Sanhedrin 113

דכתיב (בראשית ו, יא) ותשחת הארץ לפני האלהים ותנא דבי רבי ישמעאל בכל מקום שנא' השחתה אינו אלא דבר ערוה ועבודת כוכבים דבר ערוה שנא' (בראשית ו, יב) כי השחית כל בשר את דרכו עבודת כוכבים דכתיב (דברים ד, טז) פן תשחיתון ועשיתם וגו'

for it is written, The earth also was corrupt beforeGod;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. VI, II ');">¹</span> and a Tanna of the School ofR. Ishmael taught: Wherever corruption is mentioned, it must refer to immoralityand idolatry.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And once they were punished for these offences, they must first have been admonished against them. ');">²</span>

ואידך אורחייהו דקא מגלי

'Immorality.' as itis written, for all flesh had corrupted his way upon theearth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 'Corrupted his way' connotes immorality; cf. the way of a man with a maid. Prov. XXX, 19. ');">³</span> 'Idolatry,' for it is written,Lest ye corrupt yourselves and make you a graven image,etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. IV, 16. ');">⁴</span>

שפיכות דמים דכתיב (בראשית ט, ו) שופך דם האדם וגו' ואידך קטלייהו הוא דקמגלי

And the other teacher [who deducesthis from the verse, and the Lord God commandedetc.]?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' How does he utilize this latter verse? ');">⁵</span> He maintains that this verse[sc. the earth also etc.] merely describes their way ofliving.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But is not intended to imply a prohibition. ');">⁶</span>

גזל דכתיב (בראשית ט, ג) כירק עשב נתתי לכם את כל וא"ר לוי כירק עשב ולא כירק גנה ואידך ההוא למישרי בשר הוא דאתא

'Bloodshed', as it is written,Whoso sheddeth man's blood, etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. IX, 6. ');">⁷</span> Andthe other?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., who deduces it from the verse, all the Lord commanded. ');">⁸</span>

אבר מן החי דכתיב (בראשית ט, ד) אך בשר בנפשו דמו לא תאכלו ואידך ההוא למישרי שרצים הוא דאתא

— This verse [he willmaintain] merely teaches the manner ofexecution.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., by the sword, v. p. 380 n. 5; but the fact of execution is taught elsewhere. ');">⁹</span> Robbery, for it is written,As the wild herbs have I given you allthings;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 3. ');">¹⁰</span>

סירוס דכתיב (בראשית ט, ז) שרצו בארץ ורבו בה ואידך לברכה בעלמא

upon which R. Levi commented:as the wild herbs, but not as the cultivatedherbs.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., only as that which grows wild, without any owners; but not as that which is cultivated, hence owned by someone. This proves that robbery was forbidden them. ');">¹¹</span> And theother?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. n. 8. ');">¹²</span>

כלאים דכתיב (בראשית ו, כ) מהעוף למינהו ואידך ההוא לצותא בעלמא

— He will hold that thisverse is written to permit animalflesh,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which was prohibited to Adam, v. infra 59b. ');">¹³</span> [but not to prohibit robbery].Flesh cut from the living animal, as it is written, But flesh with the lifethereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye noteat.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 4. 'Flesh with the blood thereof' means flesh cut from the living animal. ');">¹⁴</span>

אמר רב יוסף אמרי בי רב על שלש מצות בן נח נהרג: גש"ר סימן: על גילוי עריות ועל שפיכות דמים ועל ברכת השם

And theother?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. n. 8. ');">¹⁵</span> — He may hold that thisverse teaches that flesh cut from live reptiles ispermitted.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. infra 59a, b. ');">¹⁶</span>

מתקיף לה רב ששת בשלמא שפיכות דמים דכתיב (בראשית ט, ו) שופך דם האדם וגו' אלא הנך מנא להו

