The Chasam Sofers Pesicha Drasha For Nezikin

 Daf Yomi Sanhedrin (2.)

The Yeshiva in Pressburg at the times of the Chasam Sofer started learning Meseches Bava Kama on Lag Baomer. 

The Chasam Sofer  gave a פתיחה in the Yeshiva and this is one of the things he said:

מסכת נזיקין has 3 בבות (gates) and each בבא consists of  10 פרקים a total of 30

The Chasam Sofer related it to the Pasuk in Tehillim (119:18) 

גל עיני ואביטה נפלאות מתורתך

"Unveil my eyes so that I may perceive the wonders of your Torah"

The רמז of 3+30  "גל" are for the 3 בבות and 30 פרקים."

It is interesting that the Chasam Sofer didn't mention the רמז all the Chasidishe Seforim write, that "גל" refers to ל"ג בעומר

Perhaps we can use Chasam Sofer's רמז of גל עיני on the first משנה in מסכת סנהדרין which enumerates all Dinim that require

a Bais Din of 3 or more. The Mishna enumerates 30 such cases.אמבצי

The Semicha Controversy

Parshas Hashavua

Hakdama Meseches Sanhedrin

Part 1

קַח-לְךָ אֶת-יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן-נוּן-- וְסָמַכְתָּ אֶת-יָדְךָ, עָלָיו במדבר כ"ז י"ח

       

The Semicha* Controversy 

In the early 16th century, the Rav & Rosh Yeshiva of Tzfat was

the מהר"י (יעקב) בירב 

R. Yakov Beirav escaped from the Spanish Inquisition to Morocco,

Algeria, Egypt and landed in Eretz Yisroel.

R. Yakov Beirav felt that the time of אתחלתא דגאולה has arrived.

According to the Rambam, The Bais Din Hagadol will be 

established before the arrival of the Moshiach.

Therefore R. Yakov Beirav reintroduced Semicha. 

Another reason why it was important to reintroduce

Semicha was because there were many Anusim who managed

to escape to Eretz Yisroel. Many who converted to 

Christianity were חייבי

​ ​

כריתות. 

**

According to R Channyah B Gamliel

in the Mishna (Makos 23a) 

חייבי

​ ​

כריתות

​ ​

who get מלקות are פטור

from כרת. Only a בית דין מוסמך can hand out מלקות and

remove the חיוב כרת

R. Yakov Beirav had 25 of his Talmidim appoint him as a Musmach.

This was based on the Rambam on the first Mishna in Sanhedrin

and also in the Yad, Hl Sanhedrin (4:11) 

" If all the Chachamim in Eretz Yisroel will agree to appoint

Dayanim and give them Semicha then they are Semuchim."

R. Yakov Beirav. held that since most of the Gedolim were living in Tzfat 

at that time, therefore, they are the ones who were qualified 

to give Semicha.

R. Yakov Beirav. gave Semicha to 4 of his Talmidim one of them was the Bais Yosef (R. Yosef Karo)

*Not to be confused with what is commonly known today as Semicha,

which is only in memory of the original Semicha but the true term

is Hatoros Horaha (permission to give a Psak) Whereas Semicha

allows the Bais Din to hand out קנסות& מלקות etc.

**  כריתות ב ע"א --מגדף - עובד ע"ז

Who Am I ?

אם בעצם ידוע

עצם ידוע

אז גם ידוע

חיה ששמה ידוע

The Gemoro (Sanhedrin 65b) explains the practice of  ידעוני . You place a

 bone from an animal called  ידוע in the mouth etc.  Some people incorrectly

translate  עצם ידוע a known bone . The true translation is a bone from an

animal called ידוע.

The same mistake,those who translate incorrectly Rashi(Devarim 18:11)

חיה ששמה ידוע    an animal that its name is known. The true translation

is, an animal whose name is ידוע.

אם בעצם ידוע

                                                                If it is actually known (If you know the translation)

עצם ידוע

                                                                                          of Etzem Yadua (Gemoro Sanhedrin)

אז גם ידוע

                                                     Then it will also be known (You will also know translation)

חיה ששמה ידוע

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     of Chaya Sheshmo Yadua (Rashi)

If you know the translation of Yaduah in the Gemoro(Sanhedrin)  then you will also know the  translation of Yaduah           in Rashi(Shoftim) {  both are names of the animal }