Gemara Clarity

Sanhedrin 101b

סנהדרין ק״א ע״ב

Learn Sanhedrin 101b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sanhedrin 101b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

מנשה and the value of suffering, אבא שאול on saying ה׳'s Name, and how ירבעם's arrogance led him to the golden calves and cost him עולם הבא.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing רבי עקיבא's proof that suffering is precious. חזקיה taught Torah to the whole world and surely taught his son מנשה, yet only suffering brought מנשה back to ה׳. A ברייתא then lists three who came to ה׳ with a demand: קין, עשו and מנשה. The גמרא returns to the משנה and explains אבא שאול's ruling: one who says ה׳'s Name as written, outside the מקדש and in casual speech, loses עולם הבא. Next it turns to the kings who lose עולם הבא, starting with ירבעם. It explains his name and his father נבט's names, and lists three who 'looked but did not see': נבט, אחיתופל and פרעה's astrologers. A פסוק proves ירבעם loses עולם הבא. רבי יוחנן and רב נחמן explain how he rose by rebuking שלמה and fell through public disrespect and arrogance. Fearing he would look like רחבעם's servant in the עזרה, ירבעם made two golden calves. He tricked the elders into agreeing by seating a wicked man next to each righteous one.

Opening lines

״גַּם אֵלֶּה מִשְׁלֵי שְׁלֹמֹה

"These too are the proverbs of Solomon

אֲשֶׁר הֶעְתִּיקוּ אַנְשֵׁי חִזְקִיָּה

which the men of Hezekiah copied,

מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה״.

king of Judah."

וְכִי חִזְקִיָּה מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה

And is it possible that Hezekiah, king of Judah,

The steps (27)

  1. StatementA verse showing that חזקיה spread Torah widely
  2. ChallengeWould חזקיה teach the world but not his own son?
  3. ResolutionOnly suffering turned מנשה around
  4. ProofIn his distress מנשה prayed and was answered
  5. ConclusionConclusion: suffering is precious
  6. StatementThree who came with a demand, starting with קין
  7. Statementעשו's demand for a blessing
  8. Statementמנשה's demand: calling to ה׳ last
  9. StatementBack to the משנה: אבא שאול on saying ה׳'s Name
  10. StatementWhen saying the Name is so serious
  11. StatementWhat the names ירבעם and בן נבט mean
  12. Statementנבט, מיכה and שבע בן בכרי are one person
  13. StatementThree who looked but did not see
  14. StatementWhat נבט saw and how he misread it
  15. Statementאחיתופל's misread sign
  16. Statementפרעה's astrologers and מי מריבה
  17. QuestionAsking for the source that ירבעם loses עולם הבא
  18. ResponseThe פסוק shows ירבעם is destroyed in both worlds
  19. StatementWhy ירבעם rose to kingship and why he was punished
  20. QuestionWhat does 'he raised a hand against the king' mean?
  21. ResponseHe took off his תפילין in front of שלמה
  22. Statementירבעם's arrogance drove him out of עולם הבא
  23. Statementירבעם's fear: only kings of יהודה may sit in the עזרה
  24. StatementSo ירבעם made two golden calves
  25. QuestionWhat does 'took counsel' mean?
  26. ResponseHe seated a wicked man next to a righteous man
  27. Statementירבעם tricks the elders step by step