How to assess the damage that the conspiring witnesses would have caused if they hadn't been determined to be conspiring: especially with monetary cases, such as the value of a ketubah, for example. But if he were to have died, he'd only have lost the value of the ketubah, without having to pay it out. So the risk of her having been widowed becomes part of the equation - including whether someone might have been willing to buy out the ketubah. Likewise, a case where the person they're testifying against has done the thing they're testifying about - and in that case, how much damage have they caused him? Also, a caveat about whether a loan is made with a promissory note - and how the default 30 days before asking for your money back kicks in only with a formal IOU. Plus, a concern about opening a collar on a shirt - and how that would be a violation of Shabbat, in contrast to removing the stopper from a wine barrel.

An introduction to the tractate Makkot, and to chapter 1: lashes as punishment for middle-level transgressions. Also, conspiring witnesses who cannot be given the judgment they sought to enact against the person they testified again, so that lashes take that place. So the Gemara explains that the mishnah's expectation for the result of the testimony is upended - though in some cases, the witnesses would be selected via the proper channels, as applied.

More on the idolatrous city - specifically, how to handle the sacred scrolls that cannot be burned (namely, bury them). How little prevents an ir ha-nidachat from being judged as such? Also, recognizing that the place of the destroyed city cannot be rebuilt as a city, can it be converted to gardens or orchards? A clear machloket! Plus, a detour into the question of Jericho, and also Achav. Also, who are the wicked referred to in the last mishnah? Thievery. Wickedness leading to anger - and God's anger. With a strong finish with an eye to redemption, when righteous people come to the world, which leads to joy in the world too.

More on the city of idolaters... Including how to determine how at least half of the city was involved, and the process by which each was put to death in an expeditious way. Also, what does it mean to destroy everything in a city when some of those things are not supposed to be destroyed ever?! Namely, consecrated property, and more. Of course, there's a machloket.

A story of an old man in Egypt who recounted what his ancestors had done to the Israelite ancestors, which leads to a presentation of Moshe's questioning God, who is then presented as a tad frustrated about that attitude - in contrast to the more accepting approach of the patriarchs. Also, a new, and final, mishnah! With the details of a city of idolaters - an "ir ha-nidachat." Including how the holy things of the city should be handled when the rest of it is being destroyed. And also what can be done in that area after the city itself has been destroyed.

The sin of Korach (who didn't have a portion in the World to Come)... including a focus (and blame) on the wife of Korach and the wife of On (who names Korach and his followers as holy people, and then entices them). Plus, a discussion of the power of the Leviim and Kohanim, and the famous dispute over techelet on a garment. These interpretations are midrashim that build out the biblical text. Also, a new mishnah about the exile of the 10 Tribes, Rabbi Akiva uncharacteristically maintains that they will never return, and various others disagree with him as to their capacity for return.

[Who's Who: Nachum Ish Gamzu] (He turned dirt into gold, after all!). The generation of the Tower of Bavel - and what they did so wrong that they lost their portion in the World to Come. Namely, what did they do in building that tower?! War? Idolatry? And the people of Sodom, and their terrible behavior that lost them their portion in the World to Come - specifically, how they became so inhospitable. Plus, how far they went in punishing those who were in the least bit charitable.

A new mishnah - it's very long - listing the groups of people who have no share in the World to Come. Such as, the generation of the flood (those who were not saved in Noah's ark). Likewise, the spies of the Book of Numbers. And many others. Where the biblical texts about each of these groups intimate that they are punished in the next world, and/or losing the World to Come. Plus, an investigation into the animals that Noah brought into the ark - 7 kosher animals and 2 non-kosher animals, "husband and wife." Including concerns about cross-breeding among the animals. With the ark itself perhaps determining which animals were worthy of joining the rescue.

A long discussion of the sins of King David... and yes, it's a long list. Largely, and perhaps unsurprisingly, related to issues of lust. (In contrast to other interpretations by the sages that he did not sin at all - in the same events). Also, Yehoshua ben Perahiah and his student Jesus - and their sojourn in Egypt (and travels back), when King Yannai was killing sages.

More on Balaam, and how was truly just so wicked, at least in the rabbinic literature. How bad was he in the Torah? Plus, he was a true prophet, regardless of the fact that he was wicked. The Gemara than describes just how wicked Balaam was, according to his ideas to entrap Jews and turn them from worship of God -- into the defecation worship of the Baal-Peor. Plus, how young Balaam was at his death, and why. Also, shifting focus to Do'eg Ha-Edomi, from the book of Samuel - a bit of an enemy of King David. Where God seems more willing to let Do'eg have a future and moments of not-wickedness than David himself. He seems to have known some Torah, in any case. But what he did that was so bad seems to be worked into the biblical narrative about him.