## Sanhedrin Daf 54b

###### Sanhedrin 54b:1
[Sanhedrin 54b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:1)

עוֹנֶשׁ שָׁמַעְנוּ, אַזְהָרָה מִנַּיִין? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״וְאֶת זָכָר לֹא תִשְׁכַּב מִשְׁכְּבֵי אִשָּׁה תּוֹעֵבָה הִיא״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**We have learned** the **punishment** for homosexual intercourse, but **from where** is the **prohibition** derived? **The verse states: “And you shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination”** (Leviticus 18:22).


###### Sanhedrin 54b:2
[Sanhedrin 54b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:2)

לָמַדְנוּ אַזְהָרָה לַשּׁוֹכֵב. אַזְהָרָה לַנִּשְׁכָּב מִנַּיִין? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״לֹא יִהְיֶה קָדֵשׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״. וְאוֹמֵר: ״וְגַם קָדֵשׁ הָיָה בָאָרֶץ עָשׂוּ כְּכֹל הַתּוֹעֲבֹת הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר הוֹרִישׁ וְגוֹ׳״. דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**We have learned** from here the **prohibition for the one who engages in** homosexual **intercourse** actively. **From where** do we derive **the prohibition for one who engages in** homosexual **intercourse** passively? **The verse states: “There shall not be a sodomite [*kadesh*] among the children of Israel”** (Deuteronomy 23:18). **And** another verse, cited to clarify the meaning of the term *kadesh*, **states: “And there were also sodomites [*kadesh*] in the land, they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord drove out** before the children of Israel” (I Kings 14:24). This is **the statement of Rabbi Yishmael.**


###### Sanhedrin 54b:3
[Sanhedrin 54b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:3)

רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ, הֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר ״וְאֶת זָכָר לֹא תִשְׁכַּב מִשְׁכְּבֵי אִשָּׁה״. קְרִי בֵּיהּ ״לֹא תִשָּׁכֵב״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Akiva says: It is not necessary** to derive this *halakha* from the verse: “There shall not be a sodomite.” Rather, **it says: “And you shall not lie [*tishkav*] with a male as with a woman.” Read into** the verse: **You shall not enable your being lain with [*tishakhev*]** by a male.


###### Sanhedrin 54b:4
[Sanhedrin 54b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:4)

בְּהֵמָה מְנָא לַן? דְּתָנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״אִישׁ״ – פְּרָט לְקָטָן, ״אֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן שְׁכׇבְתּוֹ בִּבְהֵמָה״ – בֵּין גְּדוֹלָה בֵּין קְטַנָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara asks: **From where do we** derive that one who engages in intercourse with **an animal** is liable to receive capital punishment? It is **as the Sages taught:** “And if a man lies with an animal, he shall be put to death, and you shall kill the animal” (Leviticus 20:15). The word **“man” excludes a minor boy.** The phrase **“lies with an animal”** is referring to any animal, **whether old or young.**


###### Sanhedrin 54b:5
[Sanhedrin 54b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:5)

״מוֹת יוּמָת״ – בִּסְקִילָה. אַתָּה אוֹמֵר בִּסְקִילָה, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְּאַחַת מִכׇּל מִיתוֹת הָאֲמוּרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה? נֶאֱמַר כָּאן ״תַּהֲרֹגוּ״, וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן ״כִּי הָרֹג תַּהַרְגֶנּוּ״. מָה לְהַלָּן בִּסְקִילָה, אַף כָּאן בִּסְקִילָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The phrase **“shall be put to death”** refers to execution **by stoning. Do you say** that they are executed **by stoning, or is it rather by one of all the** other types of **death** penalty **that are stated in the Torah? It is stated here: “You shall kill,” and it is stated there,** with regard to an inciter: **“But you shall kill** him…and you shall stone him with stones and he shall die” (Deuteronomy 13:10–11). **Just as there** the verse states that an inciter is executed **by stoning, so too here,** one who engages in bestiality is executed **by stoning.**


