סנהדרין ז׳Sanhedrin 7

Mishnah

משנה: אַרְבַּע מִיתוֹת נִמְסְרוּ לְבֵית דִּין סְקִילָה שְׂרֵיפָה הֶרֶג וָחֶנֶק. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר שְׂרֵיפָה סְקִילָה חֶנֶק וָהֶרֶג. זוֹ מִצְוַת הַנִּסְקָלִין:

MISHNAH: Four kinds of execution was the court empowered to impose: Stoning, burning, decapitation, and strangling. Rebbi Simeon says: Burning, stoning, strangling, and decapitation. The preceding was prescribed for stoning.

Halakhah

הלכה: אַרְבַּע מִיתוֹת נִמְסְרוּ לְבֵית דִּין כול׳. וְלָרָשׁוּת לֹא נִיתַּן אֶלָּא דִין הֶרֶג בִּלְבַד. סְקִילָה מְנַיִין. וּסְקַלְתָּם בָּאֲבָנִים וָמֵתוּ. שְׂרֵיפָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּאֵשׁ יִשְׂרְפוּ אוֹתוֹ וְאֶתְהֶן. הֶרֶג. נֶאֱמַר כָּאן נְקִימָה וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן וְהֵבֵאתִי עֲלֵיכֶם חֶרֶב נֹקֶמֶת נְקַם בְּרִית. מַה נְקִימָה הָאֲמוּרָה לְהַלָּן חֶרֶב. אַף נְקִימָה הָאֲמוּרָה כָאן חֶרֶב. חֶנֶק. לֵית מַשְׁכַּח לֵיהּ. אָמְרָת. כָּל מִיתָה הָאֲמוּרָה בַתּוֹרָה סְתָם אֵין אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לְהַחֲמִיר עָלֶיהָ אֶלָּא לְהָקֵל עָלֶיהָ וְתָלוּ אוֹתָהּ בַּחֶנֶק.

HALAKHAH: “Four kinds of execution was the court empowered to impose,” etc. But to the government only decapitation was given. From where stoning? You shall stone them with stones that they die. Burning, for it is written, in fire you shall burn him and them. Avenging is written here, and there it is written: I shall bring over you a sword which avenges the vengeance of the Covenant. Since avenging mentioned there is by the sword, also avenging mentioned here is by the sword. Strangling? You do not find it. You say that for any death penalty mentioned in the Torah with no particular indication, you are not empowered to make it more stringent, but only to make it less so; they assigned this to strangling.

רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר. שְׂרֵיפָה חֲמוּרָה מִסְּקִילָה. וְרַבָּנִין מָרִין. סְקִילָה חֲמוּרָה מִשְּׂרֵיפָה. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר. חֶנֶק חָמוּר מֵהֶרֶג. וְרַבָּנִין מָרִין. הֶרֶג חָמוּר מֵחֶנֶק. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן דָּרַשׁ. כָּל שֵׁם בַּת כֹּהֵן בִּשְׂרֵיפָה. וְרַבָּנִין מָרִין. כָּל שֵׁם אֲרוּסָה בִסְקִילָה. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן דָּרַשׁ. מַה בַת כֹּהֵן שֶׁהֶחֱמִירָה תוֹרָה בָּאֲרוּסָה שֶׁתְּהֵא בִּשְׂרֵיפָה הֵיקִילָה בִנְשׂוּאָה שֶׁתְּהֵא בִסְקִילָה. בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֵיקִילָה תוֹרָה בָּאֲרוּסָה שֶׁתְּהֵא בִסְקִילָה אֵינוֹ דִין שֶׁנָּקֵל עָלֶיהָ בִנְשׂוּאָה שֶׁתְּהֵא בַהֲרִיגָה. וְרַבָּנִין דָּרְשִׁין. מַה אִם בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֶחֱמִירָה הַתּוֹרָה בָּאֲרוּסָה שֶׁתְּהֵא בִסְקִילָה הֵיקִילָה בִנְשׂוּאֵהָ שֶׁתְּהֵא בִשְׂרֵיפָה. בַת כֹּהֵן שֶׁהֵיקִילָה הַתּוֹרָה בָּאֵירוּסֶיהָ שֶׁתְּהֵא בִּשְׂרֵיפָה אֵינוֹ דִין שֶׁנָּקֵל עָלֶיהָ בְּנִישּׂוּאֶיהָ שֶׁתְּהֵא בַחֲנִיקָה.

