Some teach that R. Yehudah ben Tabai was the Nasi [and Shimon ben Shetach was the Av Beis Din], and some teach [oppositely, that Shimon ben Shetach was the Nasi].

The one who says that Yehudah ben Tabai was the Nasi, the episode in Alexandria supports him. Bnei Yerushalayim wrote "from the great Yerushalayim to the small Alexandria - how long does my husband (Yehudah ben Tabai, whom we want to appoint to be Nasi) dwell amidst you, and I sit sad in my house?''

The one who says that Shimon ben Shetach was the Nasi, the episode in Ashkelon supports him. There were two Talmidim (Reuven and Ploni) in Ashkelon - they ate together, drank together and learned Torah together. One of them (Ploni) died, and people did not bestow Chesed [to bury him properly]. The son of Mayan the [evil] tax collector died, and the entire city was idle from work [to bestow Chesed with him];

The Talmid (Reuven) started to cry, and said "woe! Perhaps haters of (this is a euphemism) Yisrael have no [reward]?!''

[Ploni] appeared to him in a dream, and said 'do not disgrace the people of your city [to say that they showed honor for no reason - B'SHEM BETZALEL, Chagigah 2:2). He did one Mitzvah and went (his entire reward was the honor done at his burial), and this one (I) did one Aveirah and went (my punishment was the lack of honor at my burial);

What Aveirah did [Ploni] do? Chas v'Shalom, he never did a [real] Aveirah, just one day he [put on] the head Tefilin before the hand Tefilin.

What Mitzvah did the son of Mayan the tax collector do? Chas v'Shalom, he never did a [real] Mitzvah, just once he made a meal for the troop leader, and [the soldiers] did not come. He said that the poor should come and eat, lest the food spoil.

Some say that he was walking on the road with a loaf under his underarm, and it fell, and an Oni took it, and [Ben Mayan] did not say anything, lest he make him blush.

[Reuven] saw the Talmid (Ploni, in a dream) in great pleasure in orchards amidst springs of water, and he saw Bar Mayan the tax collector on the riverbank and he wanted to reach the water [to drink], but he could not.

[Reuven] saw Miryam bas Eli hanging by her breasts. Some say that he saw the hinge-pin of the gate of Gehinom stuck in her ear. (ALEI TAMAR, from Teshuvas Maharam me'Rotenberg (4:1023, b'Sof) - the first punishment is for women who nurse in public, and men see their breasts. The latter is for bending her ear to hear Leshon ha'Ra to tell to her husband, so he would despise others.)

He asked how long she will have this punishment. [Ploni] told him, until Shimon ben Shetach will die. Then they will remove the hinge-pin from her ear and put it in his ear.

He asked, what was [Shimon ben Shetach's] sin? [Ploni] said, he vowed and said "if I will become Nasi, I will kill all the witches'', and he became Nasi and he did not kill them. There are 80 witches in a cave in Ashkelon, and they are ruining the world. Go tell him!

[Reuven]: He is a great man, and he will not believe me!

[Ploni]: He is very humble; he will believe you. And if he does not believe you, take your eye out and put it in your hand. [Reuven] took his eye out and put it in his hand. He told him to return it; it was like the other eye. He went and told [Shimon ben Shetach]. He wanted to do the Siman [of the eye] in front of him.

[Shimon ben Shetach]: You need not [do the Siman]. I know that you are a Chasid. Even so, [know that] I thought in my heart [to kill them]. I did not say [a vow] with my mouth.

It was a rainy day. [Shimon ben Shetach] took 80 bachelors wearing clean clothes. They took 80 new barrels (each put his clothes in his barrel). He told them, when I whistle, wear your clothes. When I whistle a second time, ascend. When he reached the cave of Ashkelon, he said 'Oyam Oyam (in their language, this means) open for me! I am from (i.e. a witch like) you!'

When he entered, one [witch] said what she said (an incantaion), and brought bread (through witchcraft). One said what she said, and brought a cooked food. One said what she said, and brought wine.

They said to him "what can you do?'' He said "I will whistle twice, and will come here 80 men wearing clean clothes to make you happy.''

They said "we want them!'' Once he whistled, they put on their clean clothes. When he whistled a second time, they all ascended at once.

