Sanhedrin 96a

סנהדרין צ״ו ע״א

Learn Sanhedrin 96a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The end of סנחריב, אברהם's war with the kings, and the reward for נבוכדנצר's four steps

Overview

This amud finishes the אגדה about סנחריב. הקב"ה has him disguised, his hair and beard are burned off as ישעיהו foretold, and his own sons kill him while he worships a plank from נח's תיבה. The גמרא then explains words in the פסוק about אברהם's war with the kings. רבי יוחנן and רבי יצחק נפחא argue whether 'לילה' is an angel's name or means the stars fought for him. רבי יוחנן also says אברהם weakened at דן because he foresaw idol worship there. After a remark from רבי זירא, the גמרא brings ירמיה's question of why the wicked succeed, and Heaven's answer through a parable of a tired runner. The point is that if נבוכדנצר earned great reward for just four steps taken for God's honor, the reward of the אבות will be far greater. The גמרא tells the story of those four steps: נבוכדנצר insisted God be named first in a letter to חזקיהו, ran to fix it, and was stopped by גבריאל. It ends by explaining the name 'בלאדן בן בלאדן' and the פסוק 'a son honors his father and a servant his master,' which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (34)

1. Statementסנחריב is told to disguise himself and sent for scissors
2. Statementסנחריב works for the scissors, and fire burns off his hair and beard
3. ProofThe פסוק about the beard is fulfilled
4. Statementרב פפא's popular saying about this story
5. Statementסנחריב worships a plank from נח's תיבה and vows his sons
6. ProofThe פסוק describing סנחריב's murder by his sons
7. StatementIntroducing the פסוק about אברהם fighting 'by night'
8. Statementרבי יוחנן: לילה is the name of an angel
9. Statementרבי יצחק נפחא: a night act, the stars fought for him
10. Conclusionריש לקיש prefers רבי יצחק נפחא's explanation
11. Statementאברהם's strength weakened at Dan
12. StatementThe wicked enemy also gained strength only at Dan
13. Statementרבי זירא on the three warnings and what we tell people
14. Questionירמיה asks why the wicked succeed
15. ResponseHeaven's answer: if people on foot tire you, how will you face horses?
16. StatementThe parable of the boastful runner
17. StatementThree 'how much more so' lessons from the parable
18. ConclusionApplying the parable: if the wicked get reward, the אבות get far more
19. Proofירמיה's reaction in a פסוק
20. QuestionWhat were the four steps?
21. ResponseThe letter from the king of בבל
22. ChallengeWould a king send gifts just because someone got well?
23. ResolutionYes, because of the miracle
24. StatementThe day אחז died lasted only two hours
25. StatementThe ten hours are given back to חזקיהו
26. StatementThe king of בבל sends greetings
27. Challengeנבוכדנצר objects to God being named last
28. Resolutionנבוכדנצר's corrected order
29. StatementLet the one who read the letter be its messenger
30. Statementנבוכדנצר runs after the messenger and is stopped by גבריאל
31. Statementרבי יוחנן: had גבריאל not stopped him, ישראל would have been lost
32. QuestionWhy is he called 'בלאדן son of בלאדן'?
33. ResponseThe son ruled for his dog-faced father and signed the father's name
34. ProofExplaining both halves of the פסוק: the son and the servant