"Te arropo si no vienes y testificas de mí que soy un Cohein, que soy un levita, que no soy hijo de una divorciada, que no soy hijo de una chalutzah, que ese hombre es un Cohein, que ese hombre es un levita, que no es hijo de una divorciada, que no es hijo de una calutza ", [no son responsables. Porque los testigos no son responsables a menos que nieguen (conociendo el testimonio) sobre algo relacionado con un reclamo monetario.], "Que ese hombre violó o sedujo a la hija de ese hombre" ["su hija" se refiere a "ese hombre es un Cohein, etc." (encima). O puede referirse a la hija del hombre mencionado hasta ahora. No son responsables porque es necesario que ellos (los testigos) lo escuchen del demandante. La Gemara interpreta esto como una instancia de su llegada al poder notarial (harsha'ah). Si fuera un reclamo por otros dineros, serían responsables. Aquí estamos informados de que el que le otorgó la harsha'ah no es considerado como el reclamante mismo, como lo es generalmente. Ya que el dinero reclamado nunca estuvo en su mano (la del demandante), él no puede escribir una harsha'ah sobre ellos.], "Que mi hijo me hirió" [No son responsables, porque si testificaran, él sería responsable a la muerte y no al pago monetario], o "que mi vecino me hirió o prendió fuego a mis gavillas en Shabat", no son responsables [porque ambos son responsables de la muerte y no del pago monetario].
Bartenura on Mishnah Shevuot
שאני כהן – they are exempt, for witnesses are not liable other than when they denied in a mater where there is the claim of money.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Shevuot
Introduction Mishnah seven lists cases where although the person falsely testifies, since the case did not concern money, he is not guilty of a false oath of testimony.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Shevuot
שאנס איש פלוני או פיתה בתו של פלוני – “and his daughter” is taught, regarding a certain individual who is a Kohen who is referred to above, [that is taught above this in the Mishnah that it refers to that a certain individual is a Kohen or a Levite, or is not the son of a divorced woman], or that he made them take an oath that a certain individual raped his daughter of that that same individual that they were speaking of him until now, they are exempt, for we require that they should hear from the mouth of the one making the claim. And in the Gemara (Tractate Shevuot 33b) it establishes it when he comes before the court with a power of attorney, for if it is the monetary claim of another [person], they would be liable, and I comes to tell us that it is not considered the inheritance of the litigant in this like the rest of money [matters], for since it is a monetary [matter] that he is asking about, it never reached his hand at all, he is not able to write a power of attorney upon it.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Shevuot
This mishnah is a contrast to mishnah six. In it a person adjures witnesses to testify in non-monetary cases, or at least in cases in which the one adjuring does not stand to gain money by the testimony.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Shevuot
ושחבל בי בני – injury/mayhem is wounding, they are exempt, for if they testified against him, he would be liable for death and not monetary [restitution].
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Shevuot
"I adjure you that you come and bear testimony for me that I am a priest, or, that I am a levite, or, that I am not the son of a divorced woman, or, that I am not the son of a halutzah; That so-and-so is a priest, or, that so-and-so is a levite, or, that he is not the son of a divorced woman, or, that he is not the son of a halutzah; In all of these cases the testimony is about the status of either the person who adjures the witnesses or about a third party. There is no monetary suit. The son of priest and divorcee or a priest and a halutzah (one rejected by the levir) are considered disqualified priests and they do not retain their priestly status.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Shevuot
ושחבל בי חברי ושהדלק את גדישי בשבת – for both of them are liable for death, and exempt from monetary [restitution].
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Shevuot
That so-and-so violated his daughter, or seduced his daughter; A person who rapes or seduces his own daughter is liable for the death penalty and not for a fine, as is one who rapes or seduces another person's daughter.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Shevuot
That my son injured me; A child who strikes his parent and inflicts a wound is liable for the death penalty. Since he will be executed he is exempt from paying a financial penalty, and therefore this case is not a monetary suit.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Shevuot
That my neighbor injured me, or set fire to my haystack on the Sabbath" [And they deny knowledge of testimony] they are exempt. One who injures another person on the Sabbath or burns a haystack is liable for the death penalty. Although these cases also involve financial damage, since a person cannot be obligated for death and payment for the same act, the criminal would be liable for death and not payment. This is not, therefore, a monetary suit.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Shevuot
Questions for Further Thought: Why might you have thought that these cases were monetary suits?
