Vayedaber

וְכֹל לִישָּׁנֵי דְּבֵי דִינָא, וְלָא הֲוָה כְּתִב בַּהּ ''בְּמוֹתַב תְּלָתָא הֲוֵינָא וְחַד לֵיתוֹהִי''.

Traduction

and all of the formulations of an enactment of the court were written in it. But only two were signed on it, and the following statement was not written in it: We were convened in a session of three judges, and one of the judges is no longer here, as he died or left for another reason. There was therefore room for concern that perhaps there were only two witnesses, and they wrote the document of admission improperly.

Rachi non traduit

וכל לישני דבי דינא. כל דבריהם היו כתובין בלשון ב''ד ולא היו חתומין אלא שנים:

ולא הוה כתיב ביה במותב תלתא הוינא וחד ליתוהי. כדמצרכינן בכתובות (דף כב.) בשלשה שישבו לקיים את השטר ומת אחד מהם:

סְבַר רָבִינָא לְמֵימַר: הַיְינוּ דְּרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב נָתָן בַּר אַמֵּי: הָכִי אָמְרִינַן מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרָבָא, כֹּל כִּי הַאי גַוְונָא חָיְישִׁינַן לְבֵית דִּין טוֹעִין.

Traduction

Ravina thought to say that this is a case in which the principle of Reish Lakish, that witnesses do not sign a document unless the action was performed appropriately, applies. Rav Natan bar Ami said to him: This is what we say in the name of Rava: In any cases like this, we are concerned for the possibility of an erroneous court that thinks that two constitute a court.

Rachi non traduit

היינו דריש לקיש. דאמר חזקה אין ב''ד כותבין שטר אלא כדת וכהלכה והני וודאי תלתא הוו:

לבית דין טועין. סבורין שיהו שנים כשרים לדון:

אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: אִי כְּתִב בַּהּ ''בֵּי דִינָא'', תּוּ לָא צְרִיךְ.

Traduction

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: If it was written in the document: We, the members of the court, convened, it is unnecessary for the deed to further state that one of the judges is no longer there, as a standard court consists of three judges.

Rachi non traduit

בי דינא. הכל יודעין שאין שנים קרוים ב''ד:

וְדִילְמָא בֵּית דִּין חָצוּף הוּא? דְּאָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: שְׁנַיִם שֶׁדָּנוּ, דִּינֵיהֶן דִּין, אֶלָּא שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בֵּית דִּין חָצוּף. דִּכְתִב בַּיהּ: ''בֵּי דִינָא דְּרַבְנָא אָשֵׁי''.

Traduction

The Gemara asks: But perhaps it was an impudent court, as Shmuel says: With regard to two judges who convened a tribunal and judged, their verdict is a binding verdict; but because they contravened the rabbinic ordinance mandating that a court must be composed of three judges, they are called an impudent court. The Gemara answers: It was a document in which it was written: We, the members of the court of Rabbana Ashi, convened. Rav Ashi’s court presumably conformed to rabbinic protocol.

Rachi non traduit

בי דינא דרבנא אשי. דאינהו ודאי ידעי שאין ב''ד קרויין בשנים:

וְדִילְמָא רַבָּנַן דְּבֵי רַב אָשֵׁי כִּשְׁמוּאֵל סְבִירָא לְהוּ? דִּכְתִיב בַּהּ: ''וַאֲמַרְנָא לֵיהּ לְרַבַּנָא אָשֵׁי'', ''וַאֲמַר לַן רַבַּנָא אָשֵׁי.''

Traduction

The Gemara asks: But perhaps the Sages of the court of Rav Ashi hold like Shmuel, that the verdict of two judges is binding, and they convened an impudent court. The Gemara answers: It is a document in which it is written: And we said to Rabbana Ashi, and Rabbana Ashi said to us. Rav Ashi himself certainly would not have participated in the discussions of an impudent court.

