Sanhedrin 27

בטלו דיני קנסות מישראל שפעם אחת גזרה מלכות הרשעה גזירה על ישראל שכל הסומך יהרג וכל הנסמך יהרג ועיר שסומכין בה תיחרב ותחומין שסומכין בהן יעקרו

these laws might have been abolished; because once the wicked Government,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That of Hadrian, in the second century. ');">¹</span> [as an act of religious persecution],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [[H] given in some versions, v. D.S.] ');">²</span>

מה עשה יהודה בן בבא הלך וישב לו בין שני הרים גדולים ובין שתי עיירות גדולות ובין שני תחומי שבת בין אושא לשפרעם וסמך שם חמשה זקנים ואלו הן ר"מ ור' יהודה ור' שמעון ור' יוסי ור' אלעזר בן שמוע רב אויא מוסיף אף ר' נחמיה

decreed that whoever performed an ordination should be put to death, and whoever received ordination should he put to death, the city in which the ordination took place demolished, and the boundaries<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heb. [H] denotes the boundaries without the town, as far as which one may go on the Sabbath. That such was meant here is evident from the following passage, which states that Judah b. Baba chose a spot between two Sabbath boundary lines. ');">³</span> wherein it had been performed, uprooted. What did R. Judah b. Baba do? He went and sat between two great mountains, [that lay] between two large cities; between the Sabbath boundaries of the cities of Usha and Shefaram<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Two Galilean cities prominent in the second century as places of refuge for the Sanhedrin. His purpose was that no city or region should suffer. ');">⁴</span>

כיון שהכירו אויביהם בהן אמר להן בניי רוצו אמרו לו רבי מה תהא עליך אמר להן הריני מוטל לפניהם כאבן שאין לה הופכים אמרו לא זזו משם עד שנעצו בו שלש מאות לונביאות של ברזל ועשאוהו ככברה

and there ordained five elders:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Persons ordained bore the title of 'zaken'. ');">⁵</span> viz., R. Meir, R. Judah, R. Simeon, R. Jose and R. Eliezer b. Shamua'. R. Awia adds also R. Nehemia in the list. As soon as their enemies discovered them he [R.J.b.B.] urged them: 'My children, flee.' They said to him, 'What will become of thee, Rabbi?' 'I lie before them like a stone which none [is concerned to] overturn,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., as something worthless: let them do their worst. ');">⁶</span>

רבי יהודה בן בבא אחריני הוו בהדיה והאי דלא חשיב להו משום כבודו דרבי יהודה בן בבא ור"מ ר' יהודה בן בבא סמכיה והא אמר רבה בר בר חנה אמר רבי יוחנן כל האומר ר"מ לא סמכו ר' עקיבא אינו אלא טועה סמכיה ר' עקיבא ולא קיבלו סמכיה ר' יהודה בן בבא וקיבלו

he replied. It was said that the enemy did not stir from the spot until they had driven three hundred iron spear-heads into his body, making it like a sieve.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence it is evident that even one person was authorised to bestow the degree of Rabbi. ');">⁷</span> — With R. Judah b. Baba were in fact some others, but in honour to him, they were not mentioned.

אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי אין סמיכה בחוצה לארץ מאי אין סמיכה אילימא דלא דייני דיני קנסות כלל בחוצה לארץ והא תנן סנהדרין נוהגת בין בארץ ובין בחוצה לארץ אלא דלא סמכינן בחוצה לארץ

Was R. Meir indeed ordained by R. Judah b. Baba? Did not Rabbah b. Bar Hannah say in R. Johanan's name: He who asserts that R. Meir was not ordained by R. Akiba is certainly in error? — R. Akiba had indeed ordained him, but the ordination was not acceptable;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'they did not accept (him)', because of R. Meir's youth at the time (Rashi). [Herford, R.T., Pirke Aboth, 108, suggests a probable explanation, viz. that R. Akiba had ordained him while on one of his journeys on which R. Meir accompanied him (v. Yeb. 121a). Such an ordination, having been performed outside the land, would not be recognised as valid. V. infra.] ');">⁸</span> while R. Judah b. Baba's later ordination, on the other hand, was accepted.

פשיטא סומכין בחוצה לארץ ונסמכין בארץ הא אמרינן דלא אלא סומכין בארץ ונסמכין בחוצה לארץ מאי

R. Joshua b. Levi said: There is no ordination outside Palestine. What is to be understood by, 'There is no ordination'? Shall we assert that they<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who have been ordained in Palestine. ');">⁹</span> have no authority at all to adjudicate cases of Kenas<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Glos. ');">¹⁰</span>

ת"ש דרבי יוחנן הוה מצטער עליה דרב שמן בר אבא דלא הוה גבייהו דליסמכיה ר"ש בן זירוד וחד דעימיה ומנו ר' יונתן בן עכמאי ואמרי לה רבי יונתן בן עכמאי וחד דעימיה ומנו ר"ש בן זירוד חד דהוה גבייהו סמכוהו וחד דלא הוה גבייהו לא סמכוהו

outside Palestine?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That is, ordination, even if conferred in Palestine, is of no avail outside Palestine for such cases. ');">¹¹</span> But have we not learnt: The Sanhedrin has competence both within and without Palestine! — This must therefore mean that ordination cannot be conferred outside Palestine.

