Monetary litigations (are presided over) by three (judges) [(even) non-experts, the rabbis not requiring three experts, so that "the door not be closed to loans," (i.e., lest the debtor deny (the loan) and he (the creditor) not find experts to force him to law. But one expert or three non-experts suffice.] Thefts and injuries (are presided over) by three, ["elohim" ("judges") being written three times in the section on shomrim (caretakers) (Exodus 22), whence we derive that three experts are required.] (Litigations of) nezek (damage), [a man or a mued ("habitual damager") ox, which pay a complete nezek for damaging], a half-nezek, [a tam ("non-habitual damager") ox, which caused damage. (Even though nezek comes under chavaloth (injuries), since "double payment" (kefel) and "four and five" payment are to be taught, where the payment is not equal to the damage, but more, half-nezek is also taught, where the payment is, likewise, not equal to the damage, but less. And since half-nezek is taught, nezek is also taught)], double payment, and "four and five" payment (are presided over) by three. (Litigations of) ravishment and seduction and imputation of "an evil name" [viz.: (Deuteronomy 22:17): "I did not find your daughter to be a virgin," (Ibid. 19): "Then they shall fine him a hundred (shekels of) silver"] (are presided over) by three. These are the words of R. Meir. And the sages say: Imputations of an evil name (are presided over) by twenty-three, for they may involve capital punishment. [For if it were (found to be) true that she was adulterous, then she is stoned; and capital cases are tried by twenty-three (1:4).]
Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin
דיני ממונות – that is admissions (according to Tractate Shevuot 6:1 – worth at least one Perutah) and loans.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sanhedrin
Introduction
The first four mishnayoth of Sanhedrin discuss how many judges are needed to adjudicate certain cases of civil and criminal law. The typical number for civil cases was three and the typical number for criminal cases was twenty-three. The problem will arise in situations where it is not clear whether a certain case is civil or criminal.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin
בשלשה – commoners/lay persons, for the Rabbis did not require three specialists, in order not to lock the door before loans, lest the borrower confess and specialists are not found to force him to court, but rather, or one [judge] would be a specialist or [all] three are commoners; but cases of theft and mayhem [require] three specialists, for [the word] אלהים/”God” (which means judges) is written in the section of the guardians in [the Torah portion] of “And these are the statutes” (Exodus, chapter 21 and beyond; specifically, the verses are: Exodus 22:6-8) , and from it we derive three specialists.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sanhedrin
Cases concerning property [are decided] by three. Property cases include disputes arising out of loans, sales, inheritance, gifts and other similar monetary matters.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin
נזק – [damage caused] by man or by a warned bull , who damaged him for which they pay complete damages.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sanhedrin
Cases concerning robbery or personal injury, by three. Personal injury is a case where one person directly injures another. Robbery, as we learned in Bava Kamma chapter nine, does not carry with it a penalty of twofold restitution as does thievery.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin
חצי נזק – an innocuous bull, who caused damage (and even though this is mayhem) , since it was necessary to teach in the Mishnah “double fines, and four and five-times payment, which he doesn’t pay like what he damages, when he pays more. The Tanna [our Mishnah] also taught half-damage in which he does not pay what he damaged, for he pays less. And since the Mishnah taught half-damage, it also taught [full] damages.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sanhedrin
Claims for full damages or half-damages, twofold restitution, or fourfold or fivefold restitution, by three. Full damages are assessed when a “warned” animal, one that has previously injured three times, causes further damage. Half-damages are assessed when the damaging animal had not injured three times. Twofold restitution is the penalty for a thief, and fourfold or fivefold restitution is the penalty for a thief who stole an animal and either sold it or slaughtered it.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin
ומוציא שם רע – “I did not find your daughter a virgin” (Deuteronomy 22:17); “and they shall fine him one hundred shekels of silver [and give it to the girl’s father for the man has defamed a virgin in Israel…]” (Deuteronomy 22:19).
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sanhedrin
Claims against a rapist, a seducer and one who defames [a virgin are decided] by three, according to Rabbi Meir. The Sages say: “One who defames [a virgin is decided] by twenty-three, for there may arise from it a capital case. According to the Torah the rapist (Deut. 22:29) and the seducer (Ex. 22:16-17) pay fines of 50 shekel for having illegally taken the woman’s virginity. In addition, according to the Rabbis the rapist also pays for injuring the woman as would any person who causes another person injury (see Bava Kamma, chapter eight). The “one who defames a virgin” is referred to in Deut. 22:13-22. This is a case where a husband falsely claims that the wife was not a virgin. If the husband was found to be a liar he is beaten and must pay a fine of 100 shekels. If his accusation turned out to be true the woman is put to death. The Rabbinic understanding of this law greatly differs from its simple understanding in the Torah, but now is not the place for a detailed explanation.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin
דיני נפשות – and if the matter was found to be true that she was unfaithful [to her husband] and they stoned her. And capital cases [are judged] by twenty-three, as seen further, and Halakha is according to the Sages.
