Sanhedrin 4

אֶחָד דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת וְאֶחָד דִּינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת, בִּדְרִישָׁה וּבַחֲקִירָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כד) מִשְׁפַּט אֶחָד יִהְיֶה לָכֶם. מַה בֵּין דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת לְדִינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת. דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה, וְדִינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת בְּעֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה. דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת פּוֹתְחִין בֵּין לִזְכוּת בֵּין לְחוֹבָה, וְדִינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת פּוֹתְחִין לִזְכוּת וְאֵין פּוֹתְחִין לְחוֹבָה. דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת מַטִּין עַל פִּי אֶחָד בֵּין לִזְכוּת בֵּין לְחוֹבָה, וְדִינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת מַטִּין עַל פִּי אֶחָד לִזְכוּת וְעַל פִּי שְׁנַיִם לְחוֹבָה. דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת מַחֲזִירִין בֵּין לִזְכוּת בֵּין לְחוֹבָה, דִּינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת מַחֲזִירִין לִזְכוּת וְאֵין מַחֲזִירִין לְחוֹבָה. דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת הַכֹּל מְלַמְּדִין זְכוּת וְחוֹבָה, דִּינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת הַכֹּל מְלַמְּדִין זְכוּת וְאֵין הַכֹּל מְלַמְּדִין חוֹבָה. דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת הַמְלַמֵּד חוֹבָה מְלַמֵּד זְכוּת וְהַמְלַמֵּד זְכוּת מְלַמֵּד חוֹבָה, דִּינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת הַמְלַמֵּד חוֹבָה מְלַמֵּד זְכוּת, אֲבָל הַמְלַמֵּד זְכוּת אֵין יָכוֹל לַחֲזֹר וּלְלַמֵּד חוֹבָה. דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת דָּנִין בַּיּוֹם וְגוֹמְרִין בַּלַּיְלָה, דִּינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת דָּנִין בַּיּוֹם וְגוֹמְרִין בַּיּוֹם. דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת גּוֹמְרִין בּוֹ בַיּוֹם בֵּין לִזְכוּת בֵּין לְחוֹבָה, דִּינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת גּוֹמְרִין בּוֹ בַיּוֹם לִזְכוּת וּבְיוֹם שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו לְחוֹבָה, לְפִיכָךְ אֵין דָּנִין לֹא בְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת וְלֹא בְעֶרֶב יוֹם טוֹב:

Both monetary litigations and capital cases require thorough cross-examination (of the witnesses), it being written (Leviticus 24:22): "One judgment shall there be for you." [And, in respect to capital cases it is written (Deuteronomy 13:15): "And you shall inquire and you shall search out." This is the law of the Torah. But the sages prescribed that the cross-examination not be drawn out in monetary litigations so that the door not be closed to loans (unless beth-din sense deceit). "Cross-examination" (drishah uchakirah) is on the issue itself, e.g., How much was lent? When was it lent? How was it lent? Where was it lent? And there is another line of questioning called "examination" (bedikah) not on the issue itself, e.g., What was he wearing? Were his clothes black or white? Was he standing or sitting when he lent him?] What is the difference between monetary litigations and capital cases. Monetary litigations (are judged) by three; capital cases, by twenty-three. [Deliberations in] monetary cases are opened either for non-liability or for liability. Capital cases are opened for acquittal and not for indictment. Monetary judgments are decided by (a majority of) one, both for non-liability or for liability. Capital cases are decided by one for acquittal, and by two, for liability. [Rulings found to be mistaken in] monetary cases are overturned both for non-liability and for liability. Capital cases are overturned for acquittal, but not for indictment. (In) monetary litigations all can register a plea for non-liability or for liability. (In) capital cases, all can register a plea for acquittal, but not for indictment. [If one of the disciples says: "I have something to say for indictment," he is not heeded.] (In) monetary litigations the one (i.e., the judge) who argues for liability can (retract and) argue for non-liability, and the one who argues for non-liability can argue for liability. (In) capital cases, the one who argues for indictment can argue for acquittal, but the one who argues for acquittal cannot retract and argue for indictment. Monetary litigations are adjudicated in the daytime and concluded (even) at night. [viz. (Exodus 18:22): "And they shall judge the people at every time," and (Deuteronomy 21:16): "And it shall be on the day he causes his sons to inherit!" How so? The day for the beginning of the judgment; the night for its conclusion.] Capital cases are adjudicated in the daytime and concluded in the daytime, [it being written (Numbers 25:4): "And hang them up for the L rd against the sun."] Monetary cases are concluded on the day (of their adjudication) both for non-liability and for liability. Capital cases are concluded on the day (of their adjudication) for acquittal, and on the day afterwards for indictment, [viz. (Isaiah 1:21): "She (Jerusalem) that was full of justice, where righteousness would lie over (i.e., where the judges would wait until the next day, hoping to find the defendant righteous) — now (they are) murderers!" (i.e., they indict on the day of adjudication.)] Therefore, they (capital cases) are not adjudicated on the eve of a Sabbath or of a festival. [ For its conclusion would then be on the Sabbath. And it (the conclusion) cannot be left until after the Sabbath because of "affliction (i.e., delay) of judgment." And to judge (i.e., to execute) him on the Sabbath is also not possible, for the four judicial death penalties do not override the Sabbath, it being written (Exodus 35:3): "You shall not light a fire in all of your dwellings on the day of the Sabbath" — to teach that those liable to burning are not burned on the Sabbath. The same applies to the other judicial death penalties.]

דִּינֵי הַטֻּמְאוֹת וְהַטָּהֳרוֹת מַתְחִילִין מִן הַגָּדוֹל, דִּינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת מַתְחִילִין מִן הַצָּד. הַכֹּל כְּשֵׁרִין לָדוּן דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת וְאֵין הַכֹּל כְּשֵׁרִין לָדוּן דִּינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת, אֶלָּא כֹהֲנִים, לְוִיִּם, וְיִשְׂרְאֵלִים הַמַּשִּׂיאִין לַכְּהֻנָּה:

Cases of (ritual) uncleanliness and cleanliness begin from the senior (judge). Capital cases begin from the side [i.e., from those lesser in wisdom, who sat at the side, it being written (Exodus 23:2): "Do not answer upon riv (written "rav") to deviate." That is, do not answer after the elect one in beth-din, to deviate from his words. For this reason, his words are heard only at the end.] All are kasher to adjudicate monetary litigations, [even a proselyte, if his mother were a Jewess. And a mamzer, too, is kasher to adjudicate monetary litigations.] But not all are kasher to adjudicate capital cases, but only Cohanim, Levites, and Israelites who can marry into the priesthood, [it being written (Exodus 18:22): "And let them lighten your burden and bear with you (Moses)" — they must be like you. Just as Moses our teacher was "pedigreed," so beth-din must be pedigreed.]

סַנְהֶדְרִין הָיְתָה כַּחֲצִי גֹרֶן עֲגֻלָּה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהוּ רוֹאִין זֶה אֶת זֶה. וּשְׁנֵי סוֹפְרֵי הַדַּיָּנִין עוֹמְדִין לִפְנֵיהֶם, אֶחָד מִיָּמִין וְאֶחָד מִשְּׂמֹאל, וְכוֹתְבִין דִּבְרֵי הַמְזַכִּין וְדִבְרֵי הַמְחַיְּבִין. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, שְׁלֹשָׁה, אֶחָד כּוֹתֵב דִּבְרֵי הַמְזַכִּין, וְאֶחָד כּוֹתֵב דִּבְרֵי הַמְחַיְּבִין, וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי כוֹתֵב דִּבְרֵי הַמְזַכִּין וְדִבְרֵי הַמְחַיְּבִין:

