## Sanhedrin Daf 64a

###### Sanhedrin 64a:1
[Sanhedrin 64a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:1)

הַס, שֶׁלֹּא לְהַזְכִּיר בְּשֵׁם ה׳, שֶׁלֹּא לִימְּדוֹ אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Hush, so as not to mention the name of the Lord** (see Amos 6:10). The child did not want to even hear the mention of the name of the Lord, **which his father and his mother did not teach him.**


###### Sanhedrin 64a:2
[Sanhedrin 64a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:2)

מִיָּד הוֹצִיא יִרְאָתוֹ מֵחֵיקוֹ, וּמְחַבְּקָהּ וּמְנַשְּׁקָהּ, עַד שֶׁנִּבְקְעָה כְּרֵיסוֹ וְנָפְלָה יִרְאָתוֹ לָאָרֶץ, וְנָפַל הוּא עָלֶיהָ, לְקַיֵּים מַה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְנָתַתִּי אֶת פִּגְרֵיכֶם עַל פִּגְרֵי גִּלּוּלֵיכֶם״. בָּתַר דַּאֲבִיקוּ בֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Immediately,** the child **removed his god from his bosom and** began **hugging it and kissing it, until his stomach burst** from hunger, **and his god fell to the earth and he fell upon it, in fulfillment of that** which **is stated: “And I shall cast your carcasses upon the carcasses of your idols”** (Leviticus 26:30). This incident demonstrates that the Jewish people engaged in idol worship for its own sake. The Gemara answers: This also occurred **after** the Jewish people **became attached to** idol worship.


###### Sanhedrin 64a:3
[Sanhedrin 64a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:3)

תָּא שְׁמַע: ״וַיִּזְעֲקוּ בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל אֶל ה׳ אֱלֹהֵיהֶם״. מַאי אֲמוּר? אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַב יוֹנָתָן: בִּיָּיא, בִּיָּיא! הַיְינוּ דְּאַחְרְבֵיהּ לְבֵיתָא, וְקַלְיֵאּ לְהֵיכְלָא, וְקַטְלִינְהוּ לְצַדִּיקֵי, וְאַגְלִינְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַרְעַיְיהוּ, וַעֲדַיִין הוּא מְרַקֵּד בֵּינַן. כְּלוּם יְהַבְתֵּיהּ לַן אֶלָּא לְקַבּוֹלֵי בֵּיהּ אַגְרָא? לָא אִיהוּ בָּעֵינַן וְלָא אַגְרֵיהּ בָּעֵינַן! בָּתַר דַּאֲבִיקוּ בֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Come** and **hear** another proof, from the verse: **“And they cried in a loud voice to the Lord their God”** (Nehemiah 9:4). **What did they say** in that prayer? **Rav Yehuda says, and some say** it is **Rav Yonatan** who says: **Woe, woe [*baya*, *baya*], this** evil inclination for idol worship **is what destroyed the Temple, and burned the Sanctuary, and murdered the righteous ones, and caused the Jewish people to be exiled from their land. And it still dances among us,** i.e., it still affects us. **Didn’t You give it to us solely for** the purpose of our **receiving reward** for overcoming it? **We do not want it, nor do we not want its reward.** Evidently, the Jewish people were drawn to idol worship itself, and they did not worship idols only in order to engage in forbidden sexual relations. The Gemara answers: This also occurred **after** the Jewish people **became attached to** idol worship.


###### Sanhedrin 64a:4
[Sanhedrin 64a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:4)

יְתַבוּ תְּלָתָא יוֹמֵי בְּתַעֲנִיתָא, בָּעוּ רַחֲמֵי. נְפַל לְהוּ פִּיתְקָא מֵרְקִיעָא דַּהֲוָה כְּתִיב בַּהּ: ״אֱמֶת״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara continues to relate the story of the prayer in the days of Nehemiah: The people **fasted for three days** and **prayed for mercy.** In response to their prayer **a note fell for them from the heavens in which was written: Truth,** indicating that God accepted their request.


