Sanhedrin 52a

סנהדרין נ״ב ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 52a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

רבי מאיר on a sinful בת כהן disgracing her father, and the משנה and גמרא on how שריפה is carried out and its source.

Overview

The גמרא first asks what the opinion that does not use ״אביה״ for a גזירה שוה learns from that word. It answers with רבי מאיר's ברייתא: a בת כהן's sin brings disgrace on her father. רב אשי adds that this is why even a wicked son of a righteous man is called ״רשיעא בר רשיעא״. The גמרא then explains that the line ״זו מצות הנסקלין״ closes the section on סקילה before the next משנה. That משנה describes שריפה: the condemned person's mouth is forced open and a burning wick is thrown inside. רבי יהודה says to use tongs instead of choking, and the חכמים reject a story of a בת כהן burned with branches. The גמרא explains that the wick is made of lead. It learns through a גזירה שוה from עדת קרח or from בני אהרן that שריפה burns the soul while the body stays whole. It explains why we do not learn from the burned bulls. It also explains how ״ואהבת לרעך כמוך״ and the גזירה שוה work together. The amud ends with an אגדה about נדב ואביהוא and begins a teaching of רבי אליעזר that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (37)

1. QuestionWhat does he learn from the word 'her father'?
2. Responseרבי מאיר: her sin disgraces her father
3. Statementרב אשי: the source for 'wicked son of a wicked one'
4. QuestionWhat does 'This is the מצוה of the stoned' refer to?
5. ResponseThe summary line closes the stoning section before burning begins
6. StatementThe משנה describes how execution by burning is done
7. Statementרבי יהודה says to open the mouth with tongs instead
8. ProofA story of a בת כהן burned with branches
9. RejectionThe חכמים reject the story: that court did not know the הלכה
10. QuestionWhat kind of wick?
11. ResponseA wick made of lead
12. QuestionWhat is the source for this kind of burning?
13. ProofLearning from עדת קרח
14. Statementרבי אלעזר learns it from the sons of אהרן
15. QuestionHow do we know עדת קרח's bodies stayed whole?
16. ResponseThey sinned 'with their souls'
17. RejectionThe other view: עדת קרח were really burned
18. ProofSupport from ריש לקיש: they flattered קרח for food
19. QuestionHow does the בני אהרן side know their bodies stayed whole?
20. Response'And they died': like a normal death
21. RejectionThe other view: בני אהרן were really burned
22. Proofברייתא: threads of fire entered their noses
23. ChallengeThe verse says the fire 'ate them'
24. ResolutionThe fire ate them, but not their clothes
25. ChallengeWhy not learn from the burned bulls?
26. ResolutionA person is better learned from a person
27. ChallengeOn the contrary, the bulls are a better match
28. ResolutionThe human cases share more features
29. QuestionWhy not learn from the sons of Aaron?
30. ResponseThe sons of Aaron were actually burned
31. ChallengeThen learn actual burning from them
32. ResolutionChoose a kind death for him
33. ChallengeWhy do we need the גזירה שוה?
34. ResolutionWithout the analogy, inner burning would not count as burning at all
35. Statementנדב ואביהוא wonder when משה ואהרן will die
36. Statementרב פפא's saying about old and young camels
37. Statementרבי אליעזר begins a new teaching