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Sanhedrin 79a

סנהדרין ע״ט ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 79a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sanhedrin 79a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Killing someone other than the intended victim: the dispute between the רבנן and רבי שמעון, and their sources in the פסוקים

Overview

This amud finishes the משנה about a blow that missed its target. The attacker is פטור unless the blow was strong enough to kill both where he aimed and where it actually landed. רבי שמעון says that even then, if he meant to kill one person and killed another, he is פטור. The גמרא shows that רבי שמעון is arguing on an inference from the first clause of the משנה, and it asks about unclear cases like 'one of them' or mistaken identity. רבי שמעון learns his view from the פסוק 'וארב לו וקם עליו'. The רבנן use that same פסוק to exclude someone who throws a stone into a group, which is needed when a non-Jew is קבוע among nine Jews. Finally, the רבנן bring proof from the fight that hurt a pregnant woman, where 'נפש תחת נפש' means death. רבי שמעון answers, like רבי, that it means money, and רבי's proof continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְהָיָה בָּהּ כְּדֵי לְהָמִית עַל לִבּוֹ,

and it [the blow] had enough force to kill on his heart,

וְהָלְכָה לָהּ עַל מׇתְנָיו,

but it went and landed on his loins,

וְלֹא הָיָה בָּהּ כְּדֵי לְהָמִית עַל מׇתְנָיו,

and it did not have enough force to kill on his loins,

וָמֵת – פָּטוּר.

and he died: [the attacker is] exempt.

The steps (18)

  1. StatementAimed at the heart, hit the loins: exempt
  2. StatementAimed at an adult or a minor, hit the other: two exempt cases
  3. StatementBlow deadly in both places: liable
  4. Statementרבי שמעון: killing the wrong person is exempt
  5. QuestionWhich case is רבי שמעון arguing about?
  6. ChallengeHe can't mean only the last case
  7. Responseרבי שמעון argues on the first clause
  8. StatementThe obvious case of the dispute
  9. QuestionUnclear cases: 'one of them' or mistaken identity
  10. ProofA ברייתא: he must intend a specific person
  11. QuestionWhat is רבי שמעון's reason?
  12. ResponseThe פסוק: 'he lies in wait for him'
  13. ResponseThe רבנן use the פסוק for throwing a stone into a group
  14. ChallengeWhy is a פסוק needed for the stone case?
  15. ResolutionThe group case: nine Jews and one non-Jew
  16. ChallengeThe רבנן have a source, so what does רבי שמעון do with 'a life for a life'?
  17. Resolutionרבי שמעון: 'a life for a life' means money
  18. Proofרבי's ברייתא: 'a life for a life' means money