###### Sanhedrin 64a:5
[Sanhedrin 64a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:5)

אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ, חוֹתָמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא ׳אֱמֶת׳.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara makes a parenthetical observation. **Rabbi Ḥanina says: Conclude from it** that **the seal of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is truth.**


###### Sanhedrin 64a:6
[Sanhedrin 64a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:6)

נְפַק כְּגוּרְיָא דְנוּרָא מִבֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים. אֲמַר לְהוּ נָבִיא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: הַיְינוּ יִצְרָא דַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. בַּהֲדֵי דְּקָתָפְסִי לֵיהּ, אִישְׁתְּמִיט בִּינִיתָא מִינֵּיהּ, וַאֲזַל קָלֵיהּ בְּאַרְבַּע מְאָה פַּרְסֵי. אָמְרוּ: הֵיכִי נֶיעְבֵּד? דִּילְמָא מִשְּׁמַיָּא מְרַחֲמִי עֲלֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The form of a fiery lion cub came forth from the chamber of the Holy of Holies.** Zechariah, **the prophet, said to the Jewish people: This is the** evil **inclination for idol worship. When they caught hold of it one of its hairs fell out, and** it let out a shriek of pain that **was heard for four hundred parasangs [*parsei*]. They said: What should we do** to kill it? **Perhaps Heaven will have mercy upon it** if we attempt to kill it, as it will certainly scream even more.


###### Sanhedrin 64a:7
[Sanhedrin 64a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:7)

אֲמַר לְהוּ נָבִיא: שַׁדְיוּהּ בְּדוּדָא דַאֲבָרָא, וְכַסְּיוּהּ בַּאֲבָרָא, דְּשָׁיֵיף קָלֵיהּ. דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיֹּאמֶר זֹאת הָרִשְׁעָה וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אוֹתָהּ אֶל תּוֹךְ הָאֵיפָה וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶת הָאֶבֶן הָעוֹפֶרֶת אֶל פִּיהָ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The prophet said to them: Throw it into a container** made **of lead and cover it with lead, as** lead **absorbs sound. As it is written: “And he said: This is the evil one. And he cast it down into the midst of the measure, and he cast a stone of lead upon its opening”** (Zechariah 5:8). They followed this advice and were freed of the evil inclination for idol worship.


###### Sanhedrin 64a:8
[Sanhedrin 64a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:8)

אָמְרִי: הוֹאִיל וְעֵת רָצוֹן הוּא, נִיבְעֵי רַחֲמֵי אַיִּצְרָא דַעֲבֵירָה. בְּעוֹ רַחֲמֵי, אִימְּסַר בִּידַיְיהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
When they saw that the evil inclination for idol worship was delivered into their hands as they requested, the Sages **said: Since it is an auspicious time, let us pray for mercy concerning the** evil **inclination for sin** concerning sexual matters. **They prayed for mercy, and it was** also **delivered into their hands.**


###### Sanhedrin 64a:9
[Sanhedrin 64a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:9)

חַבְשׁוּהּ תְּלָתָא יוֹמֵי. בְּעוֹ בֵּיעֲתָא בַּת יוֹמָא לְחוֹלֶה, וְלָא אַשְׁכַּחוּ. אֲמַרוּ: הֵיכִי נַעֲבֵיד? נִיבְעֵי פַּלְגָא? פַּלְגָא מֵרְקִיעָא לָא יָהֲבִי. כַּחְלִינְהוּ לְעֵינֵיהּ. אַהֲנִי בֵּיהּ דְּלָא מִיגָּרֵי אִינִישׁ בְּקָרִיבְתֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Sages **imprisoned it for three days.** At that time, people **searched for a one-day-old** fresh **egg for the sick but could not find** one. Since the inclination to reproduce was quashed, the chickens stopped laying eggs. **They said: What should we do?** If **we pray for half,** i.e., that only half its power be annulled, nothing will be achieved, because **Heaven does not grant half** gifts, only whole gifts. What did they do? **They gouged** out **its eyes,** and this **was effective in** limiting **it** to the extent **that a person is no** longer **aroused to** commit incest with **his** close **relatives.**


