## Sanhedrin Daf 58b

###### Sanhedrin 58b:1
[Sanhedrin 58b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:1)

אָבִיו דּוּמְיָא דְּאִמּוֹ, וְאִמּוֹ דּוּמְיָא דְּאָבִיו. לָא מַשְׁכַּחַתְּ לַהּ אֶלָּא בְּאַחְוָוה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
that the term **“his father”** should be interpreted in a way that is **similar to** the term **“his mother,” and “his mother”** should be interpreted in a way that is **similar to “his father.” You find** such an interpretation **only with regard to sisterhood,** i.e., “his father” is referring to his father’s sister, and “his mother” is referring to his mother’s sister.


###### Sanhedrin 58b:2
[Sanhedrin 58b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:2)

וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: מוּטָב לְאוֹקְמֵיהּ בְּאֵשֶׁת אָבִיו, דְּאִיקְּרַי ״עֶרְוַת אָבִיו״, לְאַפּוֹקֵי אֲחוֹת אָבִיו, דִּ״שְׁאֵר אָבִיו״ אִיקְּרַי, ״עֶרְוַת אָבִיו״ לָא אִיקְּרַי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabbi Akiva** holds that **it is preferable to interpret** the term “his father” as referring **to his father’s wife, who is referred to as his father’s nakedness** in the verse: “You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness” (Leviticus 18:8), **to the exclusion of his father’s sister, who is referred to as his father’s kin** in the verse: “You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father’s kin” (Leviticus 18:12), and who **is not referred to as his father’s nakedness.**


###### Sanhedrin 58b:3
[Sanhedrin 58b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:3)

תָּא שְׁמַע: ״וַיִּקַּח עַמְרָם אֶת יוֹכֶבֶד דֹּדָתוֹ״. מַאי לָאו, דּוֹדָתוֹ מִן הָאֵם?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Come** and **hear** a proof for the opinion of Rabbi Akiva from the verse: **“And Amram took Jochebed his aunt** as a wife” (Exodus 6:20). **What,** was she **not his maternal aunt?** Presumably, Jochebed was the sister of Kohath, Amram’s father, from both of Kohath’s parents, and not from his father alone. Evidently, a descendant of Noah may marry his father’s sister.


###### Sanhedrin 58b:4
[Sanhedrin 58b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:4)

לֹא, דּוֹדָתוֹ מִן הָאָב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this proof: **No,** she was **his paternal aunt,** Kohath’s half sister. Since she was not Kohath’s sister from his mother’s side, she was not forbidden to Amram.


###### Sanhedrin 58b:5
[Sanhedrin 58b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:5)

תָּא שְׁמַע: ״וְגַם אׇמְנָה אֲחֹתִי בַת אָבִי הִיא אַךְ לֹא בַת אִמִּי״ – מִכְּלָל דְּבַת הָאֵם אֲסוּרָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Come** and **hear** a proof for the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer from what Abraham said to Abimelech with regard to Sarah: **“And moreover, she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother;** and so she became my wife” (Genesis 20:12). **By inference, the daughter of the mother** of a descendant of Noah **is forbidden** to him.


###### Sanhedrin 58b:6
[Sanhedrin 58b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:6)

וְתִסְבְּרָא אֲחוֹתוֹ הֲוַאי? בַּת אָחִיו הֲוַאי! וְכֵיוָן דְּהָכִי הוּא, לָא שְׁנָא מִן הָאָב וְלָא שְׁנָא מִן הָאֵם – שַׁרְיָא. אֶלָּא הָתָם הָכִי קָאָמַר לֵיהּ: קוּרְבָּא דְּאָחוֹת אִית לִי בַּהֲדַהּ, מֵאַבָּא וְלָא מֵאִמָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this proof: **But** how can **you understand** that Sarah **was** Abraham’s **sister? She was his brother’s daughter.** By tradition, it is known that Sarah was Haran’s daughter Iscah. **And since that was so,** there **is no difference** whether they were **paternal** relatives, **and** there **is no difference** whether they were **maternal** relatives; in any event she was **permitted** to him, even according to the *halakha* of Jews. **Rather, this** is what Abraham **was saying to** Abimelech **there: She is related to me like a sister,** as the daughter of my brother is like a sister, and our relationship is **from** the side of my **father but not from** the side of my **mother.**


