Mishnah
Mishnah

Quoting%20commentary for Sanhedrin 6:1

נִגְמַר הַדִּין, מוֹצִיאִין אוֹתוֹ לְסָקְלוֹ. בֵּית הַסְּקִילָה הָיָה חוּץ לְבֵית דִּין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כד) הוֹצֵא אֶת הַמְקַלֵּל. אֶחָד עוֹמֵד עַל פֶּתַח בֵּית דִּין וְהַסּוּדָרִין בְּיָדוֹ, וְאָדָם אֶחָד רוֹכֵב הַסּוּס רָחוֹק מִמֶּנּוּ כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא רוֹאֵהוּ. אוֹמֵר אֶחָד יֶשׁ לִי לְלַמֵּד עָלָיו זְכוּת, הַלָּה מֵנִיף בַּסּוּדָרִין וְהַסּוּס רָץ וּמַעֲמִידוֹ. וַאֲפִלּוּ הוּא אוֹמֵר יֶשׁ לִי לְלַמֵּד עַל עַצְמִי זְכוּת, מַחֲזִירִין אוֹתוֹ אֲפִלּוּ אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה פְעָמִים, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיֵּשׁ מַמָּשׁ בִּדְבָרָיו. מָצְאוּ לוֹ זְכוּת, פְּטָרוּהוּ, וְאִם לָאו, יוֹצֵא לִסָּקֵל. וְכָרוֹז יוֹצֵא לְפָנָיו, אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי בֶּן פְּלוֹנִי יוֹצֵא לִסָּקֵל עַל שֶׁעָבַר עֲבֵרָה פְלוֹנִית, וּפְלוֹנִי וּפְלוֹנִי עֵדָיו, כָּל מִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לוֹ זְכוּת יָבֹא וִילַמֵּד עָלָיו:

When the verdict was reached, he was taken out to be stoned. The stoning site was outside of beth-din [far from beth-din, so that when they were conducting him there something might be found in his defense and he be exonerated], viz. (Leviticus 24:14): "Take the curser outside, etc." One man would stand at the entrance of beth-din with the scarves in his hand [to wave as a sign to return him], and another would ride on a horse (as) far from him as he could (still) see him. If someone says: "I have something to say in his defense," the first waves the scarves and the rider runs and stops (the execution). And even if he says: "I have something to say in my defense," he is returned, even four or five times, so long as there is substance in what he says. [And if there is no substance in what he says, he is returned only the first and second times, on the possibility that his fright had "stopped up" his defense and that he might regain his self-possession and formulate his claims. But he is not returned more than this. And he is provided with two Torah scholars to determine whether there is substance in his words, in which instance he is returned four or five times.] If they found something in his favor, he was acquitted. If not, he is taken out to be stoned. And a crier goes out before him, (proclaiming): "This man is taken out to be stoned because he committed this and this transgression, and so and so are his witnesses" [that he committed this and this transgression at this and this time at this and this place — this, to render them subject to hazamah.]

Explore quoting%20commentary for Sanhedrin 6:1. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.

Full ChapterNext Verse