###### Sanhedrin 64a:10
[Sanhedrin 64a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:10)

אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּגוֹיָה אַחַת שֶׁהָיְתָה חוֹלָה בְּיוֹתֵר, אָמְרָה: אִם תַּעֲמוֹד הָהִיא אִשָּׁה מֵחוֹלְיָהּ, תֵּלֵךְ וְתַעֲבוֹד לְכׇל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם. עָמְדָה וְעָבְדָה לְכׇל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעָה לִפְעוֹר, שָׁאֲלָה לַכּוֹמָרִים: בַּמָּה עוֹבְדִין לָזוֹ? אָמְרוּ לָהּ: אוֹכְלִין תְּרָדִין וְשׁוֹתִין שֵׁכָר וּמַתְרִיזִין בְּפָנֶיהָ. אָמְרָה: מוּטָב שֶׁתַּחֲזוֹר הָהִיא אִשָּׁה לְחוֹלְיָהּ וְלֹא תַּעֲבוֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בְּכָךְ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rav Yehuda says** that **Rav says: An incident** occurred **involving a certain gentile woman who was very ill. She said: If that woman,** referring to herself, **recovers from her illness, she will go and worship every** object of **idol worship in the world. She recovered** from her illness **and** subsequently **worshipped every** object of **idol worship in the world. When she arrived at Peor she asked the priests: How does one worship this** idol? **They said to her: One eats spinach,** which causes diarrhea, **and drinks beer,** which also causes diarrhea, **and defecates before it.** The woman **said: Better for that woman,** referring to herself, **to return to her illness, and not worship an idol in such a manner.**


###### Sanhedrin 64a:11
[Sanhedrin 64a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:11)

אַתֶּם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינָן כֵּן, ״הַנִּצְמָדִים לְבַעַל פְּעוֹר״ – כְּצָמִיד פָּתִיל, ״וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם״ – כִּשְׁתֵּי תְּמָרוֹת הַדְּבוּקוֹת זוֹ בָּזוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rav Yehuda adds: **You, the house of Israel, are not like that** woman who could not bear the repulsiveness of Ba’al-Peor. It is stated with regard to the attitude of the Jewish people toward idol worship: **“That have attached themselves [*hanitzmadim*] to Ba’al-Peor”** (Numbers 25:5), indicating a tight attachment, **like a tightly bound cover [*ketzamid patil*]** tied firmly onto a vessel. Yet with regard to the attitude of the Jewish people toward God it is stated: **“But you who did cleave [*hadevekim*] to the Lord your God”** (Deuteronomy 4:4), i.e., the connection between the Jewish people and God is **like two dates that** are lightly **attached [*hadevukot*] to one another** but are not tightly pressed together.


###### Sanhedrin 64a:12
[Sanhedrin 64a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:12)

בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנָא: ״הַנִּצְמָדִים לְבַעַל פְּעוֹר״ – כְּצָמִיד עַל יְדֵי אִשָּׁה, ״וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם״ – דְּבוּקִים מַמָּשׁ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
This comparison **was taught in a *baraita*** but with the opposite conclusion: **“That have attached themselves [*hanitzmadim*] to Ba’al-Peor”** indicates a connection that is **like a bracelet [*ketzamid*] on a woman’s arm,** which is worn loosely. **“But you who did cleave to the Lord your God”** means they **actually adhered** to one another, i.e., there was a tight connection.


###### Sanhedrin 64a:13
[Sanhedrin 64a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:13)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּסַבְטָא בֶּן אַלָּס, שֶׁהִשְׂכִּיר חֲמוֹרוֹ לְגוֹיָה אַחַת. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעָה לִפְעוֹר, אָמְרָה לוֹ: הַמְתֵּן עַד שֶׁאֶכָּנֵס וְאֵצֵא. לְאַחַר שֶׁיָּצְאָה, אָמַר לָהּ: אַף אַתְּ הַמְתִּינִי עַד שֶׁאֶכָּנֵס וְאֵצֵא. אָמְרָה לוֹ: וְלֹא יְהוּדִי אַתָּה? אָמַר לָהּ: וּמַאי אִיכְפַּת לִיךְ? נִכְנַס, פָּעַר בְּפָנָיו וְקִינַּח בְּחוֹטְמוֹ. וְהָיוּ כּוֹמָרִין מְקַלְּסִין לוֹ וְאוֹמְרִים: מֵעוֹלָם לֹא הָיָה אָדָם שֶׁעֲבָדוֹ לָזֶה בְּכָךְ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates another incident with regard to Ba’al-Peor. **The Sages taught:** There was **an incident involving** a Jew named **Sabbeta ben Alas, who rented out his donkey** and his services **to a certain gentile woman.** He was driving his donkey behind her, and **when she arrived at Peor, she said to him: Wait** here **until I go in and come out. After she came out, he said to her: You too wait** for me **until I go in and come out. She said to him: Aren’t you Jewish?** Why, then, are you worshipping idols? **He said to her: And what do you care? He entered and defecated before** the idol, **and wiped** himself **with its nostril,** as he wanted to demean the idol as much as possible. **But** he was unsuccessful, as **the priests** of Peor **were praising him and saying: No person has ever worshipped it** before **with this** excellent form of worship. Although he intended to demean Ba’al-Peor, he actually worshipped it.


