Questions tagged [maseches-sanhedrin]

The fourth tractate in the Order of Nezikin, focusing primarily on questions of jurisdiction, criminal law and punishments

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Coerced testimony in halacha

My chavrusa and I were going through Sanhedrin (40b) this evening, and the topic of how to get accurate statements from witnesses. Rashi mentioned the concept of moving the witnesses around in order ...
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Could any of the lamed-vovniks be a non-Jew?

I am referring to the concept of Tzadikim Nistarim (lamed-vovniks)—the 36 hidden saints in the world because of whose righteousness the world continues to exist—addressed in this passage: As a ...
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How do we know that one must give up his life for any immoral relationship?

Sanhedrin 74a teaches that one must give up his life rather than be intimate with a forbidden relationship. It derives this from Devarim 22:26, in the context of a man who raped a young woman: ...
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How does frequency of a Sanhedrin killing make sense in light of the concept of "Kippah"?

The mishnah on Makkos 7a states: סנהדרין ההורגת אחד בשבוע נקראת חובלנית רבי אליעזר בן עזריה אומר אחד לשבעים שנה רבי טרפון ורבי עקיבא אומרים אילו היינו בסנהדרין לא נהרג אדם מעולם רשב"ג אומר אף הן ...
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Siyum of Bava Kama/Metzia/Basra or Sanhedrin/Makkos

I have been told that originally, Bava Kama, Bava Metzia and Bava Basra were one masechta called Maseches Nezikin and that Makkos was part of Maseches Sanhedrin. A siyum of a masechta of Gemora is ...
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How to understand the Ruzhiner's understanding on Noach's righteousness

So a family member sent me a very nice idea on Parshas Noach from the Ruzhiner Rebbe. The text reads as follows: Noach was a righteous man, he was perfect in his generation (Bereishis 6:9) - there ...
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Benefitting from desecrated tombstones

We learn in Sanhedrin 48a: ת"ש נפש שבנאו לשם חי מותר בהנאה הוסיף בו דימוס אחד לשם מת אסור בהנאה הכא במאי עסקינן דרמא ביה מת Come and hear! A tomb built for a man still alive, may be used. If, ...
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Who is ההוא דהוה in the Gemara?

The gemara in Sanhedrin 7a brings a bunch of statements from ההוא דהוה(there was a man) who we learn many lessons from . One can learn that this is one person in all instances,or it is a different ...
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Can a magician cast a spell in water?

The power of magicians and magic, the Talmud speaks plenty about. One such example is that of Ze'iri and the donkey, in Sanhedrin 67: זעירי איקלע לאלכסנדריא של מצרים זבן חמרא כי מטא לאשקוייה מיא ...
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Is there a Midrash around Rashi's claim of Terah's forefathers being from Canaan?

Rashi's commentary on Tractate Sanhedrin 44b implies that Terah and his forefathers originated from Canaan. He references the mention of 'your Amorite father' - presumably citing Ezek 16:3 - 'Thus ...
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Is Mashiach going to come in Nissan/Tishrei, or can he come at any time?

The Gemara in Rosh HaShanah 10b-11a says: תניא רבי אליעזר אומר בתשרי נברא העולם בתשרי נולדו אבות בתשרי מתו אבות בפסח נולד יצחק בראש השנה נפקדה שרה רחל וחנה בראש השנה יצא יוסף מבית האסורין בר"ה בטלה ...
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Exact wording to commit to death penalty

To incriminate a person for a capital sin requires a warning, to distinguish between intentional and unintentional transgression (שוגג או מזיד, Makot 6). A person should be warned that the action he ...
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Sanhedrin 6:6 - Halacha or common practice?

The Mishna in Sanhedrin 6:6 speaks about after a Sanhedrin kills a someone who is liable the death penalty: והקרובים באים ושואלין בשלום הדיינים. ובשלום העדים. כלומר שאין בלבנו עליכם כלום. שדין אמת ...
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Is it forbidden דרבנן to withhold the wages of a gentile labourer?

The Gemora in Sanhedrin 57a states: אלא אמר רב אחא בריה דרב איקא לא נצרכה אלא לכובש שכר שכיר כותי בכותי וכותי בישראל אסור ישראל בכותי מותר Rather, Rav Aḥa, son of Rav Ika, says that there is a ...
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Is v'chai bahem a mitzvah?

