## Sanhedrin Daf 95a

###### Sanhedrin 95a:1
[Sanhedrin 95a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/95a:1)

״עֲנִיָּה עֲנָתוֹת״ – עָתִיד יִרְמְיָה בֶּן חִלְקִיָּה וּמִתְנַבֵּא עֲלַהּ מֵעֲנָתוֹת, דִּכְתִיב: ״דִּבְרֵי יִרְמְיָהוּ בֶּן חִלְקִיָּהוּ מִן הַכֹּהֲנִים אֲשֶׁר בַּעֲנָתוֹת בְּאֶרֶץ בִּנְיָמִין״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**“Poor [*aniyya*] Anathoth”** (Isaiah 10:30)? **Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah, is destined to prophesy about** Nebuchadnezzar **from Anathoth, as it is written: “The statements of Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin”** (Jeremiah 1:1).


###### Sanhedrin 95a:2
[Sanhedrin 95a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/95a:2)

מִי דָּמֵי? הָתָם אֲרִי, הָכָא לַיִשׁ! אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שִׁשָּׁה שֵׁמוֹת יֵשׁ לַאֲרִי, אֵלּוּ הֵן: אֲרִי, כְּפִיר, לָבִיא, לַיִשׁ, שַׁחַל, שַׁחַץ. אִי הָכִי, בָּצְרוּ לְהוּ! עָבְרוּ מַעְבָּרָה תַּרְתֵּי נִינְהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **Are these** matters **comparable? There,** in Jeremiah, Nebuchadnezzar is called ***ari*,** as the verse refers to him with the term *arye*, and **here,** in Isaiah, Nebuchadnezzar is called ***laish*.** The Gemara explains that the verses are not contradictory, as **Rabbi Yoḥanan says: There are six** Hebrew **terms for the lion,** and **they are: *Ari*, *kefir*, *lavi*, *layish*, *shaḥal*, *shaḥatz*.** The Gemara challenges: **If** it is **so** that this verse is unrelated to the journeys of Sennacherib, then the places listed in the verse **are too few,** as there are not ten. The Gemara explains: **Averu** and **Mabara** are in fact the names of **two** separate places.


###### Sanhedrin 95a:3
[Sanhedrin 95a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/95a:3)

מַאי ״עוֹד הַיּוֹם בְּנֹב לַעֲמֹד״? אָמַר רַב הוּנָא: אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם נִשְׁתַּיֵּיר מֵעֲוֹנָהּ שֶׁל נוֹב. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ כַּלְדָּאֵי: אִי אָזְלַתְּ הָאִידָּנָא – יָכְלַתְּ לַהּ, וְאִי לָא – לָא יָכְלַתְּ לַהּ. אוֹרְחָא דִּבְעָא לְסַגּוֹיֵי בְּעַשְׂרָה יוֹמֵי, סַגֵּא בְּחַד יוֹמָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What** is the meaning of the phrase: **“This very day shall he halt at Nov”** (Isaiah 10:32)? **Rav Huna says: That** was the final **day** that **remained from** the punishment that the Jewish people received from **the sin of Nov** (see I Samuel, chapter 22). **The astrologers said to** Sennacherib: **If you go** and conquer them **now, you will overcome** the Jewish people; **and if not, you will not overcome** the Jewish people. The Gemara relates: **He walked** and traversed **in one day a road** upon **which one must walk for ten days** in order to traverse it.