###### Sanhedrin 64a:14
[Sanhedrin 64a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:14)

הַפּוֹעֵר עַצְמוֹ לְבַעַל פְּעוֹר – הֲרֵי זֶה עֲבוֹדָתוֹ, אַף עַל גַּב דְּמִיכַּוֵּין לְבִיזּוּי. הַזּוֹרֵק אֶבֶן לְמַרְקוּלִיס – זוֹ הִיא עֲבוֹדָתוֹ, אַף עַל גַּב דְּמִיכַּוֵּין לְמִירְגְּמֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *halakha* is that **one who defecates before Ba’al-Peor** is obligated to bring a sin-offering to atone for idol worship, as **this is its** typical form of **worship, even if he intends to demean** the idol. Likewise, **one who throws a stone at Mercury** is obligated to bring a sin-offering to atone for idol worship, as **this is its** typical form of **worship, even if he intends to stone it.**


###### Sanhedrin 64a:15
[Sanhedrin 64a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:15)

רַב מְנַשֶּׁה הֲוָה קָאָזֵיל לְבֵי תוֹרְתָּא. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הִיא דְּקָאֵי הָכָא. שְׁקַל פִּיסָּא, שְׁדָא בַּיהּ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: מַרְקוּלִיס הִיא. אֲמַר לְהוּ: ״הַזּוֹרֵק אֶבֶן לְמַרְקוּלִיס״ תְּנַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: **Rav Menashe was going to** a place called **Bei Torta.** The people there **said to him: There is** an object of **idol worship situated here** in this pile of stones. Rav Menashe **picked up a stone and threw** it **at** the idol to demean it. **They said to him: It is Mercury,** and it is worshipped by throwing stones at it. Rav Menashe **said to them: We learned** in the mishna that **one who throws a stone at Mercury** as a manner of worship is liable, whereas I intended to demean it.


###### Sanhedrin 64a:16
[Sanhedrin 64a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:16)

אֲתָא שְׁאַל בֵּי מִדְרְשָׁא. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: ״הַזּוֹרֵק אֶבֶן בְּמַרְקוּלִיס״ תְּנַן, אַף עַל גַּב דְּמִיכַּוֵּין לְמִירְגְּמֵיהּ. אֲמַר לְהוּ: אֵיזִיל אֶישְׁקְלַהּ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אֶחָד הַנּוֹטְלָהּ וְאֶחָד הַנּוֹתְנָהּ חַיָּיב, כֹּל חֲדָא וַחֲדָא רַוְוחָא לַחֲבֶירְתַּהּ שָׁבֵיק.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rav Menashe **went** and **asked** the Sages in **the study hall** whether his interpretation of the mishna was correct. **They said to him: We learned** in the mishna that **one who throws a stone at Mercury** is liable, which implies that he is liable **even if he intends to stone it** in order to demean it. Rav Menashe **said to** the Sages: If so, **I will go and take** back the stone I threw. **They said to him: Both one who removes it and one who places it is liable,** as **each and every one** of the stones taken away from Mercury **leaves space for another** stone. Taking a stone away from Mercury provides a place for other stones to be thrown at it.


