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Why did Yochanan offer to kill Yishmael?
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Malbim. He thought that Gedalyah fears to kill him amidst Safek, for the nation will say that he kills without judgment 1 . He offered to kill him covertly.
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Why is this only due to lest people say...? One may not believe one witness even to take another's property, and surely not to kill! (PF)