###### Sanhedrin 95a:4
[Sanhedrin 95a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/95a:4)

כִּי מְטוֹ לִירוּשְׁלֶם, שְׁדוֹ לֵיהּ בִּיסְתַּרְקֵי, עַד דִּסְלֵיק וִיתֵיב מֵעִילָּוֵי שׁוּרָא, עַד דְּחַזְיַוהּ לְכוּלַּהּ יְרוּשְׁלֶם. כִּי חַזְיַיהּ, אִיזּוּטַר בְּעֵינֵיהּ. אָמַר: הֲלָא דָּא הִיא קַרְתָּא דִּירוּשְׁלֶם דַּעֲלַהּ אַרְגֵּישִׁית כֹּל מַשְׁירְיָתַי, וַעֲלַהּ כַּבֵּשִׁית כֹּל מְדִינָתָא? הֲלָא הִיא זְעֵירָא וְחַלָּשָׁא מִכֹּל כַּרְכֵי עַמְמַיָּא דְּכַבֵּשִׁית בִּתְקוֹף יְדַי? עֲלַהּ וְקָם וּמָנֵיד בְּרֵישֵׁיהּ, מוֹבֵיל וּמַיְיתֵי בִּידֵיהּ עַל טוּר בֵּית מַקְדְּשָׁא דִּבְצִיּוֹן וְעַל עֲזַרְתָּא דְּבִירוּשְׁלֶם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**When they arrived in Jerusalem they cast mats [*bistarkei*] for** Sennacherib and piled them high **until he ascended and sat above the wall, to the extent that he** was able to **see the entire** city of **Jerusalem. When he saw it, it** seemed **small in his eyes** and **he said: Is this the city of Jerusalem for which I have disrupted all my camps and for which I have conquered all** these **countries? Is it smaller and weaker than all the cities of the nations that I have conquered with my might? He went up and shook his head** in contempt, and dismissively **waved his hand at the Temple Mount that is in Zion and at the courtyard that is in Jerusalem.**


###### Sanhedrin 95a:5
[Sanhedrin 95a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/95a:5)

אָמְרִי: נִישְׁדֵּי בֵּיהּ יְדָא הָאִידָּנָא. אֲמַר לְהוּ: תָּמְהִיתוּ, לִמְחַר אַיְיתוֹ לִי כֹּל חַד וְחַד מִינַּיְיכוּ גּוּלְמוֹ הֲרַג מִינֵּיהּ. מִיָּד: ״וַיְהִי בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא וַיֵּצֵא מַלְאַךְ ה׳ וַיַּךְ בְּמַחֲנֵה אַשּׁוּר מֵאָה שְׁמוֹנִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אָלֶף וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ בַבֹּקֶר וְהִנֵּה כֻלָּם פְּגָרִים מֵתִים״. אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: הַיְינוּ דְּאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: בָּת דִּינָא – בְּטַל דִּינָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
His officers **said** to him: **Let us attack now** and begin the conquest of Jerusalem. Sennacherib **said to them: You are weary. Tomorrow, each and every one of you will bring me a piece** of a stone **from** the wall equivalent in size to the **seal [*gulmo harag*]** of a letter, and this will suffice to breach the wall and vanquish the city. The verse recounts that **immediately: “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went forth and smote in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when men arose in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses”** (II Kings 19:35). **Rav Pappa says** that **this** is in accordance with the adage **that people say:** When **quarrel lies** and is delayed overnight, **the quarrel is nullified.** Since Jerusalem was not conquered that day, the decree was voided.


###### Sanhedrin 95a:6
[Sanhedrin 95a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/95a:6)

״וְיִשְׁבִּי בְּנֹב אֲשֶׁר בִּילִידֵי הָרָפָה וּמִשְׁקַל קֵינוֹ שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת מִשְׁקַל נְחֹשֶׁת וְהוּא חָגוּר חֲדָשָׁה וַיֹּאמֶר לְהַכּוֹת אֶת דָּוִד״. מַאי ״וְיִשְׁבִּי בְּנוֹב״? אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: אִישׁ שֶׁבָּא עַל עִסְקֵי נוֹב. אֲמַר לֵיהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְדָוִד: עַד מָתַי יִהְיֶה עָוֹן זֶה טָמוּן בְּיָדְךָ? עַל יָדְךָ נֶהֶרְגָה נוֹב עִיר הַכֹּהֲנִים, וְעַל יָדְךָ נִטְרַד דּוֹאֵג הָאֲדוֹמִי, וְעַל יָדְךָ נֶהֶרְגוּ שָׁאוּל וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת בָּנָיו.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ Apropos the massacre of Nov, the Gemara relates: **“And Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of brass; and he was girded with new armor and planned to slay David”** (II Samuel 21:16). The Gemara asks: **What** is the meaning of **Ishbibenob? Rav Yehuda says** that **Rav says:** This is **a man [*ish*] who came** to punish David **over matters of Nov. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to David: Until when will this sin be concealed in your hand** without punishment? **Through your** actions the inhabitants of **Nov, the city of priests, were massacred, and through your** actions, **Doeg the Edomite was banished** from the World-to-Come, **and through your** actions **Saul and his three sons were killed.**


