Gemara Clarity

Sanhedrin 2b

סנהדרין ב׳ ע״ב

Learn Sanhedrin 2b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sanhedrin 2b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

End of the first משנה (23 judges, city size), then the גמרא on why the משנה lists גזילות וחבלות, and why admissions and loans need three judges but not מומחין.

Overview

This amud finishes the first משנה of סנהדרין. A סנהדרין קטנה has 23 judges because a court may not have an even number. The משנה then gives the minimum population a city needs for its own סנהדרין: 120, or 230 according to רבי נחמיה. The גמרא asks why the משנה lists robbery and injury separately from money cases. רבי אבהו answers that the משנה uses a 'מה הן' style: 'money cases' is the heading, and robbery and injury define it, leaving out admissions and loans. A צריכא shows that both phrases are needed. The גמרא then explains that admissions and loans still need three judges, but not expert judges (מומחין). It asks whether this fits עירוב פרשיות. It answers that by Torah law experts would be needed, but רבי חנינא's teaching about דרישה וחקירה explains why they are not. That teaching continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְאֵין בֵּית דִּין שָׁקוּל,

And a court may not be evenly numbered,

מוֹסִיפִין עֲלֵיהֶם עוֹד אֶחָד.

so they add one more to them.

הֲרֵי כָּאן עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה.

So here there are twenty-three.

וְכַמָּה יְהֵא בָּעִיר

And how many must be in the city

The steps (14)

  1. StatementA court cannot be even, so 22 becomes 23
  2. StatementHow big a city must be to have a סנהדרין
  3. ChallengeAren't robbery and injury already money cases?
  4. Resolutionרבי אבהו: read it as 'What are these money cases?'
  5. ResolutionWhy the words 'robbery and injury' are needed
  6. ResolutionWhy the words 'money cases' are also needed
  7. ProofRobbery comes from the verse, and injury is treated like robbery
  8. ConclusionSo the תנא taught both: 'What are money cases? Robbery and injury'
  9. QuestionExcluded from which rule?
  10. ChallengeIt can't mean they need fewer than three judges
  11. ResolutionThe difference is about expert judges
  12. ChallengeThe dilemma: are the Torah sections read together or not?
  13. ResolutionThe sections are joined, but experts are not needed because of רבי חנינא
  14. Statementרבי חנינא: money cases also need careful questioning of witnesses