###### Sanhedrin 58b:7
[Sanhedrin 58b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:7)

תָּא שְׁמַע: מִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא נָשָׂא אָדָם אֶת בִּתּוֹ? כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשָּׂא קַיִן אֶת אֲחוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי אָמַרְתִּי עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה״. הָא לָאו הָכִי – אֲסִירָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Come** and **hear** a proof from a *baraita*: **For what** reason **did Adam not marry his daughter? So that Cain would marry his sister** and they would procreate immediately, **as it is stated: “For I have said: The world shall be built on kindness [*ḥesed*]”** (Psalms 89:3). This verse alludes to the fact that at the beginning of the world’s existence it was permitted for men to marry their sisters, which was later forbidden in the verse: “And if a man shall take his sister…it is a shameful thing [*ḥesed*]” (Leviticus 20:17). The Gemara infers: If it had **not** been **so,** if God had not specially permitted Cain to marry his sister, she would have been **forbidden** to him. This is difficult according to the opinion of Rabbi Akiva, who deems it permitted for a gentile to marry his sister.


###### Sanhedrin 58b:8
[Sanhedrin 58b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:8)

כֵּיוָן דְּאִשְׁתְּרַי, אִשְׁתְּרַי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this proof: **Once it was permitted** for Cain to marry his sister, **it was permitted** for all descendants of Noah to do so, and it was forbidden only to Jews.


###### Sanhedrin 58b:9
[Sanhedrin 58b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:9)

אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: גּוֹי מוּתָּר בְּבִתּוֹ. וְאֵם תֹּאמַר: מִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא נָשָׂא אָדָם אֶת בִּתּוֹ? כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשָּׂא קַיִן אֶת אֲחוֹתוֹ, מִשּׁוּם ״עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Huna says: A gentile is permitted to** marry **his daughter. And if you say, for what** reason **did Adam not marry his daughter?** It was **so that Cain would marry his sister, because** it is stated: **“The world shall be built on kindness.”**


###### Sanhedrin 58b:10
[Sanhedrin 58b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:10)

וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: אָמַר רַב הוּנָא, גּוֹי אָסוּר בְּבִתּוֹ. תִּדַּע, שֶׁלֹּא נָשָׂא אָדָם אֶת בִּתּוֹ. וְלָא הִיא, הָתָם הַיְינוּ טַעְמָא: כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשָּׂא קַיִן אֶת אֲחוֹתוֹ, מִשּׁוּם דְּ״עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And there are** those **who say** that Rav Huna did not say this; rather, **Rav Huna says: A gentile is prohibited from** marrying **his daughter. Know** that this is the *halakha*, **as Adam did not marry his daughter.** The Gemara rejects this statement: **But** that **is not so, as there, this is the reason** Adam did not marry his daughter: **So that Cain would marry his sister, because** it is stated: **“The world shall be built on kindness.”**


###### Sanhedrin 58b:11
[Sanhedrin 58b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:11)

אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: עֶבֶד מוּתָּר בְּאִמּוֹ, וּמוּתָּר בְּבִתּוֹ. יָצָא מִכְּלַל גּוֹי, וְלִכְלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא בָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rav Ḥisda says:** A Canaanite **slave** is **permitted to** marry **his mother, and** he is **permitted to** marry **his daughter.** This is because he has **left the category of a gentile** by immersing in a ritual bath for the purpose of becoming a slave to a Jew, and consequently all his previous family relationships are disregarded according to *halakha*; **but he has not entered the category of a Jew,** as evidenced by the fact that he is not obligated to observe all of the mitzvot of male Jews. Therefore, the decree of the Sages prohibiting the maternal relatives of converts does not apply to him.


###### Sanhedrin 58b:12
[Sanhedrin 58b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:12)

כִּי אֲתָא רַב דִּימִי, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: בֶּן נֹחַ שֶׁיִּיחֵד שִׁפְחָה לְעַבְדּוֹ, וּבָא עָלֶיהָ – נֶהֱרָג עָלֶיהָ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**When Rav Dimi came** from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, he said that **Rabbi Elazar says** that **Rabbi Ḥanina says:** In the case of a **descendant of Noah who designated a maidservant** as a mate **for his slave, and** then he himself **engaged in intercourse with her, he is executed** for adultery **on her account.**


###### Sanhedrin 58b:13
[Sanhedrin 58b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:13)

מֵאֵימַת? אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: מִדְּקָרְאוּ לַהּ ״רְבִיתָא דִּפְלָנְיָא״. מֵאֵימַת הַתָּרָתָהּ? אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: מִשֶּׁפָּרְעָה רֹאשָׁהּ בַּשּׁוּק.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **From when** is she considered the slave’s mate? **Rav Naḥman says: From** the time **that she is called so-and-so’s girl.** The Gemara asks: **From when is she released** from her relationship with the slave? **Rav Huna says: From** the time **that she exposes her head in the marketplace.** Since married women would cover their hair, even among the gentiles, by exposing her hair she proves that she no longer wishes to remain with him.


