## Sanhedrin Daf 18a

###### Sanhedrin 18a:1
[Sanhedrin 18a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/18a:1)

מָאתַיִם וְשִׁבְעִים וְשִׁבְעָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The number of people needed in a city for it to be eligible for a lesser Sanhedrin is **277.** This number is based on the opinion of Rabbi Neḥemya, who requires 230 men, but requires an additional 47 men in case it happens that the Sages of the court reach a situation where they are not able to arrive at a verdict, and pairs of judges need to be added, potentially increasing the number of judges on the court from 23 to 70, a maximum of 47 additional judges.


###### Sanhedrin 18a:2
[Sanhedrin 18a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/18a:2)

וְהָתַנְיָא, רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: מָאתַיִם שִׁבְעִים וּשְׁמֹנָה! לָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא – רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, הָא – רַבָּנַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi **says:** The number of men needed in a city for it to be eligible for a lesser Sanhedrin is **278?** The Gemara answers: This is **not difficult. This** *baraita* that said Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi requires 277 residents is stated in accordance with the opinion of **Rabbi Yehuda,** who holds that there are 70 judges on the Great Sanhedrin, and **this** *baraita* that quoted the number as 278 is stated in accordance with the opinion of **the Rabbis,** who hold that there are 71.


###### Sanhedrin 18a:3
[Sanhedrin 18a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/18a:3)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״וְשַׂמְתָּ עֲלֵיהֶם שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים שָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת שָׂרֵי חֲמִשִּׁים וְשָׂרֵי עֲשָׂרֹת״. ״שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים״ – שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת, ״שָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת״ – שֵׁשֶׁת אֲלָפִים, ״שָׂרֵי חֲמִשִּׁים״ – שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אֶלֶף, ״שָׂרֵי עֲשָׂרוֹת״ – שֵׁשֶׁת רִיבּוֹא. נִמְצְאוּ דַּיָּינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁבְעַת רִיבּוֹא וּשְׁמוֹנַת אֲלָפִים וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Apropos the opinion of Rabbi Neḥemya, which links the issue of the lesser Sanhedrin with the appointment of the ministers in the wilderness, the Gemara relates: **The Sages taught:** The verse states: **“And place over them ministers of thousands, ministers of hundreds, ministers of fifties, and ministers of tens”** (Exodus 18:21). The number of **ministers of thousands** was **600,** as there were 600,000 men in total; the number of **ministers of hundreds** was **6,000;** of **ministers of fifties, 12,000,** and of **ministers of tens, 60,000.** Therefore, **it is found** that the total number of **judges of the Jewish people** was **78,600,** and suitable people were found to fill all of these positions.


###### Sanhedrin 18a:4
[Sanhedrin 18a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/18a:4)

**הֲדַרַן עֲלָךְ דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת.**


###### Sanhedrin 18a:5
[Sanhedrin 18a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/18a:5)

מַתְנִי׳ **כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל** דָּן וְדָנִין אוֹתוֹ, מֵעִיד וּמְעִידִין אוֹתוֹ, חוֹלֵץ וְחוֹלְצִין לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, וּמְיַיבְּמִין אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ. אֲבָל הוּא אֵינוֹ מְיַיבֵּם, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא אָסוּר בָּאַלְמָנָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** The **High Priest judges** others if he is sufficiently wise, **and** others **judge him** when he transgresses. He **testifies** before the court **and** others **testify concerning him. He performs *ḥalitza*** with his brother’s widow **and** his brother **performs *ḥalitza* with his wife; and** his brother **consummates levirate marriage with his wife. But he does not consummate levirate marriage** with his brother’s widow, **because it is prohibited for him to** marry **a widow** (see Leviticus 21:14), and can therefore never fulfill the mitzva of levirate marriage, as a *yevama* is by definition a widow.


