Reference for Sanhedrin 153:8
אמרי התם בלא שרגא לא מתחיל הבלא
before mosquitoes, [who stung him to death] he is. R. Ashi said: <font>Even before mosquitoes, he is not liable, because these go and others come</font>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the mosquitoes before which the prisoner was bound do not kill him entirely, as there is a continuous coming and going. Hence it is similar to binding one in a place where the sun will appear, but has not yet done so. ');"><sup>6</sup></span> It has been stated: If one <font>overturned a vat upon a man</font> [who <font>then died of suffocation</font>], or <font>broke open a ceiling above him</font>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that the cold entering therein, killed him. ');"><sup>7</sup></span> — Raba and R. Zera [differ]: One ruled that he is liable, the other that he is not. It can be proved that it was Raba who ruled that he is not liable, for he said: If one bound his neighbour and he <font>dies of starvation, he is not liable</font>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is similar: he did not kill him but indirectly caused his death. ');"><sup>8</sup></span> On the contrary. it can be shewn that R. Zera ruled that he is not liable. For R. Zera said: <font>If one led his neighbour in to an alabaster chamber</font><span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which was then hermetically sealed, so that no fumes could escape. ');"><sup>9</sup></span> and lit a <font>candle therein, so that he died</font> [of the fumes]. he is liable. Now, the reason is <font>only that he lit a candle</font> that he is liable;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This being considered active murder under the circumstances. ');"><sup>10</sup></span> but <font>had he not lit a candle [and the prisoner died of the natural heat and lack of air], he would be exempt</font>!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus R. Zera maintains that no penalty is incurred for indirectly causing one's death. ');"><sup>11</sup></span> — I will tell you: In that case, without a candle, the heat would not have commenced [its effects]