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Sanhedrin 61a

סנהדרין ס״א ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 61a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Does the פסוק about slaughtering for idols (זובח לאלהים) teach a general rule, or is it needed to teach the case of slaughtering with intent for a later idolatrous act? The sugya tests this through the מחלוקת of רבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a disagreement between רבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש. The case is an animal slaughtered with a plan to sprinkle its blood or burn its fats for an idol. רבא בר רב חנן uses that disagreement to question a ברייתא that learns a general rule about idol worship from the פסוק about slaughter. רב פפא and רב אחא בריה דרב איקא each push back on him from opposite sides. רב אחא brings the case of someone who bows to a mountain: the mountain stays permitted, but the worshipper is executed. Next the גמרא asks what ״אֵיכָה יַעַבְדוּ״ leaves out according to רבא בר רב חנן. The answer is defecating before מרקוליס. The גמרא then answers a challenge from רבי אליעזר's פסוק about sacrificing to מרקוליס by saying that פסוק is about sacrificing to spite the Torah. A new section begins when רבה raises a contradiction between two משניות: is a person liable just for saying 'I will worship' an idol? רב המנונא answers by separating the cases. רב יוסף first explains the contradiction as a dispute between רבי מאיר and רבי יהודה, then takes that explanation back. The amud ends with a new explanation of their dispute: do people sincerely say 'Yes' to someone who calls them to worship himself? The quote of what the people say to themselves continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

אֲסוּרָה,

is forbidden,

וְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר: מוּתֶּרֶת.

and Reish Lakish says: it is permitted.

הָנִיחָא לְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן,

This works out well according to Rabbi Yoḥanan,

אֶלָּא לְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ בָּעֵי קְרָא.

but according to Reish Lakish, he needs the verse.

The steps (21)

  1. StatementThe two opinions on the animal slaughtered with idolatrous intent
  2. ChallengeThe ברייתא fits רבי יוחנן but not ריש לקיש
  3. Rejectionרב פפא: even for רבי יוחנן the פסוק is needed
  4. Rejectionרב אחא: even for ריש לקיש the person is liable without the פסוק
  5. ProofProof from bowing to a mountain
  6. ChallengeWhat does the verse 'how do they serve' leave out?
  7. RejectionDefecating before a sacrifice-idol is already excluded by bowing
  8. ResolutionThe verse leaves out defecating before מרקוליס
  9. Challengeרבי אליעזר's verse for sacrificing to מרקוליס
  10. Statementרבי אליעזר finishes his derivation
  11. ChallengeBut רבא בר רב חנן learns this from bowing
  12. ResolutionThe פסוק is about sacrificing to spite
  13. Statementרבה meets רב המנונא
  14. ChallengeIs saying 'I will worship' punishable?
  15. Resolutionרב המנונא: our case is someone who accepts the idol only through worship
  16. Resolutionרב יוסף: the two משניות follow two different תנאים
  17. StatementWhat exactly רבי מאיר and רבי יהודה argue about
  18. Rejectionרב יוסף takes back his answer: even רבי יהודה counts speech
  19. QuestionSo what do they really argue about?
  20. ResponseThey argue about one who calls others to worship himself
  21. StatementDo people take such a person seriously?