Sanhedrin 96

Chapter 96

א התם משום מררייהו אי הכי היינו דקתני עלה אמר רשב"ג במה דברים אמורים שלא נגעו במטה אבל נגעו במטה אסורין
1 Come and hear! 'One may not put money in a bag which was made to hold<i>Tefillin</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Although it had not actually been used for that purpose. ');"><sup>5</sup></span> But if one [incidentally]put <i>Tefillin</i> in a bag, he may afterwards put moneytherein'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence assignment is material. ');"><sup>6</sup></span>
ב תרגמה עולא במטה הנקברת עמו דמחלפי בתכריכי המת
2 — Let us put it thus: Ifa man made it [for <i>Tefillin</i>] and placed <i>Tefillin</i> therein, it is forbiddento put money in it: and this is in accordance with R.Hisda.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who holds that both designation and actual use are needed for prohibition. Cf. supra 48a. ');"><sup>7</sup></span> Come and hear! 'If one says to a craftsman, Make me a sheath for a Scroll[of the Law], or a receptacle for <i>Tefillin</i>,' before they are actually usedfor their sacred purposes, they may be employed for secular requirements;but once used for their sacred purposes they may not be put to secular use!'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Tosef Meg. II. This definitely proves that use and not designation is material, and contradicts Abaye. ');"><sup>8</sup></span>
ג ת"ש כיס שעשאו להניח בו תפילין אסור להניח בו מעות הניח בו תפילין יניח בו מעות אימא עשאו והניח בו תפילין אסור להניח בו מעות כדרב חסדא
3 — There is here a dispute among Tannaim for it has been taught: If one overlaidthem [the <i>Tefillin</i>] with gold or covered them with the hide of an uncleanbeast, they are unfit.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Shab. 108a on the verse in Ex. XIII, 9, That the law of the Eternal may be in thy mouth, — they (the Tefillin) should be made out of objects permissible for food. ');"><sup>9</sup></span> If with thehide of a clean beast, they are permissible, even though it was not dressedfor the purpose. R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: Even if covered with the hideof a clean beast, they are unfit, unless it was not specially dressed forthe purpose.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Men. 42b. Git. 45b. thus, the first Tanna considers designation as immaterial, whereas R. Simeon B. Gamaliel holds it to be a material act. Hence Raba agrees with the first Tanna; Abaye is with R. Simeon b. Gamaliel. ');"><sup>10</sup></span>
ד ת"ש אמר לאומן עשה לי תיק של ספר או נרתיק של תפילין עד שלא נשתמש בהן קודש מותר להשתמש בהן חול נשתמש בהן קודש אסור להשתמש בהן חול
4 Rabina said to Raba: Is there any place where the dead lie while the shroud is beingwoven?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., surely one does not wait for a person to die and delay the funeral while a shroud is being woven. In that case, the dispute of Abaye and Raba, whether a shroud woven for the dead (which means when the person is actually dead) may be used for other purposes, is entirely an imaginary one, such circumstances being inconceivable. ');"><sup>11</sup></span> Yes, he answered; e.g., itis so with the dead ofHarpania.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Or Neharpania (v. D.S. a.l.), a town in Babylon in the Mesene district, v. Obermeyer, op. cit., p. 197.] According to Rashi, its inhabitants were so poor that they could not afford to prepare the shrouds beforehand, and only after a death occurred was a public collection made, and a shroud hastily woven. [According to Obermeyer, op. cit., p. 201, the corpse in the meantime was lying naked in accordance with the Zoroastrian practice which the Jews of that town seemed to have adopted which forbade the covering or dressing of a corpse with any cloth but one that had been specially woven and prepared for the purpose.] ');"><sup>12</sup></span>
ה תנאי היא דתניא ציפן זהב או שטלה עליהן עור של בהמה טמאה פסולות עור בהמה טהורה כשירות אע"פ שלא עיבדן לשמן ר"ש ב"ג אומר אף עור בהמה טהורה פסולות עד שיעבדו לשמן
