Sefaria Sources for Shimon ben Shetach and the Witches

A sorceress* The specifying of women here seems to indicate their involvement in this practice in ancient Israel. Magic as such was forbidden (see the famous story of the “witch of Endor” in I Sam. 28) all over the Bible, as an attempt to manipulate God’s world behind his back, as it were.

you are not to let live!

[Everett Fox's translation and comment (in brown) in the Schocken Bible, 1995]

מכשפה לא תחיה. Seeing that it is the custom of women engaging in witchcraft to practice their art in hidden places such as caves as we find in the case of the 80 witches executed by Shimon ben Shetach in Ashkelon on a single day. (Sanhedrin 45). The unusual formulation לא תחיה is meant to tell the authorities not to despair of bringing these culprits to justice in spite of their practicing their craft in hideouts. They should be hunted down until found.

The corpse of a man is hung facing the people, but the corpse of a woman, out of modesty, is hung with facing the tree; this is the statement of Rabbi Eliezer. And the Rabbis say: the corpse of a man is hung, but the corpse of a woman is not hung. Rabbi Eliezer said to the Rabbis: Shimon ben Shataḥ not hang in Ashkelon women who were found guilty of witchcraft, proving that the corpse of a woman who is executed is also hung? They said to him: No proof can be brought from here, as he hanged eighty women on that day, and the halakha is that the same court may not judge even two people charged with capital transgressions on the same day. It is therefore clear that he was not acting in accordance with Torah law, but rather his execution of the eighty women was an extraordinary punishment necessitated by unusually pressing circumstances.

The place of stoning was twice a man’s height. One of the witnesses pushed him by the hips, [so that] he was overturned on his heart. He was then turned on his back. If that caused his death, he had fulfilled [his duty]; but if not, the second witness took a stone and threw it on his chest. If he died thereby, he had done [his duty]; but if not, he [the criminal] was stoned by all Israel, for it is says: “The hand of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people” (Deut. 17:7). All who are stoned are [afterwards] hanged, according to Rabbi Eliezer. But the sages say: “Only the blasphemer and the idolater are hanged.” A man is hanged with his face towards the spectators, but a woman with her face towards the gallows, according to Rabbi Eliezer. But the sages say: a man is hanged, but not a woman. Rabbi Eliezer said to them: “But did not Shimon ben Shetah hang women at ashkelon?” They said: “[On that occasion] he hanged eighty women, even though two must not be tried on the same day. How is he hanged? The post is sunk into the ground with a [cross-] piece branching off [at the top] and he brings his hands together one over the other and hangs him up [thereby]. R. Jose said: the post is leaned against the wall, and he hangs him up the way butchers do. He is immediately let down. If he is left [hanging] over night, a negative command is thereby transgressed, for it says, “You shall not let his corpse remain all night upon the tree, but you must bury him the same day because a hanged body is a curse against god” (Deut. 21:23). As if to say why was he hanged? because he cursed the name [of god]; and so the name of Heaven [God] is profaned.

