Questions tagged [maseches-makos]

Tractate concerning false witnesses, cities of refuge and implementing the courts punishment of lashes

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5 answers
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Did courts ever execute?

The laws of capital crimes elucidated in Sanhedrin and elsewhere make conviction very unlikely. Makkot 1:10 famously tells us that a court that executes once in seven years is considered "destructive",...
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11 votes
5 answers
2k views

Hitting your child as a disciplinary/educational measure - modern opinions

Shemos Rabbah (Shemos parsha 1) and a gemara in Makos (8a) both seem to indicate that physically striking a child/student is a positive thing to do in terms of discipline/education. My question is: ...
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6 votes
3 answers
311 views

Sanhedrin/Makkot - One masechta?

I remember hearing that originally Sanhedrin and Makkot formed one masechta. This is also mentioned by Wikipedia (without citation) [Sanhedrin] originally formed one tractate with Makkot, which ...
Joel K's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
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Arba Misos Beis Din- 1 Mitzvah or 4?

Tosfos on Makos 2a (Kol Hazomemin) brings a Tosefta which says that if you can't give someone their destined Arba Misos (meaning the one their Aveira warranted), you can give them a different one, ...
Bochur613's user avatar
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3 votes
2 answers
245 views

42 Levite Cities as Cities of Refuge

Bamidbar 35 discusses the cities that are to be given to the Leviem, and says that in addition to the 6 cities of refuge they are to be given 42 cities. Numbers 35:6 וְאֵ֣ת הֶֽעָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר ...
Solomon Light's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
69 views

Murder by Machine

Say that Reuven is at the batting cages. After the machine turns off, Shimon flips it back on without Reuven knowing. A ball whacks Reuven in the head. Is Shimon liable for the resulting death? What ...
DonielF's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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How can the Mishnah derive that lashes exempt kares, from a pasuk speaking only about one liable for lashes?

The Mishnah in Makkot 23a says "All those liable to receive karet who were flogged in court were exempted from their karet [...] as it is stated with regard to one liable to receive ...
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