###### Sanhedrin 58b:14
[Sanhedrin 58b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:14)

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: בֶּן נֹחַ שֶׁבָּא עַל אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא כְּדַרְכָּהּ – חַיָּיב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְדָבַק״, וְלֹא שֶׁלֹּא כְּדַרְכָּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Elazar says** that **Rabbi Ḥanina says: A descendant of Noah who engages in intercourse with his wife in an atypical manner,** i.e., anal intercourse, **is liable** for engaging in forbidden sexual intercourse, **as it is stated: “And shall cleave** to his wife” (Genesis 2:24), an expression that indicates natural intercourse, **but not** intercourse **in an atypical manner.**


###### Sanhedrin 58b:15
[Sanhedrin 58b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:15)

אָמַר רָבָא: מִי אִיכָּא מִידֵּי דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לָא מִחַיַּיב, וְנׇכְרִי מִחַיַּיב?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava says: Is there any** action **for which a Jew is not deemed liable, but a gentile is deemed liable** for performing it? A Jew is not liable for engaging in anal intercourse with his wife.


###### Sanhedrin 58b:16
[Sanhedrin 58b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:16)

אֶלָּא אָמַר רָבָא: בֶּן נֹחַ שֶׁבָּא עַל אֵשֶׁת חֲבֵירוֹ שֶׁלֹּא כְּדַרְכָּהּ – פָּטוּר. מַאי טַעְמָא? ״בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ״ – וְלֹא בְּאֵשֶׁת חֲבֵירוֹ; ״וְדָבַק״ – וְלָא שֶׁלֹּא כְּדַרְכָּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather, Rava says** that the verse is to be understood as follows: A **descendant of Noah who engages in intercourse with the wife of another** man **in an atypical manner is exempt. What is the reason?** The verse states: “And shall cleave **to his wife,” but not to the wife of another.** With regard to this prohibition, the verse states: **“And shall cleave,”** indicating vaginal intercourse, **and not** intercourse **in an atypical manner.**


###### Sanhedrin 58b:17
[Sanhedrin 58b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:17)

אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: גּוֹי שֶׁהִכָּה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל חַיָּיב מִיתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ [וַיַּךְ אֶת הַמִּצְרִי] וְגוֹ׳״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Ḥanina says: A gentile who struck a Jew is liable** to receive the **death** penalty, **as it is stated** when Moses saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew: **“And he turned this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he struck the Egyptian** and hid him in the sand” (Exodus 2:12).


###### Sanhedrin 58b:18
[Sanhedrin 58b:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:18)

וְאָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: הַסּוֹטֵר לוֹעוֹ שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּאִילּוּ סוֹטֵר לוֹעוֹ שֶׁל שְׁכִינָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מוֹקֵשׁ אָדָם יָלַע קֹדֶשׁ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabbi Ḥanina says: One who slaps the cheek of a Jew** is considered **as though he slapped the cheek of the Divine Presence; as it is stated: “It is a snare [*mokesh*] for a man to rashly say [*yala*]: Holy”** (Proverbs 20:25). The verse is interpreted homiletically to mean: One who strikes [*nokesh*] a Jew is considered as though he hurt the cheek [*lo’a*] of the Holy One.


###### Sanhedrin 58b:19
[Sanhedrin 58b:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:19)

מַגְבִּיהַּ, עַבְדּוֹ, שָׁבַת – סִימָן. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: הַמַּגְבִּיהַּ יָדוֹ עַל חֲבֵירוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הִכָּהוּ, נִקְרָא רָשָׁע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמֶר לָרָשָׁע לָמָּה תַכֶּה רֵעֶךָ״. ״לָמָּה הִכִּיתָ״ לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא ״לָמָּה תַכֶּה״ – אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הִכָּהוּ נִקְרָא רָשָׁע.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara states **a mnemonic** for the upcoming statements of Reish Lakish: **Raises, his slave, Shabbat. Reish Lakish says: One who raises his hand to** strike **another, even if he** ultimately **does not strike him, is called wicked, as it is stated:** “And two men of the Hebrews were struggling with each other, **and he said to the wicked one: Why should you strike your friend?”** (Exodus 2:13). The phrase: **Why did you strike, is not stated,** but **rather: “Why should you strike,”** indicating that one who raised his hand to strike another, **even if he** ultimately **did not strike him, is called wicked.**


###### Sanhedrin 58b:20
[Sanhedrin 58b:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:20)

אָמַר זְעֵירִי אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: נִקְרָא חוֹטֵא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאִם לֹא לָקַחְתִּי בְחׇזְקָה״, וּכְתִיב: ״וַתְּהִי חַטַּאת הַנְּעָרִים גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Ze’eiri says** that **Rabbi Ḥanina says:** One who raises his hand to strike another **is called a sinner; as it is stated:** “And the priest’s lad would come…and would say to him, but you shall give now, **and if not, I will take by force”** (I Samuel 2:15–16), **and it is written** with regard to this behavior: **“And the sin of the youths was very great”** (I Samuel 2:17).