Of Bayah the tax-collector - It once happened that Jewish tax-farmer, evil, and a great scholar died on the same day and in the same place. All the people assembled to attend the burial of the great scholar; at the same time the relatives of the tax-farmer brought his bier for burial. Enemies attacked the group, so they all dropped both biers and ran. One student however stayed there guarding the body of his rabbi. Some time later the town dignitaries returned to resume the burial of the great scholar, but the biers of the rabbi and the tax-farmer somehow got exchanged and the protests of the student were of no avail. So the relatives of the tax-farmer buried the great rabbi, which greatly distressed the student; nor could he explain to himself what great sin had caused the one to be buried in such a shameful way and what great merit in the other had brought about his interment with such honor. His rabbi appeared to him in a dream and told him not to be distressed. "Come and let me show you how greatly I am honored in paradise and let me also show you that man in hell with the hinges of the gates of hell turning through his ears. Once I heard people calumniating the sages and did not protest (and that is why I was punished); he once prepared a banquet in honor of a city dignitary who did not show up, and he distributed the food to the poor (and that is why he was rewarded)." The student asked how long the poor man was doomded to suffer such difficult judgment. "Until Shimeon ben Shatach dies," was the reply, "who will then replace him!" "Why?" asked the student; "Because there are Jewish women in Ashkelon who practice witchcraft and he does not subject them to judgment." The following day the student related his dream to Shimeon ben Shatach. The latter assembled eighty tall young men and distributed to each of them a jar with a cloak wrapped up inside (it was a rainy day). He also told them to make sure that they were always eighty in number. "When you come inside," he said, "one of you must raise his jar from the ground; from that moment the witches will have no further hold over you; if that does not work then we can never beat them." Shimeon ben Shatach went into the witches' hall and left the young men outside. When the witches asked him who he was he replied that he was a wizard who had come to test them with his wizardry. "What tricks can you do?" they asked. "Despite the fact that it is raining today I can produce eighty young men with dry talitot!" "Show us!" He went outside and beckoned the young men inside. They removed the talitot from the jars, put them on, and came in. They took each man one witch and carried them, and were able to defeat them, and hung them all up. The relatives of the witches were incensed. Two of them came forward and perjured themselves by testifying that Shimeon ben-Shatach's son had committed some crime that was punishable by death. He was condemned to death. As he was being taken out to be stoned he said, "If I am guilty of this crime may my death bring me atonement, and if I am innocent may it atone for all my other sins and the responsibility for my death will be on the shoulders of the witnesses." When the perjurers heard this they recanted their testimony and explained that they had only acted because of their animosity at the fate of their women-folk, and so he wasn't killed.

§ The mishna teaches that if the condemned man does not know how to confess, they say to him: Say simply: Let my death be an atonement for all my sins. Rabbi Yehuda says that if he knows that he was wrongfully convicted, he should say: Let my death be an atonement for all my sins except for this sin. The Sages counter that if such a confession is acceptable, anyone who is sentenced to execution would state it to clear himself in the eyes of the public. The Gemara challenges: Let them clear themselves. Why should the court intervene if the condemned man wishes to proclaim his innocence? The Gemara answers: They intervene so as not to cast aspersions on the courts and on the witnesses who testified against him. The Sages taught: An incident occurred involving a person who was being taken out to be executed after having been convicted by the court. He said: If I committed this sin for which I am being executed, let my death not be an atonement for all my sins; but if I did not commit this sin for which I am being put to death, let my death be an atonement for all my sins. And the court that convicted me and all the people of Israel are clear of responsibility, but the witnesses who testified falsely against me will never be forgiven. And when the Sages heard this, they said: It is impossible to bring him back to court and reconsider the verdict, as the decree has already been decreed. Rather, he shall be executed, and the chain of responsibility for his wrongful execution hangs around the necks of the witnesses.The Gemara asks: Isn’t it obvious that he should be executed? Is it in his power to have his sentence overturned just because he says he is innocent? The Gemara answers: No, it is necessary to state that the condemned man is executed even when the witnesses retracted their testimony. The Gemara asks: Even if the witnesses retracted their testimony, what of it? It is still clear that the condemned man is to be executed, as the halakha is that once a witness has stated his testimony, he may not then state a revision of that testimony. In other words, a witness’s retraction of his testimony has no validity. The Gemara answers: No, it is necessary to state that the condemned man is executed even when the witnesses retracted their testimony and gave an explanation for having lied in their initial statement. This is like that incident involving Ba’aya the tax collector, where it was discovered that witnesses had falsely accused the son of Rabbi Shimon ben Shataḥ in revenge for the son’s having sentenced to death for sorcery the witnesses’ relatives.

