Mesechtas Sanhedrin

Tractate Sanhedrin contains 11 chapters and 112 pages.

The tractate deals with the laws of the Great and Small Sanhedrin, Torah judgments, and more.

In the division of Shas, the Rebbe takes upon himself to study Tractate Sanhedrin. This was also the practice of the Rebbe Rayatz. The Rebbe explained[1] that "this is in accordance with the role of a Nasi and shepherd of Israel, who guides all the people of his generation according to the instructions of the Torah, and therefore the tractate that 'one should be especially careful with' is Sanhedrin, whose purpose is to be the instructors of halacha."

The book "Otzar Chidushim B'Shas" has been published on this tractate - a collection of novellae and explanations on the Shas from the Rebbe's teachings. It was edited by Rabbi Shalom Dovber Wolpo with a team from Kollel Ohel Meita - Zichron Yosef. So far, one volume has been published covering the first sixteen pages of Sanhedrin. It was published by Kehot in 5759 (1999).

Mussar

The tractate explains about one of the Amoraim who would say "words of mussar" to himself so that he wouldn't become haughty. From this story, we learn two things: (a) One needs to negate feelings of self-importance, etc. (b) And indeed, one can negate these feelings.

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Ir HaNidachat (The Subverted City)

On page 15b, there is a dispute between Rabbi Yoshiah and Rabbi Yonatan regarding the laws of Ir HaNidachat. According to Rabbi Yoshiah, from 10 to 100 people who worship idols, they are judged as an Ir HaNidachat, and their punishment is like that of an individual who worshipped idols, but fewer than ten are judged as individuals, and from 100 and above they are judged as a community. Whereas according to Rabbi Yonatan, only from 100 and above until the majority of a tribe are they judged as an Ir HaNidachat, but fewer than that are judged as individuals.

The Rebbe explains that this is a general dispute between Rabbi Yoshiah and Rabbi Yonatan throughout the Shas, where Rabbi Yoshiah prefers the power of the collective, and therefore from ten and above he considers them a collective - a "city," and from one hundred they are a community. Whereas Rabbi Yonatan advocates for the power of the individual, and therefore up to one hundred people, the law of idol worshippers is as individuals. This dispute appears throughout the Shas.

Additional examples of this are in the dispute between Rabbi Yoshiah and Rabbi Yonatan regarding one who strikes his father and mother, whether the verse means specifically one who strikes both of them - which is the opinion of Rabbi Yoshiah who holds that father and mother are a single reality of "his parents," as opposed to Rabbi Yonatan who holds that each one is a separate reality in this matter, and therefore the meaning of the verse is one who strikes either of them, and his punishment is also death.

The Rebbe's Explanation's

• 7b. These are the tools of the judges. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 34 p. 102 (114)
• 15b. How many people make an Ir HaNidachat. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 18 p. 107 (p. 116)
• 17a. A Sanhedrin that all saw guilt, they acquit him. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 29 p. 113 (p. 121)
• 20b. To appoint a king for them. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 24 p. 104 (p. 120)
• 31b. They would call him the son of Batya. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 6 Shemot p. 255 (p. 165)
• 39a. Tosafot beginning with "In what." Likkutei Sichos Vol. 7 p. 148 (p. 160)
• 40b. Rashi beginning with "Rather, he sees the reason for the matter" "before Heaven it is revealed." Likkutei Sichos Vol. 7 p. 140 (p. 152)
• 56b. And regarding theft. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 5 Bereishit p. 5 (p. 17)
• 57a. For three mitzvot a Noahide is executed. Shaarei Halacha U'Minhag Yoreh Deah p. 55 (p. 52)
• 57b. Regarding a married woman they have [laws], one who enters the chuppah but was not consummated they do not have [laws]. (The reason.) Likkutei Sichos Vol. 30 p. 244 (p. 257)
• 58b. One who raises his hand against his fellow, even though he does not strike him, is called wicked. Shaarei Halacha U'Minhag p. 210 (p. 207)
• 66a. His father without his mother, his mother without his father, from where [do we know]? Likkutei Sichos Vol. 18 p. 117 (p. 108)
• 82a. One who has relations with a non-Jewish woman, zealots may attack him. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 8 p. 150 (p. 161)
• 82a. If he comes to ask, we do not instruct him. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2 p. 344 (p. 70)
• 85a. His father without his mother, his mother without his father, from where [do we know]? Likkutei Sichos Vol. 18 p. 117 (p. 108)
• 89a. One who prophesies what was not said to him - such as Chananiah son of Azur. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 9 Devarim p. 125 (p. 143)
• 93b. Smells and judges. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 6 Shemot p. 254 (p. 254)
• 98a. The son of David will not come until a fish is sought for a sick person and not found. Reshimot booklet 7 (p. 12).
• 98b. In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will establish for them another David. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 30 p. 98 (p. 111) Shaarei Geulah p. 56 (p. 51)
• 100a. "And I will lead you upright," dispute between Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehuda. Torat Menachem 5711 Vol. 2 p. 107 (p. 128) Likkutei Sichos Vol. 7 p. 198 (p. 210)
• 108b. This teaches that Noach the righteous, etc. Why this ark? Likkutei Sichos Vol. 15 p. 38 (p. 51) Regarding the general concept of the ark, Likkutei Sichos Vol. 15 p. 35 (p. 47)
• 111b. Rashi beginning with "And they need." You made it easier for them with their money. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 9 p. 117 (p. 135)
• Jerusalem Talmud Chapter 10 Halacha 8. Likkutei Sichos Vol. 9 p. 118 (p. 136)

External Links

• Tractate Sanhedrin