He hinted to them - each of you take one [witch] and lift her off the ground, and what she does [through witchcraft] will not succeed;

He told the one who brought bread "bring bread'', and she could not bring. He said "hang her.'' He told the one who brought a cooked food "bring a cooked food'', and she could not bring. He said "hang her.'' "Bring wine'', and she could not bring. He said "hang her.'' So he did to all of them.

This is what was taught, that Shimon ben Shetach hung 80 women in one day. We do not judge two in one day! Rather, it was needed at the time. (YEDID NEFESH says that it was a Hora'as Sha'ah also to execute without warning, Drishah v'Chakirah and clear testimony. It seems to me (PF) that Drishah v'Chakirah is not needed when the Aveirah was in front of the judges - see above, 24a. However, it seems that he did not judge at all like capital cases, with three rows of Talmidim (92 Chachamim in all), beginning from the side, beginning for Zechus, not convicting on the same day... It was a Hora'as Sha'ah also to kill via hanging without stoning first, nor announcing 'Plonis is being taken to be executed.'

(Mishnah): How do we hang someone? We insert a beam into the ground, and it sticks out. We bring his hands together, and hang him [through them];

R. Yosi says, we lean the beam against a wall and hang him from it, the way butchers do [to hang meat].

We hang him and immediately untie him. If not, we transgress a Lav - "Lo Salin Nivlaso Al ha'Etz Ki Kavor Tikberenu ba'Yom ha'Hu Ki Kilelas Elokim Taluy'';

I.e. why is this one hung? It is because he cursed Hash-m. It turns out that Shem Shamayim is profaned.

(Gemara - Beraisa - R. Eliezer ben Yakov): This is a stringency of blasphemy over Mechalel (Shem Shamayim. The former is stoned and hung, and the latter is only hung). The following is a stringency of Mechalel over blasphemy;

Regarding blasphemy it says "Lo Salin Nivlaso Al ha'Etz'', and regarding Mechalel it says "va'Tikach Ritzpah Vas Ayah Es ha'Sak va'Tatehu Lah El ha'Tzur mi'Tchilas Ketzir Ad Nitach Mayim Aleihem.'' This teaches that they were hung from the 16th of Nisan until the 17th of Cheshvan (due to Mechalel, like the Gemara brings below).

Question: It says "va'Yitnem Yehoshua ba'Yom ha'Hu Chotvei Etzim v'Sho'avei Mayim la'Edah [vela'Mizbach Hash-m].'' Granted, [it is a punishment that the Giv'onim needed to chop and draw] for the Edah (Klal Yisrael. Why was it a punishment to be) for Mizbach Hash-m?

Answer: Rather, Yehoshua was soft about (forbidding intermarrying with) them. He said, I will not distance them, not bring them close. Rather, the one who will [decide the place to] build the Beis ha'Mikdash - whom he wants to bring close, he will bring close, and whom he wants to distance, he will distance.

David came and distanced them - "veha'Giv'onim Lo mi'Bnei Yisrael Hemah.''

Why did he distance them? It is because "va'Yhi Ra'av bi'Ymei David Shalosh Shanim...'' David said, due to three matters rain is held back - due to idolatry, Arayos and murder;

[We know] idolatry, for it says "Pen Yifteh Levavchem'', and after it says "v'Atzar Es ha'Shamayim.'' [We know] Arayos, for it says "va'Yine'u Revivim u'Malkosh Lo Hayah u'Metzach Ishah Zonah Hayah Lach.'' [We know] murder, for it says "Ki ha'Dam Hu Yachanif Es ha'Aretz.'' (Yachanif is like Yichan Af, it will cause anger to dwell.)

Some say, also people who pledge Tzedakah in public and do not give [cause rain to be held back] - "Nesi'im v'Ru'ach v'Geshem Ayin Ish Mis'halel b'Matas Sheker.''

David checked his entire generation and did not find [that people transgressed this and were not already punished]. He began to ask the Urim v'Tumim - it says "va'Yevakesh David Es Pnei Hash-m.'' (We explained the Sugya according to KORBAN HA'EDAH.)

(R. Lazar): It says "Bikshu Hash-m Kol Anvei ha'Aretz Asher Mishpato Pa'alu...'' (at the time of Mishpat for what Sha'ul did to the Giv'onim, there was also mention of his proper acts). "Va'Yomer Hash-m El Sha'ul v'El Beis ha'Damim Al Asher Hemis Es ha'Giv'onim'' - [the famine came] "El Sha'ul'', that they did not do Chesed with him (eulogize him properly), "v'El Beis ha'Damim Al Asher Hemis Es ha'Giv'onim'';

David sent and called to the Giv'onim. He said, what is your complaint against Beis Sha'ul? They said, he killed from us seven men - two wood choppers, two water carriers, a scribe, and an overseer and Gabai [of the Beis ha'Keneses].

