Sanhedrin 107a

סנהדרין ק״ז ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 107a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sanhedrin 107a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

דוד's נסיון with בת שבע: his failure, his prayers in תהלים, and his forgiveness through יסורין

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a פסוק about אחיתופל. Then רב יהודה in the name of רב teaches that a person should never bring himself into a נסיון, because דוד asked God to test him and failed. The גמרא tells how the test with בת שבע happened: דוד's plan to calm his desire backfired, and the שטן, disguised as a bird, caused him to see her. רבא then brings a series of פסוקים from תהלים as דוד's own words about the sin: his regret, his plea for forgiveness, the idea that בת שבע was meant for him from creation but taken too early, and his reply to mockers that public shaming is worse than his sin. רב יהודה adds that דוד once wanted to serve עבודה זרה while fleeing אבשלום, and חושי talked him out of it using the סמוכין of יפת תואר and בן סורר ומורה. רבי דוסתאי describes דוד bargaining for forgiveness step by step. He is forgiven, but his sin must stay written in the תנ"ך, and full atonement comes only through יסורין. The amud ends with רב's teaching that דוד suffered six months of צרעת, lost the שכינה, and was avoided by the סנהדרין. The proof of the six months continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (40)

1. ProofFinishing the verse about the one who ate my bread
2. StatementNever bring yourself into a test
3. Questionדוד asks why God is not called the God of דוד
4. ResponseGod answers: they were tested and you were not
5. Statementדוד asks to be tested
6. ResponseGod agrees and even tells דוד what the test will be
7. ProofRight away, דוד rises from his bed
8. Statementדוד's plan backfired: feeding desire makes it hungrier
9. StatementThe שטן appears as a bird and דוד sees בת שבע
10. Statementדוד falls immediately
11. ProofA פסוק in תהלים describes this test
12. Statementדוד regrets asking to be tested
13. StatementDon't let them say a bird brought down the mountain
14. Statementדוד could have controlled himself, but God's words had to come true
15. Statementבת שבע was meant for דוד from Creation
16. ProofThe school of רבי ישמעאל says the same: he took the fruit unripe
17. Statementדוד's enemies tore at him, but he had no blood left
18. StatementShaming someone in public is worse than דוד's sin
19. StatementEven while sick, דוד kept his marital duties
20. Statementדוד once wanted to worship idols
21. ProofProof that ראש means an idol
22. Challengeחושי challenges דוד for wanting to serve idols
23. Resolutionדוד explains that idol worship is better than public חילול השם
24. Questionחושי asks why דוד married a יפת תואר
25. Responseדוד answers that the תורה permits a יפת תואר
26. RejectionThe סמוכין: a יפת תואר leads to a בן סורר ומורה
27. Statementרבי דוסתאי compares דוד to a bargaining merchant
28. Proofדוד asks forgiveness step by step and is forgiven
29. Statementדוד asks that his sin not be written, and is refused
30. Proofקל וחומר from the יוד taken from שרי
31. Statementדוד asks to be forgiven for the entire sin
32. RejectionGod refuses, quoting שלמה's verse about fire and coals
33. Challengeדוד asks whether he is lost forever
34. ResolutionThe solution: accept suffering, and דוד accepts
35. Statementרב: six months of צרעת, losing the שכינה, and the סנהדרין's distance
36. ProofProof that דוד had צרעת
37. ProofProof that the שכינה left דוד
38. ProofProof that the סנהדרין stayed away from דוד
39. QuestionWhere do we know it was six months?
40. ResponseThe answer begins: דוד reigned forty years