###### Sanhedrin 54b:6
[Sanhedrin 54b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:6)

לָמַדְנוּ עוֹנֶשׁ לַשּׁוֹכֵב. עוֹנֶשׁ לַנִּשְׁכָּב מְנָלַן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״כׇּל שֹׁכֵב עִם בְּהֵמָה מוֹת יוּמָת״. אִם אֵינוֹ עִנְיָן לַשּׁוֹכֵב, תְּנֵיהוּ עִנְיָן לַנִּשְׁכָּב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**We have learned** the **punishment for one who engages in bestiality** actively, but **from where** do we derive **the punishment for one who engages in bestiality** passively? **The verse states: “Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death”** (Exodus 22:18). **If** this verse **is not** needed for the **matter of the one who** actively **lies** with an animal, i.e., a male who sexually penetrates an animal, **apply it** to the **matter of the one who** causes an animal to **lie with** him, by being penetrated by the animal, i.e., any type of intercourse with an animal is punishable by death.


###### Sanhedrin 54b:7
[Sanhedrin 54b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:7)

לָמַדְנוּ עוֹנֶשׁ בֵּין לַשּׁוֹכֵב בֵּין לַנִּשְׁכָּב. אַזְהָרָה מִנַּיִין? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״וּבְכׇל בְּהֵמָה לֹא תִתֵּן שְׁכׇבְתְּךָ לְטׇמְאָה בָהּ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**We have** therefore **learned** the **punishment for both one who engages in bestiality** actively **and one who engages in bestiality** passively, but **from where** is the **prohibition** derived? **The verse states: “And you shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it”** (Leviticus 18:23).


###### Sanhedrin 54b:8
[Sanhedrin 54b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:8)

לָמַדְנוּ אַזְהָרָה לַשּׁוֹכֵב. לַנִּשְׁכָּב מִנַּיִין? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״לֹא יִהְיֶה קָדֵשׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״, וְאוֹמֵר: ״וְגַם קָדֵשׁ הָיָה בָּאָרֶץ וְגוֹ׳״. דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**We have learned** the **prohibition for one who engages in bestiality** actively. **From where** do we derive the prohibition **for one who engages in bestiality** passively? **The verse states: “There shall not be a *kadesh* among the children of Israel,” and** another verse **states: “And there were also *kadesh* in the land,”** which shows that anyone who engages in intercourse in a way that is like the abominations of the nations is called a *kadesh*. This is **the statement of Rabbi Yishmael.**


###### Sanhedrin 54b:9
[Sanhedrin 54b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:9)

רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר: אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ, הֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר ״לֹא תִתֵּן שְׁכׇבְתְּךָ״ – לֹא תִתֵּן שְׁכִיבָתְךָ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Akiva says: It is not necessary** to derive the *halakha* prohibiting passively engaging in bestiality from this verse. Rather, **it says: “You shall not lie [*shekhovtekha*],”** which can be read as follows: **You shall not enable your being lain with [*shekhivatkha*].**


###### Sanhedrin 54b:10
[Sanhedrin 54b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:10)

הַבָּא עַל הַזְּכוּר, וְהֵבִיא עָלָיו זָכָר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara discusses cases to which these halakhic expositions are relevant: What is the *halakha* of **one who** unwittingly **engages in intercourse with a male, and** unwittingly **causes a male to engage in intercourse with him,** within one lapse of awareness, i.e., without realizing in the interim that these behaviors are forbidden? Is he considered to have transgressed two separate prohibitions and therefore liable to bring two sin-offerings, or is he considered to have transgressed one prohibition twice and liable to bring only one sin-offering?