Emasculation, for itis written, Bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiplytherein.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. This, of course, is a direct negation of emasculation. ');">¹⁷</span> And theother?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 386, n. 8, ');">¹⁸</span>

אי גמר משפיכות דמים אפילו כולהו נמי אי משום דאיתרבאי מאיש איש עבודת כוכבים נמי איתרבי מאיש איש

— He may regard this merelyas a blessing.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But it is not intended to convey any prohibition. ');">¹⁹</span> Forbidden mixture,as it is said, Of fowls after theirkind.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. VI, 20; hence different species are not to be crossed. ');">²⁰</span>

אלא אמר רב ששת אמרי בי רב על ארבע מצות בן נח נהרג

And theother?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 386, n. 8. ');">²¹</span> — He will maintain thatthis was merely for the sake ofmating.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It being easier to mate with the same species than with another; but no prohibition is implied thereby. ');">²²</span>

ועל עבודת כוכבים בן נח נהרג והתניא בעבודת כובבים דברים שב"ד של ישראל ממיתין עליהן בן נח מוזהר עליהן אזהרה אין מיתה לא אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק אזהרה שלהן זו היא מיתתן

R. Joseph said, The scholars<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The term be Rab does not necessarily mean the school presided over by Rab, though it may have that meaning occasionally. In one sense, it connotes the school founded by him, but lasting many generations after his lifetime. In another, it denotes schools in general. In this very instance, the views attributed to be Rab conflict with the teaching of Rab, Rab Judah, and all his disciples (Weiss. Dor II, p. 206.) ');">²³</span> stated:A heathen is executed for the violation of three precepts — Mnemonic G&nbsp;Sh&nbsp;R—<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H]: a mnemonic is given to facilitate the remembering of the subjects of a discussion. Here it stands for Gilluy 'Arayoth — adultery; Shefikuth damin — murder; and birkath ha-shem — blasphemy. ');">²⁴</span>

רב הונא ורב יהודה וכולהו תלמידי דרב אמרי על שבע מצות בן נח נהרג גלי רחמנא בחדא והוא הדין לכולהו

viz., adultery, bloodshed, and blasphemy. R. Shesheth objected: Nowbloodshed is rightly included, since it is written, Whoso sheddeth the bloodof man, by man shall his blood beshed;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. IX, 6. ');">²⁵</span> but whence do we know theothers? If they are derived frombloodshed,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That as bloodshed was forbidden on pain of death, so were the others too. ');">²⁶</span>

ועל הגזל בן נח נהרג והתניא על הגזל גנב וגזל וכן יפת תואר וכן כיוצא בהן כותי בכותי וכותי בישראל אסור וישראל בכותי מותר ואם איתא ניתני חייב

the other four shouldalso be included; whilst if their inclusion is taught by the extending phraseany man,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heb. [H]. Lev. XXIV, 15: Any man ([H]) that curseth his God shall bear his sin. Ibid. XVIII, 6: No man ([H]) shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness. In both cases one referring to blasphemy, and the other to incest, the repetition of ish extends the law to embrace heathens too. ');">²⁷</span> should not idolatry toobe included?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XX, 2: Whosoever he be (ish ish ) of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed to Moloch (i.e., engages in idol worship); he shall surely be put to death. The repetition then, here too, should extend the death penalty for idolatry to heathens. ');">²⁸</span>

משום דקבעי למיתני סיפא ישראל בכותי מותר תנא רישא אסור

But R. Shesheth saidthus: The scholars stated, A heathen is executed for the violation of fourprecepts [including idolatry]. But is a heathen executed for idolatry? Surelyit has been taught: With respect to idolatry, such acts for which a Jewishcourt decrees sentence of death [on Jewish delinquents] are forbidden tothe heathen. This implies that they are merely forbidden, but their &nbsp; &nbsp; violationis not punished by death! — R. Nahman b. Isaac answered: Their prohibition is their death sentence.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., in speaking of heathens, when the Tanna teaches that they are forbidden to do something, he ipso facto teaches that it is punishable by death; for only in speaking of Jews is it necessary to distinguish between prohibition and punishment. ');">²⁹</span> R. Huna, Rab Judah, and all the disciples of Rab maintained: A heathen is executed for the violation of the seven Noachian laws; the Divine Law having revealed this of one [murder], it applies to all. Now is a heathen executed for robbery? Has it not been taught: 'With respect to robbery — <font>if one stole or robbed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Stole (ganab) refers to secret stealing, robbed (gazal), to stealing by open violence. ');">³⁰</span></font>