What happened in Ascalon supports him who said, Simeon ben Sheṭaḥ was president. Two students were in Ascalon. They ate together, drank together, and studied Torah together. One of them died, and nobody attended his funeral. The son of Ma`yan the publican died; the entire city stopped working to attend his funeral. The other student started crying and said woe, do the haters of Israel have no hope? It was shown to him in his dream and said, do not denigrate your Master’s children. This one did one good deed and died with it, the other one committed one sin and died with it. What sin did he commit? Far be it that he committed a sin, but once he put on his head phylacteries before his arm phylacteries. What good deed did the son of publican Ma`yan do? Far be it that he committed a good deed, but once he prepared a breakfast for the city council but they did not show up. He said, let the poor come and eat it, so it should not go to waste. Some say, he was walking in the street, having a loaf under his shoulder. It fell down and a poor person picked it up. He did not say anything in order not to embarrass him. This student saw gardens and water sources. He saw the son of Ma`yan the publican standing on the river bank trying in vain to reach the water. He also saw Miriam, Onion-leaf’s daughter, hanging on her breast nipples; but some say, the door of Hell was fixed in her ear. He asked, [why? They told him, because she fasted and made herself famous among her neighbors. Some say, she fasted one day and was dissolute two days. He asked them]^G for how long? They told him, when Simeon ben Sheṭaḥ comes, we shall remove it from her ear and put is in his ear. He asked them, what is his misdeed? They told him, because he made a personal vow that if he were elected president, he would kill all sorcerers. But now he was made president and he did not kill them. In fact, there are eighty women in the cave of Ascalon who hurt the world; go and tell him! He told them, he is an important personality, he will not believe me. They told him, he is very meek and will believe you. In case that he will not believe you, take out one of your eyes and put it in your hand. He took out one of his eyes and put it in his hand. They said, return it; it was even with the other. He went and told him. He wanted to perform his miracle before him, but he told him, you do not need to. I know that you are a pious person. Even though I intended so in my thoughts, I never spoke it with my mouth. It was a day of rainstorms. He took eighty select men in clean garments and took with them eighty amphoras. He told them, when I whistle once, put on your garments. When I whistle for the second time, come. When he came to the cave of Ascalon, he said אוים, אוים, open for me, I am one of yours. When he entered, one said what she said and produced bread. One said what she said and produced a dish. One said what she said and produced wine. They asked him, what can you do? He told them, when I whistle twice, I shall bring here eighty select men in dry garments for your pleasure and entertainment. They told him, we desire them. When he whistled, they put on their garments; when he whistled for the second time, they all entered together. He made them a sign for each one to grab one of them and lift her from the earth. Then they did not succeed in what they were trying to do. He told the one who brought bread, bring bread! She did not succeed. He said, take her to be crucified. Bring a dish! She did not succeed. He said, take her to be crucified. Bring wine! She did not succeed. He said, take her to be crucified. This he did to all of them. That is what we have stated: “Simeon ben Shetaḥ hanged eighty women in Ascalon, but one does not try two on the same day.” But the hour needed it.