5 Meremar said in a lecture:The law rests with Abaye. But the Rabbis say: The law rests with Raba. Infact the law is as Raba says. Our Rabbis taught: The property of those executed by theState<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The reference is to the Jewish State, e.g., those executed for treason against the King. ');"><sup>13</sup></span>
ו א"ל רבינא לרבא מי איכא דוכתא דרמו ביה מת וארגי בגד למת א"ל אין כגון שכבי דהרפניא
6 belongs to the King: the propertyof those executed by the <i>Beth din</i> belongs to their heirs. R. Judah said:Even the property of those executed by the State goes to their heirs. Saidthey to R. Judah: But it is not written, Behold he [Ahab] is in the vineyardof Naboth whither he is gone down to take possession ofit?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So God said to Elijah. I Kings XXI, 18. The expression 'take possession' (from the verb 'to inherit') indicates that he took legitimate possession, as an heir. ');"><sup>14</sup></span> — He answered: He [Naboth]was his [the King's] cousin,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'the son of his father's brother.' ');"><sup>15</sup></span>
ז דרש מרימר הלכתא כוותי' דאביי ורבנן אמרי הלכתא כוותי' דרבא והלכתא כוותיה דרבא
7 andtherefore he [Ahab] was his legitimateheir.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This statement has no Biblical source. ');"><sup>16</sup></span> But he [Naboth] had many sons!— He [the King] slew both him and his sons, he replied, as it is written,Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of hissons.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Kings IX, 26. ');"><sup>17</sup></span>
ח ת"ר הרוגי מלכות נכסיהן למלך הרוגי ב"ד נכסיהן ליורשין ר' יהודה אומר אף הרוגי מלכות נכסיהן ליורשין אמרו ליה לרבי יהודה והלא כבר נאמר (מלכים א כא, יח) הנה בכרם נבות אשר ירד שם לרשתו
8 And theRabbis?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' How could they urge the fact that he had sons in face of the definite statement that they were slain? ');"><sup>18</sup></span> — They refer to his potentialsons.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'to the sons that should have issued from him.' — A murderer is held guilty not only of his victim's death, but also for the frustration of the lives of his potential descendants for all time. (Cf. Mishnah. supra 37a). But in their view, Ahab did not slay his actual sons. ');"><sup>19</sup></span>
ט אמר להן בן אחי אביו היה וראוי ליורשו היה והלא הרבה בנים היו לו אמר להן אותו ואת בניו הרג שנא' (מלכים ב ט, כו) אם לא את דמי נבות ואת דמי בניו ראיתי ורבנן ההוא בנים הראוין לצאת ממנו
9 Now, on the view that theirproperty belongs to the King, it is correct: hence it is said, Naboth didcurse God and the King.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings XXI, 13, pointing to his culpability for treason to the King in addition to blasphemy, which is punished by the Beth din; hence his estate would fall to the crown. ');"><sup>20</sup></span> But on theview that their estate belongs to theirheirs,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that Ahab took possession of the vineyard as heir. ');"><sup>21</sup></span>
י בשלמא למאן דאמר נכסיהן למלך היינו דכתיב (מלכים א כא, יג) ברך נבות אלהים ומלך אלא למאן דאמר נכסיהן ליורשין למה לי ומלך
10 why mention and theKing?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since blasphemy itself was sufficient for conviction, why needlessly add a false indictment? ');"><sup>22</sup></span> — But even according to yourreasoning,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That treason was punished by death and royal confiscation. ');"><sup>23</sup></span>
יא ולטעמיך אלהים למה לי אלא לאפושי ריתחא ה"נ לאפושי ריתחא
