Mishnah
Mishnah

Commento su Sanhedrin 3:3

וְאֵלּוּ הֵן הַפְּסוּלִין, הַמְשַׂחֵק בְּקֻבְיָא, וְהַמַּלְוֶה בְרִבִּית, וּמַפְרִיחֵי יוֹנִים, וְסוֹחֲרֵי שְׁבִיעִית. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, בִּתְחִלָּה הָיוּ קוֹרִין אוֹתָן אוֹסְפֵי שְׁבִיעִית, מִשֶּׁרַבּוּ הָאַנָּסִין, חָזְרוּ לִקְרוֹתָן סוֹחֲרֵי שְׁבִיעִית. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, אֵימָתַי, בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם אֻמָּנוּת אֶלָּא הִיא, אֲבָל יֵשׁ לָהֶן אֻמָּנוּת שֶׁלֹּא הִיא, כְּשֵׁרִין:

Questi sono quelli che sono invalidati [per giudicare e testimoniare]: Uno che gioca con kuvia (dadi) (vedi Rosh Hashanah 1: 8). [Non è idoneo a testimoniare perché non si impegna "nell'abitazione del mondo". E uno è proibito impegnarsi nel suo mondo in qualsiasi cosa tranne la Torà e la benignità, o nel commercio, nell'artigianato o nel lavoro che conduce all'abitazione del mondo.], Uno che presta interesse [Sia il mutuatario che il creditore sono invalidati, esso essendo stato stabilito che entrambi violano un comandamento negativo], quelli che corrono i piccioni [Alcuni lo comprendono come una forma di gioco d'azzardo, vale a dire: "Se il tuo piccione viene prima del mio piccione, ti darò, ecc."; e alcuni lo capiscono come addestrare i piccioni a "rapire" altri piccioni nella loro colombaia, essendo questo "furto in ragione di (cioè, violazione di)" vie della pace "," e non furto assoluto], e quelli che commercio di (prodotti di) shevi'ith (l'anno sabbatico), [di cui è scritto (Levitico 25: 6): "E il riposo della terra sarà per te da mangiare"—e non per commercio.] R. Shimon disse: All'inizio li chiamavano "i raccoglitori di shevi'ith" [La Gemara interpreta così R. Shimon: All'inizio li chiamavano "i raccoglitori di shevi'ith". Cioè, coloro che hanno raccolto i frutti di Shevi'ith per se stessi non erano idonei a testimoniare, proprio come quelli che commerciavano nei frutti di Shevi'ith.] Con l'aumento degli "estensori" [coloro che hanno requisito la parte del re, ad es. , così tanti e tanti korin di grano ogni anno, così che dovevano raccogliere i prodotti di shevi'ith per riempire la quota del re], tornarono a chiamarli "commercianti in shevi'ith" [cioè, tornarono a dire che "i commercianti" nei soli frutti della Shevi'ith non erano idonei a testimoniare, ma quelli che raccoglievano i prodotti della Shevi'ith per darli al re sono idonei a testimoniare, dal momento che non li raccolgono per conservarli per se stessi . Per quanto riguarda l'halachah: chiunque commetta una trasgressione punibile con la pena di morte giudiziaria, kareth (taglio) o strisce, non è adatto a testimoniare, perché chi ha subito la pena di morte è chiamato "un malfattore", vale a dire. (Numeri 35:31): "... chi è un malfattore (condannato) a morire", così come uno che ha subito delle strisce, vale a dire. (Deuteronomio 25: 2): "E sarà, se soggetto a strisce è il malfattore", ed è scritto (Esodo 23: 1): "Non mettere la mano con un malfattore per essere un falso testimone", che è spiegato: "Non rendere testimone un malfattore". E se riceve strisce, torna alla sua forma fisica, vale a dire. (Deuteronomio 25: 3): "E tuo fratello (nel ricevere le strisce) sarà demolito davanti ai tuoi occhi"—Una volta che è stato colpito, è come tuo fratello. E se ha preso denaro illegalmente, anche se non ha né la pena di morte né le strisce, non è idoneo a testimoniare, ad esempio, un ladro, un ladro e un prestatore di interessi. E se ha preso denaro in violazione di un'ordinanza rabbinica, non è idoneo a testimoniare con ordinanza rabbinica, ad esempio corridori di piccioni e "forzanti", che danno soldi e prendono cose che i proprietari non desiderano vendere, collettori di beneficenza e tasse collezionisti che prendono per se stessi e coloro che accettano la carità dai gentili in pubblico—questi e altri simili non sono idonei a testimoniare con ordinanza rabbinica. E la loro testimonianza non è invalida fino a quando non vengono esposte e rese pubbliche; ma coloro che non sono idonei a testimoniare secondo la legge della Torah non devono essere così esposti. E tutti coloro che non sono idonei a testimoniare, sia per la legge della Torah che per l'ordinanza rabbinica, se si può accertare che si sono completamente pentiti, e hanno restituito il denaro che hanno preso illegalmente, e hanno creato una "barriera" per se stessi nella questione in cui hanno peccato, per non ripeterlo, tornano al loro stato di salute. E quelli che giocano con la kuvia, anche se non sono colpevoli di furto nemmeno per ordinanza rabbinica, non sono in grado di testimoniare, perché non si impegnano nell' "abitazione del mondo" e non hanno paura del Cielo. E (sono quindi inadatti) solo quando non hanno alcuna occupazione se non quella, secondo R. Yehudah (sotto). E questa è l'halachah. E quando sono considerati pentiti? Quando rompono i loro dadi e si sfidano a non giocare nemmeno gratis.] R. Yehudah ha detto: Quando (sono inadatti a testimoniare)? Quando non hanno altra occupazione se non quella. Ma se hanno un'occupazione aggiuntiva, sono in forma.

Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin

ואלו הן הפסולים – to judge or to testify [as witnesses].
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy

English Explanation of Mishnah Sanhedrin

Introduction Mishnah three lists those people disqualified from testifying and judging.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy

Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin

המשחק בקוביא – is ineligible for testimony because he does not engage in the welfare of the world. For it is forbidden for a person that he should engage himself other than in [the study of] Torah and deeds of lovingkindness, or in business and crafts or work which have [as its purpose] the welfare of the world.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy

English Explanation of Mishnah Sanhedrin

And these are they which are not qualified [to be witnesses or judges]:
A dice player, a usurer, pigeon racers, or traffickers in Seventh Year produce. Rabbi Shimon said: “In the beginning they called them ‘gatherers’ of Seventh Year produce, but after the oppressors grew many they changed this and called them ‘traffickers’ of Seventh Year produce.” Rabbi Judah said: “This applies only if they have no other trade, but if they have some other trade other than that, they are not disqualified.”
There are four types of people who are disqualified from acting as witnesses or judges: 1) The first is a dice player, in other words a gambler. Such a person cannot testify since he is known to be a liar, especially with regards to monetary matters. Another reason is that he doesn’t participate constructively in building society. 2) A usurer. He is also probably considered to not be trustworthy in monetary matters. 3) A pigeon racer. Racing pigeons was a form of gambling. 4) Those who sell produce grown during the Seventh Year. According to Lev. 25:5-7 produce grown in the fields during the Seventh Year may be eaten by its owners, but it may not be sold. One who therefore sells Seventh Year produce is engaging in forbidden business practices which according to our mishnah make him not trustworthy to testify or act as a judge. Rabbi Shimon points out that this law actually was different in an earlier period. According to Rabbi Shimon at first the law was stricter and forbade even those who gathered Seventh Year produce from testifying or judging. Although eating from the fields was permitted, a person who gathered the produce was suspected of later selling it, which was prohibited. Therefore, they originally forbade even those who gathered Seventh Year produce from testifying. However, once the oppressors grew too many they relaxed the prohibition. In the Talmud it is explained that the “oppressors” refers to the Roman government which demanded taxes from the produce grown on the land, even during the Seventh Year. The Rabbis therefore permitted a person to gather his produce and give it for taxes. When this happened they decided to allow people who gathered Seventh Year produce to testify. Rabbi Judah adds an important qualification on those who are prohibited from testifying. These people are disallowed to testify only if they have no other profession. If gambling or racing pigeons was only a hobby or an irregular activity they could still act as witnesses or as judges.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy

Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin

ומלוה בריבית – both the borrower and the lender are ineligible, and we hold that both the lender and the borrower violate a negative commandment.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy

English Explanation of Mishnah Sanhedrin

Questions for Further Thought:
• What is the reasoning behind Rabbi Judah’s opinion?
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy

Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin

ומפריחי יונים – there are those who explain this – as one of a kind of game/competition: “If yuour dove will come before my dove, I will give you such and such.” And there those who explain this as one who raises doves who know how to bring [other] doves to the house of its master against their will. And there is in this theft because of the ways of peace, but not complete theft.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy

Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin

וסוחרי שביעית – who do business with seventh year produce, and the Torah stated: (Leviticus 25:6): “But you may eat whatever the land during its sabbath will produce...,” but not for business.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy

Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin

רבי שמעון אומר: – In the Gemara, it explains this matter of Rabbi Shimon as such: At first, they would call them “people who collect seventh-year produce for themselves,” who were ineligible for testimony, just like those who engaged in the business of seventh-year produce.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy

Bartenura on Mishnah Sanhedrin

משרבו האנסין – those who request portions of the King – such and such Korim of grain in each year. And they needed to gather the grain of the seventh year to pay off from it the portions of the king. And they went back to call only those who do business with grain of the seventh year are ineligible [to serve testify] but those who collect grain of the seventh year to give to the king are valid for testimony, and since they don’t collect it to store for themselves. But with regard to Halakhic decision-making, whomever transgressed a sin which makes him liable for death by the Jewish court or extirpation or flogging, is ineligible for testimony. And those liable for death are called רשע/wicked, as it is written (Numbers 35:31): “[You shall not accept a ransom for the life of a person] who is guilty of a capital crime; [he must be put to death].” And regarding those who are liable for flogging, it is written (Deuteronomy 25:2): “And if the guilty one is to be flogged…” And the Torah stated (Exodus 23:10): “You shall not join hands with the guilty to act as a malicious witness.” And the Rabbis expound on “You shall not join guilty hands.” And if he is flogged, he returns to his validity [as a witness], as it is written (Deuteronomy 25:3): “Your brother be degraded before your eyes.” Since he was flogged, he is like your brother. And if he took money, not according to the law, even though he is not liable by it for death or flogging, he ineligible for testimony, such as a thief and a robber and one who lends at interest. But if he took monies which have a Rabbinical prohibition, he is Rabbinically ineligible for testimony, such as those who are dove-racers (i.e., pigeon-racers), and an extortioner who gave money and took an object that the owners did not want to sell, and the which the tax-collectors and the customs collectors , who took it for themselves, and those who receive tzedakah in public from the heathens, these and those like them are Rabbinically ineligible for testimony. And their testimony is not nullified until they announce about them and make them public knowledge. But those who are ineligible to testify from the Torah do not require announcement, and all who are ineligible to testify whether from the Torah or from their words (i.e., the Rabbis), if it is known from their affairs that they completely repented and the monies that they took illegally were returned and that they made a fence and a partition (i.e., a guard against transgressing the law) for themselves in that matter where they had sinned so that they would not add to do this any further; behold, these returned to the validity [for testimony]. But those who are dice players, even though there is now theft, even from their words (i.e., the Rabbis), they are ineligible for testimony, because they do not engage in the welfare of the world and lack the fear of heaven. And especially because they have no work or craft other than this, according to the words of Rabbi Yehuda. And this is the Halakha. And when is their return? When they break their dice and accept upon themselves that even for free they should not do this.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Versetto precedenteCapitolo completoVersetto successivo