other hand, it is the omission to bury which constitutes the transgression. To "sit and do nothing " [שב ולא תעשה] is what is forbidden.

The Fourth Order of the Mishnah. The detailed division of the Mishnah is given in an Appendix by Oesterley and Box.

The last Tractate of the Sixth Order.

The disputations between Rab and Samuel are proverbial for their complexity.

Others explain: with thirteen different methods of interpretation. In either case, the intention is that the superiority of earlier generations could not be on the score of learning.

He merely prepared himself to fast and pray for rain. On any occasion of mourning or self-humiliation, the shoes are taken off.

Some edd. read "Samaritan," to satisfy the scruples of the Censor.

A word of uncertain meaning; either a kind of headgear or a showy mantle worn by disreputable women. The same word occurs in Dan. iii. 21 where R.V. renders "mantle"; but the Oxford Lexicon, ed. Brown, etc., p. 1097b prefers "cap."

There is a double play of words. Matun means "deliberate"; hence if he had not been hasty, it would have saved him 400 Zuz. Matun also resembles the word for "two hundred," which being repeated, totals 400.

The bath of purification, called Mikweh, is here intended. Certain regulations had to be observed, otherwise the act of purification would be invalid.

On the beauty of R. Johanan, see fol. 5 b, p. 24.

The malignant power which bewitches and harms its victims. It is often used, as here, to denote sexual passion. The belief in the Evil Eye was widespread in the Orient; cf. J. E. v. p. 280; Lane, pp. 256 f.

Joseph who rejected the advances of Potiphar's wife.