###### Sanhedrin 18a:6
[Sanhedrin 18a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/18a:6)

מֵת לוֹ מֵת, אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא אַחַר הַמִּטָּה, אֶלָּא הֵן נִכְסִין וְהוּא נִגְלֶה, הֵן נִגְלִין וְהוּא נִכְסֶה, וְיוֹצֵא עִמָּהֶן עַד פֶּתַח שַׁעַר הָעִיר, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
If a relative **of** the High Priest **dies, he does not follow the bier** carrying the corpse, since it is prohibited for the High Priest to become ritually impure even for immediate relatives (see Leviticus 21:11). **Rather,** once the members of the funeral procession **are concealed** from sight by turning onto another street, **he is revealed** on the street they departed, and when **they are revealed,** then **he is concealed, and** in this way, **he goes out with them until the entrance of the gate of the city,** from where they would take out the corpse, since the dead were not buried in Jerusalem. This is **the statement of Rabbi Meir.**


###### Sanhedrin 18a:7
[Sanhedrin 18a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/18a:7)

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא מִן הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, מִשּׁוּם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּמִן הַמִּקְדָּשׁ לֹא יֵצֵא״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yehuda says: He does not emerge from the Temple** at all for the burial of his relatives, **as it is stated: “And from the Temple he shall not emerge** and will not desecrate the Temple of his God; for the separateness of the oil of the anointment of his God is on him” (Leviticus 21:12).


###### Sanhedrin 18a:8
[Sanhedrin 18a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/18a:8)

וּכְשֶׁהוּא מְנַחֵם אֲחֵרִים, דֶּרֶךְ כׇּל הָעָם עוֹבְרִין בְּזֶה אַחַר זֶה, וְהַמְמוּנֶּה מְמַצְּעוֹ בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין הָעָם. וּכְשֶׁהוּא מִתְנַחֵם מֵאֲחֵרִים, כׇּל הָעָם אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: אֲנַחְנוּ כַּפָּרָתְךָ, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר לָהֶן: תִּתְבָּרְכוּ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם. וּכְשֶׁמַּבְרִין אוֹתוֹ, כׇּל הָעָם מְסוּבִּין עַל הָאָרֶץ, וְהוּא מֵיסֵב עַל הַסַּפְסָל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The mishna continues: **And when he consoles others** in their mourning when they return from burial, the **way of all the people** is that **they pass by one after another** and the mourners stand in a line and are consoled, **and the appointed** person **stands in the middle, between** the High Priest **and the people. And when he is consoled by others** in his mourning, **all the people say to him: We are your atonement. And he says to them: May you be blessed from Heaven. And when they comfort him with the** first **meal** after the burial of one of his relatives, **all the people recline on the ground** as if they are taking his mourning on themselves, **and he reclines on the bench** out of respect for his status as High Priest.


###### Sanhedrin 18a:9
[Sanhedrin 18a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/18a:9)

הַמֶּלֶךְ לֹא דָּן, וְלֹא דָּנִין אוֹתוֹ, לֹא מֵעִיד וְלֹא מְעִידִין אוֹתוֹ, לֹא חוֹלֵץ וְלֹא חוֹלְצִין לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, לֹא מְיַיבֵּם וְלֹא מְיַיבְּמִין לְאִשְׁתּוֹ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: אִם רָצָה לַחֲלוֹץ אוֹ לְיַיבֵּם – זָכוּר לַטּוֹב. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The mishna continues, enumerating the *halakhot* pertaining to the king in similar matters: **The king does not judge** others as a member of a court **and** others **do not judge him, he does not testify and** others **do not testify concerning him, he does not perform *ḥalitza*** with his brother’s widow **and** his brother **does not perform *ḥalitza* with his wife,** and **he does not consummate levirate marriage** with his brother’s widow **and** his brother **does not consummate levirate marriage with his wife,** as all these actions are not fitting to the honor of his office. **Rabbi Yehuda says:** These are not restrictions, but his prerogative: **If he desired to perform *ḥalitza* or to consummate levirate marriage,** he is **remembered for good,** as this is to the benefit of his brother’s widow. The Sages **said to him: They do not listen to him** if he desires to do so, as this affects not only his own honor but that of the kingdom.


###### Sanhedrin 18a:10
[Sanhedrin 18a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/18a:10)

וְאֵין נוֹשְׂאִין אַלְמְנָתוֹ, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: נוֹשֵׂא הַמֶּלֶךְ אַלְמְנָתוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בְּדָוִד שֶׁנָּשָׂא אַלְמְנָתוֹ שֶׁל שָׁאוּל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וָאֶתְּנָה לְךָ אֶת בֵּית אֲדֹנֶיךָ וְאֶת נְשֵׁי אֲדֹנֶיךָ בְּחֵיקֶךָ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And no one may marry** a king’s **widow,** due to his honor. **Rabbi Yehuda says:** Another **king may marry the widow of a king, as we found that** King **David married the widow of** King **Saul, as it is stated: “And I have given you the house of your master and the wives of your master in your bosom”** (II Samuel 12:8).