והא כל היכא דאית ליה חיובא מיתנא קתני דקתני רישא על שפיכות דמים כותי בכותי וכותי בישראל חייב ישראל בכותי פטור

or [seized] a beautiful woman,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In war, v. Deut. XXI, 10-14 — a species of robbery. [This is the only possible and correct rendering of the text, contra Goldschmidt. Cf. Tosef A.Z.] ');">³¹</span> or [committed] similar offences,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Acts which are not actual robbery, but partake of its nature. ');">³²</span>

התם היכי ליתני ליתני אסור ומותר והתניא כותי ורועי בהמה דקה לא מעלין ולא מורידין

if [these were perpetrated] by one Cuthean<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'Cuthean' (Samaritan) was here substituted by the censor for the original goy (heathen). ');">³³</span> against another, [the theft, etc.] must not be kept, and likewise [the theft] of an Israelite by a Cuthean, but that of a Cuthean by an Israelite may be retained'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [I.e., though it is forbidden to rob the heathen (v. Yad, Genebah I, 2; VI, 8), the offence was non-actionable. For reason, v. B. K. (Sonc. ed.) note on Mishnah 37b.] ');">³⁴</span>

כיוצא בו בגזל מאי היא אמר רב אחא בר יעקב לא נצרכה אלא לפועל בכרם

But if robbery is a capital offence, should not the Tanna have taught: He incurs a penalty? — Because the second clause wishes to state, 'but that of a Cuthean by an Israelite may be retained,' therefore the former clause reads, '[theft of an Israelite by a Cuthean] must not be kept.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But actually it is punishable too. [This is merely a survival of old Semitic tribal law that regarded theft and robbery as a crime against the state, and consequently punishable by death. V. Muller, D. H., Hammurabi, 88] ');">³⁵</span> But where a penalty is incurred, it is explicitly stated, for the commencing clause teaches: <font>'For murder, whether of a Cuthean by a Cuthean, or of an Israelite by a Cuthean, punishment is incurred; but of a Cuthean by an Israelite, there is no death penalty'</font>?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus the Tanna does refer to punishment; since then he omits a reference to punishment in the clause under discussion, it shows that the heathen is not executed for robbery. In the whole of this discussion the punishment referred to is death. ');">³⁶</span>

פועל בכרם אימת אי בשעת גמר מלאכה התירא הוא אי לאו בשעת גמר מלאכה גזל מעליא הוא

— How else could that clause have been taught? Could he state, 'forbidden'&nbsp;… 'permitted'? Surely it &nbsp; &nbsp; has been taught; A Cuthean and a [Jewish] shepherd of small cattle [sheep, goats, etc.]<a rel="footnote" href="#56a_37">³⁷</a> need neither be rescued [from a pit] nor may they be thrown [therein]!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One need neither exert oneself to save them from death, nor may one encompass it. This, of course, is theoretical only, v. p. 388, n. 6. Not a few of these harsh utterances (where they do not reflect the old Semitic tribal law, v. p. 388. n. 7) were the natural result of Jewish persecution by the Romans, and must be understood in that light. In actual practice, these dicta were certainly never acted upon, and it is significant that a commission of Roman officers, after investigating Jewish law in its relation to Gentiles, took exception only to two laws, one relating to the damage done by a goring ox, and the other permitting a Jew the use of property stolen from a Gentile. R. Gamaliel repealed this latter law. (B.K. 38a: Sifre Deut. 344.) Hence, reverting to the discussion, the Tanna could not have stated that the murder of a Cuthean by a Jew is permissible, therefore he is forced to speak of punishment. ');">³⁸</span>

