Gemara Clarity

Sanhedrin 45a

סנהדרין מ״ה ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 45a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sanhedrin 45a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

How סקילה is carried out: clothing for a man and a woman, a kind death (ואהבת לרעך כמוך), and the stoning platform

Overview

The גמרא brings a ברייתא: רבי יהודה says both a man and a woman are stoned with only a small covering, while the חכמים say a man is stoned without clothing but a woman stays clothed. Both sides learn from the word 'אותו' in the פסוק; they argue only about whether it limits the rule to men. The גמרא asks why, by a סוטה, רבי יהודה seems to worry about improper thoughts and the חכמים do not. רבה and רבא answer for each side: a סוטה may go free and be seen again, and shaming her serves to warn other women, while stoning is already the greatest warning. רב נחמן adds that ואהבת לרעך כמוך requires choosing a kind death even for a condemned person. Both sides accept that rule and differ only on whether shame or pain is worse. A new משנה then describes סקילה: a push from a platform two people tall, then the second witness's stone, then all the people. The גמרא explains the platform's height with the same rule of a kind death. A ברייתא then derives pushing and stoning from the פסוק about הר סיני. It ends by asking how that rule applies to later generations, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

גְּמָ׳

GEMARA

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן:

The Rabbis taught:

הָאִישׁ מְכַסִּין אוֹתוֹ פֶּרֶק אֶחָד מִלְּפָנָיו,

A man: they cover him with one piece in front of him,

וְאִשָּׁה שְׁנֵי פְּרָקִים –

and a woman with two pieces,

The steps (31)

  1. StatementThe ברייתא: How much of a man and a woman is covered at stoning
  2. QuestionWhat is the source for the חכמים?
  3. ResponseThe source is the word 'him' in the פסוק
  4. QuestionWhat exactly does 'him' teach?
  5. RejectionIt cannot mean women are not stoned at all
  6. Response'Him' means without his clothing, but a woman with hers
  7. Statementרבי יהודה: no difference between man and woman
  8. ChallengeWho worries about improper thoughts? It looks reversed
  9. ProofThe proof from the סוטה
  10. Resolutionרבה explains why רבי יהודה worries only by a סוטה
  11. ChallengeBut maybe the onlookers will think about other women
  12. ResolutionThe יצר הרע only rules over what the eyes see
  13. Challengeרבא: the חכמים also seem to contradict themselves
  14. Resolutionרבי יהודה's contradiction is already solved
  15. ResolutionThe חכמים: shaming a סוטה is a warning, but stoning is warning enough
  16. ChallengeWhy not do both: shame her and stone her?
  17. Resolutionואהבת לרעך כמוך: choose a kind death for him
  18. QuestionIs רב נחמן's rule a dispute between תנאים?
  19. RejectionEveryone agrees with רב נחמן; they argue about what counts as kinder
  20. StatementThe משנה: the stoning platform and the first witness's push
  21. StatementThe משנה continues: the second witness's stone and then all the people
  22. Statementברייתא: with his own height, the total is three heights
  23. ChallengeWhy so high, if ten handbreadths can kill?
  24. ResolutionLove your neighbor: choose a kind death for him
  25. ChallengeThen why not make it even higher?
  26. ResolutionA higher fall would disfigure him
  27. StatementPushing counts as stoning: the source
  28. StatementStoning with stones: the source
  29. StatementSometimes both pushing and stoning
  30. StatementIf the push kills him, the מצוה is done
  31. QuestionDoes this apply to all generations?