Gemara Clarity

Sanhedrin 7a

סנהדרין ז׳ ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 7a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sanhedrin 7a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

פשרה in judgment, אהרן and the עגל, folk sayings matched to פסוקים, and the serious responsibility of a דיין

Overview

The amud opens by finishing the discussion of פשרה. רבי יהושע בן קרחה holds it is a מצוה to offer the sides a choice between דין and פשרה. The תנא קמא holds it is only רשות. רבי שמעון בן מנסיא forbids suggesting פשרה once the judge knows which way the ruling leans. Next, רבי תנחום בר חנילאי reads the פסוק about the 'בוצע' as speaking of אהרן. אהרן saw חור killed, so he let the people make the עגל, a sin that can be fixed through תשובה. The other תנאים read 'פוטר מים ראשית מדון' like רב המנונא, and רב הונא and אביי קשישא add pictures showing that a quarrel must be stopped early. A series of folk sayings follows, each matched with a פסוק by שמואל or רב הונא. The גמרא then proves from three פסוקים that 'לא תגורו' can mean 'gathering in'. Finally, רבי שמואל בר נחמני in the name of רבי יונתן gives three teachings about the great responsibility of a judge, and the last one continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

מִצְוָה לְמֵימְרָא לְהוּ:

It is a מצוה to say to them:

אִי דִּינָא בָּעֵיתוּ,

Do you want strict judgment,

אִי פְּשָׁרָה בָּעֵיתוּ?

or do you want a compromise?

הַיְינוּ תַּנָּא קַמָּא!

This is the same as the first tanna!

The steps (37)

  1. ResponseWhat the מצוה of compromise means
  2. ChallengeIsn't this the same as the תנא קמא?
  3. ResolutionThe difference: מצוה or only permitted
  4. ChallengeThen isn't the תנא קמא the same as רבי שמעון בן מנסיא?
  5. ResolutionThe difference: once you know where the ruling leans
  6. Statementרבי תנחום reads the פסוק as being about the עגל
  7. QuestionWhat did אהרן see?
  8. ResponseHe saw חור slaughtered before him
  9. Statementאהרן's reasoning: better a sin that can be fixed
  10. QuestionHow do the other תנאים use the פסוק about strife
  11. ResponseA person is first judged on Torah
  12. StatementA quarrel is like a crack in a water channel
  13. StatementA quarrel is like a bridge plank that sets firmly
  14. StatementA memory aid for the coming sayings
  15. StatementA passerby praises staying silent
  16. Proofשמואל finds the saying in the פסוק
  17. StatementA thief is not punished for two or three thefts
  18. Proofשמואל finds the thief saying in עמוס
  19. StatementSeven pits for the peaceful man, one for the evildoer
  20. Proofשמואל finds the seven-pits saying in משלי
  21. StatementLosing a fair court case is still a reason to sing
  22. Proofשמואל finds the court saying in יתרו's advice
  23. StatementShe dozes and the basket falls
  24. Proofשמואל finds the basket saying in קהלת
  25. StatementA saying about a trusted friend who turned against him
  26. Proofשמואל finds the same idea in תהלים
  27. StatementA saying about love making space feel big or small
  28. ProofAt first, the שכינה rested in a space ten טפחים high
  29. ProofIn the end, even the whole world was not enough
  30. QuestionHow do we know 'לא תגורו' means gathering in?
  31. Responseרב נחמן: from 'ולא תאגר' about wine
  32. Responseרב אחא בר יעקב: from the ant who gathers food
  33. Responseרב אחא בריה דרב איקא: from the wise son who gathers
  34. StatementA memory aid for the coming teachings about judges
  35. StatementA truthful judge brings the Divine Presence, a false one drives it away
  36. StatementA judge who unjustly moves money loses his own soul
  37. StatementA judge should picture a sword under him and גיהנם open below