Study Sanhedrin folio 21B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
about seclusion, that a man should not be secluded with women who are forbidden to him, and about a single woman.
The Talmud objects: Seclusion with a woman forbidden by familial ties is prohibited by Torah law, and was not a rabbinic decree issued in the time of David. As R' Yoḥanan says in the name of R' Shimon ben Yehotzadak: From where is there an allusion to the halakha that seclusion is forbidden by Torah
Since seclusion, then, is prohibited by Torah law, how did Rav say that it was prohibited by a decree issued in King David’s time? Rather, say that they decreed against seclusion of a man with a single woman, to prevent occurrences like that of Amnon and Tamar.
Apropos Amnon, the Talmud cites traditions about another son of David: “Now Adonijah, son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying: I will be king” (I Kings 1:5). Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: The term “exalted himself” teaches that he sought for the monarchy to fit him, but it did not fit him.
The verse continues: “And he prepared for himself chariots and riders and 50 people to run before him” (I Kings 1:5). The Talmud asks: What is the novelty of these actions, since other wealthy people do the same, even if they are not the sons of kings, with designs on the throne? Rav Yehuda says tha