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Sanhedrin 107b

סנהדרין ק״ז ע״ב

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

Open Sanhedrin 107b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

דוד's forgiveness, the stories of גחזי and יהושע בן פרחיה with the lesson of not pushing away with both hands, and the משנה on generations with no share in עולם הבא.

Overview

This amud opens by finishing a proof that דוד had צרעת for six months, and then tells how his forgiveness became public. When שלמה brought the ארון into the בית המקדש, the gates stayed shut until he mentioned דוד's kindnesses. The גמרא then turns to גחזי, one of the people the משנה says has no share in עולם הבא. אלישע tried to bring him back to תשובה, but גחזי said that one who causes the many to sin is not given the chance to repent. The גמרא offers three opinions about what he did, and tells how he took נעמן's gifts and was struck with צרעת. A ברייתא teaches that the left hand should push away while the right hand draws close. The story of יהושע בן פרחיה and ישו shows what happens when this is not followed. After a list of 'firsts' (old age with אברהם, illness with יעקב, recovery with אלישע), a new משנה begins about דור המבול, דור הפלגה and אנשי סדום losing עולם הבא. It ends with רבי נחמיה's disagreement, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

״בְּחֶבְרוֹן מָלַךְ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים

"In Hebron he reigned seven years

וּבִירוּשָׁלִַים מָלַךְ שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים״,

and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years"

וּכְתִיב: ״בְּחֶבְרוֹן מָלַךְ עַל יְהוּדָה

And it is written: "In Hebron he reigned over Judah

שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים וְשִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים וְגוֹ׳״,

seven years and six months, etc."

The steps (31)

  1. ProofSix months missing from דוד's reign show he had צרעת
  2. Statementדוד asks forgiveness and is forgiven
  3. Statementדוד asks for a public sign, which is promised for שלמה's time
  4. StatementThe בית המקדש gates stay shut despite שלמה's prayers
  5. ConclusionMentioning דוד opens the gates and shows he was forgiven
  6. Statementאלישע goes to דמשק to bring גחזי back
  7. Statementגחזי explains why he cannot repent
  8. QuestionWhat did גחזי do to make others sin?
  9. ResponseFirst answer: a magnet made ירבעם's calf float
  10. ResponseSecond answer: the idol spoke words of the עשרת הדברות
  11. ResponseThird answer: גחזי pushed students away from אלישע
  12. StatementPush away with the left, draw close with the right
  13. StatementThe פסוקים about גחזי taking נעמן's gift
  14. ChallengeDid גחזי really take all those things?
  15. Resolutionרבי יצחק tells the full story of נעמן's healing
  16. Resolutionגחזי's reward for the eight שרצים and his punishment
  17. StatementThe four מצורעים were גחזי and his sons
  18. QuestionWhat was the story with יהושע בן פרחיה?
  19. Responseיהושע בן פרחיה flees to אלכסנדריא and is called back
  20. ResponseThe remark at the inn and the נידוי
  21. ResponseThe misread hand signal
  22. ResponseToo late to come back
  23. StatementLeft hand pushes, right hand draws close
  24. StatementThe three illnesses of אלישע
  25. StatementBefore אברהם there was no visible old age
  26. StatementBefore יעקב there was no illness
  27. StatementBefore אלישע no sick person ever recovered
  28. Statementדור המבול has no share in עולם הבא and will not stand in judgment
  29. Statementדור הפלגה has no share in עולם הבא
  30. Statementאנשי סדום have no share in עולם הבא but will stand in judgment
  31. Statementרבי נחמיה: neither group stands in judgment