Rebbi Simeon says, burning is worse than stoning, but the rabbis teach that stoning is worse than burning. Rebbi Simeon says, strangulation is worse than decapitation; but the rabbis teach that decapitation is worse than strangulation. Rebbi Simeon explained that any reference to “Cohen’s daughter” implies burning, but the rabbis teach that any reference to “preliminarily married” implies stoning. Rebbi Simeon explained: The Torah was stringent with a Cohen’s daughter and ordered that as preliminarily married she be burned, but was lenient with the definitively married one that she be stoned. The Torah was lenient with the preliminarily married daughter of an Israel and ordered that she be stoned; it is logical that we be lenient with the definitively married one that she be decapitated. But the rabbis explain, since the Torah was stringent with the preliminarily married daughter of an Israel and ordered that she be stoned, it was lenient with her in her definitively married status to be burned. The Torah was lenient with the daughter of a Cohen in her pleliminarily married status and ordered that she be burned; it is logical that we be lenient with her in her definitively married status that she be strangled.

רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶן חֲנִינָה. כָּל מִיתָה שֶׁהִיא לְמַטָּה מִמִּיתַת אָבִיהָ בִשְׂרֵיפָה. כְּשֶׁהִיא אֶצֶל אָבִיהָ עִם אָבִיהָ בִשְׂרֵיפָה וְעִם חָמִיהָ בִסְקִילָה. אֶת אָבִיהָ הִיא מְחַלֶּלֶת בָּאֵשׁ תִּשָּׂרֵף. רִבִּי לִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר. עִם אָבִיהָ בִשְׂרֵיפָה עִם חָמִיהָ בִסְקִילָה. הִיא בִשְׂרֵיפָה וְאֵין בּוֹעֲלָהּ בִּשְׂרֵיפָה. הִיא בִשְׂרֵיפָה וְאֵין זוֹמְמֶיהָ בִּשְׂרֵיפָה. כְּיוֹצֵא בָהֶם בִּשְׂרֵיפָה הִיא וָהֵן בִּשְׂרֵיפָה. כְּיוֹצֵא בָהֶן בִּסְקִילָה הִיא וָהֵן בִּסְקִילָה. כְּיוֹצֵא בָהֶן בְּחֶנֶק הֵן בִּשְׂרֵיפָה וְהוּא בְּחֶנֶק.

Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina: Anyone who is executed less cruelly than her father’s death is by burning. As long as she is with her father, with her father she is burned, with her father-in-law stoned. With her father she is desecrating, in fire she should be burned. Rebbi Eliezer says, with her father she is burned, with her father-in-law stoned. She by burning, her paramour not by burning. She by burning, her perjured witnesses not by burning. Similarly by burning, she and they by burning. Simnilarly by stoning, she and they by stoning. Similarly by strangulation, they by burning but he by strangulation.

רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶן חֲנִינָה. רַבָּנִין דָּרְשִׁין. אַנְשֵׁי עִיר הַנִּדַּחַת בִּכְלָל עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הָיוּ בִסְקִילָה. יָצְאוּ לִידּוֹן בְּקַלָּה שֶׁבְּמִיתוֹת בִּשְׂרֵיפָה. לֹא דַיֶיךָ שֶׁאַתְּ מוֹצִיאָהּ לִידוֹן בְּקַלָּה שֶׁבְּמִיתוֹת בִּשְׂרֵיפָה אֶלָּא שֶׁאַתְּ מוֹצִיאָן לָדוּן בַּקַּלָּה שֶׁבְּמִיתוֹת בַּחֲנִיקָה. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן דָּרַשׁ. נָבִיא הַשֶּׁקֶר בִּכְלָל עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הָיוּ בִשְׂרֵיפָה. יָצְאוּ לִידּוֹן בְּקַלָּה שֶׁבְּמִיתוֹת בִּסְקִילָה. לֹא דַיֶיךָ שֶׁאַתְּ מוֹצִיאָן לִידוֹן בִּסְקִילָה אֶלָּא שֶׁאַתְּ רוֹצֶה לְהוֹצִיאָן בַּקַּלָּה שֶׁבְּמִיתוֹת בַּהֲרִיגָה.

Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina: The rabbis explain that the inhabitants of a seduced city should have been included in the category of idolaters, by stoning. They were treated to a less painful way of execution; that should be by burning. It is not enough that you decree for them an easier death by burning, but should you have them judged by the easiest way, by strangulation? Rebbi Simeon explained: The false prophet should have been included in the category of idolaters, by burning. He was treated to a less painful way of execution, which should be by stoning. It is not enough that you decree for them an easier death by stoning, but you have him judged by the easiest way, by beheading.

רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר סוֹסַרְטַאי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ מַחֲלִף. רַבָּנִין דָּרְשִׁין. נָבִיא הַשֶּׁקֶר בִּכְלָל עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הָיָה בִסְקִילָה. יָצָא לִידוֹן בְּקַלָּה שֶׁבְּמִיתוֹת בִּשְׂרֵיפָה. לֹא דַיֶיךָ שֶׁאַתְּ מוֹצִיאוֹ בִשְׂרֵיפָה אֶלָּא שֶׁאַתְּ מוֹצִיאוֹ לִידוֹן בַּקַּלָּה שֶׁבְּמִיתוֹת בַּחֲנִיקָה.

Rebbi Samuel ben Sosartai in the name of Rebbi Abbahu switches the arguments. The rabbis explained: The rabbis explain that the false prophet should have been included in the category of idolaters, by stoning. He was treated to a less painful way of execution, [this should have been] by burning. It is not enough that you decree burning for them, but you have him judged by the easiest way, by strangulation.

רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן דָּרַשׁ. אַנְשֵׁי עִיר הַנִּדַּחַת בִּכְלָל עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הָיוּ בִּשְׂרֵיפָה. יָצְאוּ לִידּוֹן בְּקַלָּה שֶׁבְּמִיתוֹת בִסְקִילָה. לֹא דַיֶיךָ אֶלָּא שֶׁאַתְּ מוֹצִיאָן לִידּוֹן בַּקַּלָּה שֶׁבְּמִיתוֹת בַּהֲרִיגָה.

Rebbi Simeon explained: The inhabitants of a seduced city should have been included in the category of idolaters, by burning. They were treated to a less painful way of execution; that should be by stoning. This is not enough for you but you have them judged by the easiest way, by beheading.

Mishnah

משנה: מִצְוַת הַנִּשְׂרָפִין הָיוּ מְשַׁקְּעִין אוֹתוֹ בַזֶּבֶל עַד אַרְכּוּבּוֹתָיו וְנוֹתְנִין סוּדָרִין קָשָׁה לְתוֹךְ הָרַכָּה וְכוֹרֵךְ עַל צַוָּארוֹ. זֶה מוֹשֵׁךְ אֶצְלוֹ וְזֶה מוֹשֵׁךְ אֶצְלוֹ עַד שֶׁהוּא פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת פִּיו וּמַדְלִיק אֶת הַפְּתִילָה וְזוֹרְקָהּ לְתוֹךְ פִּיו וְיוֹרֶדֶת לְתוֹךְ מֵעָיו וְחוֹמֶרֶת אֶת בְּנֵי מֵעָיו. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר אַף הוּא אִם מֵת בְּיָדָם לֹא הָיוּ מְקַיְימִין בּוֹ מִצְוַת שְׂרֵפָה אֶלָּא פּוֹתְחִין אֶת פִּיו בִּצְבַת שֶׁלֹּא בְטוֹבָתוֹ וּמַדְלִיק אֶת הַפְּתִילָה וְזוֹרְקָהּ לְתוֹךְ פִּיו וְיוֹרֶדֶת לְתוֹךְ מֵעָיו וְחוֹמֶרֶת אֶת בְּנֵי מֵעָיו. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן צָדוֹק מַעֲשֶׂה בְּבַת כֹּהֵן שֶׁזִּנְּתָה וְהִקִּיפוּהָ חֲבִילֵי זְמוֹרוֹת וּשְׂרָפוּהָ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בֵית דִּין שֶׁבְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה בָּקִי:

MISHNAH: The order of burning: One makes him sink into manure up to his knees, puts a stiff cloth into soft ones and winds them around his throat. One person draws in his direction, the other draws in his direction until he opens his mouth. Then one lights a wick and throws it into his mouth that it enters his innards and chars his intestines. Rebbi Jehudah says, in that case, if he would die in their hands they would not have fulfilled the duty of burning; one opens his mouth forcefully with tongs, lights a wire and throws it into his mouth that it enters his innards and chars his intestines. Rebbi Eleazar ben Ṣadoq said, it happened that a Cohen’s daughter whored; they surrounded her with firewood and burned her. They told him, because the court at that time was incompetent.

