Gemara Clarity

Sanhedrin 19a

סנהדרין י״ט ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 19a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sanhedrin 19a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The כהן גדול and יבום, mourning and comforting; and why some kings are not judged (the story of ינאי)

Overview

The amud opens by finishing the reason a כהן גדול cannot do יבום. A widow from נישואין is forbidden to him by both a לא תעשה and an עשה. A widow from אירוסין would be allowed by Torah law, but the חכמים forbade even the first ביאה because of the second, and a ברייתא backs this up. Next, the גמרא explains how a mourning כהן גדול may follow a relative's funeral: only from a distance, out of sight of the procession. It then explains why רבי מאיר and רבי יהודה argue over whether he may go as far as the city gate. A ברייתא sets out who stands beside the כהן גדול when he comforts mourners and when he is comforted, and רב פפא learns three lessons from it. The גמרא also tells how the order of comforting mourners was changed in ירושלים and changed back by רבי יוסי in ציפורי, along with two other תקנות of his and the rule that a comforters' line needs ten people. It settles that the כהן גדול says 'תתנחמו' when he comforts others. Finally, רב יוסף limits the rule that a king neither judges nor is judged to kings not from בית דוד, and the גמרא begins the story of ינאי המלך and שמעון בן שטח, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְאֵין עֲשֵׂה דּוֹחֶה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה וַעֲשֵׂה.

And a positive command does not override a prohibition plus a positive command.

אֶלָּא מִן הָאֵירוּסִין אַמַּאי?

But from betrothal, why not?

יָבֹא עֲשֵׂה וְיִדְחֶה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה!

Let the positive command come and override the prohibition!

גְּזֵירָה בִּיאָה רִאשׁוֹנָה,

It is a decree on the first act of intercourse,

The steps (32)

  1. ResolutionA married widow is forbidden by both a prohibition and a positive command
  2. ChallengeThen why not allow יבום when she was only engaged?
  3. ResolutionA rabbinic decree: the first act is forbidden because of the second
  4. ProofA ברייתא supports the decree
  5. StatementThe כהן גדול may follow a funeral, but not walk with it
  6. QuestionHow does 'after them' work?
  7. ResponseHe appears only when they are out of sight
  8. Challengeרבי יהודה's view fits the verse well
  9. Resolutionרבי מאיר reads the verse as 'do not leave your holiness'
  10. Rejectionרבי יהודה fears grief may lead him to touch
  11. StatementWho stands beside the כהן גדול when comforting and being comforted
  12. StatementThe משוח שעבר does not come to comfort him
  13. QuestionWhy does he not come?
  14. ResponseThe mourner would feel his rival is gloating
  15. Statementרב פפא learns three lessons from the ברייתא
  16. StatementFighting families change the order of comforting
  17. StatementA memory aid for the next three rulings
  18. Statementרבי יוסי brings back the old custom in ציפורי
  19. StatementA son should not walk behind his mother in the market
  20. StatementWomen should talk in the bathroom to prevent being alone with a man
  21. StatementThe comforters' line needs at least ten people
  22. QuestionWhat does the כהן גדול say when he comforts others?
  23. ProofA ברייתא: he says 'תתנחמו'
  24. ChallengeHe can't be saying it to his own comforters
  25. ConclusionHe says 'תתנחמו' when he comforts others
  26. StatementKings of בית דוד do judge and are judged
  27. ProofWhoever judges must also be judged
  28. QuestionWhy aren't the kings of ישראל judged?
  29. ResponseThe story begins: ינאי המלך's slave kills a person
  30. StatementThe חכמים call ינאי himself to court
  31. Statementשמעון בן שטח orders the king to stand
  32. Statementינאי refuses unless the other judges agree