Sanhedrin sat in a semi-circle, so that they could see each other, [it being written (Songs of Songs 7:3): "Your navel is like the basin of the moon (sahar)": "Your navel is like the basin (agan)" — this is Sanhedrin, which sits in the center of the world (the Temple site) and defends (maginah - similar to "agan") the entire world. And it is like the moon in that it sits in a circle like a half moon. (The Targum of moon is "sihara.") And they do not sit in a full circle because the litigants and the witnesses must come in and speak before all of them.] And two court scribes stood before them, one on the right; the other on the left, and they wrote down the words of the acquitters and the words of the indicters. R. Yehudah says: (There were) three. One wrote the words of the acquitters; another, the words of the indicters; and a third, the words of the acquitters and the words of the indicters, [so that there be two witnesses for the acquitters and two for the indicters. The halachah is not in accordance with R. Yehudah.]

וְשָׁלֹשׁ שׁוּרוֹת שֶׁל תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים יוֹשְׁבִין לִפְנֵיהֶם, כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מַכִּיר אֶת מְקוֹמוֹ. הָיוּ צְרִיכִין לִסְמֹךְ, סוֹמְכִין מִן הָרִאשׁוֹנָה. אֶחָד מִן הַשְּׁנִיָּה בָּא לוֹ לָרִאשׁוֹנָה וְאֶחָד מִן הַשְּׁלִישִׁית בָּא לוֹ לַשְּׁנִיָּה, וּבוֹרְרִין לָהֶן עוֹד אֶחָד מִן הַקָּהָל וּמוֹשִׁיבִין אוֹתוֹ בַשְּׁלִישִׁית. וְלֹא הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בִּמְקוֹמוֹ שֶׁל רִאשׁוֹן, אֶלָּא יוֹשֵׁב בְּמָקוֹם הָרָאוּי לוֹ:

And three rows of Torah scholars sat before them. [There were twenty-three in each row, lest the judges be split, the majority (i.e., a majority of one) indicting, and a minority acquitting, and "inclination for ill" is not with one, viz. (Exodus 23:2): "Do not be after many for ill," so that two must be added, until seventy-one, that number never being exceeded. Therefore, forty-eight (Torah scholars) must be added for the complement of seventy-one. And because it is not respectful to make a row of Torah scholars more numerous than the judges, three rows are made.] And each of them knew his place. [For they were seated in order of their wisdom, so that each one had to know his place.] If they had to ordain (one as a judge) [as when one of the judges died], they would do so from the first (row). One from the second (row) would come to the first, and one from the third would come to the second. And they would pick another one from the congregation and seat him in the third (row). He would not sit in the place of the first, but in the place fit for him, [at the end of the third row. For the least of the scholars in the rows was greater than the greatest of the congregation.]

