Gemara Clarity

Sanhedrin 106a

סנהדרין ק״ו ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 106a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sanhedrin 106a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

בלעם's 'blessing' and prophecies, his evil advice that led ישראל to sin at בעל פעור, and his downfall and death.

Overview

This amud starts in the middle of a comparison. אחיה השילוני's 'curse' compared ישראל to a reed, and בלעם's 'blessing' compared them to a cedar. The reed bends with the wind and survives, while the cedar is torn out by one southern wind, so the 'curse' was really better. The גמרא then explains more of בלעם's prophecy. It teaches the fates of פרעה's three advisors, בלעם, איוב, and יתרו, and gives two readings of 'אוי מי יחיה' and a reading of the ships from כתים. Next it describes בלעם's evil advice to בלק: the linen-selling booths, the wine, and the trap that led ישראל to worship בעל פעור. רבי אליעזר and רבי יהושע argue over the meaning of the names שטים, ותקראן, and רפידים. רבי יוחנן teaches that 'וישב' always signals coming trouble. The amud ends with בלעם's death: he came to collect payment for the 24,000 who died, and he fell from נביא to קוסם.

Opening lines

מַחְלִיף, וְשׇׁרָשָׁיו מְרוּבִּין.

[its trunk] grows back, and its roots are many.

וַאֲפִילּוּ כׇּל רוּחוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם

And even if all the winds in the world

בָּאוֹת וְנוֹשְׁבוֹת בּוֹ,

come and blow against it,

אֵין מְזִיזוֹת אוֹתוֹ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ,

they do not move it from its place,

The steps (28)

  1. StatementThe reed bends but survives
  2. StatementThe cedar looks strong but falls
  3. StatementThe reed becomes the quill for holy books
  4. Statementבלעם mocks יתרו the קיני
  5. ProofThe three advisors of פרעה and their fates
  6. ProofProof that יתרו's descendants were scribes
  7. StatementWoe to the one who lives off God's name
  8. StatementWoe to the nation that blocks God's redemption
  9. StatementThe ships from כתים are a Roman army
  10. StatementKilling until אשור, enslaving afterward
  11. ChallengeWhy did בלעם reverse the wording?
  12. ResolutionSaying a curse about someone else
  13. Statementבלעם's plan: linen and immorality
  14. StatementThe booths are set up and the bargain prices draw people in
  15. StatementFriendliness and wine break down his guard
  16. StatementThe demand to worship פעור and deny the Torah
  17. StatementWhat does the name שטים mean?
  18. StatementWhat does 'they called the people' mean?
  19. QuestionWhat does the name רפידים mean?
  20. Responseרפידים: just a name, or slacking off from תורה?
  21. Statementרבי יוחנן: 'and he dwelt' always signals trouble
  22. ProofMore proofs: יעקב, ישראל in גושן, and the days of שלמה
  23. QuestionWhy was בלעם in the war with מדין?
  24. Responseבלעם came to collect his fee
  25. StatementThe camel that lost its ears
  26. ChallengeWhy is בלעם called a diviner if he was a prophet?
  27. ResolutionHe started as a prophet and ended as a diviner
  28. StatementA folk saying about falling from greatness