Sanhedrin 73a

סנהדרין ע״ג ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 73a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sanhedrin 73a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The law of רודף and its Torah sources, and the duty to rescue someone in danger.

Overview

The משנה lists pursuers who may be stopped even by killing them: someone chasing a person to kill him, someone chasing a male, and someone chasing a נערה המאורסה. Sinners with no human victim may not be stopped this way. The גמרא first tries 'לא תעמד על דם רעך' as the source, but agrees that this פסוק teaches the duty to rescue. It then tries a קל וחומר from נערה המאורסה, and replaces it with a הקש because אין עונשין מן הדין. The murder case 'comes to teach and ends up learning', and the נערה's own rule comes from 'ואין מושיע לה'. Next the גמרא explains that 'לא תעמד' adds a duty to go to trouble and even hire help, beyond what והשבתו לו teaches. A ברייתא then lists which forbidden relationships allow killing the pursuer, with limits on when he may be killed. All the cases are learned from the words נער, נערה, חטא and מות in one פסוק. The גמרא begins showing why each case is needed, and that discussion continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (23)

1. StatementThe משנה: which pursuers may be stopped even by killing them
2. StatementA ברייתא gives a source: 'Do not stand by your fellow's blood'
3. ChallengeThat verse is already needed for the duty to rescue
4. ResolutionThe גמרא agrees
5. QuestionThen where do we learn that the pursuer may be killed?
6. ResponseA קל וחומר from the נערה המאורסה
7. ChallengeWe don't punish based on logic alone
8. ResolutionThe school of רבי: it is a הקש
9. QuestionWhat do we learn from the murderer?
10. ResponseThe murder case teaches and also learns
11. QuestionWhere do we learn the rule for the betrothed young woman herself?
12. Response'There was none to save her' means anyone who can must save her
13. StatementThe duty to save someone drowning, attacked by an animal, or by bandits
14. ChallengeIsn't the duty to rescue already learned from returning lost property?
15. Resolutionלא תעמוד adds the duty to go to trouble and hire help
16. StatementWhich pursuers may be stopped by killing them
17. StatementWhen we may not kill the pursuer of a betrothed girl
18. QuestionAsking for the source of the ברייתא's list
19. ResponseOne פסוק teaches all the cases
20. ChallengeWhy does the פסוק need all these cases?
21. ResolutionEach case is needed: the male case could not teach the נערה
22. ResolutionWhy the female case alone would not be enough
23. ResolutionSetting up the next case: if the Torah had written both