Daf: Nedarim 54-59

54b
See the Maharsha in his Chiddushei Aggadot; he suggests that Gd didn’t provide “dagah” to the Jews in the desert because of Abbaye’s point here. Obviously, this is counter to the normal explanation re: pregnancy.

55a
Here we see Rava going to Rav Yosef to appease him on Erev Yom Kippur. For another interesting account of the Erev Yom Kippur mechilah phenomenon (which did not turn out so well!), see the story of Rav and the butcher, on Yoma 87a.

55b
Here we talk about animals as being “non-gidulei karka” “not growing from the ground.” This is actually not so simple; see, for example, Eruvin 27b, and the Meiri to Succah 11a on using animal hide for schach.

Regarding wearing rain-gear outside the Eruv when there is no rain, see the Rosh 55b yotzim b’sakim.

56b
The encounter of Yehoshua and the Malach pre-Yericho is actually rather problematic, not in terms of our gemara but in terms of the classic gemara (Megilah 3a) on this story, which says that Yehoshua is being reprimanded for failing to study Torah. That gemara proves its point by showing that Yehoshua "immediately (מיד)" went to study Torah – but the Torah study pasuk is actually long after the war with Yericho (8:13)!

See also Ralbag to Yehoshua 5:13, with another, fascinating explanation of Yehoshua being “in Yericho” at this point.

57a
Make sure to see Ran vs. Rosh on the key word “eilu” at the beginning.

Note the Ran on gidulei gidulei gidulin

58a
Note the Ran vs the Rosh on meduchanin. I find the Rosh’s approach easier to understand, especially as the gemara continues.

59a
Here, again, we find the issue of considering a Neder as a Davar sheyesh lo matirin. This passage seems extremely difficult for the Meiri we mentioned here, who says that a Davar sheyesh lo matirin must be guaranteed to become mutar.