Rachi non traduit

ואמר לן רבנא אשי. לכתוב כך דכיון דהוא היה שם מסתמא לא צוה לפחות משלשה לכתוב והאי דנקט רב אשי לפי שבית דינו היה ראש בימי רבינא ושניהם סידרו גמרא של תלמוד בבלי כדאמרינן התם (בהשוכר את הפועלים דף פו.) רב אשי ורבינא סוף הוראה ובימיו נאמרו דברים הללו והוקבעו בגמרא:

Tossefoth non traduit

ודילמא רבנן דבי רב אשי כשמואל ס''ל. כשמואל קי''ל כדפיר' בריש מכילתין (דף ג:) וה''פ כשמואל בעלמא ס''ל באודיתא שכתבו בהודאה בשנים בלא קנין ובזה אין הלכה כמותו כדאמר לעיל הודה בפני שנים קנו מידו כותבין ואם לאו אין כותבין:

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן, אָמַר לָהֶן אֶחָד: אֲנִי רָאִיתִי אֲבִיכֶם שֶׁהִטְמִין מָעוֹת בְּשִׁידָּה, תֵּיבָה, וּמִגְדָּל, וְאָמַר ''שֶׁל פְּלוֹנִי הֵן'', ''שֶׁל מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי הֵן'' – בַּבַּיִת לֹא אָמַר כְּלוּם, בַּשָּׂדֶה דְּבָרָיו קַיָּימִין.

Traduction

§ The Gemara continues its discussion of when an admission is deemed credible. The Sages taught in a baraita: In a case where one said to the children of another: I saw that your father hid money in a chest, box, or cabinet, saying: This money belongs to so-and-so, or: This money is second tithe, and the money was found where he said, the halakha depends on the circumstances. If the chest, box, or cabinet was in the house, the witness has said nothing. His testimony about the status of the money is not accepted, as he is only one witness, and he could not have taken the money for himself had he wanted to. But if it was in the field, his statement stands, i.e., is accepted.

Rachi non traduit

בבית לא אמר כלום. אינו נאמן לפי שאין בידו ליטלן:

בשדה דבריו קיימין. דמה לו לשקר אם רוצה נוטלן ונותנן לאותו שהוא מעיד עליו:

כְּלָלוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר: כֹּל שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ לִיטְּלָן – דְּבָרָיו קַיָּימִין; אֵין בְּיָדוֹ לִיטְּלָן – לֹא אָמַר כְּלוּם.

Traduction

The principle of the matter is as follows: In any case where it is in the power of the witness to take the money, his statement stands; if it is not in his power to take the money, he has said nothing.

Tossefoth non traduit

כל שאין בידו. ליכא למימר דלהמניה במיגו דאי בעי שתיק דאין זה מיגו דאי שתיק מנחי התם ולא יבא ליד פלוני:

הֲרֵי שֶׁרָאוּ אֶת אֲבִיהֶן שֶׁהִטְמִין מָעוֹת בְּשִׁידָּה תֵּיבָה וּמִגְדָּל, וְאָמַר: ''שֶׁל פְּלוֹנִי הֵן'', ''שֶׁל מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי הֵן'' – אִם כְּמוֹסֵר, דְּבָרָיו קַיָּימִין; אִם כְּמַעֲרִים, לֹא אָמַר כְּלוּם.

Traduction

In a case where the children themselves saw that their father hid money in a chest, box, or cabinet, and the father said: This money belongs to so-and-so, or: This money is second tithe, if he said so as one who relays information to his own children, his statement stands. But if he said so as one who employs artifice, i.e., he appears to have told them that the money was not his only so that they would not take it, he has said nothing, and they may spend the money.

