Sanhedrin 34b

סנהדרין ל״ד ע״ב

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

Open Sanhedrin 34b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

One teaching from two פסוקים, and the times for judging דיני ממונות, inheritance and דיני נפשות

Overview

The amud opens by looking for a case where one teaching is learned from two different פסוקים. The first try, about items that touch the מזבח, fails because רב אדא בר אהבה shows a real difference over a disqualified עולת העוף. רב אשי offers a better example: רבי ישמעאל and רבי עקיבא both include one who does זריקה outside, each from a different פסוק. אביי removes רבי אבהו's claimed difference, so this example stands. The גמרא then turns to the משנה: דיני ממונות begin by day but may be finished at night, learned from 'בכל עת' and רבא's resolution of two פסוקים. רבי מאיר disagrees. He compares court cases to נגעים, so cases are judged only by day and not by blind judges, and this leads to the story of a blind judge near רבי יוחנן. The גמרא also explains how רבי מאיר reads 'בכל עת' (a cloudy day) and 'ביום הנחילו' (court rulings on inheritance are by day only). Finally it begins the rule that דיני נפשות are judged by day, from 'נגד השמש'.

Opening lines

The steps (42)

1. ProofOnly fit items become holy on the altar, learned from 'lambs'
2. Statementרבי עקיבא learns the same limit from 'burnt-offering'
3. QuestionWhat do both opinions leave out?
4. ResponseBoth exclude disqualified offerings, just from different words
5. ChallengeA disqualified bird burnt-offering shows they really differ
6. Responseרב אשי offers a new example: one who sprinkles blood outside
7. Statementרבי עקיבא includes the one who sprinkles from 'or sacrifice'
8. QuestionWhat do both opinions include?
9. ResponseBoth include sprinkling, each from a different verse
10. Challengeרבי אבהו: they disagree about one who slaughtered and sprinkled
11. Resolutionאביי: even רבי עקיבא gives only one liability
12. StatementNew topic: monetary cases are judged by day
13. QuestionWhat is the source?
14. Responseרבי חייא בר פפא: 'judge the people at all times'
15. ChallengeIf any time works, why not start the case at night too?
16. Resolutionרבא: start by day, verdict even at night
17. StatementOur משנה does not follow רבי מאיר
18. Questionרבי מאיר asks: what do disputes have to do with צרעת marks?
19. ResponseThe comparison: day, no blind people, no relatives
20. ChallengeShould נגעים also need three כהנים?
21. ResolutionOne כהן is enough for נגעים
22. StatementA blind man judges near רבי יוחנן
23. Challengeרבי יוחנן's own rules seem to forbid a blind judge
24. Resolutionרבי יוחנן relied on a different unattributed משנה
25. QuestionWhy does this משנה beat the other one?
26. ResponseTwo reasons our משנה is stronger
27. QuestionWhat does רבי מאיר learn from 'at all times'?
28. Responseרבא: it includes a cloudy day
29. Proofמשנה: when a כהן may not look at נגעים
30. QuestionWhat does רבי מאיר learn from 'on the day he gives his sons an inheritance'?
31. ResponseInheritances are distributed by day, not at night
32. ChallengeDoes a person who dies at night have no heirs?
33. ResolutionPerhaps he means the court's judging of inheritances
34. ProofThe whole inheritance section is a matter of judgment
35. ProofThree visitors to a sick man may act as a court
36. StatementAt night they become witnesses and cannot judge
37. Conclusionרבה בר חנינא agrees: that is what I meant
38. StatementThe משנה: capital cases are judged by day
39. QuestionAsking for the source of the daytime rule
40. ResponseProof from 'facing the sun'
41. QuestionAsking how we know הוקעה means hanging
42. ResponseProof from the hanging of שאול's sons