Comentario sobre Sanedrín 5:4
וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַכְנִיסִין אֶת הַשֵּׁנִי וּבוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ. אִם נִמְצְאוּ דִבְרֵיהֶם מְכֻוָּנִין, פּוֹתְחִין בִּזְכוּת. אָמַר אֶחָד מִן הָעֵדִים יֶשׁ לִי לְלַמֵּד עָלָיו זְכוּת, אוֹ אֶחָד מִן הַתַּלְמִידִים יֶשׁ לִי לְלַמֵּד עָלָיו חוֹבָה, מְשַׁתְּקִין אוֹתוֹ. אָמַר אֶחָד מִן הַתַּלְמִידִים יֶשׁ לִי לְלַמֵּד עָלָיו זְכוּת, מַעֲלִין אוֹתוֹ וּמוֹשִׁיבִין אוֹתוֹ בֵינֵיהֶן, וְלֹא הָיָה יוֹרֵד מִשָּׁם כָּל הַיּוֹם כֻּלּוֹ. אִם יֵשׁ מַמָּשׁ בִּדְבָרָיו, שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ. וַאֲפִלּוּ הוּא אוֹמֵר יֶשׁ לִי לְלַמֵּד עַל עַצְמִי זְכוּת, שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיֵּשׁ מַמָּשׁ בִּדְבָרָיו:
Y luego entra el segundo y lo examinan. Si sus palabras coinciden, [de modo que ahora deben deliberar sobre el asunto] se abren con "mérito". ["Si no transgrediste, no temas".] Si uno de los testigos dice: "Tengo algo que decir a su favor", o uno de los discípulos: "Tengo algo que decir contra él", es silenciado. [("Tengo algo que decir a su favor" :) incluso a su favor, y no hace falta decir que es silenciado si él (un testigo) dice: "Tengo algo que decir en su contra", a saber. (Números 35:30): "Y un testigo no testificará"—tanto por absolución como por condena. ("uno de los discípulos" :) sentado ante los jueces. (Si dice :) "Tengo algo que decir contra él", se lo silencia, y está escrito (Ibid.): "No se debe testificar en un hombre que lo mate"— "para matarlo no testifica", pero sí testifica a su favor.] Si uno de los discípulos dijo: "Tengo algo que decir a su favor, lo crían (a los jueces) y lo colocan entre ellos, y no desciende de allí todo el día, [incluso si no hay sustancia en sus palabras; pero si hay sustancia en sus palabras, nunca desciende de allí.] Si hay sustancia en sus palabras, se le presta atención. E incluso si él [el acusado] dice: "Tengo algo que decir a mi favor", se le presta atención, siempre que haya sustancia en sus palabras.
Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin
English Explanation of Mishnah Sanhedrin
If their words were found to agree together they begin [to examine the evidence] in favor of acquittal.
If one of the witnesses said, “I have something to argue in favor of his acquittal”, or if one of the disciples said, “I have something to argue in favor of his conviction”, they silence him.
If one of the disciples said, “I have something to argue in favor of his acquittal”, they bring him up and set him among them and he does not come down from there all day. If there is anything of substance in his words they listen to him. Even if the accused said, “I have something to argue in favor of my acquittal”, they listen to him, provided that there is substance to his words.
Mishnah four deals with the court procedure after the testimony has been presented.
After the second witness is examined, the judges begin to examine the evidence. They first examine evidence that might lead to the accused person’s acquittal. The witnesses are not allowed to testify again, even if they know testimony that might lead to acquittal. The disciples, those students of the Sages who sat in rows in front of the judges, were not allowed to speak in favor of conviction. If, however, one of the students was able to raise a point in favor of acquittal, he would be promoted to one of the judge’s seats and from there he could say what he has to say. Finally, the accused himself may testify on his own behalf, provided his claim has some substantial basis.