Sanhedrin 34a

סנהדרין ל״ד ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 34a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sanhedrin 34a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Witnesses and students arguing in capital cases, רב's rule that a judge may switch from זכות to חובה at the verdict, and the rule that one reason from two פסוקים counts as one vote

Overview

The גמרא first explains why רבי יוסי בר יהודה lets a witness argue for acquittal: the פסוק bans a witness only from speaking 'למות'. The רבנן say a witness looks biased, so he may not argue at all, and they use 'למות' to teach that a student may not argue for guilt. Next, רב limits the משנה's rule against switching from זכות to חובה to the discussion stage, and says switching is allowed at the גמר דין. The גמרא challenges רב four times: from the next-morning session, from the deadlocked judges, from a student who died, and from the scribes who write down the זכות reasons. Each challenge is answered. The last answer is that the scribes write the reasons so that two judges who give one reason from two פסוקים count as one vote. That rule comes from רבי יוחנן, and its source is the פסוקים 'אחת דבר אלהים' and 'כפטיש יפוצץ סלע'. רב זביד offers an example of one reason from two sources from a משנה about the מזבח, but it is rejected because רבי יהושע and רבן גמליאל really disagree. רב פפא begins a new example from a ברייתא of רבי יוסי הגלילי, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (31)

1. QuestionWhat is the source for רבי יוסי בר יהודה?
2. ResponseThe verse says 'that he die', so a witness may speak for acquittal
3. ResponseThe רבנן's reason: a witness looks biased
4. QuestionWhat do the רבנן learn from 'that he die'?
5. ResponseThe רבנן apply 'that he die' to a student
6. ProofA ברייתא: no witness arguing for acquittal, no student arguing for guilt
7. Statementרב: the no-switching rule applies only during deliberation
8. ChallengeChallenge from the next-morning session
9. ChallengeThe next day counts as the verdict stage
10. ResolutionThe next day also includes discussion
11. ChallengeWhy doesn't the משנה mention the opposite switch?
12. ResolutionThe משנה prefers examples of זכות
13. ChallengeThe student who argued for acquittal and died
14. ResolutionIn fact, he did not switch
15. ChallengeA report from ארץ ישראל that he disagrees with רב
16. ResolutionThe correct report: he does not disagree
17. ChallengeThe ברייתא of the two court scribes
18. ChallengeWhy write down the reasons for acquittal?
19. ResolutionThe real purpose: one reason from two verses
20. Proofרבי יוחנן: count them as one
21. QuestionWhat is the source for רבי יוחנן's rule?
22. Responseאביי: one verse, many reasons, but not the reverse
23. Proofדבי רבי ישמעאל: like a hammer shattering a rock
24. QuestionWhat is an example of one reason from two sources?
25. Responseרב זביד points to a משנה about the מזבח
26. Statementרבי יהושע: whatever is fit for the fire stays up
27. Statementרבן גמליאל: whatever is fit for the מזבח stays up
28. QuestionWhat do both of them come to include?
29. Responseרב זביד's example: same result, two sources
30. ChallengeBut רבי יהושע and רבן גמליאל really disagree
31. Responseרב פפא brings a different example from a ברייתא