## Sanhedrin Daf 59a

###### Sanhedrin 59a:1
[Sanhedrin 59a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:1)

וְהָא דִּינִין קוּם עֲשֵׂה הוּא, וְקָא חָשֵׁיב? קוּם עֲשֵׂה וְשֵׁב אַל תַּעֲשֶׂה נִינְהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges: **But** the mitzva of establishing courts of **judgment is** a mitzva to **stand up and take action, and** nevertheless **he counts it** among the seven mitzvot. The Gemara answers: This mitzva contains a requirement to **stand up and take action,** i.e., the obligation to establish courts and carry out justice, **and** it also contains a requirement to **sit and refrain from action,** i.e., the prohibition against doing injustice.


###### Sanhedrin 59a:2
[Sanhedrin 59a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:2)

וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: גּוֹי שֶׁעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה חַיָּיב מִיתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״תּוֹרָה צִוָּה לָנוּ מֹשֶׁה מוֹרָשָׁה״, לָנוּ מוֹרָשָׁה וְלֹא לָהֶם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabbi Yoḥanan says: A gentile who engages in Torah** study is **liable** to receive the **death** penalty; **as it is stated: “Moses commanded us a law [*torah*], an inheritance** of the congregation of Jacob” (Deuteronomy 33:4), indicating that **it is an inheritance for us, and not for them.**


###### Sanhedrin 59a:3
[Sanhedrin 59a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:3)

וְלִיחְשְׁבַהּ גַּבֵּי שֶׁבַע מִצְוֹת? מַאן דְּאָמַר ״מוֹרָשָׁה״ – מִיגְזָל קָא גָזֵיל לַהּ. מַאן דְּאָמַר ״מְאוֹרָסָה״ – דִּינוֹ כְּנַעֲרָה הַמְאוֹרָסָה, דְּבִסְקִילָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges: **But** if so, **let** the *tanna* **count** this prohibition **among** the **seven** Noahide **mitzvot.** The Gemara explains: According to **the one who says** that the verse is referring to the Torah as **an inheritance,** this prohibition is included in the prohibition of robbery, as a gentile who studies Torah **robs** the Jewish people of **it.** According to **the one who says** that the verse is referring to the Torah as **betrothed,** as the spelling of the Hebrew word for betrothed [*me’orasa*], is similar to that of the word for inheritance [*morasha*], **the punishment of** a gentile who studies Torah **is like** that of one who engages in intercourse with **a betrothed young woman, which is** execution **by stoning.**


###### Sanhedrin 59a:4
[Sanhedrin 59a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:4)

מֵיתִיבִי, הָיָה רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: מִנַּיִין שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ גּוֹי וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁהוּא כְּכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם הָאָדָם וָחַי בָּהֶם״. ״כֹּהֲנִים לְוִיִּים וְיִשְׂרְאֵלִים״ לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא ״הָאָדָם״. הָא לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ גּוֹי וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה הֲרֵי הוּא כְּכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara **raises an objection** to Rabbi Yoḥanan’s statement from a *baraita*: **Rabbi Meir would say: From where** is it derived **that even a gentile who engages in Torah** study **is** considered **like a High Priest?** It is derived from **that** which **is stated:** “You shall therefore keep My statutes and My ordinances, **which if a man does he shall live by them”** (Leviticus 18:5). The phrase: Which if **priests, Levites, and Israelites** do they shall live by them, **is not stated,** but **rather: “A man,”** which indicates mankind in general. **You have therefore learned that even a gentile who engages in Torah** study **is** considered **like a High Priest.**


###### Sanhedrin 59a:5
[Sanhedrin 59a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:5)

הָתָם, בְּשֶׁבַע מִצְוֹת דִּידְהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **There,** in the *baraita*, the reference is to a gentile who engages **in** the study of **their seven mitzvot.** It is a mitzva for a gentile to study the *halakhot* that pertain to the seven Noahide mitzvot, and when he does so he is highly regarded.


###### Sanhedrin 59a:6
[Sanhedrin 59a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:6)

רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: אַף הַדָּם מִן הַחַי. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״אַךְ בָּשָׂר בְּנַפְשׁוֹ דָמוֹ לֹא תֹאכֵלוּ״ – זֶה אֵבֶר מִן הַחַי. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: אַף הַדָּם מִן הַחַי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The *baraita* that lists the Noahide mitzvot (56a) teaches that **Rabbi Ḥanina ben Gamliel says:** The descendants of Noah are **also** commanded concerning the prohibition against consuming **the blood from a living** animal. **The Sages taught** in a *baraita*: With regard to the verse: **“Only flesh with its life, which is its blood, you shall not eat”** (Genesis 9:4), **this is** the prohibition against eating **a limb from a living** animal. **Rabbi Ḥanina ben Gamliel says: The blood from a living** animal is **also** prohibited in this verse.