###### Sanhedrin 54b:11
[Sanhedrin 54b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:11)

אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ: לְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל חַיָּיב שְׁתַּיִם, חֲדָא מִ״לֹּא תִשְׁכַּב״ וַחֲדָא מִ״לֹּא יִהְיֶה קָדֵשׁ״. לְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אֵינוֹ חַיָּיב אֶלָּא אַחַת. ״לֹא תִשְׁכַּב״ ״לֹא תִשָּׁכֵב״ חֲדָא הִיא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Abbahu says: According to the statement of Rabbi Yishmael,** he is **liable** for transgressing **two** different prohibitions: **One** is derived **from** the verse: **“You shall not lie,” and** the other **one** is derived **from** the verse: **“There shall not be a sodomite,”** which includes one who engages in homosexual intercourse passively. But **according to the statement of Rabbi Akiva, he is liable** for **only one** prohibition, as the prohibitions of **“you shall not lie [*tishkav*]”** and **you shall not enable your being lain with [*tishakhev*] are one** statement in the verse.


###### Sanhedrin 54b:12
[Sanhedrin 54b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:12)

הַבָּא עַל הַבְּהֵמָה וְהֵבִיא בְּהֵמָה עָלָיו, אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ: לְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל חַיָּיב שְׁתַּיִם, חֲדָא מִ״לֹּא תִתֵּן שְׁכׇבְתְּךָ״ וַחֲדָא מִ״לֹּא יִהְיֶה קָדֵשׁ״. לְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אֵינוֹ חַיָּיב אֶלָּא אַחַת, ״שְׁכׇבְתְּךָ״ וּ״שְׁכִיבָתְךָ״ חֲדָא הִיא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Similarly, with regard to **one who** unwittingly **engages in intercourse with an animal, and** then unwittingly **causes an animal to engage in intercourse with him** within one lapse of awareness, **Rabbi Abbahu says: According to the statement of Rabbi Yishmael** he is **liable** for transgressing **two** different prohibitions. **One** is derived **from** the verse: **“You shall not lie,” and** the other **one** is derived **from** the verse: **“There shall not be a sodomite.”** But **according to the statement of Rabbi Akiva he is liable** for **only one** prohibition, as the prohibitions of “you shall not **lie [*shekhovtekha*]”** and you shall not enable **your being lain with [*shekhivatkha*] are one** statement in the verse.


###### Sanhedrin 54b:13
[Sanhedrin 54b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:13)

אַבָּיֵי אָמַר: אֲפִילּוּ לְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל נָמֵי אֵינוֹ חַיָּיב אֶלָּא אַחַת, דְּכִי כְתִיב ״לֹא יִהְיֶה קָדֵשׁ״ – בְּגַבְרֵי כְּתִיב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Abaye says: Even according to the statement of Rabbi Yishmael he is liable** for **only one** prohibition, **as when it is written: “There shall not be a sodomite,” it is written** only **with regard to** intercourse with **men,** but not with regard to bestiality.


###### Sanhedrin 54b:14
[Sanhedrin 54b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:14)

אֶלָּא לְרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, אַזְהָרָה לַנִּשְׁכָּב מְנָא לֵיהּ? נָפְקָא לֵיהּ מִ״כׇּל שֹׁכֵב עִם בְּהֵמָה מוֹת יוּמָת״. אִם אֵינוֹ עִנְיָן לַשּׁוֹכֵב, תְּנֵיהוּ עִנְיָן לַנִּשְׁכָּב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But according to** Abaye, **from where** does **Rabbi Yishmael** derive the **prohibition for one who engages in bestiality** passively? The Gemara answers: **He derives it from** the verse: **“Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.” If** this verse **is not** needed for the **matter of the one who** actively **lies** with the animal, **apply it** to the **matter of the one who** causes the animal to **lie with** him.


###### Sanhedrin 54b:15
[Sanhedrin 54b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:15)

וְאַפְּקֵיהּ רַחֲמָנָא לַנִּשְׁכָּב בִּלְשׁוֹן שׁוֹכֵב: מָה שׁוֹכֵב עָנַשׁ וְהִזְהִיר, אַף נִשְׁכָּב עָנַשׁ וְהִזְהִיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** it is derived from the fact that **the Merciful One expresses** the *halakha* **of one who engages in bestiality** passively **using the term** for **one who engages in bestiality** actively: **Just as** with regard to **one who engages in bestiality** actively the Torah both **punishes** for this action **and prohibits** it, **so too,** with regard to **one who engages in bestiality** passively, the Torah both **punishes** for this action **and prohibits** it.