כֵּיצַד מְאַיְּמִין אֶת הָעֵדִים עַל עֵדֵי נְפָשׁוֹת, הָיוּ מַכְנִיסִין אוֹתָן וּמְאַיְּמִין עֲלֵיהֶן. שֶׁמָּא תֹאמְרוּ מֵאֹמֶד, וּמִשְּׁמוּעָה, עֵד מִפִּי עֵד וּמִפִּי אָדָם נֶאֱמָן שָׁמַעְנוּ, אוֹ שֶׁמָּא אִי אַתֶּם יוֹדְעִין שֶׁסּוֹפֵנוּ לִבְדֹּק אֶתְכֶם בִּדְרִישָׁה וּבַחֲקִירָה. הֱווּ יוֹדְעִין שֶׁלֹּא כְדִינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת דִּינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת. דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת, אָדָם נוֹתֵן מָמוֹן וּמִתְכַּפֵּר לוֹ. דִּינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת, דָּמוֹ וְדַם זַרְעִיּוֹתָיו תְּלוּיִין בּוֹ עַד סוֹף הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בְקַיִן שֶׁהָרַג אֶת אָחִיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ד) דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ צֹעֲקִים, אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר דַּם אָחִיךָ אֶלָּא דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ, דָּמוֹ וְדַם זַרְעִיּוֹתָיו. דָּבָר אַחֵר, דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ, שֶׁהָיָה דָמוֹ מֻשְׁלָךְ עַל הָעֵצִים וְעַל הָאֲבָנִים. לְפִיכָךְ נִבְרָא אָדָם יְחִידִי, לְלַמֶּדְךָ, שֶׁכָּל הַמְאַבֵּד נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ אִבֵּד עוֹלָם מָלֵא. וְכָל הַמְקַיֵּם נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ קִיֵּם עוֹלָם מָלֵא. וּמִפְּנֵי שְׁלוֹם הַבְּרִיּוֹת, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ אַבָּא גָדוֹל מֵאָבִיךָ. וְשֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ מִינִין אוֹמְרִים, הַרְבֵּה רָשֻׁיּוֹת בַּשָּׁמָיִם. וּלְהַגִּיד גְּדֻלָּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁאָדָם טוֹבֵעַ כַּמָּה מַטְבְּעוֹת בְּחוֹתָם אֶחָד וְכֻלָּן דּוֹמִין זֶה לָזֶה, וּמֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא טָבַע כָּל אָדָם בְּחוֹתָמוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן וְאֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶן דּוֹמֶה לַחֲבֵרוֹ. לְפִיכָךְ כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד חַיָּב לוֹמַר, בִּשְׁבִילִי נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם. וְשֶׁמָּא תֹאמְרוּ מַה לָּנוּ וְלַצָּרָה הַזֹּאת, וַהֲלֹא כְבָר נֶאֱמַר (ויקרא ה) וְהוּא עֵד אוֹ רָאָה אוֹ יָדָע אִם לוֹא יַגִּיד וְגוֹ'. וְשֶׁמָּא תֹאמְרוּ מַה לָּנוּ לָחוּב בְּדָמוֹ שֶׁל זֶה, וַהֲלֹא כְבָר נֶאֱמַר (משלי יא) וּבַאֲבֹד רְשָׁעִים רִנָּה:

How are the witnesses intimidated [not to testify falsely] in capital cases? They would bring them in and intimidate them, viz.: Can it be that you are testifying (illegally) by conjecture or through hearsay, "witness from witness" (and not from direct observation), or (even) from a reliable person? Can it be that you do not know that we are going to cross-examine you thoroughly? Know that capital cases are not like monetary litigations. In monetary litigations, [where one testifies falsely to make another financially liable], he makes financial restitution and he is forgiven; but in capital cases, his (victim's) blood and the blood of his (unborn) descendants are on his head until the end of time. For thus do we find with Cain, who killed his brother, viz. (Genesis 4:10): "The voice of your brother's bloods cries out to Me": It is not written "your brother's blood," but "your brother's bloods" — his blood and the blood of his children. (Another interpretation: "your brother's bloods" — his blood was bespattered on trees and stones). It is for this reason that man was created singly [to show that the entire world proceeded from one man] — in order to teach that if one causes a single Jewish soul to go lost, Scripture accounts it to him as if had caused an entire world to go lost; and if one sustains a single Jewish soul, Scripture accounts it to him as if he had sustained an entire world. And (man was created singly) for the fostering of peace, that one not say to his neighbor: "My father (i.e., my original ancestor) was greater than yours," and that the heretics not say: "There are many deities in heaven," [each creating man in its own image], and to declare the greatness of the Holy One Blessed be He; for man mints many coins from one die, and they are all the same, but the King of kings, the Holy One Blessed be He, mints every man from the die of the first man, and none of them is the same as his neighbor — for which reason every man must say: "For my sake was the world created!" And lest you (the witnesses) say: "What need have we of this trouble!" [to enter into this worry (by testifying) even truthfully] — Is it not already written (Leviticus 5:1): "And he is a witness, or saw, or knew — if he does not tell, then he shall bear his sin!" [so that you must testify to what you have seen.] And lest you say: "Why have this one's (the defendant's) blood on our head?" [i.e., It is better to stand in (violation of) "if he does not tell"] — it is already written (Proverbs 11:10): "In the destruction of the wicked is joy," [so that if he is wicked, there is no sin (in testifying against him) at all.]