###### Sanhedrin 59a:7
[Sanhedrin 59a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:7)

מַאי טַעְמָא דְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל? קְרִי בֵּיהּ: ״בָּשָׂר בְּנַפְשׁוֹ לֹא תֹּאכֵל״, ״דָּמוֹ בְּנַפְשׁוֹ לֹא תֹּאכֵל״. וְרַבָּנַן? הַהוּא לְמִישְׁרֵי שְׁרָצִים הוּא דַּאֲתָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What is the reasoning** behind the opinion **of Rabbi Ḥanina ben Gamliel?** The Gemara answers: He **reads into** the verse: **Flesh with its life you shall not eat; blood with its life you shall not eat.** The Gemara asks: **And** how do **the Rabbis** explain the mention of blood in this verse? After all, in their opinion, blood from a living animal is not forbidden. The Gemara answers: **That comes to permit** eating limbs from living **creeping animals.** The verse indicates that the prohibition does not apply to creeping animals, whose blood is not considered separate from their flesh (see 59b).


###### Sanhedrin 59a:8
[Sanhedrin 59a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:8)

כְּיוֹצֵא בַּדָּבָר אַתָּה אוֹמֵר: ״רַק חֲזַק לְבִלְתִּי אֲכֹל הַדָּם כִּי הַדָּם הוּא הַנָּפֶשׁ וְגוֹ׳״. ״רַק חֲזַק לְבִלְתִּי אֲכֹל הַדָּם״ – זֶה אֵבֶר מִן הַחַי, ״כִּי הַדָּם הוּא הַנָּפֶשׁ״ – זֶה דָּם מִן הַחַי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *baraita* continues: **Similarly, you** can **say** that according to the opinion of Rabbi Ḥanina, blood from a living animal is also forbidden to the Jewish people in particular; as it is stated: **“Only be steadfast in not eating blood, as the blood is the life,** and you shall not eat the life with the flesh” (Deuteronomy 12:23). With regard to the statements: **“Only be steadfast in not eating blood,” this is a limb from a living** animal; **“as the blood is the life,” this is blood from a living** animal.


###### Sanhedrin 59a:9
[Sanhedrin 59a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:9)

וְרַבָּנַן, הַהוּא לְדַם הַקָּזָה שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה יוֹצְאָה בּוֹ הוּא דַּאֲתָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And** how do **the Rabbis,** who hold that there is no specific prohibition with regard to blood from a living animal, interpret this verse? The Gemara answers: **That** verse **comes to** teach the prohibition against consuming **blood** spilled in the process **of bloodletting,** as this is blood **through which the soul departs** (see *Karetot* 20b).


###### Sanhedrin 59a:10
[Sanhedrin 59a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:10)

לְמָה לִי לְמִיכְתַּב לִבְנֵי נֹחַ, וּלְמָה לִי לְמִשְׁנֵי בְּסִינַי?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: According to Rabbi Ḥanina ben Gamliel, **why do I** need the Torah to write this *halakha* with regard **to descendants of Noah, and why do I** need the Torah to **repeat** it **at Sinai** with regard to Jews? Aren’t Jews also descendants of Noah?


###### Sanhedrin 59a:11
[Sanhedrin 59a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:11)

כִּדְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא: כׇּל מִצְוָה שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרָה לִבְנֵי נֹחַ וְנִשְׁנֵית בְּסִינַי – לָזֶה וְלָזֶה נֶאֶמְרָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers that it is to be understood **in accordance with** the opinion **of Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina; as Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: Any mitzva that was** first **stated with regard to the descendants of Noah and was repeated at Sinai was stated for this** group **and for that** group, i.e., it applies to both gentiles and Jews.


###### Sanhedrin 59a:12
[Sanhedrin 59a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:12)

לִבְנֵי נֹחַ, וְלֹא נִשְׁנֵית בְּסִינַי – לְיִשְׂרָאֵל נֶאֶמְרָה וְלֹא לִבְנֵי נֹחַ. וְאָנוּ אֵין לָנוּ אֶלָּא גִּיד הַנָּשֶׁה, וְאַלִּיבָּא דְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
But a mitzva that was stated **with regard to the descendants of Noah and was not repeated at Sinai** among the mitzvot given to the Jewish people **was stated for the Jewish people and not for the descendants of Noah. And we have only** the prohibition against eating **the sciatic nerve** to which this classification applies, **and** this is **according to** the opinion **of Rabbi Yehuda,** who holds that the verse: “Therefore the children of Israel do not eat the sciatic nerve, which is on the hollow of the thigh, until this day” (Genesis 32:32), is referring to the sons of Jacob, who were commanded to observe this prohibition even though they had the status of descendants of Noah.