###### Sanhedrin 95a:7
[Sanhedrin 95a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/95a:7)

רְצוֹנְךָ יִכְלֶה זַרְעֶךָ, אוֹ תִּמָּסֵר בְּיַד אוֹיֵב? אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מוּטָב אֶמָּסֵר בְּיַד אוֹיֵב וְלֹא יִכְלֶה זַרְעִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
God said to David: Your arrival in Nov and your misleading Ahimelech the priest generated the chain of events, and therefore you must be punished. You may choose the punishment. **Is it your desire** that **your descendants will cease** to exist **or** that **you will be handed to the enemy?** David **said before Him: Master of the Universe, it is preferable** that **I will be handed to the enemy and my descendants will not cease** to exist.


###### Sanhedrin 95a:8
[Sanhedrin 95a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/95a:8)

יוֹמָא חַד נְפַק לִשְׁכוֹר בָּזָאֵי, אֲתָא שָׂטָן וְאִידְּמִי לֵיהּ כְּטַבְיָא. פְּתַק בֵּיהּ גִּירָא וְלָא מַטְיֵיהּ. מַשְׁכֵיהּ עַד דְּאַמְטְיֵיהּ לְאֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים. כִּדְחַזְיֵיהּ יִשְׁבִּי בְּנוֹב אֲמַר: הַיְינוּ הַאי דְּקַטְלֵיהּ לְגׇלְיָת אֲחִי. כַּפְתֵיהּ, קַמְטֵיהּ, אוֹתְבֵיהּ וְשַׁדְיֵיהּ תּוּתֵי בֵּי סַדְיָיא. אִתְעֲבִיד לֵיהּ נִיסָּא, מָכָא לֵיהּ אַרְעָא מִתּוּתֵיהּ. הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״תַּרְחִיב צַעֲדִי תַחְתָּי וְלֹא מָעֲדוּ קַרְסֻלָּי״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**One day** David **went to hunt** with **a falcon [*liskor bazzai*]. Satan came and appeared to him as a deer. He shot an arrow at** the deer, **and** the arrow **did not reach it.** Satan **led** David to follow the deer **until he reached the land of the Philistines. When Ishbibenob saw** David **he said: This is that** person **who killed Goliath, my brother. He bound him, doubled him over, and placed him** on the ground, **and** then he **cast him under** the beam **of an olive press** to crush him. **A miracle was performed for him, and the earth opened beneath him** so he was not crushed by the beam. **That is** the meaning of that **which is written: “You have enlarged my steps beneath me, that my feet did not slip”** (Psalms 18:37).


###### Sanhedrin 95a:9
[Sanhedrin 95a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/95a:9)

הָהוּא יוֹמָא אַפַּנְיָא דְּמַעֲלֵי שַׁבְּתָא הֲוָה. אֲבִישַׁי בֶּן צְרוּיָה הֲוָה קָא חָיֵיף רֵישֵׁיהּ בְּאַרְבְּעָא גַּרְבֵי דְּמַיָּא. חֲזִינְהוּ כִּתְמֵי דְּמָא. אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: אֲתָא יוֹנָה אִיטְּרִיף קַמֵּיהּ. אֲמַר: כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְיוֹנָה אִימְּתִילָא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״כַּנְפֵי יוֹנָה נֶחְפָּה בַכֶּסֶף״. שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ דָּוִד מַלְכָּא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּצַעֲרָא שְׁרֵי. אֲתָא לְבֵיתֵיהּ וְלָא אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ. אֲמַר, תְּנַן: אֵין רוֹכְבִין עַל סוּסוֹ וְאֵין יוֹשְׁבִין עַל כִּסְאוֹ וְאֵין מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁין בְּשַׁרְבִיטוֹ. בִּשְׁעַת הַסַּכָּנָה מַאי? אֲתָא שְׁאֵיל בֵּי מִדְרְשָׁא. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: בִּשְׁעַת הַסַּכָּנָה שַׁפִּיר דָּמֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: **That day at dusk on Shabbat eve, Abishai ben Zeruiah shampooed his hair with four jugs of water** in preparation for Shabbat. **He saw four bloodstains. There are** those **who say: A dove came and fluttered** its wings **before him.** Abishai **said: The congregation of Israel is likened to a dove, as it is stated: “You shall shine as the wings of a dove covered with silver** and her pinions with yellow gold” (Psalms 68:14); **conclude from it** that **David, king of Israel, is in a state of distress. He came to** David’s **house and did not find him.** Abishai **said** that **we learned** in a mishna (22a): **One may not ride on** the king’s **horse, and one may not sit on his throne, and one may not use his scepter. In a period of danger, what** is the *halakha*? **He came** and **asked** in **the study hall** what the ruling is in that situation. **They said to him: In a period of danger** one may **well** do so.


