Mesorat%20hashas for Sanhedrin 142:21

יין ושינה לרשעים הנאה להן והנאה לעולם ולצדיקים רע להן ורע לעולם

Come and hear: <font>A Noachide who slew his neighbour [likewise a &nbsp; &nbsp; gentile] or violated his wife, and then became converted, is exempt. But if he did this to an Israelite, he is punished</font>. But why so? Should we not say: Since he is changed [in respect of judicial procedure] he is changed [in respect of liability too]? — The change must be in respect of both the judicial procedure and the death penalty: but this Noachide's status has altered only in respect of the former, but not of the latter. Granted that this is true of a murderer: before [conversion] his penalty was <font>decapitation</font>, and it is so now too. But [the violation of] a married woman was punishable before [conversion] by <font>decapitation</font>, but now by <font>strangulation</font>? — [This refers to] the violation of a betrothed maiden, for which <font>stoning</font> is decreed in both cases. But 'if he did this to an Israelite' is parallel to 'or violated his neighbour's wife!'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'His neighbour's wife' must refer to a nesu'ah, since the sacredness of betrothal alone is not recognised by heathens. Consequently, 'if he did this to an Israelite must also refer to a nesu'ah. ');">¹⁷</span>

Explore mesorat%20hashas for Sanhedrin 142:21. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.