Sanhedrin 99b

סנהדרין צ״ט ע״ב

Learn Sanhedrin 99b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The value of constant Torah study, מנשה's mockery of the Torah, the power of learning and teaching Torah, and who counts as an אפיקורוס

Overview

The amud opens by stressing that Torah must be reviewed every day, like a song, and רבי אלעזר proves step by step that people were created for the toil of Torah. ריש לקיש warns against learning only on and off. A ברייתא then describes מנשה בן חזקיה, who mocked פסוקים that seemed pointless. A בת קול rebukes him, and the גמרא shows that those very פסוקים, about תמנע and about ראובן's דודאים, teach real lessons. Next come sayings on the power of Torah: learning it brings peace, builds and protects the world, and brings the גאולה closer. Teaching another person's child, or causing someone else to do a מצוה, is counted as if you did it yourself. Finally the גמרא returns to the משנה's אפיקורוס and debates whether it means disgracing a תלמיד חכם or disgracing someone in front of one. It gives two versions of that argument and several examples. רבא's example, the family of בנימין the doctor, continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (42)

1. StatementSing your learning every day
2. QuestionAsking for the source in the פסוק
3. ResponseWork at Torah here, and it works for you there
4. StatementEvery person was created for effort
5. QuestionToil of the mouth or physical work?
6. ResponseIt is toil of the mouth
7. QuestionTorah or ordinary talk?
8. ResponseIt is the toil of Torah
9. ConclusionBodies are containers, and lucky is the one who holds Torah
10. StatementLearning on and off is like adultery
11. StatementThe one who sins 'with a high hand' is מנשה
12. Statementמנשה mocks seemingly pointless פסוקים
13. RejectionA heavenly voice rebukes מנשה
14. StatementA פסוק in ישעיהו describes מנשה
15. QuestionWhat does 'like a cart rope' mean?
16. Responseרבי אסי: the יצר הרע grows from thread to rope
17. QuestionBack to the פסוק: what is 'לוטן's sister was תמנע' teaching?
18. Responseתמנע was royalty
19. Statementתמנע tried to convert and was turned away
20. ConclusionWhy ישראל suffered from עמלק: they should not have pushed her away
21. Statementראובן did not take wheat, only wild plants
22. QuestionWhat exactly are דודאים?
23. ResponseThree opinions on what דודאים are
24. StatementLearning Torah for its own sake brings peace above and below
25. StatementTorah learning is like building heaven and earth
26. StatementTorah learning also protects the whole world
27. StatementTorah learning also brings the redemption closer
28. StatementTeaching someone else's child is like making him
29. StatementThe teacher is as if he made the Torah itself
30. StatementThe teacher is as if he made himself
31. StatementCausing another to do a מצוה counts as doing it yourself
32. ProofHow the staff verse proves the rule
33. StatementTwo views on who counts as an אפיקורוס
34. QuestionWhat is left for the phrase מגלה פנים בתורה?
35. ResponseExample: מנשה בן חזקיה
36. StatementAnother version: the dispute is about מגלה פנים בתורה
37. QuestionUnder the second view, who is the אפיקורוס?
38. Responseרב יוסף: one who says the scholars only help themselves
39. Challengeאביי: that person denies the Torah itself
40. Proofרב נחמן בר יצחק: another פסוק showing the righteous protect a place
41. ResponseNew answer: a student who doesn't honor his teacher when quoting
42. Responseרבא: like the house of בנימין the doctor