11 why state,'God'?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The charge of blasphemy being in itself superfluous. ');"><sup>24</sup></span> Hence [it must have beenadded] in order to increase the anger [of thejudges].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., they might have been inclined to think that a charge of treason alone was trumped up, but when blasphemy was added, they assumed it to be genuine. So Rashi. Kimhi maintains that the judges knew the testimony to be false, but that the accusation was made stronger in order to keep the people from revolting against the execution. ');"><sup>25</sup></span>
יב בשלמא למאן דאמר נכסיהן למלך היינו דכתיב (מלכים א ב, כח) וינס יואב אל אהל ה' ויחזק בקרנות המזבח וכתיב (מלכים א ב, כב) ויאמר לא (אצא) כי פה אמות אלא למאן דאמר נכסיהן ליורשין מאי נפקא ליה מינה לחיי שעה
12 So heretoo,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., even if he held that their estate did not belong to the King. ');"><sup>26</sup></span> it [the mention of the King]was made in order to increase the anger [of thejudges].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e. to make the crime appear more heinous. ');"><sup>27</sup></span>
יג (מלכים א ב, ל) וישב בניהו את המלך דבר לאמר כה דיבר יואב וכה ענני אמר ליה זיל אימא ליה תרתי לא תעביד בהאי גברא אי קטלית ליה קבול לטותיה דלטייה אבוך ואי לא שבקיה דליקו בלטותיה דלטייה אבוך (מלכים א ב, לא) ויאמר לו המלך עשה כאשר דבר ופגע בו וקברתו
13 Now, on the view that theestate belongs to the King, it is correct: hence it is written, And Joabfled unto the tent of the Lord and caught hold of the horns of theAltar;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings II, 28. ');"><sup>28</sup></span> and it is further written,And he said Nay, but I will diehere.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 30. I.e., he declined to be tried by the King so that his estate might not be confiscated. ');"><sup>29</sup></span>
יד אמר רב יהודה אמר רב כל קללות שקילל דוד את יואב נתקיימו בזרעו של דוד (שמואל ב ג, כט) אל יכרת מבית יואב זב ומצורע ומחזיק בפלך ונופל בחרב וחסר לחם
14 But on the view that theirestate belongs to their heirs, what difference did it make to him? — [Itwould serve] to prolong his life for awhile.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He wished to gain the time which it would require to take his message to the King and bring back an answer. ');"><sup>30</sup></span> And Benaiah brought back word unto the King saying, thus said Joab and thushe answered me:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. This gives the impression that Benaiah had had a long conversation with Joab. ');"><sup>31</sup></span>
טו זב מרחבעם דכתיב (מלכים א יב, יח) והמלך רחבעם התאמץ לעלות במרכבה לנוס ירושלים וכתיב (ויקרא טו, ט) וכל המרכב אשר ירכב עליו הזב יטמא
15 He [Joab] had saidto him: Go and tell him [the King]: Thou canst not inflict a twofold punishmentupon me:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'that man.' ');"><sup>32</sup></span> if thou slayest me, thoumust submit to the curses which thy father uttered againstme;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the murder of Abner. V. II Sam. Ill, 29: The curse is quoted in the text. — That curse then was to be Joab's punishment. But if Solomon executed him, the curse would be transferred to Solomon himself. ');"><sup>33</sup></span>
טז מצורע מעוזיהו דכתיב (דברי הימים ב כו, טז) ובחזקתו גבה לבו עד להשחית וימעל בה' אלהיו ויבא אל היכל ה' להקטיר על מזבח הקטרת וכתיב (דברי הימים ב כו, יט) והצרעת זרחה במצחו
16 but it thou art unwilling [tosubmit thereto], thou must let me live and suffer from thy father's cursesagainst me. And the King said unto him, Do as he hathsaid,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And kill him where he is. ');"><sup>34</sup></span> and fall upon him and buryhim.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings II, 31. Thus Solomon accepted the curses. ');"><sup>35</sup></span>
יז מחזיק בפלך מאסא דכתיב (מלכים א טו, כג) רק לעת זקנתו חלה את רגליו ואמר רב יהודה אמר רב שאחזו פודגרא א"ל מר זוטרא בריה דרב נחמן לרב נחמן היכי דמי א"ל כמחט בבשר החי מנא ידע אי בעית אימא מיחש הוה חייש ביה ואיבעית אימא מרביה הוה גמיר לה ואיבעית אימא (תהלים כה, יד) סוד ה' ליראיו ובריתו להודיעם
