Ketubot 33B

דלמא מלקות חמור? דאמר רב: אילמלי נגדוה לחנניה מישאל ועזריה ⁠— פלחו לצלמא! אמר ליה רב סמא בריה דרב אסי לרב אשי, ואמרי לה רב סמא בריה דרב אשי לרב אשי: ולא שני לך בין הכאה שיש לה קצבה להכאה שאין לה קצבה?

Perhaps the punishment of lashes is more severe, as Rav said: Had they flogged Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (see Daniel, chapter 3) instead of casting them into the fiery furnace, these 3 would have been induced to worship the graven image. Apparently, the punishment of lashes is more severe than death. Rav Samma, son of Rav Asi, said to Rav Ashi, and some say Rav Samma, son of Rav Ashi, said to Rav Ashi: And is there no difference to you between flogging that has a limit, e.g., 40 lashes by Torah law, which is a less severe punishment, and flogging that does not have a limit, i.e., flogging administered to induce compliance, which is more severe?

מתקיף לה רב יעקב מנהר פקוד: הניחא לרבנן דאמרי נפש ממש, אלא לרבי דאמר ממון, מאי איכא למימר?

With regard to the basic proof from the case of the two men quarreling, Rav Ya’akov from Nehar Pekod strongly objects to this. This works out well according to the opinion of the Rabbis, who said that the verse “And you should give a soul for a soul” (Exodus 21:23) is referring to an actual life, and that if he caused the woman’s death he is executed. However, according to R' Yehuda HaNasi, who said that if he did not intend to injure the woman he is not liable to be executed and instead pays money as indemnity for causing her death, what can be said? According to that opinion, there was no forewarning for lashes at all, and the only liability is payment for injuring another.

אלא אמר רב יעקב מנהר פקוד משמיה דרבא, מהכא: ״אם יקום והתהלך בחוץ על משענתו ונקה המכה״, וכי תעלה על דעתך שזה מהלך בשוק, וזה נהרג? אלא מלמד שחובשין אותו, ואי מית ⁠— קטלינן ליה, ואי לא מית ⁠— ״שבתו יתן ורפא ירפא״.

Rather, Rav Ya’akov from Nehar Pekod said in the name of Rava that the halakha that one pays and is not flogged is derived from here. With regard to one who struck another with a stone or his fist and did not kill him but caused him to be bedridden, it is written: “If he rises and walks outside with his staff, he who struck him is absolved” (Exodus 21:19). And could it enter your mind that this victim is walking in the marketplace and that aggressor is executed as a murderer? Rather, the verse teaches that one imprisons the aggressor while the injured party recuperates, and if he dies due to the blow he received, we kill him. And if he does not die and recovers, the aggressor’s punishment is based on the verse “His loss of livelihood he should give, and he should cause him to be thoroughly healed” (Exodus 21:19).