Sanhedrin 108a

סנהדרין ק״ח ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 108a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sanhedrin 108a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The end of the משנה on groups who lose עולם הבא, and the גמרא's long discussion of דור המבול and נח.

Overview

The amud opens at the end of the משנה's list of groups who lose עולם הבא. רבי נחמיה says אנשי סדום, like דור המבול, will not even stand in judgment, and the חכמים answer that אנשי סדום will stand, among the wicked. The משנה then lists the מרגלים, and for דור המדבר and עדת קרח רבי עקיבא and רבי אליעזר disagree about whether they have a future. The גמרא then focuses on דור המבול: whether they will live again or be judged, and how too much blessing made them proud and led them to reject God. Several teachings show that their punishment by water matched their sin, and that robbery is what finally sealed their fate, even for נח, who was saved only because he found favor. The גמרא brings opinions on the word וַיִּנָּחֶם and on whether נח was great only compared to his generation, each with a משל. It explains why the animals died but the fish did not. It ends with נח warning his generation to do תשובה, and their mocking question about what was holding the flood back.

Opening lines

The steps (40)

1. Statementרבי נחמיה reads the פסוק as covering both דור המבול and אנשי סדום
2. RejectionThe חכמים answer that they stand only among the wicked
3. StatementThe מרגלים lose their share in עולם הבא
4. Statementרבי עקיבא: דור המדבר loses its share
5. Statementרבי אליעזר: דור המדבר are God's pious ones
6. Statementרבי עקיבא: עדת קרח will not rise again
7. Statementרבי אליעזר: God brings עדת קרח back up
8. Statementדור המבול has no share in עולם הבא
9. StatementThey will not live again or even be judged
10. StatementA second reading: their souls will not return to their bodies
11. StatementTheir own souls will burn them
12. StatementTheir arrogance came from too much goodness
13. ProofVerses describing their easy, wealthy life
14. StatementTheir wealth led them to reject God
15. ConclusionPunished with the very goodness they abused
16. StatementSinned with the eye, punished with water
17. StatementSinned with 'great,' punished with 'great'
18. StatementThree flood springs still exist
19. StatementMixing species before the flood
20. StatementEveryone returned to normal except one bird
21. StatementRobbery is what sealed their sentence
22. ProofA second פסוק about the power of robbery
23. StatementRobbery stands up like a rod and accuses the generation
24. StatementEven נח's sentence was sealed
25. Statementנח was condemned but saved by finding favor
26. Statementרב דימי‎: ה׳ was glad He prepared graves
27. QuestionHow do we know the word is positive?
28. ResponseComparing to יוסף comforting his brothers
29. StatementOther opinion: ה׳ regretted preparing graves
30. Statementרבי יוחנן: נח was righteous only compared to his generation
31. Statementריש לקיש: נח would be even greater in other generations
32. Statementרבי חנינא's parable for רבי יוחנן: wine among vinegar
33. Statementרבי אושעיא's parable for ריש לקיש: perfume in a filthy place
34. QuestionWhy were the animals destroyed in the flood?
35. Responseרבי יהושע בן קרחה's parable: the wedding canopy
36. StatementOnly creatures on dry land died, not the fish
37. Statementנח warns his generation: floating bodies and a lasting curse
38. StatementThe end of the פסוק: they cleared a path through vineyards
39. QuestionThe people ask נח what is holding the flood back
40. Responseנח answers: one dove must first be taken out