אלא אמר רב פפא לא נצרכה אלא לפחות משוה פרוטה אי הכי כותי בישראל אסור הא בר מחילה הוא נהי דבתר הכי מחיל ליה צערא בשעתיה מי לית ליה

'And similar acts.' To what can this apply in the case of robbery? — R. Aha b. Jacob answered: To a worker in a vineyard [who eats of the grapes]. When so? If his is the finishing work, it is permitted?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., the gathering in of the grapes. Deut. XXIII, 25 is interpreted by the Rabbis as referring to work in connection with the finishing touch given to the produce. ');">³⁹</span> If it is not the finishing work, is it not actual robbery?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Not merely bordering thereon. ');">⁴⁰</span>

כותי בכותי כיוצא בהן כיון דלאו בני מחילה נינהו גזל מעליא הוא

— But R. Papa said: This applies to [the theft of] an article worth less than a <i>perutah</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A small coin, one-eighth of the Roman as. ');">⁴¹</span> But if so, why say that such robbery of a Jew by a Cuthean must not be kept: does he not forgive him?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' One does not mind such a trifle, and readily forgives it. ');">⁴²</span>

אלא אמר רב אחא בריה דרב איקא לא נצרכה אלא לכובש שכר שכיר כותי בכותי וכותי בישראל אסור ישראל בכותי מותר

— Though he later forgives him, he is grieved when it occurs [therefore it is prohibited] — But how can you say that such robbery by one Cuthean from another is but a 'similar act' [i.e., bordering on robbery]: since a Cuthean does not forgive,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even such a trifle, v. infra 59a. ');">⁴³</span> is it not actual theft? — But R. Aha, the son of R. Ika answered; It <font>applies to the withholding of a labourer's wage.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This only borders on a robbery, for actual robbery means depriving a person of what he already possesses ');">⁴⁴</span></font>

כיוצא ביפת תואר מאי היא כי אתא רב דימי א"ר אלעזר א"ר חנינא בן נח שייחד שפחה לעבדו ובא עליה נהרג עליה

One Cuthean from another, or a Cuthean from an Israelite is forbidden, but an Israelite from a Cuthean is permitted.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., non-actionable. ');">⁴⁵</span> To what can 'a similar act' apply in the case of a beautiful woman? — When R. Dimi came,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Dimi was a Palestinian Amora of the fourth century, who travelled to and fro between, Babylon and Palestine, and was very zealous in transmitting the teachings of Palestine Scholars to his colleagues in Babylon (v. J. E. IV, 603; cf. p. 361, n. 5, supra. ');">⁴⁶</span>

כיוצא בו דשפיכות דמים לא תניא אמר אביי אי משכחת דתניא רבי יונתן בן שאול היא דתניא רבי יונתן בן שאול אומר רודף אחר חבירו להורגו ויכול להצילו באחד מאבריו ולא הציל

he said in the name of R. Eleazar in the name of R. Hanina: To a heathen who allotted a bondwoman to his slave [for concubinage] and then took her for himself, for this he is executed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This, though not actual robbery, is similar to it. ');">⁴⁷</span> 'A similar act', however, is not taught with reference to murder.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A deed is either actual murder or not. Even unwitting murder is murder, though the Almighty shewed mercy by sparing the murderer. ');">⁴⁸</span> Abaye said: If it should be, however, that it is so taught, it would be in accordance with R. Jonathan b. Saul. For it has been taught; If one was pursuing his neighbour to slay him, and the latter could have saved himself by maiming a limb [of the pursuer, e.g., his foot], and did not thus save himself [but killed him instead],