###### Sanhedrin 64a:17
[Sanhedrin 64a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:17)

**מַתְנִי׳** הַנּוֹתֵן מִזַּרְעוֹ לַמּוֹלֶךְ, אֵינוֹ חַיָּיב עַד שֶׁיִּמְסוֹר לַמּוֹלֶךְ וְיַעֲבִיר בָּאֵשׁ. מָסַר לַמּוֹלֶךְ וְלֹא הֶעֱבִיר בָּאֵשׁ, הֶעֱבִיר בָּאֵשׁ וְלֹא מָסַר לַמּוֹלֶךְ – אֵינוֹ חַיָּיב עַד שֶׁיִּמְסוֹר לַמּוֹלֶךְ וְיַעֲבִיר בָּאֵשׁ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** **One who gives of his offspring to Molekh,** for which one is executed by stoning, **is not liable unless he hands over** his child **to the** priests of **Molekh and passes** the child **through the fire.** If **he handed over** the child **to the** priests of **Molekh but did not pass** him **through the fire,** or if **he passed** him **through the fire but did not hand** him **over to the** priests of **Molekh, he is not liable, unless he hands** the child **over to the** priests of **Molekh and passes** him **through the fire.**


###### Sanhedrin 64a:18
[Sanhedrin 64a:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:18)

**גְּמָ׳** קָתָנֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְקָתָנֵי מוֹלֶךְ. אָמַר רַבִּי אָבִין: תְּנַן כְּמַאן דְּאָמַר מוֹלֶךְ לָאו עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הִיא, דְּתַנְיָא: אֶחָד לַמּוֹלֶךְ וְאֶחָד לִשְׁאָר עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה – חַיָּיב. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: לַמּוֹלֶךְ – חַיָּיב, שֶׁלֹּא לַמּוֹלֶךְ – פָּטוּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The *halakhot* of one’s liability for **idol worship are taught** in the mishna above (60b), **and** the *halakhot* of one’s liability for the worship of **Molekh are taught** separately, in this mishna. Therefore, **Rabbi Avin says: We learn** this mishna **according to** the opinion of **the one who says** that the ritual of **Molekh is not idol worship** but is a form of witchcraft or superstition, **as** a dispute over this matter **is taught** in a *baraita*: Both **one** who transfers his child **to the** priests of **Molekh and one** who transfers his child **for** the purpose of worshipping **other idols** are **liable.** Molekh is cited merely as an example. **Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, says:** One who transfers his child **to the** priests of **Molekh** is **liable,** but if he transfers him to another object of idol worship, **not to Molekh,** he is **exempt.**


###### Sanhedrin 64a:19
[Sanhedrin 64a:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:19)

אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן אַנְטִיגְנוֹס אָמְרוּ דָּבָר אֶחָד. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן – הָא דַּאֲמַרַן. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן אַנְטִיגְנוֹס – דְּתַנְיָא: רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן אַנְטִיגְנוֹס אוֹמֵר, מִפְּנֵי מָה תָּפְסָה תּוֹרָה לְשׁוֹן ״מוֹלֶךְ״? כֹּל שֶׁהִמְלִיכוּהוּ עֲלֵיהֶם, אֲפִילּוּ צְרוֹר וַאֲפִילּוּ קֵיסָם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Abaye says: Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, and Rabbi Ḥanina ben Antigonus said the same thing,** i.e., they share the same halakhic opinion. The statement of **Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon,** is **that which we said. Rabbi Ḥanina ben Antigonus** shares the same opinion, **as it is taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Ḥanina ben Antigonus says: For what** reason **does the Torah use the term Molekh?** It is to indicate that if one passes his child through fire in the worship of **any** object **that** people **enthroned [*shehimlikhuhu*] over them** as their king, referring to it as Molekh, he is liable, **even** if it is merely **a pebble, or even a toothpick.** The *baraita* indicates that one who passes his child through fire in worship of an item that is not referred to as Molekh is not liable, in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon.


###### Sanhedrin 64a:20
[Sanhedrin 64a:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/64a:20)

רָבָא אָמַר: מוֹלֶךְ עֲרַאי אִיכָּא בֵּינַיְיהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rava says:** They do not share the same opinion, as there is a practical difference **between** their opinions in a case of **a temporary Molekh.** According to Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, one is liable for passing his child through fire only if it is in worship of a permanent Molekh, whereas according to Rabbi Ḥanina ben Antigonus, one is liable for worshipping even a temporary Molekh.