Sanhedrin 47a

סנהדרין מ״ז ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 47a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Whether a הספד honors the dead, separate graves for executed sinners, and the rule הואיל ונדחה ידחה for קרבנות

Overview

The amud opens by asking whether a הספד is held to honor the living or to honor the person who died. The גמרא tries several proofs: חזקיהו's shameful burial of his father, רבי's request not to be eulogized in small towns, and the rules about delaying a burial 'for his honor.' Each of these is pushed aside, until רבי נתן's ברייתא shows that missing a הספד brings atonement to the dead, so the הספד must be the honor of the dead. Next the גמרא explains why executed people get separate graves: a רשע is not buried next to a צדיק, as shown by the man who came back to life in אלישע's grave. Likewise a severe sinner is not buried next to a lighter one, and the number of graveyards, two, is a tradition. Then רבי יוחנן teaches that a קרבן whose owner became a מומר or went insane stays rejected even after he returns (הואיל ונדחה ידחה), and the גמרא explains why both cases were needed. רב יוסף supports this from the קרבנות of an עיר הנדחת. That leads to a debate between אביי and רבא about whether a sinner who is executed gains כפרה, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (34)

1. ProofProof from חזקיהו disgracing his father's burial
2. RejectionHe did it to bring his father atonement
3. ChallengeCan the honor of all ישראל be pushed off for one man's atonement?
4. Resolutionישראל agreed to give up their honor
5. ProofProof from רבי: do not eulogize me in the towns
6. Rejectionרבי wanted ישראל to gain more honor
7. ProofProof from the משנה about leaving the dead overnight for his honor
8. RejectionNo, 'his honor' means the honor of the living
9. ChallengeCan the dead be left overnight for the living?
10. ResolutionThe איסור only applies when the body is disgraced
11. ProofA ברייתא says the delay is for the honor of the dead
12. RejectionThe ברייתא means there is no disgrace to the dead
13. Proofרבי נתן: missing honor after death brings atonement
14. ConclusionConclusion: הספד honors the dead
15. QuestionWhy separate graves for executed people?
16. ResponseA רשע is not buried next to a צדיק
17. ProofThe man thrown into אלישע's grave
18. RejectionMaybe the man came back to life for a different reason
19. ResolutionThe man stood up but did not go home
20. QuestionWhere was the double portion fulfilled?
21. ResponseHealing נעמן counts as bringing back to life
22. StatementA very wicked person is not buried next to a less wicked one
23. ChallengeWhy not four graveyards?
24. ResolutionTwo graveyards is a tradition
25. StatementA קרבן pushed off stays pushed off
26. Statementרבי יוחנן's parallel rule for an owner who became insane
27. StatementWhy the מומר case alone would not be enough
28. ConclusionWhy the insanity case alone would not be enough
29. Proofרב יוסף brings support from עיר הנדחת
30. Challengeאביי asks: does a wicked person who dies get atonement?
31. ProofProof from a priest who may not bury an apostate parent
32. Resolutionרבא: being killed is different from dying naturally
33. ProofProof from תהלים: the executed are called "Your servants"
34. Challengeאביי begins a new challenge to רבא