Sanhedrin 16b

סנהדרין ט״ז ע״ב

Learn Sanhedrin 16b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Aggadah on consulting before war, then the court of seventy-one's powers: enlarging ירושלים, appointing courts, and judging an עיר הנדחת.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a story about דוד המלך. Before war they consulted אחיתופל, then the סנהדרין (בניהו), then the אורים ותומים (אביתר), and only then did יואב lead the army. A פסוק from תהלים shows that דוד's כנור woke him at night. The גמרא then returns to the משנה's list of things only the court of seventy-one may do. Adding to ירושלים is learned from 'וכן תעשו', and the גמרא defends this against רבא's challenge from the anointing of the vessels. Setting up smaller courts is learned from משה, and a ברייתא lays out judges and officers for the nation, each tribe, and each city. An עיר הנדחת is judged only by the great court. A border city cannot become one, and no more than two cities may be destroyed. The גמרא brings the views of רב, ריש לקיש and רבי יוחנן on this limit. Finally it begins to explain why the רבנן count משה with the seventy elders, a proof that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (44)

1. ProofA verse lists the order of the king's advisors
2. StatementDecoding the names in the verse
3. ProofProof that בניהו was over the סנהדרין
4. QuestionWhy the names כרתי and פלתי
5. ResponseThe names describe the judges
6. ConclusionOnly afterward is the general called
7. ProofA verse shows the harp woke דוד
8. QuestionSource for the rule about expanding the city
9. Response'And so you shall do' for all generations
10. Challengeרבא's challenge: later vessels were not anointed
11. ResolutionThe word אותם limits anointing to משה's vessels
12. ChallengeMaybe later vessels could use either method
13. Resolutionרב פפא: later vessels depend on service
14. ChallengeThen why is the word אותם needed?
15. ResolutionWithout אותם, later vessels would need both
16. QuestionWhere do we learn that only the Great Court sets up smaller courts?
17. Responseמשה set up the courts, and משה counts as the 71
18. StatementWe must appoint judges and officers for all of Israel
19. StatementJudges and officers for every tribe and every city
20. Statementרבי יהודה: one court is in charge of all of them
21. Statementרבן שמעון בן גמליאל: each tribe judges its own people
22. QuestionWhere do we learn that only the Great Court judges an עיר הנדחת?
23. ResponseA single person goes to the local court, but a whole city does not
24. QuestionWhy no עיר הנדחת on the frontier?
25. ResponseThe word 'from your midst' excludes the border
26. StatementOne or two cities, but not three
27. StatementA ברייתא: 'one' means not three
28. QuestionMaybe 'one' means not even two?
29. Response'Your cities' already allows two
30. Statementרב's first version: only one court is limited
31. Statementרב's second version: never three
32. QuestionWhat is רב's reason?
33. ResponseBecause of קרחה, leaving the land bare
34. Statementריש לקיש: only in one area
35. Statementרבי יוחנן: never three, because of קרחה
36. ProofA ברייתא supports רבי יוחנן
37. StatementNear the border, not even one
38. QuestionWhy not even one near the border?
39. ResponseEnemies might hear and attack
40. ChallengeWhy not learn it straight from the word ״מקרבך״?
41. ResolutionThe ברייתא follows רבי שמעון, who uses the reason behind a פסוק
42. StatementBack to the משנה: the Great Sanhedrin
43. QuestionWhat is the source of the רבנן, who count משה?
44. ResponseThe answer begins with the פסוק ״והתיצבו שם״