Sanhedrin 91

Chapter 91

א השתא דמרחקי מהדדי אהני לרבויי עבודת כוכבים דדמי ליה בכל מילי

1 Since, however, they are separated from each other, it has the effect ofincluding an idolater,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The separation indicates that the rule of the general and particular is not to be applied in the usual way to limit the law solely to the thing specified, but to extend it to some similar thing. ');">1 who is likehim, [the blasphemer] in every respect. 'Whilst R. Eliezer employs [the ruleof] extension and limitation.' [Thus:] And if he be put to death then thoushalt hang him is an [indefinite] extension; for he is hanged because ofa curse … is a limitation. Now, had these two clauses been placed besideeach other, we should have extended the law only to an idolater, who is similarto him in every respect. Since, however, they are separated from each other,it has the effect of extending [the law] to all who arestoned.2

ב ור' אליעזר דריש ריבויי ומיעוטי והומת ותלית רבוי כי קללת מיעוט אי הוו מקרבי להדדי לא הוו מרבינן אלא עבודת כוכבי' דדמי לה בכל מילי השתא דמרחקי מהדדי אהני לרבויי שאר הנסקלין:

2 A MAN IS HANGED etc. What is the Rabbis' reason? — Scripture states, thenthe shalt hang him — 'him',3 but nother.4

ג האיש תולין וכו': מ"ט דרבנן אמר קרא (דברים כא, כב) ותלית אותו אותו ולא אותה ור' אליעזר אותו בלא כסותו

3 And R.Eliezer?5 — 'Him' implies withouthis clothes. And the Rabbis?6

ד ורבנן אין הכי נמי אלא אמר קרא (דברים כא, כב) וכי יהיה באיש חטא איש ולא אשה

4 — [Theyadmit that] that indeed is so; but Scripture says, And if a man have committeda sin,7 implying, a man, but not awoman. And R. Eliezer, — how does he interpret the words, And if a man havecommitted? — Resh Lakish answered: As excluding a stubborn and rebelliousson8

ה ור' אליעזר האי וכי יהיה באיש מאי דריש ביה אמר ריש לקיש ההוא למעוטי בן סורר ומורה והתניא בן סורר ומורה נסקל ונתלה דברי ר' אליעזר אלא אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק לרבות בן סורר ומורה מאי טעמא

5 [from that mode of execution].But has it not been taught: A stubborn and rebellious son is stoned and[afterwards] hanged: so says R. Eliezer? — But, said R. Nahman b. Isaac:[He interprets it] as including a stubborn and rebellious son. Howso?9 — Scripture says, As if a manhas committed a sin — 'a man,' but not a son; 'a sin' implies one who isexecuted for his [present] sin, thus excluding a stubborn and rebelliousson, who is executed on account of his ultimatedestiny.10

ו דאמר קרא וכי יהיה באיש חטא איש ולא בן חטא מי שעל חטאו נהרג יצא בן סורר ומורה שעל שום סופו נהרג הוי מיעוט אחר מיעוט ואין מיעוט אחר מיעוט אלא לרבות:

6 So we have one exclusionfollowing another, and such always indicatesinclusion.11 WHEREUPON R. ELIEZER SAID TO THEM: BUT DID NOT SIMEON B. SHETAH HANG etc.R. Hisda said: They taught this12

ז אמר להן רבי אליעזר והלא שמעון בן שטח תלה נשים כו': אמר רב חסדא לא שנו אלא בשתי מיתות אבל במיתה אחת דנין והא מעשה דשמעון בן שטח דמיתה אחת הואי וקא אמרו ליה דאין דנין

7 only of two different deathpenalties,13 but if a single modeof execution is involved, they [two charges] may be tried [on the same day].But in the instance of Simeon b. Shetah, only one mode of execution was involved,and yet [the Sages] said to him14

ח אלא אי איתמר הכי איתמר לא שנו אלא במיתה אחת כעין שתי מיתות והיכי דמי כגון שתי עבירות אבל במיתה אחת ועבירה אחת דנין

