Sanhedrin 27a

סנהדרין כ״ז ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 27a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Disqualifying witnesses: when an עד זומם loses his status, and whether a sinner who is not a money sinner can testify.

Overview

The amud opens with a dispute between אביי and רבא about when an עד זומם becomes disqualified. אביי says it is למפרע, from the moment he lied. רבא says it is only מכאן ולהבא, either because הזמה is a חידוש or, in another version, to protect buyers. The הלכה follows אביי, one of the six cases of יע"ל קג"ם. Next, אביי and רבא argue about a person who eats non-kosher meat להכעיס. אביי disqualifies him as a רשע, and רבא disqualifies only a רשע דחמס, a sinner involving money. A ברייתא seems to refute אביי, and the גמרא explains how each one reads רבי מאיר's ruling about an עד זומם. The גמרא still rules like אביי. It explains that the ברייתא follows רבי יוסי, while a סתם משנה follows רבי מאיר. To show where that סתם משנה comes from, the גמרא begins the story of בר חמא, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (31)

1. StatementThe dispute: disqualified going backward or only from now on?
2. Proofאביי's reason: he became wicked when he testified
3. Statementרבא's reason: the law of a conspiring witness is a novelty
4. StatementAnother version: רבא really agrees with אביי
5. QuestionSo why does רבא say 'from now on'?
6. ResponseTo protect buyers from losing money
7. QuestionWhat is the practical difference between the two versions of רבא?
8. ResponseTwo cases where the two versions of רבא differ
9. Statementרב פפי ruled in practice like רבא
10. Statementמר בר רב אשי rules like אביי
11. ConclusionThe הלכה follows אביי in the six cases of יע"ל קג"ם
12. StatementA מומר who eats נבילות out of appetite is disqualified by all
13. StatementEating non-kosher meat out of spite: a dispute
14. StatementThe reasons behind each opinion
15. ChallengeA ברייתא seems to disqualify even non-money oath breakers
16. ResolutionThe ברייתא means only oaths about money
17. ChallengeA ברייתא says the disqualified רשע is a money sinner
18. Conclusionאביי is refuted
19. StatementA מחלוקת תנאים about an עד זומם
20. QuestionSuggesting אביי follows רבי מאיר and רבא follows רבי יוסי
21. RejectionNo, the argument is only about רבי מאיר's view
22. ResolutionHow אביי and רבא each read רבי מאיר
23. ConclusionThe הלכה follows אביי
24. ChallengeBut אביי was refuted
25. ResolutionThat ברייתא follows רבי יוסי
26. ChallengeBut the halacha follows רבי יוסי over רבי מאיר
27. ResolutionAn unattributed משנה follows רבי מאיר
28. QuestionWhere is that unattributed משנה?
29. Responseבר חמא kills a person and the ריש גלותא orders an investigation
30. StatementTwo witnesses testify that he certainly killed
31. Statementבר חמא brings witnesses claiming one witness is a thief