(3)“The sons of Israel came to acquire grain among [betokh] those who came, as the famine was in the land of Canaan” (Genesis 42:5). “The sons of Israel came to acquire…” – from where is it derived that a congregation is ten [men]? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Yosei in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: “Congregation”(Numbers 35:24) is stated here, and elsewhere it is stated: “Until when for this evil congregation…?” (Numbers 14:27); just as “congregation” that is written elsewhere is ten, so, “congregation”that is written here is ten. Rabbi Simon said: It is stated here: “[I shall be sanctified] among [the children of Israel” (Leviticus 22:32), and “among” is stated elsewhere; just as “among”that is stated elsewhere is ten, so, too, “among”that is stated here is ten. Rabbi Yosei bar Avon said: Were it from “among” it would be even many more. Rather, it is stated here “the children of Israel [benei Yisrael]” and it is stated elsewhere “the sons of Israel [benei Yisrael]” – just as “the sons of Israel”stated elsewhere were ten, so, too, “the children of Israel” stated hereare ten. Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi in the name of Rabbi: One may count a small child as the completion of ten. But is it not taught: We are not particular regarding a minor? Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: It is necessary for the case of two minors, one [whose status] is uncertain and one who is [certainly] a minor; one renders the uncertain one as part of the quorum and the minor as a completion. It is taught: One may count a minor and a Torah scroll as the completion of ten. Rabbi Yudan said: This is the baraita: One may count a minor as the completion for a Torah scroll. From when may one count his as the completion? Rabbi Avuna said: Rabbi Yudan and Rav Huna dispute [the answer to] this, both of them in the name of Rabbi Shmuel: One said: When he knows the nature of a blessing, and the other said: When he knows to Whom he is reciting the blessing. Rabbi Yehuda bar Pazi in the name of Rabbi Asi: Nine who appear like ten may recite the zimmun. What do they do when they are distinct? It is, rather, even if there is a minor in their midst. Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yaakov bar Zavdi raised a question before Rabbi Yosef: Just as they render him a completion of ten, do they render him a completion of three? He said to him: Is this not a case of “all the more so” – if elsewhere, where it is a matter of mentioning God’s name, one counts him as the completion, here, where it is not a matter of mentioning God’s name, may one not count him as the completion? He said to him: That is what it says: They count him as the completion for Grace after Meals, but for the recitation of Shema and the Amida prayer, one does not count him as the completion until he grows two hairs. Rabbi Asi said: Many times I ate with Rabbi Taḥlifa and many times I ate with Rabbi Ḥanina bar Sisi my uncle, and they did not include me in the zimmun until I grew two hairs. From when may he read the Torah? Rabbi Avina said: Rav Huna and Rabbi Yehuda dispute [the answer to] this, both of them in the name of Rabbi Shmuel: One said: From when he knows how to recite a blessing. The other says: From when he knows the nature of the blessing and to Whom he recites a blessing. Rabbi Shmuel bar Shilat raised a question before Rav and some say: A question was raised before Shmuel bar Shilat: [If] nine [ate] bread and one [ate vegetables, what is [the ruling]? He said to them: One recites the zimmun. [If] eight [ate] bread and two [ate] vegetables, one recites the zimmun. [If] seven or six [ate] bread and four [ate] vegetables, what is [the ruling]? He said to them: One recites the zimmun. Rabbi Avina raised a question: Half and half, what is the ruling? Rabbi Ze’eira said to him: While I was there, I should have asked, and I regret that I did not ask it. Rabbi Yirmeya raised a question: The one who ate vegetables, what [is the ruling]; can he recite the zimmun on their behalf? It is taught: Three hundred nazirites ascended and were obligated to sacrifice nine hundred offerings in the time of Shimon ben Shataḥ. For one hundred and fifty of them, he found an opening, for one hundred and fifty of them, he did not find an opening. Rabbi Shimon ben Shataḥ went up to King Yannai. He said to him: ‘Three hundred nazirites ascended and are obligated to sacrifice nine hundred offerings, but they do not have [the means]. You give half from yours and I will give half from mine, and let them go and sacrifice.’ King Yannai gave half from his and they went and sacrificed. Someone came and spoke slander to King Yannai about Shimon ben Shataḥ: ‘Know that everything that they sacrificed, they sacrificed from yours, but Shimon ben Shataḥ did not give anything from his.’ King Yannai became angry at Shimon ben Shataḥ. [Shimon ben Shataḥ ] heard that he was angry at him, and he was distressed and he fled. Some time later, there were dignitaries from the Persian Empire who were eating at King Yannai’s table. They said to him: ‘Our lord the king, we remember that there was a certain elder here, who would say matters of Torah to us.’ [King Yannai] said to [Shimon ben Shataḥ’s] sister: ‘Send after him and have him brought here.’ She said to him: ‘Give me your word [that he will not be harmed] and send him your ring, and he will come.’ He gave her his word, sent his ring, and he came. When he came, he sat between the king and the queen. [King Yannai] said to him: ‘Why did you flee?’ [Shimon ben Shataḥ said:] ‘I heard that my lord the king was angry at me, and I was frightened of you [and wanted to ensure] that you would not kill me, so I fulfilled this verse: “Hide for a brief moment, until fury will pass”’ (Isaiah 26:20). He said to him: ‘Why did you deceive me?’ He said to him: ‘God forbid, I did not deceive you. Rather, you [gave] from your wealth and I [gave] of the Torah, as it is written: “For in the shadow of wisdom, in the shadow of silver”’ (Ecclesiastes 7:12). He said to him: ‘Why did you not tell me?’ He said to him: ‘Had I told you, you would not have given.’ He said to him: ‘Why did you sit between the king and the queen?’ He said to him: ‘It is written in the book of ben Sira: “Prize it, and it will elevate you; and it will seat you between rulers.”’ He said: ‘Pour for him and let him recite the blessing.’ He said: ‘Blessed [is He] for [providing] the food that Yannai and his cohorts ate.’ He said: ‘Even now, you remain in your obstinacy? In all my days, I never heard Yannai in the blessing.’ He said: ‘What should I say, let us recite a blessing for what we ate? But I did not eat.’ He said: ‘Give him and let him eat.’ Once he ate, he said: Blessed [is He from whose food] we have eaten.’ Rabbi Yoḥanan said: They disagree with him, with the statement of Shimon ben Shataḥ. Rabbi Abba said: Regarding the first. Rabbi Yirmeya said: Regarding the second. The opinions of Rabbi Yirmeya are contradictory. There, he is uncertain, here, it is obvious to him. The one where he is uncertain is in accordance to the opinion of the Rabbis, and the one where it is obvious to him is in accordance with the opinion of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, as it is taught in that regard: If he reclined with them and dipped with them, even though he did not eat an olive bulk of grain, one includes him in the zimmun, this is the statement of the Sages. Rabbi Yaakov bar Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Actually, one does not include him in the zimmun, until he eats an olive-bulk of grain. But is it not taught: [If] two [ate] bread and one [ate] vegetables, they recite the zimmun? That baraita is in accordance with the opinion of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel.