###### Sanhedrin 59a:13
[Sanhedrin 59a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:13)

אָמַר מָר: כׇּל מִצְוָה שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרָה לִבְנֵי נֹחַ וְנִשְׁנֵית בְּסִינַי, לָזֶה וְלָזֶה נֶאֶמְרָה. אַדְּרַבָּה, מִדְּנִשְׁנֵית בְּסִינַי – לְיִשְׂרָאֵל נֶאֶמְרָה וְלֹא לִבְנֵי נֹחַ!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Master said** in a *baraita*: **Any mitzva that was stated with regard to the descendants of Noah and was repeated at Sinai was stated for this** group **and for that** group. The Gemara raises an objection: **On the contrary, from** the fact **that it was repeated at Sinai,** clearly it can be derived that **it was stated for the Jewish people and not for the descendants of Noah,** as if it pertains to the descendants of Noah as well, why repeat it at Sinai? Aren’t the Jewish people also descendants of Noah?


###### Sanhedrin 59a:14
[Sanhedrin 59a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:14)

מִדְּאִיתְּנַי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בְּסִינַי, וְאַשְׁכְּחַן דַּעֲנַשׁ גּוֹיִם עִילָּוַוהּ, שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ: לָזֶה וְלָזֶה נֶאֶמְרָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **From** the fact **that** the prohibition of **idol worship was repeated at Sinai, and we find that** God **punished gentiles for it, conclude from it** that any mitzva that was repeated at Sinai **was stated for this** group **and for that** group, and not only for the Jewish people.


###### Sanhedrin 59a:15
[Sanhedrin 59a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:15)

לִבְנֵי נֹחַ, וְלֹא נִשְׁנֵית בְּסִינַי – לְיִשְׂרָאֵל נֶאֶמְרָה וְלֹא לִבְנֵי נֹחַ. אַדְּרַבָּה, מִדְּלֹא נִישְׁנֵית בְּסִינַי – לִבְנֵי נֹחַ נֶאֶמְרָה וְלָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל! לֵיכָּא מִידַּעַם דִּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁרֵי וּלְגוֹי אֲסִיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It is further stated in the *baraita* that a mitzva that was stated **with regard to the descendants of Noah and was not repeated at Sinai was stated for the Jewish people and not for the descendants of Noah.** The Gemara raises an objection: **On the contrary, from** the fact **that it was not repeated at Sinai,** clearly it can be derived that **it was stated for the descendants of Noah and not for the Jewish people.** The Gemara answers: **There is nothing that is permitted to a Jew and forbidden to a gentile.**


###### Sanhedrin 59a:16
[Sanhedrin 59a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:16)

וְלָא? וַהֲרֵי יְפַת תּוֹאַר! הָתָם, מִשּׁוּם דְּלָאו בְּנֵי כִיבּוּשׁ נִינְהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And** is there **not? But isn’t there** the permission for a Jew to take a married **beautiful woman,** who was taken as a prisoner of war, to be his wife? For a gentile to do so is forbidden. The Gemara answers: **There,** the reason gentiles are prohibited from doing so is **because they are not authorized to conquer.** It is not permitted for gentiles to wage wars of conquest, and the *halakha* of marrying a beautiful woman is stated only with regard to a war of conquest. Therefore the fact that a beautiful woman who is a prisoner of war is permitted only to a Jew and not to a gentile does not indicate that gentiles have a higher degree of sanctity.


###### Sanhedrin 59a:17
[Sanhedrin 59a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:17)

וַהֲרֵי פָּחוֹת מִשָּׁוֶה פְּרוּטָה! הָתָם, מִשּׁוּם דְּלָאו בְּנֵי מְחִילָה נִינְהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But isn’t** stealing **less than the value of one *peruta*** prohibited to a gentile and permitted to a Jew? The Gemara answers: **There it is because** gentiles **are not apt** to grant **forgiveness** of debts, even of less than the value of one *peruta*. Therefore, for a gentile to take even such a minuscule amount is considered robbery. Jews normally forgive such small amounts.


###### Sanhedrin 59a:18
[Sanhedrin 59a:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/59a:18)

כׇּל מִצְוָה שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרָה לִבְנֵי נֹחַ וְנִישְׁנֵית בְּסִינַי, לָזֶה וְלָזֶה נֶאֶמְרָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It is stated in the *baraita* that **any mitzva that was stated with regard to the descendants of Noah and was repeated at Sinai was stated** both **for this** group **and for that** group.