Sanhedrin - Daf 83
- List of those liable to מיתה בידי שמים
A Baraisa states: ואלו שבמיתה – and these are the ones liable to death at the hands of Heaven (i.e., מיתה בידי שמים): one who eats tevel, a Kohen tamei who eats terumah which is tahor, a non-Kohen who eats terumah, or a non-Kohen, a Kohen tamei, or a טבול יום who performs avodah, or avodah is performed by מחוסר בגדים – [a Kohen] lacking garments of Kohanim, מחוסר כפורים – one lacking atonement (for a former tumah which required korbanos), one who did not wash hands and feet before the avodah, one who drank wine, or with long hair. However, if avodah is performed by an ערל, an אונן (one whose close relative died that day), or someone sitting, he is not liable to מיתה בידי שמים, but violates an אזהרה alone. Rebbe says that a בעל מום who performs avodah is liable to מיתה בידי שמים, but the Chochomim say he only violates an אזהרה. If someone intentionally transgresses מעילה (using hekdesh), Rebbe says he is liable to מיתה בידי שמים, and the Chochomim say he only violates an אזהרה. The Gemara will provide the sources for all of these laws.
- A tamei Kohen who eats terumah, exempt if the terumah is tamei
Shmuel provides the source for one of the cases of the Baraisa: מניין לכהן טמא שאכל תרומה טהורה – from where do we derive that a Kohen tamei who eats tahor terumah שהוא במיתה בידי שמים – is liable to death by the hands of Heaven? The passuk says, referring to a Kohen tamei who eats terumah: ושמרו את משמרתי ולא ישאו עליו חטא וגו' – “and they shall guard My charge and not bear a sin from it and die because of it, for they will have profaned it.” Shmuel’s words imply that only a Kohen tamei who ate terumah which was tahor is liable to מיתה בידי שמים, but if the terumah was tamei, he is not. Shmuel quoted Rebbe Eliezer providing the source for this exception: מניין לכהן טמא שאכל תרומה טמאה – from where do we derive that a Kohen tamei who eats tamei terumah שאינו במיתה – is not liable to death by the hands of Heaven? The above passuk says: ומתו בו כי יחללהו – “…and die from it, for they have profaned it;” פרט לזו שמחוללת ועומדת – this excludes this case of terumah which is tamei, which is already profaned before the Kohen eats it.
- אין בגדיהם עליהם אין כהונתם עליהם
The Gemara provides the source that מחוסר בגדים – a Kohen lacking the garments required for Kohanim is liable to מיתה בידי שמים for performing avodah. The passuk says: וחגרת אתם אבנט – “and you shall girdle them with a belt…and the Kehunah shall be for them,” implying: בזמן שבגדיהם עליהם כהונתם עליהם – when their garments are upon them, their Kehunah is upon them, butאין בגדיהם עליהם אין כהונתם עליהם – if their garments are not all upon them, their Kehunah is not fully upon them. Thus, they are considered like זרים (regarding avodah), and the Baraisa taught above: זר ששימש במיתה – a non-Kohen who performs avodah is liable to death by the hands of Heaven.