###### Sanhedrin 54b:16
[Sanhedrin 54b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:16)

הַנִּרְבָּע לְזָכָר וְהַנִּרְבָּע לִבְהֵמָה, אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ: לְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא חַיָּיב שְׁתַּיִם, חֲדָא מִ״לֹּא תִשְׁכַּב״ וַחֲדָא מִ״לֹּא תִתֵּן שְׁכׇבְתְּךָ״. לְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֵינוֹ חַיָּיב אֶלָּא אַחַת, אִידֵּי וְאִידִי ״לֹא יִהְיֶה קָדֵשׁ״ הוּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to the case of **one who was** unwittingly **sodomized by a male and** then unwittingly was **one with whom an animal copulated** within one lapse of awareness, **Rabbi Abbahu says** that **according to the statement of Rabbi Akiva** he is **liable** for transgressing **two** prohibitions. **One** is derived **from** the verse: **“You shall not lie** with a male,” **and** the other **one** is derived **from** the verse: **“You shall not lie** with any animal.” **According to the statement of Rabbi Yishmael he is liable** for transgressing **only one** prohibition, as both **this** prohibition **and that** prohibition **are** derived from the verse: **“There shall not be a sodomite.”**


###### Sanhedrin 54b:17
[Sanhedrin 54b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:17)

אַבָּיֵי אָמַר: אֲפִילּוּ לְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל נָמֵי חַיָּיב שְׁתַּיִם, דִּכְתִיב ״כׇּל שֹׁכֵב עִם בְּהֵמָה מוֹת יוּמָת״. אִם אֵינוֹ עִנְיָן לַשּׁוֹכֵב, תְּנֵיהוּ עִנְיָן לַנִּשְׁכָּב. וְאַפְּקֵיהּ רַחֲמָנָא לַנִּשְׁכָּב בִּלְשׁוֹן שׁוֹכֵב: מָה שׁוֹכֵב – עָנַשׁ וְהִזְהִיר, אַף נִשְׁכָּב – עָנַשׁ וְהִזְהִיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Abaye says: Even according to the statement of Rabbi Yishmael** he is **liable** for transgressing **two** prohibitions, **as it is written: “Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.” If** the verse **is not** needed for the **matter of one who engages in bestiality** actively, as this prohibition is stated explicitly in the verse: “And you shall not lie with any animal” (Leviticus 18:23), **apply it** to the **matter of one who engages in bestiality** passively. **And** it is derived from the fact that **the Merciful One expresses** the *halakha* **of one who engages in bestiality** passively **using the term** for **one who engages in bestiality** actively: **Just as** with regard to **one who engages in bestiality** actively the Torah both **punishes** for this act **and prohibits** it, **so too,** with regard to **one who engages in bestiality** passively, the Torah both **punishes** for this act **and prohibits** it.


###### Sanhedrin 54b:18
[Sanhedrin 54b:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:18)

אֲבָל הַבָּא עַל הַזְּכוּר, וְהֵבִיא זָכָר עָלָיו, הַבָּא עַל הַבְּהֵמָה, וְהֵבִיא בְּהֵמָה עָלָיו – בֵּין לְרַבִּי אֲבָהוּ בֵּין לְאַבָּיֵי, לְרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל חַיָּיב שָׁלֹשׁ, לְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא חַיָּיב שְׁתַּיִם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**But** with regard to **one who** unwittingly **engages in intercourse with a male, and** then unwittingly **causes a male** to engage in intercourse **with him,** and **who** unwittingly **engages in intercourse with an animal, and** then unwittingly **causes an animal** to engage in intercourse **with him,** performing all of these actions in one lapse of awareness, in this case, **both according to Rabbi Abbahu and according to Abaye,** the *halakha* **according to** the opinion of **Rabbi Yishmael** is that he is **liable** for transgressing **three** prohibitions; the ones mentioned above and the prohibition of: “There shall not be a sodomite,” whereas **according to** the opinion of **Rabbi Akiva** he is **liable** for transgressing only **two** prohibitions.


