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  • From: Shoshanna Walker <rosewalk AT concentric.net>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] Sanhedrin
  • Date: Sun, 3 Sep 2006 00:11:14 -0500

I don't know if we are having a problem with terminology - ie that the Torah didn't call it a "Sanhedrin"

Or a disbelief in the historic records that the Mishna and Talmud recorded for us, including the records of where it was moved to, under whose leadership, who were the heads, some of whom were Judges, when the heads were "pairs" - nesiim and avot beit din, etc.

We even know the NAMES of who headed various Sanhedrins.

King David, by the way, WAS a prophet, and ALSO the head of the Sanhedrin of his time.

What, do you think any, all or some of these facts were made up?



Translated from the Talmud:

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Talmud/sanhedrin1.html

The Great (Sanhedrin) consisted of seventy-one, and the small of twenty-three. Whence do we deduce that the great council must be of seventy-one? From [Num. xi. 16]: "Gather unto me seventy men." And add Moses, who was the head of them--hence seventy-one? And whence do we deduce that a small one, must be twenty-three? From [ibid. xxxv. 24 and 25]: "The congregation shall judge"; "And the congregation shall save." 1 We see that one congregation judges, and the other congregation saves-hence there are twenty; as a congregation consists of no less than ten persons, and this is deduced from [ibid. xiv. 27], "To this evil congregation," which was of the ten spies, except Joshua and Caleb. And whence do we deduce that three more are needed? From [Ex. xxiii. 2]: Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil"--from which we infer that you shall follow them to do good. But if so, why is it written at the end of the same verse, "Incline after the majority, to wrest judgment"? 2 This means, the inclination to free the man must not be similar to the inclination to condemn; as to condemn a majority of two is needed, while to free, the majority of one suffices. And a court must not consist of an even number, as, if their opinion is halved, no verdict can be established; therefore one more must be added. Hence it is of twenty-three.





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