Halakhah

הלכה: מִצְוַת הַנִּשְׂרָפִין כול׳. וְיִתֵּן קָשָׁה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ. אָמַר. שֶׁלֹּא יָמוּת. שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁסׇּתַם חִזְקִיָּהוּ אֶת מוֹצָא מֵימֵי גִיחוֹן הָעֶלְיוֹן בְּמָנִים דַּקִּים סְתָמָן.

HALAKHAH: “The order of burning,” etc. Why does one not use the hard cloth alone? One said, that he should not die; as we find that when Hezekias closed the waters of the upper Giḥon spring, he stopped it with soft clothing.

רִבִּי קְרִיסְפָּא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. בִּפְתִילָה שֶׁלְּבַעַץ הִיא מַתְנִיתָא. מָהוּ בִּפְתִילָה שֶׁלְּבַעַץ. רָבָּנִין דְּקַיְסָרִין אָמְרִין. אֵבֵר וְקַסִּטֵיטרִיּוֹן מְעוּרָבִין. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּירִבִּי בּוּן. אַתְיָא כְמָאן דָּמַר. מַדְלִיק אֶת הַפְּתִילָה וְזוֹרְקָהּ לְתוֹךְ פִּיו. בְּרַם כְּמָאן דָּמַר. יוֹרֶדֶת לְתוֹךְ מֵיעָיו וְחוֹמֶרֶת אֶת בְּנֵי מֵיעָיו. בִּפְתִילָה שֶׁלְּנֶפְט הִיא מַתְנִיתָא.

Rebbi Crispus in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: The Mishnah speaks of a ba `aṣ wire. What is a ba `aṣ wire? The rabbis of Caesarea say, a mixture of lead and tin. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, this follows him who said, “one lights a wire and throws it into his mouth.” But for him, who says, “it enters his innards and chars his intestines,” the Mishnah speaks of a wick of Naphtha.

תַּנֵּי. קוֹדֶם לְאַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה עַד שֶׁלֹּא חָרֵב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ נִיטְלוּ דִינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. בִּימֵי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי נִיטְלוּ דִינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי. בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּלִי נָא חֲכִים מֵידוֹן.

It was stated: Forty years before the Temple was destroyed, criminal jurisdiction was removed from Israel, and in the days of Simeon ben Ioḥai civil jurisdiction was removed from Israel. Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai said, praised be the Merciful, for I am not wise enough to judge.

אָמַר רִבִּי לָעְזָר בֵּירִבִּי צָדוֹק. תִּינּוֹק הָיִיתִי וְרוֹכֵב עַל כְּתֵיפוֹ דְאַבָּא. וְרָאִיתִי בַת כֹּהֵן שֶׁזִּינָּת וְהִקִּיפוּהָ חֲבִילֵי זְמוֹרוֹת וּשְׂרָפוּהָ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ. תִּינּוֹק הָיִיתָ וְאֵין עֵדוּת לְתִינּוֹק. כַּד חָמָא דָא מִילְּתָא לָא הֲוָה פָּחוּת מִבֶּן עֶשֶׂר שְׁנִין. כַּד הֲוָה מְהַלֵּךְ עִם רִבִּי לָא הֲוָה פָּחוּת מִן תַּלְתִּין שְׁנִין. דְּלֵית אוֹרְחָא דְגַבְרָא רַבָּא מְהַלֵּךְ עִם בַּר נַשׁ פָּחוּת מְתַּלְתִּין שְׁנִין. וְתַנֵּי כֵן. אָמַר רִבִּי. מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהָיִיתִי אֲנִי בָא וְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֵּירִבִּי צָדוֹק מִבֵּית שִׁירִיין וְאָכַלְנוּ תְאֵנִים וַעֲנָבִים עֲרַאי חוּץ לַסּוּכָּה.

“Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Ṣadoq said, I was a child riding on my father’s shoulder when I saw the daughter of a Cohen who had whored; they surrounded her with firewood and burned her. They told him, you were a child; a child cannot testify.” When he saw this, he was no less than ten years old. When he walked with Rebbi, he must have been no less than thirty years old since it is not fitting for a great personality to be accompanied by anybody less than thirty years of age. As we have stated: “Rebbi said, I was coming from bet Sirin with Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Ṣadoq when we ate figs and grapes outside the tabernacle.