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Sanhedrin 74b

סנהדרין ע״ד ע״ב

Learn Sanhedrin 74b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

When one must give up his life in public (פרהסיא), why אסתר did not, and whether a בן נח is commanded in קידוש השם

Overview

This amud finishes the rule that during a decree against Judaism, one must give up his life rather than change even a sandal strap. The גמרא then asks how many people make an act public (פרהסיא). רבי יוחנן says ten, and a ברייתא uses a גזירה שוה on the word 'תוך' to show that all ten must be Jews. The גמרא challenges this from אסתר, whose relationship with the king was public, yet she did not give up her life. אביי answers that she was completely passive, like the ground. רבא answers that when a non-Jew forces a sin for his own benefit, it is different. רבא proves this from the coal shovels Jews handed to the Persians, and the גמרא shows that this matches רבא's own ruling about cutting grass on שבת. Finally, the חכמים ask whether a בן נח must give up his life for קידוש השם. אביי's proof from the seven מצוות is rejected, and the school of רב brings the story of נעמן and אלישע, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

אֲפִילּוּ לְשַׁנּוֹיֵי עַרְקְתָא דִּמְסָאנָא.

Even to change the strap of a sandal.

וְכַמָּה פַּרְהֶסְיָא?

And how many make it public?

אָמַר רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן:

Rabbi Yaakov said that Rabbi Yochanan said:

אֵין פַּרְהֶסְיָא פְּחוּתָה מֵעֲשָׂרָה בְּנֵי אָדָם.

Public is not fewer than ten people.

The steps (16)

  1. StatementEven a sandal strap during a decree
  2. QuestionHow many people make it public?
  3. ResponsePublic means at least ten people
  4. StatementObviously the ten must be Jews
  5. QuestionNine Jews and one non-Jew
  6. ResponseAll ten must be Jews, learned from 'among'
  7. ChallengeBut אסתר's case was public
  8. Resolutionאסתר was passive, like the ground
  9. Resolutionרבא's different answer: acting for their own benefit is different
  10. ProofProof from handing over coal shovels
  11. Proofרבא is consistent: cutting grass on Shabbat
  12. QuestionIs a non-Jew commanded to sanctify God's name?
  13. Proofאביי tries to prove from the seven מצוות of בני נח
  14. Rejectionרבא rejects the proof: the seven include all their details
  15. QuestionWhat is the final conclusion?
  16. ResponseThe school of רב cites נעמן and אלישע