Sanhedrin 5a

סנהדרין ה׳ ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 5a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Judging alone, and what official permission (רשות) to judge does, where it works, and what it contained

Overview

The ברייתא says a recognized expert may judge alone, and רב נחמן and רבי חייא each say that 'someone like me' may judge money cases alone. The גמרא asks whether 'like me' also requires official permission (רשות). A story about מר זוטרא and רב יוסף shows that a ruling counts even without permission. רב and שמואל then teach what permission does add: a judge who has permission from the ריש גלותא is exempt from paying if he makes a mistake. Permission works in its own land, and permission from בבל also works in ארץ ישראל, because the ריש גלותא is a 'scepter' and the נשיא only a 'staff'. A story about רבה בר חנה proves that permission from ארץ ישראל does not work in בבל, though it does work in the border towns. The גמרא then describes the permission רבי gave רבה בר חנה and רב, and asks why רבי חייא called one 'my brother's son' and the other 'my sister's son'. A second answer to that question begins at the end of the עמוד and continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (22)

1. StatementAn expert may judge alone
2. Statementרב נחמן and רבי חייא say 'someone like me' may judge alone
3. QuestionDoes 'like me' include having official permission?
4. ProofThe story of מר זוטרא's mistaken ruling
5. ConclusionWithout permission, the ruling still counts
6. StatementGet permission from the ריש גלותא to be protected from paying for mistakes
7. StatementWhich permissions obviously work
8. ProofThe verse behind 'scepter' and 'staff'
9. QuestionWhat about permission from ארץ ישראל used in בבל?
10. ProofThe story of רבה בר חנה's mistake
11. ConclusionPermission from ארץ ישראל does not work in בבל
12. Challengeרבה בר רב הונא's chain of permission
13. ResolutionHe was only pushing back with words
14. ChallengeWhy did רבה בר חנה take permission at all?
15. ResolutionThe permission works in the border towns
16. QuestionWhat did the permission contain?
17. ResponseThe permission given to רבה בר חנה
18. ResponseThe permission given to רב
19. QuestionWhy the different family titles?
20. ChallengeBoth nephews were brothers' sons
21. Resolutionרב was related through both parents
22. ResolutionIntroducing a second answer about the title 'sister's son'