Rachi non traduit

אם כמוסר. אם נראה להם כמוסר דבריו לבניו באמת בלשון צוואה:

כמערים. שהוא מתיירא שלא יטלם בחייו או שלא יחזיקוהו כעשיר להוסיף על יציאותיו:

Tossefoth non traduit

ואם כמוסר דבריו קיימין. אין שייך כאן שלא להשביע את בניו:

הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה מִצְטַעֵר עַל מָעוֹת שֶׁהִנִּיחַ לוֹ אָבִיו, וּבָא בַּעַל הַחֲלוֹם וְאָמַר לוֹ: ''כָּךְ וְכָךְ הֵן'', ''בְּמָקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי הֵן'', ''שֶׁל מַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי הֵן''. זֶה הָיָה מַעֲשֶׂה, וְאָמְרוּ: דִּבְרֵי חֲלוֹמוֹת לֹא מַעֲלִין וְלֹא מוֹרִידִין.

Traduction

In a case where one was distressed about money that his father left him as an inheritance, because he could not find it, and the master of the dream, i.e., someone in his dream, came and said to him: It is such and such an amount of money and it is in such and such a place, but the money is second tithe, and he found this amount in the place of which he dreamed; and this was an actual incident that was brought before the Sages, and they said that he can spend the money, as matters appearing in dreams do not make a difference in determining the practical halakha.

Rachi non traduit

שהניח לו אביו. ולא אמר להו היכן הם:

בעל החלום. שר המראה חלומות בלילה:

כך וכך הם. מגיד לו כמה יש:

לא מעלין כו'. ויכול להוציאם במקומן:

שְׁנַיִם אוֹמְרִים זַכַּאי כּוּ'. מִיכְתָּב הֵיכִי כָּתְבִי?

Traduction

§ The mishna teaches that if two judges say the defendant is exempt and one says he is liable, he is exempt. The Gemara asks: When there is a dispute between the judges, how do they write the verdict?

Rachi non traduit

מיכתב היכי כתבינן. פסק דין במקום שיש מחלוקת ונטו אחרי הרבים:

רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: ''זַכַּאי''. רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר: ''פְּלוֹנִי וּפְלוֹנִי מְזַכִּין, וּפְלוֹנִי וּפְלוֹנִי מְחַיְּיבִין''. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אָמַר: ''מִדִּבְרֵיהֶן נִזְדַּכָּה פְּלוֹנִי''.

Traduction

Rabbi Yoḥanan says: They write that he is exempt, without mentioning the dispute. Reish Lakish says that they specify: So-and-so and so-and-so deem him exempt, and so-and-so and so-and-so deem him liable; they must mention that there was a dispute. Rabbi Eliezer says that they do not specify the names of the judges, but rather they add the phrase: From the statement of the judges so-and-so was deemed exempt, to the wording of the verdict. This indicates that not all the judges agreed that he is exempt, but does not specify which judges came to which conclusion.

Rachi non traduit

זכאי. פלוני:

מדבריהם נזדכה. משמע שהיה מחלוקת ביניהם ומתוך דבריהם נזדכה:

מַאי בֵּינַיְיהוּ? אִיכָּא בֵּינַיְיהוּ לְשַׁלּוֹמֵי אִיהוּ מְנָתָא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ, דִּלְמַאן דְּאָמַר ''זַכַּאי'' – מְשַׁלֵּם, וּלְמַאן דְּאָמַר ''פְּלוֹנִי וּפְלוֹנִי מְזַכִּין וּפְלוֹנִי וּפְלוֹנִי מְחַיְּיבִין'' – לָא מְשַׁלֵּם.

Traduction

The Gemara asks: What is the difference between these opinions, besides the wording of the verdict? The Gemara answers: The practical difference between them is with regard to whether or not, in a case where it is discovered that the verdict was erroneous, the judge who was in the minority must pay his portion of restitution along with the judges of the majority. As according to the one who says that they write that he is exempt, the minority judge pays as well, and according to the one who says that they specify: So-and-so and so-and-so deem him exempt, and so-and-so and so-and-so deem him liable, he does not pay.

Rachi non traduit

לשלומי איהו מנתא בהדייהו. אם טעו השנים וחייבין לשלם מביתם פליגי הנך רבנן בדיין השלישי אם ישלם חלקו עמהם:

מאן דאמר זכאי. כתבינן ולא כתבינן פלוגתייהו דקסבר כולם שוין ואף השלישי ישלם עמהם דאי לא הוה איהו בהדייהו בתרי לא הוה מיפסיק דינא:

וּלְמַאן דְּאָמַר ''זַכַּאי'', מְשַׁלֵּם?! לֵימָא לְהוּ: אִי לְדִידִי צָיְיתִיתוּן, אַתּוּן נָמֵי לָא מְשַׁלְּמִיתוּן!

