Commentary for Sanhedrin 3:5
הָאוֹהֵב וְהַשּׂוֹנֵא. אוֹהֵב, זֶה שׁוּשְׁבִינוֹ. שׂוֹנֵא, כָּל שֶׁלֹּא דִבֶּר עִמּוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים בְּאֵיבָה. אָמְרוּ לוֹ, לֹא נֶחְשְׁדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל כָּךְ:
The lover and the hater (are invalidated). Lover — his groomsman. [He is pasul for him all the days of the wedding.] Hater — whoever does not speak with him for three days out of hatred. They said to him: Israel is not suspect of this [to testify falsely out of hatred or love. And this is the halachah. It is only in respect to testifying that the rabbis differ. But in respect to judging they agree that he is pasul. For if he loves him, he will not find anything in his disfavor; and if he hates him, he will not try to find anything in his favor.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin
שושבינו – this friend from the days of his wedding, he is ineligible to him all the days of the wedding [week].
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sanhedrin
A friend or an enemy [is disqualified]. “A friend”: this is one’s groomsman. “An enemy”: anyone whom he has not spoken to in three days because of anger.
They replied: “Israelites are not suspected of such.”
Mishnah five continues to discuss those people who are disqualified from testifying or acting as judges.
The first clause in the mishnah states that one may not testify or judge in a trial involving one’s friend or enemy. The next two clauses define the first clause. “A friend” who is disqualified from testifying or judging is a man’s groomsman, a person who helped him celebrate his wedding. “An enemy” is anyone with whom one has not spoken for three days due to anger.
It must be assumed that the first three clauses are a continuation of Rabbi Judah’s words, begun in the previous mishnah. The Sages in section 1d respond to Rabbi Judah by claiming that Jews are not suspected of lying in court because they are testifying with regards to a friend or enemy. Therefore, a person may testify and judge in cases involving a friend or an enemy.
They replied: “Israelites are not suspected of such.”
Mishnah five continues to discuss those people who are disqualified from testifying or acting as judges.
The first clause in the mishnah states that one may not testify or judge in a trial involving one’s friend or enemy. The next two clauses define the first clause. “A friend” who is disqualified from testifying or judging is a man’s groomsman, a person who helped him celebrate his wedding. “An enemy” is anyone with whom one has not spoken for three days due to anger.
It must be assumed that the first three clauses are a continuation of Rabbi Judah’s words, begun in the previous mishnah. The Sages in section 1d respond to Rabbi Judah by claiming that Jews are not suspected of lying in court because they are testifying with regards to a friend or enemy. Therefore, a person may testify and judge in cases involving a friend or an enemy.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin
לא נחשדו ישראל על כך – to testify falsehoods because of enmity and love. And such is the Halakha. And especially in testimony, the Rabbis dispute this, but by law, the Rabbis admit that he is ineligible to judge, for if he would be merciful to him, he would not be to see him as guilty; and it he hates him, he would not be able to reverse his ruling to make him innocent.
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