Sanhedrin 15b

סנהדרין ט״ו ע״ב

Learn Sanhedrin 15b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The owner of a killing ox, an animal at הר סיני, dangerous wild animals, and a tribe led into idol worship.

Overview

The amud opens by asking whether the word יוּמָת in the פסוק of a שור that killed means its owner is really put to death. The גמרא tries several answers: an argument from an extra word, a suggestion about חנק, and a proof from כופר, which is then turned around with אדרבה. It finally settles the matter with חזקיה's verse "רֹצֵחַ הוּא": a person is executed only for his own murder, never for his ox's. Next, the גמרא asks how many judges an animal at הר סיני needed, and it learns from the פסוק that, like a man, it needed twenty-three. Then ריש לקיש and רבי יוחנן argue whether a lion or wolf may be killed only after it has killed. A ברייתא supports ריש לקיש, showing that 'זכה' means a merit in Heaven. The גמרא explains that רבי עקיבא differs from the תנא קמא about a snake. Finally, it asks what kind of tribe is judged by seventy-one, answers that it is a tribe led into idol worship, and finds that this seems to fit neither רבי יאשיה nor רבי יונתן. רב מתנה begins his answer, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (24)

1. ChallengeMaybe the owner really gets the death penalty
2. ResolutionThen the Torah should have stopped at "and also its owner"
3. RejectionWithout יוּמָת we would think the owner is stoned
4. RejectionStoning for the owner makes no sense
5. ChallengeMaybe יוּמָת gives the owner a lighter death
6. ResolutionThe ransom proves the owner is not liable to death
7. RejectionThe ransom payment actually shows the owner deserves death
8. Proofחזקיה's verse: you are killed only for your own murder
9. QuestionHow many judges for an animal at הר סיני?
10. ResponseAnimal at הר סיני is judged by twenty-three, like a man
11. Statementריש לקיש: only a lion or wolf that killed
12. Statementרבי יוחנן: even if they did not kill
13. ChallengeWhat does the first killer gain according to ריש לקיש?
14. Resolution'Merits' means a merit in Heaven
15. ProofA ברייתא that supports ריש לקיש
16. QuestionIs רבי עקיבא saying the same as the first תנא?
17. ResponseThe difference is a snake
18. QuestionWhat sin did the tribe commit?
19. ChallengeIt can't be a tribe that broke שבת
20. ResponseA tribe that was led into idol worship
21. ChallengeWhose view is this? Not רבי יאשיה and not רבי יונתן
22. ProofThe ברייתא on the size of an עיר הנדחת
23. ChallengeEven the larger opinion stops at most of a tribe
24. Resolutionרב מתנה begins his answer