Sanhedrin 80a

סנהדרין פ׳ ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 80a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

רבא's arrow reading of the משנה, the condemned ox mixed with other oxen, and a ברייתא about a killer cow's calf, reread to fit רבא's rule about unborn calves.

Overview

The גמרא challenges the earlier readings of שמואל and ריש לקיש, because neither fits רבי יוסי's remark, 'even if אבא חלפתא was among them.' רבא answers with a new reading of the משנה. Two people stand together, an arrow flies out from between them and kills someone, and since no one knows who shot it, both are exempt, even if one of them is a צדיק like רבי יוסי's father. The משנה's next case is a condemned ox mixed with ordinary oxen. The תנא קמא says all are stoned, and רבי יהודה says they are locked in a כיפה. A ברייתא about a cow that killed has the same dispute, and its unnamed view matches רבי יהודה. The ברייתא also says the cow's calf is permitted if born before the verdict. The גמרא challenges this from רבא's rule that an unborn calf gores together with its mother. It answers by rereading the ברייתא as being about whether the cow became pregnant before or after the verdict. Finally, the גמרא notes that this reading fits the view of זה וזה גורם אסור, and starts to question it according to the other view, a challenge that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (7)

1. ChallengeHow can רבי יוסי mention his father?
2. Resolutionרבא: two people and a stray arrow
3. StatementA condemned ox mixed with other oxen
4. ProofA ברייתא about a cow that killed
5. ChallengeChallenge from רבא: an unborn calf gores together with its mother
6. ResolutionRereading the ברייתא as being about when the cow became pregnant
7. ChallengeThis works only for the view that two causes together make it forbidden