ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUESTIONS
prepared by Rabbi Eliezer Chrysler
Kollel Iyun Hadaf, Jerusalem
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Sanhedrin 107
SANHEDRIN 106-110 - Two weeks of study material have been dedicated by Mrs.
Estanne Abraham Fawer to honor the third Yahrzeit of her father, Reb
Mordechai ben Eliezer Zvi (Weiner), who passed away 18 Teves 5760. May the
merit of supporting and advancing Talmud study serve as an Iluy for his
Neshamah
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Questions
1)
(a) The reason that Rav Yehudah Amar Rav gives for not asking Hashem for a
Nisayon (a trial) is - because David, King of Yisrael did so, and failed.
(b) What caused David to do so - was Hashem's reply to his request that
Yisrael should add 'Elokei David' to the existing 'Elokei Avraham, Elokei
Yitzchak ve'Elokei Ya'akov' (that he had not undergone Nisyonos like the
Avos had).
(c) The advantage that David received over the Avos was - that he was told
in advance, not only that he was about to be tried, but in which area that
Nisayon would occur.
(d) To counter the impending Nisayon, says Rav Yehudah, David had Tashmish
with one of his wives during the day (thinking that he would satisfy his
desire, making it easier to withstand the Nisayon when it came). He forgot
though - the 'Halachah' which states that 'a man has a little limb which is
more easily satisfied when starved, and wants more when satiated'.
2)
(a) When David went up on the roof, bas-Sheva (Achitofel's granddaughter)
was washing her hair, but was covered by a beehive-shaped contraption. He
saw her revealed however, when the Satan, disguised as a bird, flew in front
of it just as David took aim with his bow and shot, missing the bird but
hitting the contraption and breaking it.
(b) When David inquired after bas-Sheva, she turned out to be the daughter
of Eliam, and the wife of Uri'ah h'Chiti.
(c) When David was intimate with her, he knew that she was not a Nidah -
because she informed him that she had just Toveled.
(d) Following this episode - David admitted that he had failed the test ...
(e) ... and fervently wished - that he not asked for it in the first place.
3)
(a) Rava explains the Pasuk ...
1. ... "la'Menatze'ach le'David Becha Hashem Chasisi Eich Tomri le'Nafshi
Nudi Harchem Tzipor" - in the form of a request that Hashem should forgive
him his sin, so that people should not say that the 'mountain' was moved by
a bird.
2. ... "Lecha Levadcha Chatasi ... Lema'an Titzdak be'Dovrecha Tizkeh
be'Shoftecha" to mean - that in reality, he could have passed the test had
he so wished. He didn't, he claimed, in order not to vanquish Hashem (see
also Agados Maharsha).
(b) Rava, supported by Tana de'Bei Rebbi Yishmael, also states that
bas-Sheva bas Eliam was fit for David since the six days of the creation.
And when ...
1. ... he adds 'Ela she'Ba'ah Alav be'Mach'ov', he means - that he took her
be'Isur (when he could have waited and had her be'Heter).
2. ... Tana de'Bei Rebbi Yishmael adds 'Ela she'Achlah Pagah', he means -
that he took her prematurely (like unripe figs), when he could have waited
and had her later, when the time was ripe.
4)
(a) David describes in Tehilim how his enemies rejoiced when he sinned with
bas-Sheva. When he then adds ...
1. ... "Ne'esfu Alai Neichim", he means - that the people who were mocking
him were themselves tarnished ('Nechei' means 'lame' [blemished]).
2. ... "ve'Lo Yada'ti" - he means that he made out that he didn't know, or
that the sin and the opportunity to knock him caught him completely off
guard.
3. ... "Kar'u ve'Lo Damu" - that if they would have torn him open, they
would have seen that his blood had congealed from shame.
(b) And when they asked him surreptitiously what happens to someone who
commits adultery, he replied - that he is sentenced to Chenek, but at least
he does forfeit his portion in Olam ha'Ba - whereas someone who shames a
fellow-Jew in public does.
(c) When Rav Yehudah Amar Rav says that, even during David's illness, he
kept eighteen Onos, he meant - that he continued to keep the Onah (the
conjugal rights) of each of his eighteen wives.