8 that the cases should not [legally] have been tried! — But if a statementwas made, it was made thus: They taught this only of a single death penaltyappearing as two. And how can that be? E.g., [when one is accused of] twodifferent transgressions.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., the desecration of the Sabbath and idolatry, although both are punishable by the same penalty — stoning. Two such cases may not be tried on the same day. All the more so cases involving two different modes of execution may certainly not be tried on the same day. ');">15 But casesdealing with the same transgression and the same mode of execution may betried.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But in the instance of Simeon the son of Shetah the women were convicted for what Scripture regards as two different branches of witchcraft, viz., necromancy and charming. Cf. Lev. XX, 27; hence the Rabbis remarked that his action was illegal, but that it was done in an emergency. ');">16

ט מתיב רב אדא בר אהבה אין דנין שנים ביום אחד ואפילו בנואף ונואפת תרגמא רב חסדא בבת כהן ובועלה

9 R. Adda b. Ahabah raised an objection: 'Two [capital] cases may not be triedin one day; not even that of an adulterer and hisparamour'?17 R. Hisda explained thisas referring to the daughter of a priest and herparamour;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whose executions are not simiiar. The woman is punished by burning (Lev. XXI, 9) and the man by strangulation if she be a nesu'ah, or by stoning, if she be an arusah (v. Glos.). ');">18

י או בבת כהן וזוממי זוממיה

10 or to the daughter ofa priest and the refuters of the refutingwitnesses.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.g., if A and B, who gave evidence against the daughter of a priest, were refuted by C and D, and the latter were afterwards themselves refuted by E and F, the woman undergoes her due death penalty — burning — since her refuting witnesses C and D were proved to be collusive, and the false witnesses are punished by the same penalty as the male adulterer (strangulation or burning, according to the status of the woman). V. infra 90a. ');">19 It has been taught: R. Eliezer b. Jacob said: I haveheard20

יא תניא ר"א בן יעקב אומר שמעתי שבית דין מכין ועונשין שלא מן התורה ולא לעבור על דברי תורה אלא כדי לעשות סייג לתורה

11 that the Beth din may, [whennecessary,] impose flagellation and pronounce [capital] sentences even wherenot [warranted] by the Torah; yet not with the intention of disregardingthe Torah but [on the contrary] in order to safeguardit.21 It once happened that a manrode a horse on the Sabbath in the Greek period and he was brought beforethe Court and stoned, not because he was liablethereto,22

יב ומעשה באחד שרכב על סוס בשבת בימי יונים והביאוהו לבית דין וסקלוהו לא מפני שראוי לכך אלא שהשעה צריכה לכך שוב מעשה באדם אחד שהטיח את אשתו תחת התאנה והביאוהו לבית דין והלקוהו לא מפני שראוי לכך אלא שהשעה צריכה לכך:

12 but because it was[practically] required by thetimes.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' During the time that Palestine was under Greek rule there was great laxity in the Jews' adherence to their religion, and stringent measures had to be adopted to enforce observance (Rashi). [Cf. Derenbourg, Essai, p. 107.] ');">23 Again it happened that aman once had intercourse with his wife under a figtree.24

יג <big>מתני׳</big> כיצד תולין אותו משקעין את הקורה בארץ והעץ יוצא ומקיף שתי ידיו זו על גב זו ותולה אותו רבי יוסי אומר הקורה מוטה על הכותל ותולה אותו כדרך שהטבחין עושין

13 He was brought before theBeth din and flogged, not because he meritedit,25 but because the times requiredit.26

יד ומתירין אותו מיד ואם לן עובר עליו בלא תעשה שנאמר (דברים כא, כג) לא תלין נבלתו על העץ כי קבר תקברנו כי קללת אלהים תלוי וגו' כלומר מפני מה זה תלוי מפני שבירך את השם ונמצא שם שמים מתחלל

14     MISHNAH. HOW IS HEHANGED?27 — THE POST IS SUNKINTO THE GROUND WITH A [CROSS-] PIECE BRANCHING OFF [AT THETOP].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This bears no resemblance at all to crucifixion. Cf. Rabbinowicz, Legislation criminelle du Talmud, p. 111: What a difference between this hanging after death, where the executed man had both his hands tied and did not remain one minute upon the gallows, and the Supplicium, which the Romans inflicted upon Jesus, who was nailed to the cross whilst alive, with his hands on the cross, and left hanging on the gallows all day. ');">28

