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Sanhedrin 104a

סנהדרין ק״ד ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 104a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The powers of לגימה, why some wicked kings are left out of the משנה, חזקיהו and the Babylonian messengers, and the opening פסוק of איכה

Overview

This amud finishes רבי יוחנן's list of the five powers of לגימה, the food given to guests. Each power has a source: עמון and מואב, יתרו, מיכה, the colleague of עדו הנביא, and יהונתן failing to give דוד bread. The גמרא then asks why the משנה leaves the wicked kings אחז, אמון and יהויקים off the list of those with no share in עולם הבא. It teaches that a righteous son brings merit to his father, but a father cannot save his son. It also tells the story of יהויקים's skull, which was burned. Next comes a ברייתא showing how חזקיהו's self-praise led to non-Jews eating at his table and to the exile of his children. The גמרא then gives three views of what חזקיהו showed the Babylonian messengers. Finally, it explains the opening פסוק of איכה phrase by phrase. The amud ends as a story about two captives on הר הכרמל begins, and the story continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

מֵעַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב.

From Ammon and Moab.

וּמְקָרֶבֶת אֶת הָרְחוֹקִים –

And it draws near the distant –

מִיִּתְרוֹ,

from Yitro,

דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן:

as Rabbi Yochanan says:

The steps (33)

  1. ProofHospitality pushes away the near: the source is עמון and מואב
  2. ProofHospitality brings close the distant: the source is יתרו
  3. ProofProving from the פסוקים that יתרו's descendants were scribes
  4. ProofHospitality makes Heaven look away from the wicked: the source is מיכה
  5. ProofHospitality brings the שכינה even onto a false prophet
  6. ProofThe fifth power: a careless mistake about food counts as deliberate
  7. QuestionWhy is אחז not listed?
  8. Responseאחז sits between two righteous kings
  9. Responseאחז felt ashamed before ישעיהו
  10. ResponseWhat does 'כובס' mean?
  11. QuestionWhy is אמון not listed?
  12. ResponseBecause of the honor of his son יאשיהו
  13. ChallengeThen מנשה should be left out too
  14. ResolutionA son brings merit to his father, not the other way around
  15. ConclusionSo אחז is left out because of his son חזקיהו
  16. QuestionWhy is יהויקים not listed?
  17. Response'This and yet another' written on his skull
  18. ProofThe skull that would not stay buried
  19. ProofThe grandfather realizes the skull belongs to יהויקים
  20. ProofThe skull is honored, and then burned by mistake
  21. ConclusionThis explains 'this and yet another'
  22. StatementHow חזקיהו's self-praise led to his children's exile
  23. ProofThis supports the sage חזקיה's teaching about hosting non-Jews
  24. QuestionWhat did חזקיהו show the messengers?
  25. Responseרב: His wife served them drinks
  26. Responseשמואל and רבי יוחנן: His treasury, or a powerful weapon
  27. StatementWhy the destruction is mourned with the word 'איכה'
  28. StatementWhy איכה is written in alphabetical order
  29. Statement'Sitting alone': a blessing turned into a punishment
  30. Statement'The city full of people': marriages for many children
  31. Statement'Like a widow': only a temporary separation
  32. Statement'Princess among the provinces': Jews rise wherever they go
  33. StatementA ברייתא begins: two captives on הר הכרמל