98 Makkot 3/13-16

(13) The [strap's] handle is a hand-breadth [long] and it [the strap] is a handbreadth wide and its tip reaches to the mouth [beginning] of his stomach. And he lashes him one third [of the lashes] in his front and two thirds on his back. He lashes him neither standing nor sitting rather leaning over, as the verse says, "and the judge shall cause him to lie"(Deuteronomy 25:2). And the one who hits [the administrator] hits with one hand and with all his strength.

(14) The reader would read, "If you do not keep the commandments... God will increase your beatings and the beatings of your children..."(Deuteronomy 28:58-59) and (if he finished) he would go back [repeat] to the beginning of the verses. "And you shall keep the words of this covenant" (Deuteronomy 29:9) and he concludes "The all-merciful one who forgives sin...(Psalms 78:38) and if he finishes he goes back to the beginning. If he [the one being lashed] died at his hand [while being lashed], the administrator is not responsible for his death. If the administrator added an extra strap [lash to the assessment] and he died, he[the administrator] is sent into exile. If he [the one being lashed] soiled himself with excrement or urine he [the administrator] is exempt from further lashes. Rabbi Yehuda says, the man [is only exempt if he soils himself] with excrement, but a woman [is exempt even if she soils herself] with urine.

(15) A man who transgressed a sin whose punishment is karet [punishment by premature death] but received lashes, is absolved from karet, as the verse states "And your brother will be demeaned before you, (Deuteronomy 25:3)" once he has been demeaned he becomes like your brother, so says Rabbi Chanania ben Gamliel. Rabbi Chanania ben Gamliel also stated: If someone could lose their life for committing just one sin, one who keeps one commandment, how much more so his life will be rewarded to him. Rabbi Shimon says, We [do not need the kal vachomer to learn this] can learn it from its place [context], as it says "They [the person performing incest] will have their soul cut off" (Leviticus 18:5) and it says [at the beginning of the verse "Which man shall carry out and by which he shall live." From this [we learn] that whoever just sits and commit no sin, is given a reward like the one who fulfilled a commandment. Rabbi Shimon bar Rebbi says, the verse states "Be strong to not eat blood because blood is the life force." (Deuteronomy 12:23) Now, if blood, which a person is naturally disgusted by, one who refrains from eating it receives a reward, one who refrains from stealing and illicit relationships, which one craves lusts for , how much more so he will earn merit for him and the generations after him till the end of time.

(16) Rabbi Chananaia son of Akashia stated, God wanted to grant merits to Israel, therefore he gave them many laws and commandments as it states, "Because God wants righteousness he increased the amount of Torah and splendor." (Isaiah 42:21).