He said to them, what do you want? They said, give to us seven men [from Beis Sha'ul] and we will hang them to Hash-m in Giv'on.

David: What benefit do you get if we kill them? Take gold and silver [for compensation]! They said, we do not have [desire for] gold and silver with Sha'ul and his house.

David: Perhaps some of you are embarrassed in front of one another [to say that you want gold and silver]. He went to each of them to appease him by himself, and he did not accept [to be appeased]. This is why "Ein Lanu Kesef'' is written "Ein Li Kesef'' (just there is a tradition to read it "Lanu'').

At that time, David said "Hash-m gave three good [Midos, as] gifts to Yisrael - they have shame, mercy and they bestow Chesed;

They have shame, for it says "u'Va'avor Tihyeh Yir'aso Al Peneichem...'' They have mercy, for it says "v'Nasan Lecha Rachamim v'Richamcha v'Hirbecha''; they bestow Chesed, for it says "v'Shamar Lecha Es ha'Bris v'Es ha'Chesed'';

These [people] do not have [even] one of these. He distanced them - "veha'Giv'onim Lo mi'Bnei Yisrael Hemah.''

Also Ezra came and distanced them - "veha'Nesinim Hayu Yoshevim ba'Ofel v'Tzicha v'Gishpa Al ha'Nesinim.''

Also in the future, Hash-m will distance them - "veha'Oved ha'Ir Ya'a'vduhu mi'Kol Shivtei Yisrael'' - [we read this] Ya'a'viduhu (they will make them work) from all tribes of Yisrael.

Question: "Va'Yomer ha'Melech Ani Eten; va'Yikach ha'Melech Es Shnei Bnei Ritzpah... [v'Es Chameshes Bnei Michal]'' - how can it say "ul'Michal Bas Sha'ul Lo Hayah Lah Valad''?!

Answer: They were sons of Meirav (Michal's sister), and Michal raised them, and they were called on her name.

Question: "Va'Yitnem ha'Melech b'Yad ha'Giv'onim va'Yoki'um b'Har Lifnei Hash-m va'Yiplu Shiv'atam Yachad'' - it is written Shiv'atayim, missing a Yud!

Answer: [We read it] Chaser, for one was missing - this is Mefivoshes, that David sought to save him from them (the Giv'onim);

[David] said "I will pass them in front of the Mizbe'ach. Anyone whom the Mizbe'ach absorbs, he is mine (he will live).'' He passed them in front of the Mizbe'ach, and the Mizbe'ach went and absorbed him. (We explained the answer like KORBAN HA'EDAH.)

(R. Avin): "Ekra lEi'lokim Elyon la'Kel Gomer Alai'' - Hash-m agreed with David.

Question: "V'Hemah Humsu bi'Ymei Katzir ba'Rishonah bi'Schilas Ketzir Se'orim; va'Tikach Ritzpah Vas Ayah Es ha'Sak va'Tatehu Lah El ha'Tzur'' - what is "El ha'Tzur''?

Answer (R. Hoshayah): She was saying "ha'Tzur Tamim Pa'alo'' (all Hash-m does is perfectly just).

(R. Ba bar Zamina citing R. Hoshayah): Kidush Hash-m is greater than Chilul Hash-m. Regarding Chilul Hash-m it is written "Lo Salin Nivlaso'', and about Kidush Hash-m it says "mi'Schilas Ketzir Ad Nitach Mayim Aleihem.'' This teaches that they were hung from the 16th of Nisan (when we reap the Omer) until the 17th of Cheshvan (the time for the first rain);

And passersby were saying "how did these sin, that the law is different for them?'' (Normally, we do not let a body hang over night!) And [people told them] it is because they stuck out their hand against cursed converts;

There is a Kal v'Chomer. These, who did not convert l'Shem Shamayim (rather, just so Yisrael would not kill them), Hash-m punished for their blood - people who convert l'Shem Shamayim, all the more so!

Many people converted at that time - it says "va'Ysaper Shlomo Kol ha'Geirim; va'Ya'as Mehem Shiv'im Elef Sabal [and 80,000 quarriers]...''