Study Ketubot folio 105B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
even if he is completely righteous but he took a bribe, he will not leave this world without becoming demented.
When Rav Dimi came from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, he said that Rav Naḥman bar Kohen interpreted a verse homiletically as follows. What is the meaning of that which is written: “The king by justice establishes the land, but he who exacts gifts [terumot] overthrows it” (Proverbs 29:4)? If a judge is
§ Rabba bar Rav Sheila said: This judge who borrows items from others is disqualified from rendering judgment because it is as though he accepts a salary. And we said this only in a case where he does not have articles to lend out to others but is constantly borrowing without lending objects in turn
The Talmud asks: Is that so? But Rava would borrow items from the house of bar Maryon even though they would not borrow from him. The Talmud answers: There, he wanted to cause them to be considered more important in the community. Rava was very wealthy and did not need to borrow for his own benefit
Rava said: What is the reason for the prohibition against taking a bribe? Once a judge accepts a bribe from one party, his thoughts draw closer to him and he becomes like his own self, and a person does not find fault in himself. The Talmud notes that the term itself alludes to this idea: What is t