Sanhedrin 78b

סנהדרין ע״ח ע״ב

Learn Sanhedrin 78b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Assessing a struck victim who improved and then died: רבי נחמיה vs. the רבנן, the sources for holding the striker in custody, and the start of the משנה on mistaken intent in murder

Overview

Earlier, רבי נחמיה and the רבנן argued about a case where a striker's victim was expected to die, got better, and then got worse and died. רבי נחמיה says the striker is exempt, and he proves it from the words "וְנִקָּה הַמַּכֶּה". The רבנן use those words to teach that the striker is locked up until we know what happens to the victim. The גמרא then asks where each side learns this rule of custody. The מקושש cannot be the source, because he was surely liable to death. So רבי נחמיה learns it from the מגדף, whose guilt was unknown. The רבנן say the מגדף was a one-time ruling, and a ברייתא proves the difference between the two cases. Next the גמרא explains how each side uses the two 'assessments' in the פסוקים. It then quotes two ברייתות about reassessing an injured victim, and notes that the unnamed one follows רבי נחמיה. Finally a new משנה begins about a killer who meant to kill a target he would not be executed for, or meant to hit a spot where the blow could not kill.

Opening lines

The steps (20)

1. Proofרבי נחמיה's proof from the verse: the striker is exempt
2. QuestionHow do the רבנן use the words "the striker is cleared"?
3. ResponseThe רבנן: the verse teaches that the striker is held in custody
4. QuestionWhere does רבי נחמיה learn custody?
5. Responseרבי נחמיה learns custody from the wood gatherer
6. ChallengeWhy don't the רבנן also learn from the wood gatherer?
7. ResolutionThe wood gatherer's case is different
8. Resolutionרבי נחמיה learns custody from the blasphemer
9. ResolutionThe רבנן treat the מגדף as a one-time ruling
10. ProofA ברייתא shows the מקושש and the מגדף were different
11. ChallengeWhy do the רבנן need two assessments of the victim?
12. ResolutionFor the רבנן, the two assessments teach two different cases
13. ResponseWhy רבי נחמיה needs no פסוק for 'judged to live, then died'
14. StatementA ברייתא on a victim who improved and then died
15. StatementAnother ברייתא: the assessment can move toward life, not toward death
16. StatementPayment is measured from the moment of the blow
17. ConclusionThis unattributed ברייתא follows רבי נחמיה
18. Statementמשנה: meant to kill someone he would not be executed for, but killed a person he would be
19. Statementמשנה: aimed at the loins, but the blow hit the heart
20. Statementמשנה: the opposite case begins, aimed at the heart