Sanhedrin 43a

סנהדרין מ״ג ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 43a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The place and method of stoning, who pays for execution and rescue, giving the condemned man every chance at acquittal, and the crier's announcement

Overview

The amud opens by finishing רב פפא's proof that stoning happens outside all three camps, taken from the story of the מקלל. The גמרא explains the words 'וַיִּרְגְּמוּ אֹתוֹ אָבֶן': he is stoned without his clothes, and one stone is enough if it kills him. It also explains why the תורה needs both 'אבן' and 'אבנים'. It then reads the ברייתא's גזירה שוה as only a backup. רב אשי offers another reading of the same פסוקים, but the רבנן challenge him from the פרים הנשרפים, and the question stays a קשיא. Next, רב הונא rules that the execution tools come from the community, and asks who pays for the cloth and horse used to stop an execution. The community pays for the calming wine, because the פסוק says 'תנו'. The גמרא asks about a student who said he could acquit and then went mute, and that question remains a תיבעי. The condemned man is returned twice no matter what; after that, two rabbis first check his claim. A new משנה describes the crier's announcement, and אביי adds that the day, hour and place must be announced. The amud ends with ישו הנוצרי's trial and the five disciples, each answered by a פסוק that plays on his name.

Opening lines

The steps (41)

1. StatementThe verse that shows the people did as commanded
2. ChallengeThen why does the verse also say 'they stoned him with a stone'?
3. ResolutionNot in his clothing, and one stone is enough
4. StatementWhy the Torah needed both 'stone' and 'stones'
5. ChallengeBut the תנא used a גזירה שוה
6. ResolutionThe תנא meant: 'If it were not stated'
7. Statementרב אשי reads the camps straight from the story of the מקלל
8. ChallengeThe carrying out is already written in the פסוק
9. ResolutionThe words 'ובני ישראל עשו' teach two other actions
10. ChallengeWhat about all the 'הוציא' words for the burned bulls?
11. ConclusionThe question on רב אשי stands
12. StatementThe tools of execution come from public funds
13. ResponseWe don't make a person bring the tools of his own death
14. QuestionWho pays for the waving cloth and the horse?
15. StatementWine and frankincense to calm the condemned man
16. StatementThe women of Jerusalem donated the drink
17. QuestionIf no one donates, who pays for the drink?
18. ResponseThe community pays, because the פסוק says 'Give' in plural
19. QuestionA student says he can acquit, then cannot speak
20. Responseרב ששת waves off the question
21. RejectionThe cases are different: this student did speak up
22. ProofA student who argued for acquittal and died still counts
23. ProofThe proof's inference: only one who argued is counted
24. RejectionThe proof only covers a student who actually argued
25. ChallengeDoes the condemned man need a solid claim even the first two times?
26. ResolutionThe משנה means from after the second time
27. QuestionHow do they know if his words have substance?
28. ResponseTwo rabbis go with him to judge his claim
29. QuestionWhy not send the rabbis from the very first time?
30. ResponseA frightened man cannot say everything at first
31. StatementThe משנה: release or stoning, and the crier's announcement
32. Statementאביי: The crier must also announce the day, hour, and place
33. StatementReading the משנה: the crier goes out only during the walk
34. ChallengeA ברייתא: a crier went out forty days early
35. Resolutionעולא explains why the forty-day case was an exception
36. StatementA ברייתא lists the five disciples of ישו
37. StatementThe trial of Mattai
38. StatementThe trial of Nakai
39. StatementThe trial of Netzer
40. Statementבוני argues from 'My firstborn son' and the judges answer
41. Statementתודה argues from 'A psalm of thanksgiving' and the judges answer