The manner in which burning is executed is as follows: He who had been thus condemned was lowered into dung up to his armpits, then a hard cloth was placed within a soft one, wound round his neck, and the two loose ends pulled in opposite directions, forcing him to open his mouth. A wick was then lit, and thrown into his mouth, so that it descended into his body and burnt his bowels. R. Judah said: should he however have died at their hands [being strangled by the bandage before the wick was thrown into his mouth, or before it could act], he would not have been executed by fire as prescribed. Hence it was done thus: his month was forced open with pincers against his wish, the wick lit and thrown into his mouth, so that it descended into his body and burnt his bowels. R. Eleazar b. Zadok said: it once happened that a priest`s daughter committed adultery, whereupon bundles of faggots were placed round about her and she was burnt. The Sages replied, that was because the Beth Din at that time was not well learned in law. |
סנהדרין 7.2 מצות הנשרפים׃ היו משקעים אותו בזבל עד ארכובותיו; ונותנין סודרין קשה בתוך הרכה, וכורך על צווארו, זה מושך אצלו וזה מושך אצלו, עד שהוא פותח את פיו; ומדליק את הפתילה וזורקה לתוך פיו, ויורדת וחומדת את בני מעיו׃ אמר רבי יהודה, אף הוא אם מת בידם, לא היו מקיימין בו מצות שריפה; אלא פותחין את פיו בצבת על כורחו, שלא בטובתו, ומדליק את הפתילה וזורקה לתוך פיו, ויורדת וחומדת את בני מעיו׃ אמר רבי אלעזר ברבי צדוק, מעשה בבת כוהן שזינת, והקיפוה חבילי זמורות ושרפוה; אמרו לו, מפני שלא היה בית דין שבאותה שעה בקי |
Execution by the sword was performed thus: the condemned man was
decapitated by the sword, as is done by the civil authorities. R. Judah
said: this is a hideous disfigurement; but his head was laid on a block
and severed with an axe. They replied, no death is more disfiguring than
this. Strangulation was thus performed: the condemned man was lowered into dung up to his armpits, then a hard cloth was placed within a soft one, wound round his neck, and the two ends pulled in opposite directions until he was dead. |
סנהדרין 7.3 מצות הנהרגין׃ היו מתיזין את ראשו בסיף, כדרך שהמלכות עושה׃ רבי יהודה אומר, ניוול הוא זה; אלא מניחין את ראשו על הסדן, וקוצץ בקופיס׃ אמרו לו, אין מיתה מנוולת מזו׃ מצות הנחנקין׃ היו משקעים אותו בזבל עד ארכובותיו; ונותנין סודרין קשה לתוך הרכה, וכורך על צווארו, זה מושך אצלו, וזה מושך אצלו, עד שנפשו יוצא |
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