5)
(a) When Rav Yehudah Amar Rav says that David Hamelech wanted to worship
Avodah-Zarah - he means that, for fear of the terrible Chilul Hashem that
would ensue on account of his own son trying to kill him (which he thought,
was undeserved), he figured that it was better for him to be the only one to
desecrate Hashem's Name than everyone else (who would now be able to justify
his punishment).
(b) Chushai ha'Arki, who came out to greet David when he fled from
Yerushalayim, stopped him from carrying out his plan (as we shall now see).
(c) Chushai ha'Arki greeted David - wearing a torn shirt and with ashes on
his head.
6)
(a) When Chushai asked David why he married a Yefas-To'ar (from whom
Avshalom was born), he replied - that the Torah permitted it ...
(b) ... to which Chushai retorted - that even if it was, the Torah
deliberately followed with the Parshah of a ben Sorer u'Moreh, to teach us
that the one leads to the other (because it is only with reluctance that the
Torah permits it).
(c) Chushai brought up the question of a Yefas-To'ar - to prove that
Avshalom's rebellion was not a Chilul Hashem, as David thought it was, but
the outcome of his having married a Yefas To'ar, which the Torah frowns
upon.
7)
(a) Hashem agreed to forgive every aspect of David's sin, the Shogeg, the
Meizid, both what was hidden and what was revealed, and He even agreed to
stop the Rabbanan from speaking about him. The only request of David that
Hashem refused was when he asked - for the sin to be eradicated from the
Pasuk.
(b) Hashem brought a precedent from - the 'Yud' in Sarai's name, which was
replaced by a 'Hey', but which was unhappy ...
(c) ... until Yehoshua came and took it (following his name-change from
Hoshe'a to Yehoshua).
(d) Shlomoh Hamelech said - that someone who 'carries fire in his bosom -
must expect his clothes to get burned, and someone who walks on coals' - his
feet (and so someone who commits adultery, which is like playing with fire,
cannot expect to get off free).
8)
(a) Hashem agreed to pardon David for his sin - on condition that he
accepted suffering.
(b) We learn from the Pasuk ...
1. ... "Techat'eni *be'Eizov* ve'Et'har" - that David was stricken with
Tzara'as (since a Metzora requires a hyssop during his purification
ceremony).
2. ... Hashivah Li S'son Yish'echa, ve'Ru'ach Nedivah Sismecheni" - that as
his second punishment, the Shechinah departed from him
(c) David's third punishment was - that the Sanhedrin separated from him
too.
(d) We learn that he had to suffer for six months until his sin was
forgiven - from the Pasuk in Melachim, which counts the seven years that
David ruled in Chevron and the forty years that he ruled in Yerushalayim,
omitting the extra six months that he ruled in Chevron (as the Pasuk in
Shmuel informs us), intimating that those six months were not counted.
107b---------------------------------------107b
Questions
9)
(a) When David Hamelech said the Pasuk "Asei Imi Os le'Tovah ve'Yir'u Son'ai
ve'Yevoshu Ki Atah Hashem Azartani ve'Nichamtani" - which he said after
Hashem told Him that he was forgiven for his sin, he was asking for a sign
by which everyone would know that he was indeed forgiven.
(b) Hashem's reply was - that He would comply with his request, but not
during *his* lifetime, only during the lifetime of Shlomoh his son.
10)
(a) Shlomoh said twenty-four Renanos without achieving his objective.
'Twenty-four Renanos' refers to - all the times that the words 'Tefilah',
'Techinah' and 'Rinah' occur during the Tefilah of Shlomoh that he said
following the completion of the Beis-Hamikdash.
(b) Shlomoh's objective was - to get the gates leading to the Kodesh Kodshim
to open, to allow him to bring in the Aron ha'Kodesh.
(c) The gates of the Beis-Hamikdash refused to open in spite of all the
praises contained in the Kapitel of "le'David Mozmor", but they did open -
when Shlomoh said the Pasuk in Divrei Hayamim "Hashem Elokim, Al Tashev
P'nei Meshichecha, Zachrah le'Chasdei David Avdecha".
(d) This proved beyond any shadow of doubt - that David's sin had finally
been forgiven, throwing David's enemies into a mood of dejection.