Traduction

The Gemara asks: But according to the one who says that they write that he is exempt, why does he pay? Let him say to the other judges: If you would have listened to me you would not have paid either. Why should I have to pay for your mistake?

אֶלָּא, אִיכָּא בֵּינַיְיהוּ לְשַׁלּוֹמֵי אִינְהוּ מְנָתָא דִּידֵיהּ: לְמַאן דְּאָמַר ''זַכַּאי'' – מְשַׁלְּמִי, לְמַאן דְּאָמַר ''פְּלוֹנִי וּפְלוֹנִי מְזַכִּין וּפְלוֹנִי וּפְלוֹנִי מְחַיְּיבִין'' – לָא מְשַׁלְּמִי.

Traduction

Rather, he does not pay, and the practical difference between the opinions is with regard to whether or not those other judges must pay his portion of the restitution. According to the one who says that they write that he is exempt, they pay the full sum, as they did not mention that there was a dispute over the matter. But according to the one who says that they specify: So-and-so and so-and-so deem him exempt, and so-and-so and so-and-so deem him liable, they do not pay the portion of the overruled judge, and he does not pay it either.

Rachi non traduit

לשלומי אינהו. לבעל הדין חלקו של דיין שלישי:

למאן דאמר פלוני ופלוני מזכין כו' לא משלמי. דלהכי כתבינן פלוגתא בהדיא לאודועי דבתרי נגמר דינא ולא קיבלו עלייהו כולי דינא:

וּלְמַאן דְּאָמַר זַכַּאי, מְשַׁלְּמִי? וְלֵימְרוּ לֵיהּ: אִי לָאו אַתְּ בַּהֲדַן, לָא הֲוָה סָלֵיק דִּינָא מִידֵּי!

Traduction

The Gemara asks: But according to the one who says that they write that he is exempt, why do they pay his portion? Let them say to him: If you had not been with us the judgment would have had no verdict at all, as two judges cannot issue a verdict. Therefore, you share the responsibility with us and should participate in the payment.

אֶלָּא, אִיכָּא בֵּינַיְיהוּ מִשּׁוּם ''לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל בְּעַמֶּיךָ''. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: ''זַכַּאי'' – מִשּׁוּם ''לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל''.

Traduction

Rather, the difference between the opinions is only with regard to the wording of the verdict, and is due to the prohibition of: ''You shall not go as a talebearer among your people'' (Leviticus 19:16). Rabbi Yoḥanan says that they write that he is exempt due to the prohibition of gossip, as derived from the verse: ''You shall not go as a talebearer.''

רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר: ''פְּלוֹנִי וּפְלוֹנִי מְזַכִּין, וּפְלוֹנִי וּפְלוֹנִי מְחַיְּיבִין'' – מִשּׁוּם דְּמִיחֲזֵי כְּשִׁיקְרָא.

Traduction

Reish Lakish says they specify: So-and-so and so-and-so deem him exempt, and so-and-so and so-and-so deem him liable, because otherwise the document would have the appearance of falsehood, as not all the judges deemed him exempt.

Tossefoth non traduit

משום דמחזי כשיקרא. ומשום לא תלך רכיל אין כאן:

וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אִית לֵיהּ דְּמָר, וְאִית לֵיהּ דְּמָר. הִלְכָּךְ, כָּתְבִי הָכִי: ''מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם נִזְדַּכָּה פְּלוֹנִי''.

Traduction

And Rabbi Elazar accepts the opinion of this Sage, Rabbi Yoḥanan, and accepts the opinion of that Sage, Reish Lakish. Therefore, this is what they write: From the statement of the judges, so-and-so was deemed exempt. This wording indicates that the ruling was not based on a consensus among the judges, so that it will not have the appearance of falsehood, but it also does not specify what each judge said, to avoid gossip.

