Gemara Clarity

Makkos 9a

מכות ט׳ ע״א

Makkot 9a

Learn Makkos 9a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Makkos 9a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The גר תושב and גלות, and whether one who thought killing was permitted (אומר מותר) is close to מזיד or אנוס

Overview

The amud opens by finishing an earlier answer: a blow that caused less than a פרוטה of damage brings מלקות, since there is no money to pay. On this view we do not compare hitting to cursing. Next the גמרא asks about the גר תושב in the משנה. רב כהנא explains that he goes to גלות for killing another גר תושב, but not for killing a Jew. The same split settles two פסוקים about the ערי מקלט. A ברייתא then seems to say a גר תושב is always executed, like a non-Jew. רב חסדא answers by contrasting a downward motion with an upward one, but רבא rejects this with a קל וחומר. רבא instead says the ברייתא is about אומר מותר, which he treats as close to מזיד, while רב חסדא calls it אנוס. Each side then brings proofs from the story of אבימלך and שרה, and the answer to אביי's challenge continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ שָׁוֶה פְּרוּטָה.

that does not have the value of a peruta.

דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אַמֵּי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן:

As Rabbi Ami said that Rabbi Yochanan said:

הִכָּהוּ הַכָּאָה

If he struck him a blow

שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ שָׁוֶה פְּרוּטָה – לוֹקֶה.

that does not have the value of a peruta, he is flogged.

The steps (19)

  1. ResolutionA blow worth less than a פרוטה brings מלקות
  2. ConclusionHitting is not compared to cursing
  3. StatementThe משנה seems to treat a גר תושב like a non-Jew
  4. ChallengeThe סיפא says a גר תושב goes to גלות
  5. ResolutionIt depends on whom he killed
  6. ChallengeTwo פסוקים about ערי מקלט seem to disagree
  7. ResolutionThe same split settles the פסוקים
  8. ChallengeA ברייתא seems to say a גר תושב is always put to death
  9. Resolutionרב חסדא: downward motion versus upward motion
  10. Challengeרבא: the reasoning should run the other way
  11. Resolutionרבא's own answer: he thought it was allowed
  12. Challengeאביי: someone who thought it was allowed is not at fault
  13. Resolutionרבא: thinking it is allowed is close to doing it on purpose
  14. Conclusionרבא and רב חסדא follow their usual views
  15. Challengeרבא challenges רב חסדא from the death decree on אבימלך
  16. ResolutionThe death was by Heaven, not by a court
  17. RejectionThe proof from 'against Me' fails, as יוסף's פסוק shows
  18. Challengeאביי challenges רבא from אבימלך's protest
  19. ResolutionGod's reply rejects אבימלך's claim of innocence