A king does not judge and is not judged — but what kind of king is this? Specifically, the kings of Israel and not Judah (or Yehudah), the latter of which are the kings of the Davidic dynasty, his descendants, and who did judge (and presumably therefore were judged). Plus, the story of Shimon ben Shetach and the refusal of King Yannai to be part of the judgement after his slave killed a person. The sages refused to stand with Shimon ben Shetach, and they were judged harshly for it, but from then on, the king was no longer judged. [Who’s Who: Shimon ben Shetach] Also, a king’s widow can’t marry another, though David married Saul’s widow, which sparks a discussion about David, his wives, and the legitimacy of those marriages. Plus, 4 teachings on child-raising — from Moshe to Yaakov and his many sons.

Click here for the Talking Talmud podcast on Sanhedrin 19/871a>.’”

To listen: Click the link above. Or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Or join the Talking Talmud WhatsApp group, and receive the link as soon as it goes up.