The Gemara relates: King Yannai and the queen ate bread together. And since Yannai executed the Sages, there was no one to recite the Grace after Meals blessing on their behalf. He said to his wife: Who will provide us with a man to recite the blessing on our behalf? She said to him: Swear to me that if I bring you such a man, you will not harass him. He swore, and she brought her brother, Shimon ben Shataḥ. She sat him between the King’s throne and hers. The King said to him: Do you see how much honor I am according you? He responded: It is not you who honors me; rather, the Torah honors me, as it is written: “Extol her and she will exalt you; she will bring you to honor when you embrace her” (Proverbs 4:8). Yannai said to his wife: You see that he does not accept authority.They gaveShimon ben Shataḥa cup of wine over which to recite Grace after Meals. He said: How shall I recite the blessing? Shall I say: Blessed is He from Whom Yannai and his companions have eaten? I have not eaten anything. He drank that cup of wine. They gave him another cup, and he recited the Grace after Meals blessing. By drinking the first cup he joined the other diners and was therefore eligible to recite Grace after Meals on their behalf. With regard to this story, Rabbi Abba, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, said (that Rabbi Yoḥanan said): That which Shimon ben Shataḥ did, reciting Grace after Meals on their behalf, he did on his own, and not in accordance with the accepted halakha, as Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said as follows: One who recites Grace after Meals cannot fulfill the obligation of others to recite it until he eats an olive-bulk of grain.

The Gemara returns to the incident in which Yehoshua ben Peraḥya turned away Jesus the Nazarene: What is this incident? When King Yannai was killing the Sages, Shimon ben Shataḥ was hidden by his sister, Yannai’s wife, while Rabbi Yehoshua ben Peraḥya went and fled to Alexandria of Egypt. When peace was made between Yannai and the Sages, Shimon ben Shataḥ sent him the following letter: From myself, Jerusalem the holy city, to you, Alexandria of Egypt. My sister, my husband dwells within you, and I am sitting desolate.Rabbi Yehoshua ben Peraḥyasaid: I can learn from it that there is peace, and I can return.