ר' חנינא ורבי הושעיא הוה קא משתקיד רבי יוחנן למיסמכינהו לא הוה מסתייעא מילתא הוה קא מצטער טובא אמרו ליה לא נצטער מר דאנן מדבית עלי קאתינן

It is obvious, that if the ordainers are outside Palestine and those to be ordained in Palestine, [then] surely as has been said, they cannot be ordained. But what if the ordainers are in Palestine, and those to be ordained outside? — Come and hear: [It is related] of R. Johanan that he was grieved when R. Shaman b. Abba was not with them [in Palestine] to receive his ordination. [Again it is related of] R. Simeon b. Zirud and another who was with him, viz., R. Jonathan b. Akmai, or according to others [who invert the order,] R. Jonathan b. Akmai and another who was with him, viz., R. Simeon, b. Zirud,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The order is intended to show who was the principal ordainer and who was his assistant. ');">¹²</span> that the one who was with them was ordained, and the other, who was not, was not ordained.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence, a scholar outside Palestine cannot be ordained. ');">¹³</span>

דא"ר שמואל בר נחמן א"ר יונתן מניין שאין נסמכין לבית עלי שנאמר (שמואל א ב, לב) לא יהיה זקן בביתך כל הימים מאי זקן אילימא זקן ממש והכתיב (שמואל א ב, לג) כל מרבית ביתך ימותו אנשים אלא סמיכה

R. Johanan was very anxious to ordain R. Hanina and R. Oshaia, but his hope could not be realised,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because when they were with him, he could not procure another two to assist him, ordination requiring a board of three. ');">¹⁴</span> and it grieved him very much. They said to him: Master, you need not grieve, for we are descendants of the house of Eli.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And therefore cannot receive that dignity. V. infra. ');">¹⁵</span>

רבי זירא הוה מיטמר למיסמכיה דאמר רבי אלעזר לעולם הוי קבל וקיים כיון דשמעה להא דא"ר אלעזר אין אדם עולה לגדולה אלא א"כ מוחלין לו על כל עונותיו אמצי ליה אנפשיה

For R. Samuel b. Nahman, quoting R. Jonathan, said: Whence do we learn that none of the house of Eli are destined to be ordained? — From the verse, And there shall be no zaken<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] ');">¹⁶</span> [old man] in thy house for ever.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Sam, II, 32. ');">¹⁷</span>

כי סמכוה לר' זירא שרו ליה הכי לא כחל ולא שרק ולא פירכוס ויעלת חן כי סמכוה לרבי אמי ולרבי אסי שרו להו הכי כל מן דין כל מן דין סמוכו לנא לא תסמכו לנא לא מסרמיטין ולא מסרמיסין ואמרי לה לא מחמיסין ולא מטורמיסין

What does the word 'zaken' mean [here]? Shall we say, literally, 'an old man', but it is written [immediately after], and all the increase of thy house shall die [young] men! — It must therefore refer to ordination.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., there shall be no ordained person, etc. [H], accordingly, is understood in its Rabbinical connotation, 'one who has acquired wisdom', viz., an ordained Rabbi, ');">¹⁸</span> R. Zira used to hide himself to avoid ordination, because R. Eleazar had said: Remain always obscure,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., without office. ');">¹⁹</span>

ר' אבהו כי הוה אתי ממתיבתא לבי קיסר נפקי מטרוניתא דבי קיסר ומשריין ליה רבה דעמיה מדברנא דאומתיה בוצינא דנהורא בריך מתייך לשלם:

and [so] live.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. infra 92a. ');">²⁰</span> But later, having heard yet another saying of R. Eleazar, viz., One does not attain greatness unless all his sins are forgiven,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., office brings with it moral improvement. ');">²¹</span>

עריפת עגלה בשלשה: ת"ר (דברים כא, ב) ויצאו זקניך ושופטיך זקניך שנים שופטיך שנים ואין ב"ד שקול מוסיפין עליהן עוד אחד הרי כאן חמשה דברי ר' יהודה רבי שמעון אומר זקניך שנים ואין ב"ד שקול מוסיפין עליהם עוד אחד הרי כאן שלשה

he himself strove [to obtain it]. When they ordained him, they<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The schoolmen. ');">²²</span> sang before him, 'Neither paint nor rouge nor [hair-]dye, yet radiating charm.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A snatch of a song sung at weddings in honour of the bride (Rashi). ');">²³</span>

ור"ש האי שופטיך מאי עביד ליה ההוא מיבעי ליה למיוחדין שבשופטיך ור' יהודה מזקני זקניך נפקא

