Sanhedrin

Israel hath sinned. R. Abba b. Zabda said: Even though [the people] have sinned, they are still [called] 'Israel'.  R. Abba said: Thus people say, A myrtle, though it stands among reeds, is still a myrtle, and it is so called. Yea, they have even transgressed my covenant which I have commanded them, yea, they have even taken of the devoted thing and have also stolen [it], and dissembled also, and they have even put it amongst their own stuff.  R. Ile'a said on behalf of R. Judah b. Masparta: This teaches that Achan transgressed the five books of the Torah, [for the word 'gam'  is written there five times]. R. Ile'a also said on behalf of R. Judah b. Masparta; Achan was an epispastic:  Here it is written, They have even transgressed my covenant;  and elsewhere  it is said, He hath broken my covenant.  But is this not obvious?  — I might have thought that he would not practise a licence in respect of a precept which concerned his own body; therefore he (R. Ile'a) informs us otherwise. And because he hath wrought a wanton deed in Israel.  R. Abba b. Zabda said; This teaches that Achan committed adultery with a betrothed damsel: Here it is written, And because he hath wrought a wanton deed in Israel, and elsewhere, it is said, For she hath wrought a wanton deed in Israel.  But is this not obvious?  — I might have thought that Achan was not so extremely licentious;  therefore he gives us this information. Rabina said: He was punished as is a betrothed damsel [who commits adultery], viz., by stoning. The Resh Galutha once said to R. Huna; It is written, And Joshua took Achan the son of Zerah and the silver and the mantle and the wedge of gold and his sons and his daughters, and his oxen and his asses, and sheep, and his tent and all that he had.  If he sinned, wherein did his sons and daughters sin? — He retorted: On your view, [one might ask:] If he sinned, how did all Israel sin, that it is written, And all Israel with him?  But it was to overawe  them. So here too, it was to overawe them. And they burned them with fire and they stoned them with stones.  By both [forms of death]?  — Rabina answered: Those suitable for burning  were burned, and those suitable for stoning  were stoned. And I saw among the spoil a goodly mantle of Shinar,  and two hundred shekels of silver.  Rab said: It was a silk mantle;  Samuel maintained: It was a cloak dyed with alum. And they laid them down  before the Lord.  R. Nahman said: He [Joshua] came and cast them down before God, exclaiming, 'Sovereign of the Universe! for these shall a [number equal to a] majority of the Sanhedrin he killed?'  For it is written, And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty-six men;  regarding which it was taught, i.e., literally thirty-six: this is R. Judah's view. R. Nehemia said to him; Were there actually thirty-six? Surely, only about thirty-six men is written. But this refers to Jair the son of Manasseh  who was equal [in importance] to the majority of the Sanhedrin. R. Nahman said in Rab's name: What is meant by, The poor useth entreaties, but the rich answereth insolently.?  — The poor useth entreaties — that refers to Moses;  the rich answereth insolently, — to Joshua. Why so? Shall we say, because it is written. And they laid them down before the Lord,  which R. Nahman interpreted, He came and cast them down before God;  But did not Phinehas do the same? For it is written, Then stood up Phinehas and wrought judgment [wa-yefallel] and so the plague was stayed:  whereon R. Eleazar said: Not wayithpallel,  but wa-yefallel is written;  thus teaching that he had contentions with his Creator: he came and cast them  before God and cried out, 'Sovereign of the Universe! because of these, shall twenty-four thousand of Israel fall?' As it is written, And those that died by the plague, were twenty and four thousand?  — Nay it is inferred  from the following: [And Joshua said, Alas! O Lord,] wherefore hast Thou brought this people over the Jordan.  Yet Moses too spake thus: Wherefore hast thou dealt ill with this people.?  — Nay but it is derived from the following: Would that we had been content and dwelt beyond the Jordan. And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up.  R. Shila expounded this: The Holy One blessed be He, said to him: Thy [transgression] is greater  than theirs,  for I commanded, And it shall be when ye are passed over the Jordan that ye shall set up [these stones];  ye advanced sixty mils however, [into the country before setting them up].  But when he [R. Shila] had gone out, Rab  set up his interpreter to speak for him, who expounded; As the Lord commanded Moses His servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses.  What then do the words, Get thee up,  teach us? — The Lord said to him, Thou hast brought [guilt] upon them:  and for that reason He said to him with reference to Ai: And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst to Jericho and her king, [only the spoil thereof and the cattle thereof shall ye take for a prey.] And it came to pass when Joshua was by Jericho that he lifted up his eyes and looked … And he said, Nay, but I am captain of the host of the Lord, I am now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and bowed down.  But how could he do so?  Did not R. Johanan say: One may not greet his fellow at night for fear that he may be a demon?  There it was different, for he said; I am captain of the host of the Lord, I am now come, etc. But perhaps he lied? — We have a tradition that such do not utter the name of God in vain.