Sanhedrin 59b

סנהדרין נ״ט ע״ב

Learn Sanhedrin 59b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Which מצוות bind בני נח (מילה, פריה ורביה, גיד הנשה), meat for אדם and בני נח, and רבי שמעון on כישוף

Overview

The amud opens by testing the rule that a מצוה given to בני נח and repeated at סיני applies to everyone. מילה and פריה ורביה seem to break the rule. The גמרא answers that their 'repeats' at סיני only came to teach new points: מילה on שבת, and that a ban made by vote needs a new vote to lift it. It then explains that only a full restatement of the prohibition counts, and that גיד הנשה is the one מצוה never repeated at all. A second answer says מילה was given only to אברהם's offspring through יעקב, with קטורה's descendants added by a separate פסוק. Next, רב teaches that אדם הראשון could not eat meat, while בני נח were allowed meat but not אבר מן החי. The גמרא defends רב by reading 'ורדו' as using animals for work, including fish, birds and the snake, and explains that the angels gave אדם meat from heaven. The amud ends as רבי שמעון adds כישוף to the מצוות בני נח, and the פסוק for his view comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (40)

1. ChallengeChallenge from circumcision
2. ResolutionThe Sinai verse came to permit מילה on שבת
3. ChallengeChallenge from having children
4. ResolutionThe Sinai verse teaches that a vote needs a vote to undo it
5. ChallengeIf so, every repeated מצוה could be explained away
6. ResolutionRepeating the full prohibition is what counts
7. ChallengeWhy is גיד הנשה called the only example?
8. ResolutionRepeated for a detail versus never repeated at all
9. ResolutionCircumcision was only given to אברהם and his offspring
10. ChallengeThen ישמעאל's descendants should be obligated
11. ResolutionOnly יצחק's line counts as אברהם's offspring
12. ChallengeThen עשו's descendants should be obligated
13. ResolutionOnly part of יצחק's line is included
14. Challengeרב אושעיא: קטורה's descendants are included, though not from יצחק
15. StatementThe first man was not allowed to eat meat
16. Statementבני נח were allowed to eat meat
17. StatementEating a limb from a living animal is still forbidden
18. StatementCreeping animals are not included in this prohibition
19. QuestionHow do we know creeping animals are the ones left out?
20. ResponseOnly creatures whose blood is separate from their flesh
21. ChallengeChallenge: the man was told to rule over the fish
22. ResolutionAnswer: ruling over animals means using them for work
23. ChallengeCan fish really do work?
24. ResolutionYes, fish can work, as shown by רחבה's question
25. ChallengeA new challenge from 'the birds of the sky'
26. ResolutionNo, it means work
27. ChallengeCan birds really do work?
28. ResolutionYes, birds can thresh, as רבה בר רב הונא asked
29. ChallengeA challenge from 'every creeping creature'
30. ResolutionThat phrase comes to include the snake
31. ProofThe snake could have been a great servant
32. ChallengeAngels roasted meat for אדם
33. ResolutionIt was meat from heaven
34. QuestionIs there really meat from heaven?
35. Responseרבי שמעון בן חלפתא and the lions
36. QuestionWhat if it looked like a donkey?
37. Responseרבי אבהו: the rule already answers this
38. Statementרבי שמעון adds sorcery to the Noahide מצוות
39. QuestionWhat is רבי שמעון's source?
40. ResponseThe answer begins with a verse