Your ox was used by a man for an act of bestiality and is therefore unfit for an offering, and the other, the owner of the ox, is silent, the witness is deemed credible. And the tanna of the mishna also taught (Bekhorot 41a): And with regard to an animal that was used for a transgression or that killed, if this is attested to by one witness or by the owner, he is deemed credible. The Gemara clarifies this case: What are the circumstances of this case of the mishna, where the knowledge is established by one witness? If the owner admits to the claim, this is the same as: By the owner. Rather, is it not referring to a case where the owner remains silent?The Gemara comments: And each of these statements of Abaye is necessary. As, had he taught us only that first case, where the witness said someone ate forbidden fat, one might have said that he is deemed credible for the following reason: Were it not for the fact that he himself was convinced that he had committed a transgression, he would not commit the transgression of bringing a non-sacred animal to the Temple courtyard on the basis of the testimony of one witness. Consequently, his silence is evidently an admission. But if the witness said: Your ritually pure foods were rendered ritually impure, and the accused was silent, we would say: The reason that he is silent and refrains from denying the claim is that he thinks he is not suffering any significant loss, as the food is fit for him to eat on his days of ritual impurity, because he is not required to destroy ritually impure foods. And hadAbayetaught us only the case of: Your ritually pure food was rendered ritually impure, one might have said that the reason this witness is deemed credible is that he causes him a loss on his days of ritual purity, and therefore his silence is tantamount to a confession. But in the case of: His ox was used by a man for an act of bestiality, the owner of the ox can say with regard to his animal: Not all the oxen stand ready to be sacrificed as an offering on the altar. Perhaps one would think that the owner does not bother denying the claim because he merely forfeits the possibility of sacrificing his ox as an offering, which he considers an inconsequential matter. It is only if there were two witnesses to the act that the animal is put to death, whereas here there was only one witness. It is therefore necessary for Abaye to specify all these cases. § A dilemma was raised before the Sages: If a husband is told by one witness that his wife committed adultery, and the husband remains silent, what is the halakha? Abaye said: The witness is deemed credible. Rava said: He is not deemed credible. Why not? Because it is a matter involving forbidden relations, and there is no matter of testimony for forbidden sexual relations that can be attested to by fewer than two witnesses. Abaye said: From where do I say this claim of mine? It happened that there was a certain blind man who would review mishnayot before Mar Shmuel. One day the blind man was late for him and was not arriving. Mar Shmuel sent a messenger after him to assist him. While the messenger was going to the blind man’s house by one way, the blind man arrived at the house of study by a different route, and therefore the messenger missed him and reached his house. When the messenger came back, he said that he had been to the blind man’s house and saw that his wife committed adultery. The blind man came before Mar Shmuel to inquire whether he must pay heed to this testimony. Mar Shmuel said to him: If this messenger is trusted by you, go and divorce her, but if not, do not divorce her. Abaye comments: What, is it not correct to say that this means that if he is trusted by you that he is not a thief but is a valid witness, you must rely on him? This would prove that a single witness can testify in a case of this kind. And Rava explains that Mar Shmuel meant: If he is trusted by you like two witnesses, go and divorce her, but if not, do not divorce her. Consequently, Rava maintains that this episode affords no proof. And Abaye said: From where do I say this claim of mine? As it is taught in a baraita: An incident occurred with King Yannai, who went to the region of Koḥalit in the desert and conquered sixty cities there. And upon his return he rejoiced with a great happiness over his victory. And he subsequently summoned all the Sages of the Jewish people and said to them: Our ancestors in their poverty would eat salty foods when they were busy with the building of the Temple; we too shall eat salty foods in memory of our ancestors. And they brought salty food on tables of gold, and