גָּמְרוּ אֶת הַדָּבָר, הָיוּ מַכְנִיסִין כּוּ'. לְמַאן? אִילֵימָא לְבַעֲלֵי דִינִין – הָתָם קָיְימִי! אֶלָּא לְעֵדִים.

Traduction

§ The mishna teaches that after the judges finished the matter and reached a decision, they would bring them in. The Gemara asks: Whom would they bring in? If we say they would bring in the litigants, this cannot be, as they were there the whole time; they never left the room. Rather, they would bring in the witnesses.

Rachi non traduit

התם קיימי. דהא לא קתני מתני' שיוציאום לאחר ששמעו דבריהם:

כְּמַאן? דְּלָא כְּרַבִּי נָתָן, דְּתַנְיָא: לְעוֹלָם אֵין עֵדוּתָן מִצְטָרֶפֶת עַד שֶׁיִּרְאוּ שְׁנֵיהֶן כְּאֶחָד. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה אוֹמֵר: אֲפִילּוּ בָּזֶה אַחַר זֶה.

Traduction

If so, in accordance with whose opinion is the mishna? It is not in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Natan; as it is taught in a baraita: The testimonies of individual witnesses are never combined into a testimony of two witnesses unless the two of them saw the incident transpire together as one. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa says: Their testimonies are combined even in a case where they saw the incident one after the other.

Rachi non traduit

לימא דלא כר' נתן. דהא מתני' קתני דלעיילינהו לסהדי משום דמתחילה כשבדקום שמעו דבריו של זה בלא זה:

עד שיראו שניהם כאחת. את העדות ולקמן יליף טעמא:

וְאֵין עֵדוּתָן מִתְקַיֶּימֶת בְּבֵית דִּין עַד שֶׁיָּעִידוּ שְׁנֵיהֶן כְּאֶחָד. רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: שׁוֹמְעִין דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל זֶה הַיּוֹם, וּכְשֶׁיָּבֹא חֲבֵירוֹ לְמָחָר שׁוֹמְעִין אֶת דְּבָרָיו.

Traduction

The baraita continues: And furthermore, their testimony does not stand in court unless the two of them testify together as one. Rabbi Natan says: They need not testify together. Rather, their testimonies are combined even if the judges hear the statement of this witness today, and when the other witness comes tomorrow the judges hear his statement. The mishna, by contrast, indicates that the verdict must be given with the two witnesses present together.

Rachi non traduit

אין עדותן מתקיימת בב''ד. לפסוק הדין על פיהם:

עד שיעידו שניהם כאחת. וסתמא היא ולא ר' יהושע בן קרחה קאמר לה:

לָא, לְעוֹלָם לְבַעֲלֵי דִינִין. וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה הִיא, דְּתַנְיָא: רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר, כָּךְ הָיָה מִנְהָגָן שֶׁל נְקִיֵּי הַדַּעַת שֶׁבִּירוּשָׁלַיִם: מַכְנִיסִין לְבַעֲלֵי דִינִין וְשׁוֹמְעִין דִּבְרֵיהֶן, וּמַכְנִיסִין אֶת הָעֵדִים וְשׁוֹמְעִין דִּבְרֵיהֶם, וּמוֹצִיאִין אוֹתָן לַחוּץ וְנוֹשְׂאִין וְנוֹתְנִין בְּדָבָר. גָּמְרוּ אֶת הַדָּבָר, מַכְנִיסִין אוֹתָן כּוּ'.

Traduction

The Gemara reverses its interpretation of the mishna: No, actually it can be explained that the judges would bring in the litigants; and it is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Neḥemya. As it is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Neḥemya says: This was the custom of the scrupulous people of Jerusalem: When they would judge, they would bring in the litigants and hear their statements, and then they would bring in the witnesses and hear their statements in the presence of the litigants, and then they would take them all outside of the courtroom and discuss the matter in their absence. Once they finished the matter they would bring them, i.e., the litigants, in, to hear their verdict.