###### Sanhedrin 95a:10
[Sanhedrin 95a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/95a:10)

רַכְבֵיהּ לְפִרְדֵּיהּ וְקָם וַאֲזַל. קְפַצָה לֵיהּ אַרְעָא. בַּהֲדֵי דְּקָא מְסַגֵּי, חַזְיַיהּ לְעׇרְפָּה אִמֵּיהּ דַּהֲוָות נָוְולָא. כִּי חֲזֵיתֵיהּ, פְּסַקְתֵּהּ לְפִילְכַּהּ, שְׁדָתֵיהּ עִילָּוֵיהּ, סְבַרָא לְמִקְטְלֵיהּ. אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: עֻלֵם, אַיְיתִי לִי פְּלַךְ! פַּתְקֵיהּ בְּרֵישׁ מוֹחַהּ, וְקַטְלַהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**He mounted** the king’s **mule and arose and went** to the land of the Philistines. **The land** miraculously **contracted for him** and he arrived quickly. **As he was progressing he saw Orpah,** Ishbibenob’s **mother,** who was **spinning** thread with a spindle. **When she saw him, she removed her spindle and threw it at him, intending to kill** him. After failing to do so, **she said to** Abishai: **Young man, bring me** my **spindle. He threw** the spindle and struck her **at the top of her brain and killed her.**


###### Sanhedrin 95a:11
[Sanhedrin 95a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/95a:11)

כַּד חַזְיֵיהּ יִשְׁבִּי בְּנוֹב, אֲמַר: הַשְׁתָּא הָווּ בֵּי תְרֵין וְקָטְלִין לִי. פַּתְקֵיהּ לְדָוִד לְעֵילָּא, וְדָץ לֵיהּ לְרוּמְחֵיהּ. אֲמַר: נִיפּוֹל עֲלֵהּ וְנִקְּטַל. אֲמַר אֲבִישַׁי שֵׁם, אוֹקְמֵיהּ לְדָוִד בֵּין שְׁמַיָּא לְאַרְעָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**When Ishbibenob saw him, he said: Now they are two,** David and Abishai, **and they will kill me. He threw David up** in the air, **and stuck his spear** into the ground. **He said: Let** David **fall upon it and die. Abishai recited** a sacred **name** of God and **suspended David between heaven and earth** so that he would not fall.


###### Sanhedrin 95a:12
[Sanhedrin 95a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/95a:12)

וְנֵימָא לֵיהּ אִיהוּ? אֵין חָבוּשׁ מוֹצִיא עַצְמוֹ מִבֵּית הָאֲסוּרִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And let** David **himself recite** the name of God and save himself. Why did he need Abishai? The Gemara answers: **A prisoner does not release himself from a prison** but requires someone else to release him. Similarly, one in danger is incapable of rescuing himself.


###### Sanhedrin 95a:13
[Sanhedrin 95a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/95a:13)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַאי בָּעֵית הָכָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הָכִי אֲמַר לִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְהָכִי אַהְדַּרִי לֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֵפֹךְ צְלוֹתָיךְ! בַּר בְּרָךְ קִירָא לִיזְבּוֹן, וְאַתְּ לָא תִּצְטַעַר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Abishai **said to** David: **What do you seek here** and why did you fall into Ishbibenob’s hands? David **said to him: This** is what **the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to me, and this** is what **I responded to Him;** the time to submit to my enemy has arrived. Abishai **said to him: Reverse your prayer** and pray that your descendants will cease to exist rather than that you will be handed to the enemy, in accordance with the adage that people say: **Let your son’s son** be a poor peddler and **sell wax, and you will not suffer.** Do not limit your expenses to leave an inheritance for your descendants.


