Gemara Clarity

Sanhedrin 113a

סנהדרין קי״ג ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 113a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sanhedrin 113a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Laws of the עיר הנדחת (tithe, holy writings, rebuilding, trees), the curse on rebuilding יריחו, and אליהו and the key to rain

Overview

The גמרא first asks why the מעשר שני of an עיר הנדחת must be hidden away instead of redeemed. It explains this with רבא's rule that the walls of ירושלים 'absorb' the tithe only by rabbinic law, and only while the walls are standing. Next it notes that the משנה's rule about holy writings does not follow רבי אליעזר, who holds that a city with even one מזוזה cannot become an עיר הנדחת. The גמרא suggests that the argument over turning the ruined city into gardens depends on רבי אבין's rule. It rejects that suggestion and says the real argument is over the word ״עוד״. A ברייתא about trees then leads to יריחו, which may never be rebuilt under any name. The story of חיאל, who lost all his sons for rebuilding it, follows. אחאב mocks the curse, so אליהו stops the rain and receives its key. Later he has to give the key back to ה׳ in exchange for the key to תחיית המתים. The amud ends as רבי יוסי begins a teaching about אליהו that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְלִיפְרְקֵיהּ,

And let him redeem it,

דִּתְנַן:

as we learned in a mishnah:

הַלָּקוּחַ בְּכֶסֶף מַעֲשֵׂר שֶׁנִּטְמָא –

an item bought with second-tithe money that became impure

יִפָּדֶה.

shall be redeemed.

The steps (32)

  1. ChallengeWhy not redeem the impure tithe?
  2. ResolutionThe משנה follows רבי יהודה
  3. ChallengeThen why mention the idolatrous city?
  4. ResolutionNew case: pure tithe, and the walls fell
  5. Statementרבא's rule about the walls of Jerusalem
  6. StatementHoly writings are hidden away, against רבי אליעזר
  7. Proofרבי אליעזר: one מזוזה saves the city
  8. QuestionIs the משנה's dispute based on רבי אבין's rule?
  9. Statementרבי אבין's rule: positive general, negative detail
  10. QuestionSpelling out the suggested dispute
  11. RejectionEveryone accepts רבי אבין; they argue over the word ״עוד״
  12. StatementTrees in an עיר הנדחת and in 'another city'
  13. QuestionWhich city is 'another city'?
  14. Responseרב חסדא: it is יריחו
  15. Statementיריחו may not be rebuilt under any name
  16. StatementWhat חיאל should have learned from his sons' deaths
  17. QuestionWho is wicked and what does the ברייתא mean?
  18. ResponseThe wicked one is חיאל, who should have learned
  19. ProofHe buried his sons one after another
  20. QuestionAt the house of mourning, חיאל wonders about the curse
  21. Responseאליהו confirms the curse
  22. Challengeאחאב mocks: משה's curse isn't happening, so why would יהושע's?
  23. Resolutionאליהו stops the rain and receives its key
  24. Statementה׳ sends אליהו to hide, and ravens feed him
  25. QuestionWhere did the ravens get the food?
  26. ResponseFrom אחאב's slaughterhouse
  27. StatementThe stream dries up and ה׳ sends אליהו to צרפת
  28. StatementThe boy gets sick and אליהו asks for the key to תחיית המתים
  29. ResponseHeaven: give back the key to rain, take this one
  30. ProofThe פסוק showing the rain returned
  31. StatementA parable: the man who slammed his door and lost his key
  32. Statementרבי יוסי begins a teaching about אליהו