Rachi non traduit

ור' נחמיה היא. דאמר בשעת משא ומתן הוו מפקי להו לבעלי דינים:

וְהָתַנְיָא: גָּמְרוּ אֶת הַדָּבָר, מַכְנִיסִין אֶת הָעֵדִים! הָהִיא דְּלָא כְּרַבִּי נָתָן.

Traduction

The Gemara asks: But isn’t it taught in a baraita explicitly: When they finished the matter they would bring in the witnesses? The Gemara answers: That baraita is certainly not in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Natan.

גּוּפָא: לְעוֹלָם אֵין עֵדוּתָן מִצְטָרֶפֶת עַד שֶׁיִּרְאוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם כְּאֶחָד. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה אוֹמֵר: אֲפִילּוּ בָּזֶה אַחַר זֶה. בְּמַאי קָמִיפַּלְגִי? אִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא קְרָא, וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא סְבָרָא.

Traduction

§ The Gemara discusses the matter itself: The testimonies of individual witnesses are never combined into a testimony of two witnesses unless the two of them saw the incident transpire together as one. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa says: Their testimonies are combined even in a case where they saw the incident one after the other. The Gemara asks: With regard to what do they disagree? The Gemara answers: If you wish, say that they disagree with regard to the interpretation of a verse, and if you wish, say that they disagree with regard to logical reasoning.

Rachi non traduit

במאי קמיפלגי. ת''ק ור' יהושע:

אִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא סְבָרָא: אַמָּנֶה דְּקָא מַסְהֵיד הַאי, לָא קָא מַסְהֵיד הַאי, וּמָנֶה דְּקָא מַסְהֵיד הַאי, לָא קָמַסְהֵיד הַאי. וְאִידַּךְ: אַמָּנֶה בְּעָלְמָא תַּרְוַיְיהוּ קָמַסְהֲדִי.

Traduction

The Gemara elaborates: If you wish, say that they disagree with regard to logical reasoning: The first tanna holds that the witnesses must see the incident transpire together, as otherwise, about the one hundred dinars of debt that this one is testifying, that one is not testifying, and about the one hundred dinars that that one is testifying, this one is not testifying. There is only one witness of each incident, which is not sufficient. And the other tanna, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa, holds that since both witnesses are testifying about one hundred dinars in general, the defendant is liable to pay the plaintiff one hundred dinars.

Rachi non traduit

אמנה דקא מסהיד האי כו'. זה אומר בפני הלוהו מנה וזה אומר בפני הלוהו מנה זה לא ראה של זה נמצא שאין כאן עדות שלם במנה אחד:

ואידך. מ''מ תרווייהו מסהדי דמנה קא רשי ביה:

וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא קְרָא, דִּכְתִיב: ''וְהוּא עֵד אוֹ רָאָה אוֹ יָדָע''.

Traduction

And if you wish, say that they disagree with regard to the interpretation of a verse, as it is written: ''And if anyone sins, hearing the voice of adjuration, and he is a witness, whether he has seen or known, if he does not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity'' (Leviticus 5:1).

Rachi non traduit

והוא עד. והאי קרא בשני עדים משתעי לגבי קרבן שבועת העדות דאילו השביע עד אחד ולא העידו פטור:

וְתַנְיָא: מִמַּשְׁמַע שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ''לֹא יָקוּם עֵד'' – אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהוּא אֶחָד? מָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ''אֶחָד''?

Traduction

The Gemara explains: And it is taught in a baraita with regard to the verse: ''One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sins; at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established'' (Deuteronomy 19:15); by inference, from that which is stated in the verse: A witness shall not rise up against a man, even without the word ''one,'' do I not know that it is referring to one witness? After all, the verse is written in the singular. Therefore, what is the meaning when the verse states explicitly: ''One witness''?