When the Rabbis ordained R. Ammi and R. Assi, they sang thus of them: Only such men, only such men ordain ye for us, but ordain not for us any of the 'sarmitin' and 'sarmisin', or as some say, 'hamisin' or 'termisin'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Interpretations of these words are varied. Jastrow says that it was a jest at Talmudic scholars using foreign words, and translates: Do not ordain for us any of those using words like 'sermis' (semis), 'sermit', (prob. distortion of 'tremis') 'hemis' and 'tremis'. Krupnik-Silberman translate, 'superficial scholars' (halbwisser). Dalman suggests, 'half-wits' and 'third-wits' (idiots and madmen). ');">²⁴</span> When R. Abbahu arrived at the Emperor's Court<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At Caesarea where his academy was. ');">²⁵</span>

ור"ש אי מזקני הוה אמינא זקני השוק כתב רחמנא זקניך ואי כתיב זקניך הוה אמינא סנהדרי קטנה כתב רחמנא ושופטיך ממיוחדין שבשופטיך ורבי יהודה גמר זקני זקני מוסמכו זקני העדה את ידיהם מה להלן מיוחדין שבעדה אף כאן מיוחדין שבזקניך

from College, the ladies of the court went out to receive him and sang to him: Great man of thy people, leader of thy nation, lantern of light, thy coming be blessed with peace. BREAKING THE HEIFER'S NECK IS BY THREE. Our Rabbis taught: And thy Elders and thy judges shall come forth.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXI, 2. ');">²⁶</span>

אי יליף לילף כולה מהתם זקניך ושופטיך למה לי אלא וי"ו ושופטיך למניינא ורבי שמעון וי"ו לא דריש

'Elders' [indicates] two; [similarly,] 'judges', two. And as a court must not be evenly-balanced, another is added; hence there are five: this is R. Judah's view. R. Simeon says: 'Elders' indicates two, and as a court cannot consist of an even member, another is added, making three in all. Now, according to R. Simeon, what purpose is served by the words 'thy judges'? — It is needed, in his view, to indicate the necessity of choosing the most distinguished of 'thy judges'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., members of the Great Sanhedrin. ');">²⁷</span> And R. Judah?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whence does he deduce this? ');">²⁸</span>

אלא מעתה ויצאו שנים ומדדו שנים לרבי יהודה הרי תשעה לרבי שמעון שבעה ההוא מיבעי ליה לכדתניא ויצאו הן ולא שלוחן ומדדו שאפילו נמצא

— [He deduces it] from the pronominal suffix [appended] to Zaken.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H], thy. ');">²⁹</span> And R. Simeon? — [He maintains:] Had 'elders' [alone] been written,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Alone, without the suffix. ');">³⁰</span> I might have said that it refers to [any] old men of the street.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., any people advanced in age. ');">³¹</span> Hence the Torah says: 'thy elders'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'Thy' intimates that the reference is to distinguished elders. ');">³²</span> Yet had 'thy elders' [alone] been written, I might have said that it refers to [the members of] the minor Sanhedrin. Therefore Scripture wrote, 'thy judges', to indicate that the reference is to the most distinguished of 'thy judges'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., members of the Great Sanhedrin. ');">³³</span> And R. Judah?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' How does he know that neither old men in general nor the members of the minor Sanhedrin are meant? ');">³⁴</span> — He derives this<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The law that they must be members of the Great Sanhedrin. ');">³⁵</span> from a comparison of the word elders [as used here]<a rel="footnote" href="#56a_36">³⁶</a> and in the verse, And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands [on the head of the bullock].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. IV, 15. ');">³⁷</span> Just as there, the most distinguished of the congregation<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the Great Sanhedrin. ');">³⁸</span> [are necessary],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. supra 13b. ');">³⁹</span> so here, too, the most distinguished of thy elders [are required]. But if this deduction be made, let us infer everything from that passage!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the number of Elders also. ');">⁴⁰</span> and what need then is there for 'thy elders' and 'and thy judges'? — But [we should say: In R. Judah's opinion,] the [superfluous] <i>waw</i> [and] of, and thy judges, intimates the number.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In truth, he does not employ the analogy, but derives the necessity of the presence of the Great Sanhedrin from the pronominal suffix to shofet ('thy judges') and their number, again from the conjunction 'waw', for it could have been written, And they shall go forth, thy elders, thy judges. ');">⁴¹</span> And R. Simeon<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who requires only three. ');">⁴²</span> — He does not employ the conjunction '<i>waw</i>' for interpretative purposes. But according to this line of argument, we might further deduce from the clauses, and they shall come forth, and, and they shall measure — each indicating two — that nine should be required, in R. Judah's opinion, and seven in R. Simeon's? — But these clauses are necessary, even as it has been taught: And they shall come forth, [meaning,] they, and not their deputies. And they shall measure; in all circumstances, even when the corpse is found