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Sanhedrin 80b

סנהדרין פ׳ ע״ב

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

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Topic

A condemned animal's calf, general warnings for the death penalty, and the wording of the mixed-group case of נסקלין and נשרפין

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a discussion about a cow sentenced to death and whether her calf is forbidden. The גמרא asks how the ברייתא fits the view that 'זה וזה גורם' is permitted. רבינא answers that the forbidden calf was already inside its mother when her verdict was finalized, because 'עובר ירך אמו'. The גמרא then turns to the משנה of 'כל חייבי מיתות' and tries to prove that a warning for a harsher death counts for a lighter one. רבי ירמיה rejects the proof: the case is one where the warning was general (סתם). That fits the תנא קמא, who learns from the מקושש, and not רבי יהודה, who calls the מקושש a one-time ruling. Next, רב יחזקאל and his son רב יהודה argue over the wording of the משנה about נסקלין mixed with נשרפין, using the rule of following the majority. רב יהודה explains that the חכמים's line 'סקילה is harsher' is only a reply to רבי שמעון. The amud ends as שמואל starts to respond to רב יהודה, and his words continue on the next amud.

Opening lines

אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר:

But according to the one who says:

זֶה וָזֶה גּוֹרֵם – מוּתָּר,

'this and that cause' – it is permitted,

מַאי אִיכָּא לְמֵימַר?

what is there to say?

אֶלָּא אָמַר רָבִינָא: אֵימָא,

Rather, Ravina said: say,

The steps (13)

  1. ChallengeA problem for the view that two combined causes are permitted
  2. Resolutionרבינא rereads the case: the fetus is part of its mother
  3. ProofProof from the משנה: a warning for a harsher death works for a lighter one
  4. Rejectionרבי ירמיה: the warning was general
  5. ProofThe משנה follows the תנא who does not require naming the death
  6. StatementThe root of the argument: the wood gatherer
  7. Statementרב יחזקאל's wording of the mixed-group case
  8. Challengeרב יהודה: with that wording, the majority already decides
  9. QuestionSo how should it be taught?
  10. Responseרב יהודה's wording: most of the group are burners
  11. ChallengeThe same problem now hits the Sages
  12. ResolutionThe Rabbis are only answering רבי שמעון's argument
  13. Statementשמואל addresses רב יהודה with a nickname