Makkos 12a

מכות י״ב ע״א

Makkot 12a

Learn Makkos 12a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The errors of יואב and of שרו של רומי, and the laws of the עיר מקלט: burial, outskirts, the גואל הדם, and a tree on the boundary

Overview

The amud opens by showing that both views on whether a disqualified כהן's כהונה is 'dead' or 'voided' can fit רבי יהושע. Then רב lists the mistakes יואב made when he grabbed the מזבח for safety, and אביי adds one more. ריש לקיש describes three mistakes the שרו של רומי will make when he seeks refuge in בצרה. Back in the משנה, רבי אבהו teaches that the ערי מקלט are not used for burial, except for the רוצח himself. The outskirts protect the רוצח, but he must live inside the city, and he may not even live in tunnels under the outskirts. The גמרא then discusses the רוצח who leaves the תחום. רבי יוסי הגלילי and רבי עקיבא argue whether killing him is a מצוה or only רשות for the גואל הדם, and רב follows רבי אליעזר that he may not be killed before a trial. Next the גמרא asks whether leaving the city by accident still exposes him, and whether a son can be the גואל הדם against his father. A new משנה rules that a tree on the boundary follows its branches. The גמרא compares this to מעשר שני, and רב כהנא's answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (37)

1. RejectionBoth views fit רבי יהושע, not a split between the two sages
2. ResolutionHow the 'voided' view also fits רבי יהושע
3. Statementרב: יואב made two mistakes when he fled to the מזבח
4. StatementThe two mistakes: the corners instead of the top, and שילה instead of the בית המקדש
5. Statementאביי: יואב also erred because he was not a כהן
6. Statementריש לקיש: the שרו של רומי will make three mistakes
7. StatementThe three mistakes: wrong city, wrong kind of killer, wrong kind of being
8. StatementCities of refuge are for living, not for burial
9. ChallengeChallenge: the משנה says the killer is buried there
10. ResolutionThe killer is a special case
11. ChallengeContradiction: does the outskirts protect or not?
12. ResolutionProtection versus living there
13. ChallengeWhy do we need a rule about living there?
14. ResolutionThe rule is needed for tunnels
15. Statementרבי יוסי הגלילי: a מצוה for the גואל הדם
16. Statementרבי עקיבא: only permission, and others are liable
17. QuestionWhat is the source for רבי יוסי הגלילי's view?
18. ResponseThe verse says he kills, not if he kills
19. Responseרבי עקיבא: the verse does not say he shall kill
20. Statementרב: the blood-redeemer is executed
21. Challengeרב's ruling matches neither opinion
22. Resolutionרב follows רבי אליעזר: no killing before trial
23. QuestionWhat do the other sages learn from this verse?
24. ResponseA court that witnessed the killing cannot judge it
25. StatementEven leaving the city by accident lets the avenger kill
26. ChallengeA different ברייתא says killing him is punished
27. ResolutionThe two ברייתות argue about reading doubled words
28. Statementאביי: the punishment for leaving should not be harsher than the original
29. ChallengeTwo ברייתות disagree: can a son be the avenger against his father?
30. ResolutionLinking the two ברייתות to רבי יוסי הגלילי and רבי עקיבא
31. RejectionA son may never act against his father, so the suggestion fails
32. ResolutionOne teaching is about a son, the other about a grandson
33. StatementA tree on the edge of the boundary follows its branches
34. ChallengeA different teaching splits the tree at the wall
35. ResolutionTithe and refuge cities follow different rules
36. ChallengeA contradiction between two sources on tithe
37. ResolutionTwo sources, two different תנאים