ate.And there was one person present, a scoffer, a man of an evil heart and a scoundrel called Elazar ben Po’ira. And Elazar ben Po’ira said to King Yannai: King Yannai, the hearts of the Pharisees, the Sages, are against you. In other words, they harbor secret resentment against you and do not like you. The king replied: And what shall I do to clarify this matter? Elazar responded: Have them stand by wearing the frontplate between your eyes. Since the frontplate bears the Divine Name, they should stand in its honor. Yannai, who was a member of the priestly Hasmonean family, also served as High Priest, who wears the frontplate. He had the Pharisees stand by wearing the frontplate between his eyes.Now there was a certain elder present called Yehuda ben Gedidya, and Yehuda ben Gedidya said to King Yannai: King Yannai, the crown of the monarchy suffices for you, i.e., you should be satisfied that you are king. Leave the crown of the priesthood for the descendants of Aaron. The Gemara explains this last comment: As they would say that Yannai’s mother was taken captive in Modi’in, and she was therefore disqualified from marrying into the priesthood, which meant that Yannai was a ḥalal. And the matter was investigated and was not discovered, i.e., they sought witnesses for that event but none were found. And the Sages of Israel were expelled in the king’s rage, due to this rumor. And Elazar ben Po’ira said to King Yannai: King Yannai, such is the judgment of a common person in Israel. In other words, merely expelling a slanderer is appropriate if the subject of the slander is a commoner. But you are a king and a High Priest. Is this your judgment as well? Yannai replied: And what should I do?Elazar responded: If you listen to my advice, crush them. Yannai countered: But what will become of the Torah? He retorted: Behold, it is wrapped and placed in the corner. Anyone who wishes to study can come and study. We have no need for the Sages. The Gemara interjects: Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: Immediately, heresy was injected into Yannai, as he should have said to Elazar ben Po’ira: This works out well with regard to the Written Torah, as it can be studied by all on their own, but what will become of the Oral Torah? The Oral Torah is transmitted only by the Sages. The baraita continues: Immediately, the evil arose and caught fire through Elazar ben Po’ira, and all the Sages of the Jewish people were killed. And the world was desolate of Torah until Shimon ben Shataḥ came and restored the Torah to its former glory. This completes the baraita. Abaye asks: What are the circumstances of this case? How did those who conducted the investigation refute the rumor that Yannai’s mother had been taken captive? If we say that two witnesses said that she was taken captive, and two others said that she was not taken captive, what did you see that you rely on these who said that she was not taken captive? Instead, rely on these who said that she was taken captive. In such a scenario, one cannot say definitively that the matter was investigated and found to be false. Rather, it must be referring to one witness who testified she was taken captive, and two testified that she was not taken captive. And the reason that the lone witness is not deemed credible is only that he is contradicted by the other two, from which it may be inferred that if not for that fact, he would be deemed credible. This supports Abaye’s claim that an uncontested lone witness is deemed credible in a case of this kind. And Rava could reply that this incident affords no proof, for the following reason: Actually, one can say that there were two witnesses who testified that she was captured and two who testified that she was not, and the case was decided in accordance with that which Rav Aḥa bar Rav Minyumi says in a different context, that it is referring to conspiring witnesses. The second pair of witnesses did not contradict the testimony of the first pair but established them as liars by stating that the first pair were not there to witness the event. This serves to disqualify the testimony of the first pair altogether. Here too, it is referring to witnesses who rendered the first set conspiring witnesses.And if you wish, say that this is in accordance with the version of the story stated by Rabbi Yitzḥak, as Rabbi Yitzḥak says: They replaced Yannai’s mother with a maidservant. The first witnesses saw that Yannai’s mother was about to be taken captive, but the second pair revealed that she had actually been replaced with a maidservant, thereby negating the testimony of the first set. Rava says:

