Reply To: The Salem Witch Trials

By the way, just as Shimon Ben Shetach utilized the Sanhedrin’s extrajudicial authority to carry out mass executions without trial during that horaas shaah of so many practicing witchcraft, which is a Biblically ordained capital offense, so too we can extrapolate that were the Sanhedrin around today (as they soon will be), they would similarly treat issues that are a capital offense that R”L enjoy widespread practice, such as those engaging in mishkav zochor.

As we discussed in a previous recent thread, the Chazon Ish even applied the Sanhedrin executing those publicly dressed grossly indecently, which isn’t an official death penalty crime. Sanhedrin has the right to carry out executions even on offenses that don’t normally carry capital punishment.