Sanhedrin 56 - February 11, 13 Shvat

This week's learning is sponsored by Terri Krivosha and Rabbi Hayim Herring in loving memory of Terri’s father Judge Norman Krivosha, Nachum Meir ben David Beer v'Malka on his 4th yahrzeit. "Our dad was a mentor to all who knew him and exemplified the words of Micah: "עשות משפט, ואהבת חסד, והצנע לכת עם אלוקיך" - "do justice, love goodness and walk humbly with God." Today's daf is sponsored by Bracha Stuart in loving memory of her father Simcha haKohen ben Shlomo on his first yahrzeit. Under what circumstances is one obligated the death penalty for cursing God? How do the witnesses testify in this situation as we do not want them to say exactly what they saw as that would require uttering a curse against God? One incurs the death penalty for cursing God only if one cursed God in God's name. Shmuel derives this from Vayikra 24:16 "V'nokev shem Hashem mot yumat...b'nokvo shem yumat." Nokev means to curse, as is found in a verse regarding Bilam, Bamidbar 23:8. The Gemara raises other possibilities for defining nokev, to reject Shmuel's derivation, but then explains why each would not be relevant to the verse, "v'nokev shem Hashem." A different possible source is brought to prove that nokev means to curse from Vayikra 24:14 in the context of the person who cursed God in the desert, "Vayikov... vayikalel." Cursing God is also one of the Noachide laws. This is derived from the repeated words in Vayikra 24:15, "A man a man who curses God." Why is this not derived from Bereishit 2:16, the verse from which all of the seven Noachide laws are derived? Rabbi Yitzchak Nafcha explains that the basic commandment is derived from Bereishit, but the added verse in Vayikra is meant to add that a Gentile, like a Jew gets the death penalty even if they curse using a nickname of God. This accords with the opinion of Rabbi Meir. The rabbis disagree with rabbi Meir and hold that both a Jew and Gentile are forbidden to curse God using a nickname, but would not receive the death penalty. However, Rabbi Meyasha disagrees with Rabbi Yitzchak Nafcha and holds that the rabbis distinguish between Jew and Gentile. A Jew would not get punished for cursing with a nickname, but a Gentile would. He derives this from Vayikra 24:16 from the words, "k'ger k'ezrach." What are the seven Noachide laws? There are different opinions regarding which commandments they are obligated to keep. Some hold that there are more than seven. Rabbi Yochanan explains that they are all derived from Bereishit 2:16. Rabbi Yitzchak derives them also from the same verse but differently.