###### Sanhedrin 58b:21
[Sanhedrin 58b:21](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:21)

רַב הוּנָא אָמַר: תִּיקָּצֵץ יָדוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּזְרוֹעַ רָמָה תִּשָּׁבֵר״. רַב הוּנָא קַץ יְדָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Huna says: His hand should be cut off, as it is stated: “And the high arm shall be broken”** (Job 38:15). If one habitually lifts his arm to strike others, it is better that it be broken. The Gemara relates that **Rav Huna cut off the hand** of a person who would habitually hit others.


###### Sanhedrin 58b:22
[Sanhedrin 58b:22](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:22)

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: אֵין לוֹ תַּקָּנָה אֶלָּא קְבוּרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאִישׁ זְרוֹעַ לוֹ הָאָרֶץ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Elazar says:** Such a violent person **has no remedy but burial, as it is stated: “And as a mighty man [*ve’ish zero’a*], who has the earth”** (Job 22:8). The expression *ish zero’a* literally means: A man of the arm, and the verse is interpreted homiletically to mean that one who habitually strikes others deserves to be buried.


###### Sanhedrin 58b:23
[Sanhedrin 58b:23](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:23)

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: לֹא נִתְּנָה קַרְקַע אֶלָּא לְבַעֲלֵי זְרוֹעוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאִישׁ זְרוֹעַ לוֹ הָאָרֶץ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabbi Elazar states** a different interpretation of that verse: **The land is given only to mighty men** who can protect themselves from all enemies; **as it is stated: “And as a mighty man, who has the earth.”**


###### Sanhedrin 58b:24
[Sanhedrin 58b:24](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:24)

וְאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״עֹבֵד אַדְמָתוֹ יִשְׂבַּע לָחֶם״? אִם עוֹשֶׂה אָדָם עַצְמוֹ כְּעֶבֶד לָאֲדָמָה – יִשְׂבַּע לֶחֶם, וְאִם לָאו – לֹא יִשְׂבַּע לֶחֶם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** in connection with that statement, the Gemara notes that **Reish Lakish says: What** is the meaning of that **which is written: “One who works [*oved*] his land shall have plenty of bread”** (Proverbs 12:11)? **If a person makes himself like a slave [*ke’eved*] to the land,** devoting his efforts to it, **he will have plenty of bread, but if not, he will not have plenty of bread.**


###### Sanhedrin 58b:25
[Sanhedrin 58b:25](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:25)

וְאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: נׇכְרִי שֶׁשָּׁבַת חַיָּיב מִיתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְיוֹם וָלַיְלָה לֹא יִשְׁבֹּתוּ״. וְאָמַר מָר: אַזְהָרָה שֶׁלָּהֶן זוֹ הִיא מִיתָתָן. אָמַר רָבִינָא: אֲפִילּוּ שֵׁנִי בַּשַּׁבָּת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Reish Lakish says: A gentile who observed Shabbat is liable** to receive the **death** penalty, **as it is stated: “And day and night shall not cease”** (Genesis 8:23), which literally means: And day and night they shall not rest. This is interpreted homiletically to mean that the descendants of Noah may not take a day of rest. **And the Master said** (57a) that **their prohibition is their death** penalty, i.e., the punishment for any prohibition with regard to descendants of Noah is execution. **Ravina says:** If a descendant of Noah observes a day of rest on any day of the week, **even** one not set aside for religious worship, e.g., **on a Monday,** he is liable.


###### Sanhedrin 58b:26
[Sanhedrin 58b:26](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/58b:26)

וְלִיחְשְׁבַהּ גַּבֵּי שֶׁבַע מִצְוֹת? כִּי קָא חָשֵׁיב – שֵׁב וְאַל תַּעֲשֶׂה, קוּם עֲשֵׂה לָא קָא חָשֵׁיב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges this: **But let** the *tanna* **count** this prohibition **among** the **seven** Noahide **mitzvot.** The Gemara explains: **When** the *tanna* **counts** the seven mitzvot, he counts only those that require one to **sit and refrain from action,** i.e., those that include a prohibition against performing a certain action. **He does not count** mitzvot that require one to **arise and take action.**