###### Sanhedrin 95a:14
[Sanhedrin 95a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/95a:14)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִי הָכִי, סַיַּיע בַּהֲדַן. הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיַּעֲזׇר לוֹ אֲבִישַׁי בֶּן צְרוּיָה״. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: שֶׁעֲזָרוֹ בִּתְפִלָּה. אֲמַר אֲבִישַׁי שֵׁם וְאַחֲתֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
David **said to him: If so, help me. That is** the meaning of that **which is written: “And Abishai, son of Zeruiah, came to his aid,** and smote the Philistine and killed him” (II Samuel 21:17). **Rav Yehuda says** that **Rav says:** This means **that he came to his aid in prayer. Abishai recited** another sacred **name** of God **and caused** David to **land** safely after being suspended between heaven and earth, and they fled.


###### Sanhedrin 95a:15
[Sanhedrin 95a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/95a:15)

הֲוָה קָא רָדֵיף בָּתְרַיְיהוּ. כִּי מְטֹא קוּבֵּי, אָמְרִי: קוּם בֵּיהּ. כִּי מְטֹא בֵּי תְרֵי, אָמְרִי: בִּתְרֵי גּוּרְיָוָן קַטְלוּהּ לְאַרְיָא. אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: זִיל אִשְׁתְּכַח לְעׇרְפָּה אִימָּיךְ בְּקִיבְרָא. כִּי אַדְכַּרוּ לֵיהּ שְׁמָא דְּאִימֵּיהּ, כְּחַשׁ חֵילֵיהּ וְקַטְלוּהּ. הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: ״אָז נִשְׁבְּעוּ אַנְשֵׁי דָוִד לוֹ לֵאמֹר לֹא תֵצֵא עוֹד אִתָּנוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה וְלֹא תְכַבֶּה אֶת נֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Ishbibenob **pursued them,** intending to kill them. **When they reached** the place named **Kuvi they said:** The name of the place is an abbreviation for the phrase meaning: **Stand** and battle **against him [*kum beih*]. When they reached** a place called **Bei Terei,** David and Abishai **said: With two [*bitrei*] cubs they killed the lion,** meaning they expected to be successful. **They said to** Ishbibenob: **Go find Orpah, your mother, in the grave. When they mentioned his mother’s name to him** and told him she died, **his strength diminished, and they killed him.** The Gemara notes: **It is** after this **that it is written: “Then David’s men took an oath to him saying: You shall not go with us to war anymore and you will not douse the lamp of Israel”** (II Samuel 21:17).


###### Sanhedrin 95a:16
[Sanhedrin 95a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/95a:16)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: שְׁלֹשָׁה קָפְצָה לָהֶם הָאָרֶץ – אֱלִיעֶזֶר עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם, וְיַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ, וַאֲבִישַׁי בֶּן צְרוּיָה. אֲבִישַׁי בֶּן צְרוּיָה – הָא דַּאֲמַרַן. אֱלִיעֶזֶר עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם – דִּכְתִיב: ״וָאָבֹא הַיּוֹם אֶל הָעָיִן״, לְמֵימְרָא דְּהָהוּא יוֹמָא נְפַק. יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ -

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught** in a *baraita* with regard to land contracting to shorten a journey: **For three** individuals **the land contracted,** and each one miraculously reached his destination quickly: **Eliezer, servant of Abraham, and Jacob our forefather, and Abishai, son of Zeruiah.** The Gemara elaborates: The case of **Abishai, son of Zeruiah,** is **that which we said.** The case of **Eliezer, servant of Abraham,** is **as it is written: “And I came that day to the well”** (Genesis 24:42). His intention was **to say** to the members of Rebecca’s family **that on that day he left** Canaan and on the same day he arrived, to underscore the miraculous nature of his undertaking on behalf of Abraham. The case of **Jacob our forefather**