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Sanhedrin 17b

סנהדרין י״ז ע״ב

Learn Sanhedrin 17b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

רב's קל וחומר about a שרץ, the language experts a city needs for a סנהדרין, code phrases that point to specific חכמים, and why a city needs 120 men

Overview

Just before this, the גמרא said a judge on the סנהדרין must be sharp enough to argue that a שרץ is טהור. רב offers such an argument from a snake, and the גמרא knocks it down by comparing it to a thorn. Next, רב יהודה quotes רב: a city needs two people who can speak the languages and one who can understand them before it can host a סנהדרין. ביתר had three such people and יבנה had four. A ברייתא seems to require more, and the גמרא answers that רב follows a different תנא. Because שמעון התימני 'judged before them,' the גמרא lists code phrases used in sources, such as 'אמרי בי רב' and 'שלחו מתם,' and tells us which חכמים each one means. It corrects two of these along the way. Then it returns to the משנה and explains why a city needs 120 men: judges, rows of students, בטלנין, court staff and witnesses, plus the basic workers every proper city must have. Finally it turns to רבי נחמיה's opinion and begins a ברייתא from רבי that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וּמָה נָחָשׁ שֶׁמֵּמִית וּמַרְבֶּה טוּמְאָה, טָהוֹר;

Just as a snake, which kills and so increases impurity, is pure;

שֶׁרֶץ שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֵמִית וּמַרְבֶּה טוּמְאָה,

a creeping creature, which does not kill and so does not increase impurity,

אֵינוֹ דִּין שֶׁיְּהֵא טָהוֹר?

is it not logical that it should be pure?

וְלָא הִיא,

But it is not so;

The steps (23)

  1. Proofרב's argument that a creeping creature should be pure
  2. RejectionRejecting the argument: think of a thorn
  3. StatementA city needs language experts to host a court
  4. ProofExamples: ביתר had three, יבנה had four
  5. ChallengeA ברייתא seems to require three, not two
  6. Resolutionרב follows a different תנא
  7. Statement'Learned before the חכמים' means לוי
  8. Statement'Judged before the חכמים' means four students
  9. Statementרב נחמן בר יצחק counts five
  10. StatementCode names for 'our Rabbis' and 'the judges' of each place
  11. StatementCode names for the elders, the sharp ones, and the אמוראים
  12. StatementWho is meant by 'נהרבלאי מתנו' and 'they say in the school of רב'
  13. ChallengeBut רב הונא himself quotes 'they say in the school of רב'
  14. ResolutionCorrection: it means רב המנונא
  15. StatementCode names for phrases from ארץ ישראל
  16. ChallengeBut a message 'sent from there' quotes רבי יוסי בר חנינא
  17. ResolutionSwap the two names
  18. QuestionWhy does a city need 120 men?
  19. ResponseStarting the count: 23 judges, three rows, and ten בטלנין
  20. ResponseAdding court staff and witnesses brings the count to 114
  21. ResponseA ברייתא listing ten things every city must have
  22. Statementרבי עקיבא adds different kinds of fruit
  23. StatementTurning to רבי נחמיה's opinion in the משנה