Rachi non traduit

דתניא ממשמע שנאמר כו'. עד אחד משמע:

זֶה בָּנָה אָב: כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ''עֵד'' – הֲרֵי כָּאן שְׁנַיִם, עַד שֶׁיִּפְרֹט לְךָ הַכָּתוּב ''אֶחָד''.

Traduction

This established a paradigm, a basis for the principle that in every place in the Torah where the word ''witness'' is stated, it means that there are two witnesses, unless the verse specifies for you that it is referring to only one witness.

וְאַפְּקֵיהּ רַחֲמָנָא בִּלְשׁוֹן חַד, לְמֵימַר: עַד דְּחָזוּ תַּרְוַויְיהוּ כְּחַד. וְאִידַּךְ, ''וְהוּא עֵד אוֹ רָאָה אוֹ יָדָע'' – מִכָּל מָקוֹם.

Traduction

And according to the first tanna, the Merciful One expresses it in the singular form, i.e., ''witness'' and not ''witnesses,'' to say that they are not combined into a testimony of two witnesses unless the two of them saw the incident transpire together as one. And the other tanna, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa, derives from the phrase: ''And he is a witness, whether he has seen or known,'' that in any case where one testifies about what he sees and knows, his testimony is valid.

Rachi non traduit

ואפקיה רחמנא בלשון חד. דכתיב והוא עד:

וְאֵין עֵדוּתָן מִתְקַיֶּימֶת בְּבֵית דִּין עַד שֶׁיָּעִידוּ שְׁנֵיהֶן כְּאֶחָד. רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: שׁוֹמְעִין דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל זֶה הַיּוֹם, וּכְשֶׁיָּבֹא חֲבֵירוֹ לְמָחָר שׁוֹמְעִין דְּבָרָיו. בְּמַאי קָמִיפַּלְגִי? אִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא סְבָרָא, אִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא קְרָא.

Traduction

The baraita cited above teaches: And furthermore, their testimony does not stand in court unless the two of them testify together as one. Rabbi Natan says: They need not testify together; rather, their testimonies are combined even if the judges hear the statement of this witness today, and when the other witness comes tomorrow the judges hear his statement. The Gemara asks: With regard to what do they disagree? The Gemara answers: If you wish, say that they disagree with regard to logical reasoning, and if you wish, say that they disagree with regard to the interpretation of a verse.

אִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא סְבָרָא: מָר סָבַר, עֵד אֶחָד כִּי אָתֵי – לִשְׁבוּעָה אָתֵי, לְמָמוֹנָא לָא אָתֵי.

Traduction

The Gemara elaborates: If you wish, say that they disagree with regard to logical reasoning, as one Sage, the first tanna, holds that when one witness comes to testify, he comes to render the defendant liable to take an oath. This is the halakha when there is one witness against the defendant in a case of monetary law. He does not come to render the defendant liable to pay money, because for this two witnesses are necessary.

Rachi non traduit

לשבועה אתי. עד אחד אינו מחייבו ממון אלא שבועה הלכך כשהעיד זה יחידי וזה יחידי לא שייכא תורת ממון בעדותן ולא מצרפינן להו דהא לאו לחיוביה ממונא אתו:

וְאִידַּךְ: אַטּוּ כִּי אָתוּ בַּהֲדֵי הֲדָדֵי, בְּחַד פּוּמָּא קָא מַסְהֲדִי? אֶלָּא מְצָרְפִינַן לְהוּ. הָכָא נָמֵי לִיצָרְפִינְהוּ.

Traduction

And the other tanna, Rabbi Natan, responds: Is that to say that when they come together, they render the defendant financially liable because they testify with one mouth? Obviously they testify one after the other. Rather, clearly it is the judges who combine their two testimonies into one. Here too, when the witnesses come to court at different times, let the judges combine their testimonies.

וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא קְרָא: ''אִם לוֹא יַגִּיד וְנָשָׂא עֲוֹנוֹ'',

Traduction

And if you wish, say that they disagree with regard to the interpretation of a verse: ''If he does not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity'' (Leviticus 5:1),