We are told of how the 70 elders were chosen by Moshe
Rabbeinu. There was not an equal number
of tribes to choose from; selecting 6 elders from each tribe would add to 72
elders. Instead of creating tension
among the tribes, Moshe chose 6 from each tribe and asked them to select a
number. Two of the cards were left
blank. It was reasonable to suggest that
they had not be chosen by G-d. Moshe had
nothing to do with it. Levites were
selected in a similar manner.
Another suggestion is that Eldad and Medad were called to this
gathering of elders but they did not respond because unlike other prophets,
they did not stop prophesizing to be named as elders, leaving 70 elders present
plus Moshe. What were they prophesizing
about? Some rabbis suggest that they
were noting Moshe’s death and Joshua’s succession. Others believed that they were prophesizing about
the quail, and yet others supposed that they were prophesizing Gog and
Magog. Prooftexts are shared to
demonstrate the plausibility of this suggestion.
Rav Kahana teaches that in a court where each member sees fit to
convict the defendant of capital punishment, he is acquitted. It may take all night to find a plausible
reason to acquit. Further, the tradition to debate overnight allows the rabbi
to delay a punishment which might be enacted immediately after the
decision. All of this is necessary because
at least one person must be present who is able to argue in the name of the
defendant for the trail to be halachically sound.
Rabbi Yochanan teaches that one on the Sanhedrin must be men:
·
Of stature
·
Of wisdom
·
Of pleasant appearance
·
Who are old enough to be respected
·
Who are Masters of sorcery in order to
judge sorcerers
·
Who speak 70 languages so that no
translators are needed
·
Skilled enough at logical reasoning to
argue that a creeping animal is actually pure
The rabbis agree that if a city cannot send two men who speak
seventy languages, they should send those who can understand those languages
before sending a lesser elder. However,
their conversation suggests that only two to three languages were expected in a
given Sanhedrin.
The Gemara names a number of statements that precede the
statements of different rabbis. One
random example is “The Elders of Pumbedita” refers to Rav Yehuda and Rav Eina, while “the sharp ones of Pumbedita” refers to Eifa and Avimi, the sons of Rachava. Another example: “they laughed at it in the West” means that Rabbi Yosei bar Chanina disagreed with a certain
idea. There are many, many rabbis and
euphemisms named in this section of today’s daf.
Finally, our daf ends with a number of rules regarding the
leadership or elite in any given city.
Why would 120 people be required? The rabbis walk through the needs of
the court. There are two scribes, two
bailiffs, two litigants, two witnesses for each side, conspiring witnesses, and
additional witnesses required for the Sanhedrin to hear a case.
A city Torah scholar requires these ten things in his city of
residence:
·
A court with the authority to flog/punish transgressors
·
A charity fund where two people collect
and three distribute
·
A synagogue
·
A bathhouse
·
A public bathroom
·
A doctor
·
A bloodletter
·
A scribe
·
A ritual slaughterer
·
A children’s teacher
·
An additional 120 residents
·
Varieties of fruit, says Rabbi Akiva, to
illuminate the eyes
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