Sanhedrin 93a

סנהדרין צ״ג ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 93a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

חנניה מישאל ועזריה and the furnace: the vision of זכריה, the fate of the three and דניאל, and the false prophets burned alongside יהושע כהן גדול

Overview

This amud tells more of the story of חנניה מישאל ועזריה, who came out of נבוכדנצר's furnace unharmed. It opens by learning that צדיקים are greater than מלאכי השרת. It then says the miracle shamed the rest of ישראל, who had bowed to the idol. רבי יוחנן explains a vision of זכריה: ה׳ was ready to destroy the world, but He calmed down when He looked at these three צדיקים in בבל. The גמרא then asks what became of the three afterward, and where דניאל was during the furnace story. A ברייתא explains why ה׳, דניאל and נבוכדנצר all wanted דניאל away. Next comes the story of the false prophets אחאב and צדקיה, who were burned in a furnace, while יהושע the כהן גדול, thrown in with them, came out with only singed clothes. The גמרא explains why the fire touched him at all, and what sin he was punished for. The amud ends as בר קפרא begins explaining the 'six barley grains' that בועז gave רות, and his explanation continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (44)

1. StatementThe righteous are greater than the ministering angels
2. StatementThe nations mock Israel after the furnace miracle
3. StatementOnly one branch of the palm tree was grasped
4. Questionרבי יוחנן asks about Zechariah's vision
5. Response'I saw the night': ה׳ wanted to turn the world to darkness
6. Response'A man riding' refers to ה׳
7. Response'A red horse': ה׳ wanted to turn the world to blood
8. Responseה׳ calms down when He sees חנניה מישאל ועזריה
9. ProofProving that myrtles mean צדיקים and the depths mean בבל
10. ResponseThe angry horses change color
11. StatementA white horse in a dream is a good sign
12. QuestionWhat happened to חנניה מישאל ועזריה?
13. ResponseThree answers: evil eye, spit, or a happy life in ארץ ישראל
14. StatementThe same three opinions among the תנאים
15. ProofThe פסוק behind the חכמים: 'men of wonder'
16. QuestionWhere was דניאל during the furnace story?
17. ResponseThree answers: digging a river, getting seeds, or getting pigs
18. ChallengeChallenge: אלכסנדריה never let breeding animals leave
19. ResolutionAnswer: he took young pigs secretly
20. StatementThree wanted דניאל away, and ה׳'s reason
21. Statementדניאל's own reason for leaving
22. Statementנבוכדנצר's reason for sending דניאל away
23. QuestionHow do we know נבוכדנצר bowed to דניאל?
24. ProofThe פסוק showing נבוכדנצר bowed to דניאל
25. StatementThe פסוקים about the false prophets אחאב and צדקיהו
26. Statement'Roasted,' not 'burned': they were made like toasted grain
27. QuestionWhat exactly did the false prophets do?
28. ResponseThe prophets approach נבוכדנצר's daughter with fake prophecies
29. Challengeנבוכדנצר challenges the prophets
30. ResolutionThe prophets claim God told them, not the others
31. Statementנבוכדנצר decides to test them
32. StatementThe prophets choose יהושע כהן גדול to join them
33. StatementThe result: the prophets burn, יהושע is only singed
34. Proofפסוקים in זכריה hint that יהושע was saved from fire
35. ChallengeWhy did the fire touch you at all?
36. ResolutionThey were three, I was one
37. ChallengeBut אברהם was alone
38. ResolutionThe wicked men with me gave the fire permission
39. ProofTwo dry sticks burn the wet one
40. QuestionWhy was יהושע punished at all?
41. ResponseHis sons married women unfit for כהונה
42. ProofThe 'filthy clothes' in זכריה
43. QuestionWhat were the 'six barley grains'?
44. RejectionNot six actual grains