Shimon ben Shetah was dealing with flax [as his profession]. His students said to him: ‘Master, leave it behind and we will buy you a donkey and you won’t need to work so much,’ and they bought him a donkey from an Arab, and it had a jewel hanging from it[s neck]. They came to him and said him: ‘from now on you won’t have to work again.’ He said to them: ‘why?’ They said to him: ‘ We bought you a donkey from an Arab and it had a jewel hanging from it[s neck]!’ He said to them: ‘Did the owner know?’ They said to him: ‘no.’ He said to them: ‘go return it.’ [Later students objected to this story:] But didn’t Rav Huna Bibi bar Gozlon say in the name of Rav, said they responded before Rabbi, even according to the one who says an item stolen from a gentile is prohibited, all agree that an item lost by a gentile is permitted!?’ ‘What, do you think Shimon ben Shetah is a barbarian? Shimon wished to hear ‘blessed be the God of the Jews’ more than all the wages of this world!’

What happened in Ascalon supports him who said, Simeon ben Sheṭaḥ was president. Two pious men were in Ascalon. They ate together, drank together, and studied Torah together. One of them died, and nobody attended his funeral. The son of Ma`yan the publican died; the entire city stopped working to attend his funeral. The other pious man started crying and said woe, do the haters of Israel have no hope? He was shown in a dream that it was said to him, do not denigrate your Master’s children. This one committed one sin and died with it, the other one did one good deed and died with it. What sin did this pious man commit? Far be it that he committed a sin, but once he put on his head phylacteries before his arm phylacteries. What good deed did the son of publican Ma`yan do? Far be it that he ever committed a good deed, but once he prepared a breakfast for the city council but they did not come to eat it. He said, let the poor eat it, so it should not go to waste. Some say, he was walking in the street when a loaf fell down from him and a poor person picked it up. He did not say anything [in order not to embarrass him]. After days this pious man saw his comrade the pious walking in gardens, in orchards, at water sources, and he saw the son of Ma`yan the publican with his tongue out on the river bank trying in vain to reach the water. He also saw Miriam, Onion-leaf’s daughter. Rebbi Eleazar bar Yose said, she was hanging on her breast nipples. Rebbi Yose ben Ḥanina said, the hinge of Hell’s door was fixed in her ear. He asked them, why? They told him, because she fasted and made herself famous. Some say, she fasted one day and was dissolute two. He asked them for how long is she in this state? They told him, until Simeon ben Shetah comes, when we shall remove it from her ear and put it in his ear. [He asked them, and why?] They told him, because he said, that if I would be elected Patriarch, I would kill sorcerers. But now he was made Patriarch and he did not kill them. In fact, there are eighty women sorcerers in the cave of Ascalon who hurt the world. You shall go and tell him! He told them, I am afraid that since he is Patriarch he will not believe me. They told him, if he will believe you it will be good. In case that he will not believe you, perform a sign in front of him: put your hand on an eye and take it out, put it back and it will be back. He went and told him. He wanted to perform [the miracle] before him, but he told him, I know that you are a pious person; more than that you could do. In fact, I never spoke it with my mouth even though I intended so in my thoughts. Immediately Simeon ben Shetaḥ went on a stormy day and took with him eighty select men. He gave them eighty clean garments, put them in eighty new amphoras, and put them on them upside down. He told them, when I whistle once, put on your garments. When I whistle for the second time, come in all of you together. When you enter, each of you shall choose one and lift her from the ground, since the nature of this sorcery is that separated from the earth it cannot do anything. He went and stood at the entrance to the cave. He said אוים, אוים, open for me, I am one of yours. They asked, how did you come here on such a day? He said, I was walking between the raindrops. They asked him, what do you want to do here? He said, to learn and to teach. Every one should make what he is able to. One of them said what she said and produced bread. One of them said what she said and produced meat. One of them said what she said and produced dishes. One said what she said and produced wine. They asked him, what can you do? He told them, when I whistle twice, I shall bring here eighty select men for your pleasure and entertainment. They told him, that is what we desire. When he whistled the first time, they put on their garments; when he whistled for the second time, they all entered together. He said, every one who comes shall select his mate. They lifted them, took them away, and crucified them. That is what we have stated: “It happened that Simeon ben Shetaḥ hanged women in Ascalon. [They said, he hanged eighty women but one does not try two on the same day.” But the hour needed it.]