###### Sanhedrin 54b:19
[Sanhedrin 54b:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:19)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: זְכוּר – לֹא עָשׂוּ בּוֹ קָטָן כְּגָדוֹל, בְּהֵמָה – עָשׂוּ בָּהּ קְטַנָּה כִּגְדוֹלָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught:** With regard to intercourse with **a male,** the Torah **does not deem a younger boy** to be **like an older boy;** but with regard to intercourse with **an animal,** the Torah **does deem a young** animal to be **like an old** animal.


###### Sanhedrin 54b:20
[Sanhedrin 54b:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:20)

מַאי ״לֹא עָשׂוּ בּוֹ קָטָן כְּגָדוֹל״? אָמַר רַב: לֹא עָשׂוּ בִּיאַת פָּחוֹת מִבֶּן תֵּשַׁע שָׁנִים כְּבֶן תֵּשַׁע שָׁנִים. וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר: לֹא עָשׂוּ בִּיאַת פָּחוֹת מִבֶּן שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים כְּבֶן שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What** does it mean that the Torah **does not deem a younger boy** to be **like an older boy? Rav says:** It means that the Torah **does not deem the intercourse of one who is less than nine years old** to be **like** the intercourse of **one who is** at least **nine years old,** as for a male’s act of intercourse to have the legal status of full-fledged intercourse the minimum age is nine years. **And Shmuel says:** The Torah **does not deem the intercourse of** a child who is **less than three years old** to be **like** that of **one who is three years old.**


###### Sanhedrin 54b:21
[Sanhedrin 54b:21](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:21)

בְּמַאי קָמִיפַּלְגִי? רַב סָבַר: כֹּל דְּאִיתֵיהּ בְּשׁוֹכֵב – אִיתֵיהּ בְּנִשְׁכָּב, וְכֹל דְּלֵיתֵיהּ בְּשׁוֹכֵב – לֵיתֵיהּ בְּנִשְׁכָּב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **With regard to what** principle **do** Rav and Shmuel **disagree?** The Gemara answers: **Rav holds** that **any** *halakha* **that applies to one who engages in intercourse** actively **applies to one who engages in intercourse** passively, **and any** *halakha* **that does not apply to one who engages in intercourse** actively **does not apply to one who engages in intercourse** passively. Therefore, just as one who engages in intercourse actively is not liable if he is less than nine years old, as the intercourse of such a child does not have the halakhic status of intercourse, so too, if a child who is less than nine years old engages in homosexual intercourse passively, the one who engages in intercourse with him is not liable.


###### Sanhedrin 54b:22
[Sanhedrin 54b:22](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:22)

וּשְׁמוּאֵל סָבַר: ״מִשְׁכְּבֵי אִשָּׁה״ כְּתִיב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Shmuel holds: It is written:** “And you shall not lie with a male **as with a woman,”** indicating that the *halakha* of a male who engages in intercourse passively is like that of a woman; just as the intercourse of a woman has the halakhic status of intercourse from when she is three years old, the same is true with regard to a male who engages in intercourse passively. Consequently, in Shmuel’s opinion, one who engages in intercourse with a male who is older than three is liable.


###### Sanhedrin 54b:23
[Sanhedrin 54b:23](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/54b:23)

תַּנְיָא כְּוָותֵיהּ דְּרַב: זָכָר בֶּן תֵּשַׁע שָׁנִים וְיוֹם אֶחָד

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**It is taught** in a *baraita* **in accordance with** the opinion **of Rav:** One who engages in homosexual intercourse with **a male aged nine years and one day,**