Gemara Clarity

Sanhedrin 102a

סנהדרין ק״ב ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 102a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sanhedrin 102a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

ירבעם's sins, his rise and refusal to repent, and the lasting effect of the golden calf

Overview

The גמרא continues the story of ירבעם. Even the נביא אחיה השילוני signed on to ירבעם's rule, and the גמרא brings פסוקים showing that the righteous king יהוא still kept ירבעם's sins. אביי and רבא give two reasons why: אביי blames יהוא's own words, and רבא blames אחיה's signature. רבי יוחנן teaches that ירבעם's people threatened death to anyone who went up to ירושלים for the רגל. The גמרא then explains the פסוק of ירבעם meeting אחיה השילוני. It brings רבי יוסי's teaching about times and places set aside for disaster, and it praises ירבעם's early greatness in תורה. רבי חנינא בר פפא teaches that enjoying the world without a ברכה is like robbing ה׳ and כנסת ישראל, which makes a person a partner of ירבעם. The גמרא then discusses the golden calf and how its punishment lasts for generations. Finally, ירבעם refuses ה׳'s offer of תשובה because דוד would walk ahead of him, and a story about רבי אבהו begins that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְאַף אֲחִיָּה הַשִּׁילוֹנִי

And even Achiya the Shilonite

טָעָה וְחָתַם,

erred and signed.

דְּהָא יֵהוּא צַדִּיקָא רַבָּה הֲוָה,

For Yehu was a very righteous man,

שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ אֶל יֵהוּא

as it is stated: 'And ה׳ said to Yehu:

The steps (32)

  1. StatementEven אחיה השילוני made a mistake and signed
  2. ProofProof: righteous יהוא still followed ירבעם's sins
  3. QuestionWhat made Yehu sin?
  4. Responseאביי: words spoken out loud have power
  5. Responseרבא: יהוא saw אחיה's signature and was misled
  6. StatementYeravam's decree was harsher than God's command
  7. Statement'At that time' means a time set aside for disaster
  8. StatementMore times set aside for trouble, and one set aside for good
  9. Statementשכם is a place set aside for trouble
  10. Statementירבעם left Jerusalem's destiny
  11. QuestionWhat does 'a new garment' mean?
  12. Responseירבעם's Torah was flawless like a new garment
  13. ResponseThey came up with brand-new Torah ideas
  14. QuestionWhat does 'the two were alone in the field' mean?
  15. ResponseEveryone else was like grass next to them
  16. ResponseThe Torah's reasons were open to them like a field
  17. StatementA בת קול rebukes the people for sending away דוד's sons
  18. StatementEnjoying without a ברכה is like stealing
  19. ProofProving who the 'father' and 'mother' are
  20. QuestionWho is the 'destroyer'?
  21. ResponseThe destroyer is ירבעם בן נבט
  22. Statementירבעם pushed Israel away like one stick knocking another
  23. Statementמשה blames the gold for the golden calf
  24. ProofThe parable of the lion and the basket of meat
  25. Statementירבעם added more calves to Israel's burden
  26. StatementEvery punishment carries a tiny piece of the golden calf
  27. ProofProof: ה׳ said He would punish the calf 'on the day I punish'
  28. StatementThe golden calf's debt was collected after twenty-four generations
  29. ProofProof from יחזקאל: 'Those in charge of the city, draw near'
  30. QuestionWhat does 'after this matter' refer to?
  31. Responseה׳ offers ירבעם גן עדן, but ירבעם refuses to walk behind דוד
  32. Statementרבי אבהו stops lecturing about the three kings after falling ill