The passuk says one should "do the mitzvos to live by them" (Vayikra 18:5), from which the Gemara (Sanhedrin 74a) learns that one, in general, must violate the mitzvos rather than die. Is this a ...
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Nora alila al bnei adam

I am digging into finding info on the concept of 'Nora alila al bnei adam'. There seems to be a gemara out there that is connected to this topic and how it somehow relates to the sin of the golden ...
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How is it possible to suggest that Moshiach must be alive when there is a clear Gemarah debating that

I saw a conversation on Mi Yodeya, questioning if one who believes the Rebbe to be moshiach is a heretic. The main basis of the argument was that Moshiach must be alive. However, there is a clear ...
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What was the Halacha before the ruling of "יהרג ואל יעבר"?

The Sages counted the votes and concluded: If a person is told: Transgress this prohibition and you will not be killed, he may transgress, except for idol worship, forbidden sexual relations, and ...
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(How) was Joshua allowed to trick Achan?

In Sanhedrin 43b it says that Joshua tells Achan that if he confesses he will be pardoned (והיפטר). Rashi explains that Joshua verbally deceived Achan into confessing, making Achan think he would not ...
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Was the Sanhedrin open to the public?

Besides the 3x23 rows of the students, were the Sanhedrin meetings open to the public as a rule?
Al Berko's user avatar
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Why must one give up his life to avoid idolatry, according to Rashi?

The Gemara (Sanhedrin 74a) derives that one must give up his life to avoid idolatry from the passuk in Va'Eschanan (Devarim 6:5): ואהבת את ה׳ אלקיך ... בכל נפשך You should love HaShem your G-...
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Why are the descendants of Hurdus still considered to be slaves according to Shmuel?

In Maseches Kiddushin 70b it seems that Shmuel held that Hurdus and his descendants had the status of slaves, but in Gittin 38a it seems that according to Shmuel, if the master gives up on retrieving ...
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Why is the last chapter in Sanhedrin called חלק?

It is known that each chapter in shas has a name comprising of the first few words in the masechet (for example יְצִיאוֹת הַשַּׁבָּת, הַמְקַנֵּא etc). My question is regarding the last chapter (...
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Name of avoda zara in the mishna?

Avoda Zara 3, 4: שאל פרוקלוס... שהיה רוחץ במרחץ של אפרודיטי Proclus asked... because he was washing in the bathroom of aphroditi ... Given it is forbidden to say name of avoda zara (Sanhedrin ...
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Did the entire generation of the wilderness lose their Olam Haba

What does the Gemara mean when it says (Sanhedrin 108), The generation of the wilderness have no share in the future world and will not stand at the [last] judgement, as it is written in this ...
user15985's user avatar
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What kind of publicity was required for Smicha?

There's a story in Sanhedrin 14a: שפעם אחת גזרה מלכות הרשעה גזירה על ישראל שכל הסומך יהרג וכל הנסמך יהרג ועיר שסומכין בה תיחרב ותחומין שסומכין בהן יעקרו מה עשה יהודה בן בבא הלך וישב לו בין שני הרים ...
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Why didn't King Shlomo get lashes for marrying more than 18 wives?

It states in the 364th prohibition that a king is forbidden from having too many wives. The limit is that he may not have more than 18 wives legally bound by kesubah and kiddushin. The ...
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Hadasim: Righteous or not?

The Midrash (Vayikra Rabba 30:12) says Hadasim refer to Jews who have good deeds but lack Torah: וַעֲנַף עֵץ עָבֹת, אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, מָה הֲדַס יֵשׁ בּוֹ רֵיחַ וְאֵין בּוֹ טַעַם, כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל ...
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Does the defendant give his testimony in Nefoshos trials?

The Gemmorah dedicates pages for discussing interrogation of witnesses in Nefoshos trials (NOT MAMONOS, NOT ISHUS), but I don't recall a discussion about the testimony of the defendant. Although the ...
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Does the Midrash imply that one should give up his life for "smaller" mitzvos?

The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 14:6) expounds the Pesukim in Koheles (8:2-3): Based on several incidents, the Midrash interprets "ani" as indicating that one's awe should be over you. Thus, "Ani, the ...
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Was a "rebellious son" ever executed?

The Torah tells us that a rebellious son (בֵּ֚ן סוֹרֵ֣ר וּמוֹרֶ֔ה) must be put to death. [Deuteronomy 21:18-21] The Talmud [Sanhedrin 71a] says: "This never happened and never will." But ...
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