17 Rab Judah said in Rab's name; All the curses wherewith David cursed Joabwere fulfilled in David's own descendants. [It is written:] Let there notfail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, orthat leaneth on a staff, or that falleth by the sword, or that lackethbread.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Sam. III, 29. ');"><sup>36</sup></span> 'He that hath an issue' [wasfulfilled] in Rehoboam,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Solomon's only son. V. I Kings XIV, 21. ');"><sup>37</sup></span>
יח נופל בחרב מיאשיהו דכתיב (דברי הימים ב לה, כג) ויורו (המורים) למלך יאשיהו ואמר רב יהודה אמר רב שעשו כל גופו ככברה
18 for it iswritten, And king Rehoboam madespeed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'used effort'. ');"><sup>38</sup></span> to get him up to his chariotto flee to Jerusalem;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings XII, 18. ');"><sup>39</sup></span>
יט וחסר לחם מיכניה דכתיב (מלכים ב כה, ל) וארוחתו ארוחת תמיד נתנה לו אמר רב יהודה אמר רב היינו דאמרי אינשי
19 whilst itis elsewhere written, And what saddle soever he that hath the issue ridethupon shall be unclean.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XV, 9. The deduction is made from a comparison of the uses of the expression 'to ride' in both verses. According to Kimhi, however, it is deduced from the fact that he had to use an effort to mount his chariot. ');"><sup>40</sup></span> 'A leper'— Uzziah,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Son of Amaziah, called also Azariah, Cf. II Kings XV, 1. ');"><sup>41</sup></span> for it is written, Butwhen he was strong his heart was lifted up so that he did corruptly, andhe trespassed against the Lord his God, for he went unto the Temple of theLord to burn the incense upon the altar ofincense;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Chron. XXVI, 16. ');"><sup>42</sup></span> and it is further written,And the leprosy broke forth on hisforehead.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 19. ');"><sup>43</sup></span> 'He that leaneth on astaff' — Asa,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Son of Abijah, King of Judah. II Kings XV, 8. ');"><sup>44</sup></span> for it is written,Only in the time of his age he was diseased in hisfeet:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings XV, 23. ');"><sup>45</sup></span> concerning which Rab Judahsaid in Rab's name: He was afflicted withgout.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Podagra, gout in the feet, in consequence of which he had to lean on a staff. ');"><sup>46</sup></span> Mar Zutra the son of R. Nahmanasked R. Nahman; What is it [this complaint] like? — He answered: Like aneedle in the raw flesh. But how did he [R. Nahman] know that? — Eitherbecause he himself suffered with it; alternatively, he had a tradition fromhis teacher; or again [he knew it] because, Thesecret<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' E.V. 'The counsel.' ');"><sup>47</sup></span> of the Lord is with themthat fear Him, and His covenant to make them knowit.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. XXV, 14, — i.e., as a Divine revelation. ');"><sup>48</sup></span> 'He that falleth by the sword,'— Josiah,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Son of Amon, II Kings XXII, 1. ');"><sup>49</sup></span> for it is written, Andthe archers shot at kingJosiah:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Chron. XXXV, 23. ');"><sup>50</sup></span> concerning which Rab Judahsaid in Rab's name: They riddled his body like a sieve. 'That lacketh bread'— Jechoniah,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Grandson of Josiah. ');"><sup>51</sup></span> for it is written,And for his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him [by theking].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of Babylon, II Kings XXV, 30. ');"><sup>52</sup></span> Rab Judah said in Rab's name:Thus people say,