טו אמר רבי מאיר בשעה שאדם מצטער שכינה מה לשון אומרת קלני מראשי קלני מזרועי אם כן המקום מצטער על דמן של רשעים שנשפך קל וחומר על דמן של צדיקים

15 ANDHE29 BRINGS HIS HANDSTOGETHER30

טז ולא זו בלבד אמרו אלא כל המלין את מתו עובר בלא תעשה הלינהו לכבודו להביא לו ארון ותכריכים אינו עובר עליו

16 ONE OVER THE OTHER ANDHANGS HIM UP [THEREBY]. R. JOSE SAID: THE POST IS LEANED AGAINST THEWALL,31 AND HE HANGS HIM UP AFTERTHE FASHION OF BUTCHERS. HE IS IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS LET DOWN. IF HE ISLEFT [HANGING] OVER NIGHT, A NEGATIVE COMMAND IS THEREBY TRANSGRESSED, FORIT IS WRITTEN, HIS BODY SHALL NOT REMAIN ALL NIGHT UPON THE TREE, BUT THOUSHALT SURELY BURY HIM THE SAME DAY FOR HE IS HANGED [BECAUSE OF] A CURSEAGAINST GOD,32

יז ולא היו קוברין אותו בקברות אבותיו אלא שתי בתי קברות היו מתוקנין לבית דין אחת לנהרגין ולנחנקין ואחת לנסקלין ולנשרפין נתעכל הבשר מלקטין את העצמות וקוברין אותן במקומן והקרובים באים ושואלים בשלום הדיינין ובשלום העדים כלומר שאין בלבנו עליכם שדין אמת דנתם

17 — AS IF TO SAY WHYWAS HE HANGED? — BECAUSE HE CURSED THE NAME [OF GOD]; ANDSO33 THE NAME OF HEAVEN [GOD] ISPROFANED.34 R. MEIR SAID:35 WHEN MANSUFFERS,36 WHAT EXPRESSION DOES THESHECHINAH<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The word [H] is omitted in most editions of the Mishnah. Where it is omitted, the definite article is added to the word [H], and the phrase is translated, 'When man suffers, what does the tongue say?' [The tongue stands for the Divine, and some texts accordingly add here, 'if it could be said', [H].] ');">37 USE? — MY HEAD IS TOOHEAVY FOR ME, MY ARM IS TOO HEAVY FORME.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Gemara. The phrase is intended to express how painful it is to God when His children suffer, even though they may deserve punishment for their iniquities, as a father would deplore the pain of his sinful son. ');">38 AND IF GOD IS SO GRIEVED OVERTHE BLOOD OF THE WICKED THAT IS SHED, HOW MUCH MORE SO OVER THE BLOOD OFTHE RIGHTEOUS! AND NOT ONLY OF THIS ONE [A CRIMINAL,] DID THEY [SC. THE SAGES] SAYIT,39 BUT WHOSOEVER LETS HIS DEADLIE OVER NIGHT TRANSGRESSES A NEGATIVECOMMAND.40 IF HE KEPT HIM OVER NIGHTFOR THE SAKE OF HIS41 HONOUR, TO PROCUREFOR HIM A COFFIN OR A SHROUD, HE DOES NOT TRANSGRESS THEREBY. AND THEY DID NOT BURY HIM [THE EXECUTED PERSON] IN HIS ANCESTRAL TOMB, BUTTWO BURIAL PLACES WERE PREPARED BY THE BETH DIN, ONE FOR THOSE WHO WEREDECAPITATED OR STRANGLED, AND THE OTHER FOR THOSE WHO WERE STONED OR BURNED. WHEN THE FLESH WAS COMPLETELY DECOMPOSED, THE BONES WERE GATHERED AND BURIEDIN THEIR PROPER PLACE.42 THE RELATIVESTHEN43 CAME AND GREETED THE JUDGESAND WITNESSES, AS IF TO SAY, WE HAVE NO [ILL FEELINGS] AGAINST YOU IN OURHEARTS, FOR YE GAVE A TRUE JUDGMENT.

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