11)
(a) The last of the Hedyotos who, according to our Mishnah, will not receive
a portion in Olam ha'Ba, is Gechazi, who was living - in Damascus when
Elisha went to bring him back.
(b) He refused however - because Elisha had taught him that someone who sins
and causes others to sin is not given the opportunity to do Teshuvah (in
which case, his Teshuvah would not have been accepted anyway) see Agados
Maharsha.
(c) Assuming that Gechazi's sin was connected to Yeravam's Avodah-Zarah,
there are two versions of the sin. According to one version, he raised the
image into the air by means of a gigantic magnet. According to the second
version - he engraved the Name of Hashem inside its mouth, as a result of
which it would announce 'Anochi ... ' and 'Lo Yiheyeh Lecha'.
(d) We can infer a different account of his sin from the Pasuk "ve'Amru
B'nei ha'Nevi'im el Elisha Hinei Na ha'Makom Asher Anachnu Yoshvim Sham
Lefanecha Tzar Mimenu" - implying that prior to that (i.e. as long as
Gechazi was still around), there was plenty of room in the Beis-Hamedrash,
because Gechazi would turn many Chachamim away.
12)
(a) Elisha's mistake regarding Gechazi was - that he rejected him 'with both
hands', instead of pushing him away with his left hand, and drawing him
close with his right.
(b) After Na'aman, the Syrian general, had been gone for some time, and
Elisha asked Gechazi where he had been, he replied - that he had gone for a
stroll.
(c) But he seemed to have forgotten that he was dealing with a Navi, who
described - how he had seen a man on a chariot turn round, and how he had
taken from him silver and clothes ... .
(d) Before giving him what he asked for, Na'aman said to Gechazi "Ho'el
ve'Kach" - which means 'Swear (that Elisha sent you) and take'.
13)
(a) Gechazi actually received from Na'aman - a Kikar (three thousand Shekel
in weight) of silver and two suits.
(b) Elisha added olive-trees and vines, sheep and cattle, slaves and
maidservants, listing eight things - a hint that he would receive his reward
in this world for the Torah that he had learned, and the last thing that
Elisha had been learning with him was Perek *Shemonah* Sheratzim. And it was
on that merit that Gechazi hoped to purchase the remaining six things on
Elisha's list.
(c) Na'aman, who was stricken with leprosy, first found out about Elisha -
from a Jewish captive girl that he had captured in battle.
(d) When the Navi instructed him to bathe in the River Yarden seven times -
Na'aman first became angry, because he thought that Elisha was making fun of
him.
(e) He changed his mind however - when his men suggested that he had nothing
to lose.
14)
(a) Before Gechazi took his leave from Elisha, the Navi decreed - that the
Tzara'as of Na'aman should cleave to him.
(b) What gave him the incentive to do that - was the fact that he already
saw the Tzara'as hovering above his head.
(c) The four Metzora'im at the entrance of the gates of Shomron were -
Gechazi and his three sons.
(d) Rebbi Shimon ben Elazar in a Beraisa lists three 'people' that one
should push away with the left hand but draw close with the right: the
Yeitzer ha'Ra, one's child and one's wife.
(e) It is necessary to bring close with the right hand ...
1. ... a child and a wife (even when they deserve to be chastized) - because
they are not as strong as a man, and liable to go off the path altogether if
one pushes them them away completely.
2. ... the Yetzer-ha'Ra, because otherwise, the world would not be able to
function, as we learned above. On the other hand, he needs to be pushed away
with the left hand - because otherwise, he would cause us to sin.
15)
(a) Elisha suffered three illnesses, the Beraisa informs us. The final
illness was the one that led to his death. The other two were as a
punishment for - inciting the bears against the children and for rejecting
Gechazi totally.
(b) The first person to look old was Avraham and the first person to become
ill before his death was Ya'akov.
1. Avraham asked for old age - so that people would stop confusing him with
Yitzchak.
2. Ya'akov asked to become ill before dying - so that all his children
should be present at his death.
(c) From the Pasuk ''ve'Elisha Chalah es Cholyo Asher Yamus Bo" we can
extrapolate - that Elisha suffered other illnesses from which he did not
die, because (as a result of his prayers) he was the first person to recover
from an illness.
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