###### Sanhedrin 18a:11
[Sanhedrin 18a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/18a:11)

**גְּמָ׳** כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל דָּן. פְּשִׁיטָא! דָּנִין אוֹתוֹ אִיצְטְרִיכָא לֵיהּ. הָא נָמֵי פְּשִׁיטָא: אִי לָא דָּיְינִינַן לֵיהּ, אִיהוּ הֵיכִי דָּיֵין? וְהָכְתִיב ״הִתְקוֹשְׁשׁוּ וָקוֹשּׁוּ״, וְאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: קְשֹׁט עַצְמְךָ וְאַחַר כָּךְ קְשֹׁט אֲחֵרִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The mishna teaches that the **High Priest judges** others as a member of a court. The Gemara asks: Isn’t that **obvious?** Why would one think that he would be unfit to serve as a judge? The Gemara answers: **It was necessary for** the mishna to mention the latter clause: And others **judge him,** and therefore, it taught the related *halakha* with it. The Gemara objects: **This** is **also obvious; if** others **do not judge him, how can he judge** others? **But isn’t it written: “Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together [*hitkosheshu vakoshu*]”** (Zephaniah 2:1); **and Reish Lakish says:** This verse teaches a moral principle: **Adorn [*kashet*] yourself** first, **and then adorn others,** i.e., one who is not subject to judgment may not judge others.


###### Sanhedrin 18a:12
[Sanhedrin 18a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/18a:12)

אֶלָּא, אַיְּידֵי דְּקָא בָּעֵי לְמִיתְנֵי מֶלֶךְ לֹא דָּן וְלֹא דָּנִין אוֹתוֹ, תְּנָא נָמֵי כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל דָּן וְדָנִין. וְאִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא, הָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן כִּדְתַנְיָא: כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל שֶׁהָרַג אֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ בְּמֵזִיד – נֶהֱרָג, בְּשׁוֹגֵג – גּוֹלֶה, וְעוֹבֵר עַל עֲשֵׂה וְעַל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה, וַהֲרֵי הוּא כְּהֶדְיוֹט לְכׇל דְּבָרָיו.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather,** neither *halakha* concerning the High Priest is a novelty. But **since** the *tanna* **wants to teach** that the **king does not judge** others **and** others **do not judge him, he also taught** that the **High Priest judges** others **and** others **judge him. And if you wish, say** instead that **this teaches us** the *halakha* **as it is taught** in a *baraita* (*Tosefta* 4:1): **A High Priest who killed a person intentionally is killed;** if he killed **unintentionally, he is exiled** to a city of refuge, **and he transgresses a positive mitzva and a prohibition, and he is like an ordinary** person **concerning all of his** *halakhot*.


###### Sanhedrin 18a:13
[Sanhedrin 18a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/18a:13)

בְּמֵזִיד נֶהֱרָג – פְּשִׁיטָא! בְּשׁוֹגֵג גּוֹלֶה אִיצְטְרִיכָא לֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara analyzes the *baraita*: A High Priest who killed another **intentionally is killed.** Isn’t that **obvious?** Why would he be punished differently than other murderers? **It was necessary for it** to mention the latter clause: If he killed **unintentionally, he is exiled,** so it taught the related case with it.


###### Sanhedrin 18a:14
[Sanhedrin 18a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/18a:14)

הָא נָמֵי פְּשִׁיטָא! אִיצְטְרִיךְ, סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ אָמֵינָא: הוֹאִיל וּכְתִיב ״וְיָשַׁב בָּהּ עַד מוֹת הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדֹל״, אֵימָא: כֹּל דְּאִית לֵיהּ תַּקַּנְתָּא בַּחֲזָרָה – לִיגְלֵי, דְּלֵית לֵיהּ תַּקַּנְתָּא בַּחֲזָרָה – לָא לִיגְלֵי, דִּתְנַן:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara objects: **This** is **also obvious.** The Gemara responds: **It was necessary** for the *baraita* to state the latter clause, lest it **enter your mind to say: Since it is written** about one who kills unintentionally and is exiled to a city of refuge: **“And he should dwell in it until the death of the High Priest”** (Numbers 35:25), **say: Anyone for whom there is a rectification by returning** from the city of refuge **is exiled,** but one **for whom there is no rectification by returning is not exiled.** The High Priest has no such rectification, **as we learned** in a mishna (*Makkot* 11b):