Jerusalem Talmud Sotah 9.1

משנה: עֶגְלָה עֲרוּפָה בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקּוֹדֶשׁ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי יִמָּצֵא חָלָל בָּאֲדָמָה וגו׳. וְיָצְאוּ זְקֵנֶיךָ וְשׁוֹפְטֶיךָ. שְׁלֹשָׁה מִבֵּית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבִּירוּשָׁלֵם הָיוּ יוֹצְאִין. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר חֲמִשָּׁה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר זְקֵנֶיךָ שְׁנַיִם וְשׁוֹפְטֶיךָ שְׁנַיִם וְאֵין בֵּית דִּין שָׁקוּל מוֹסִיפִין עֲלֵיהֶן עוֹד אֶחָד.

MISHNAH: [The portion of] the calf whose neck was broken, in the holy language. For it is said: “If a murder victim be found on the land, etc. Then your Elders and judges should go out.” Three from the High Court in Jerusalem had to go out. Rebbi Jehudah says five, since it is written “your Elders”, two, “and your judges”, two. Since no court may have an even number of members, one adds another one.

הלכה: עֶגְלָה עֲרוּפָה כול׳. לֹא מִסְתַּבְּרָא דְלָא וְעָנוּ וְאָמְרוּ בָּא לְהַתְחִיל מִתְּחִילַּת הַפָּרָשָׁה. כִּי יִמָּצֵא. לֹא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהֵן מְצוּיִין. כִּי יִמָּצֵא. לֹא שֶׁתְּהֵא חוֹזֵר וּמְצוֹתֵת עָלָיו. כִּי יִמָּצֵא. אֵין מְצִיאָה בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֶלָּא בְּעֵדִים. לֹא נוֹדַע מִי הִכָּהוּ. הָא אִם נוֹדַע מִי הִכָּהוּ אֲפִילוּ עֶבֶד אֲפִילוּ שִׁפְחָה לֹא הָיוּ עוֹרְפִין. [תַּמָּן אַתְּ אָמַר. אֲפִילוּ עֶבֵד אֲפִילוּ שִׁפְחָה לֹא הָיוּ עוֹרְפִין] וָכָא אַתְּ אָמַר אָכֵין. כָּאן לָהוֹרֵג כָּאן לַנֶּהֱרָג. וְדָא דְאַתְּ אָמַר אֲפִילוּ עֶבֶד אֲפִילוּ שִׁפְחָה לֹא הָיוּ עוֹרְפִין. בְּאוֹתָן שֶׁאָמְרוּ. אִם רוֹאִין אָנוּ אוֹתוֹ מַכִּירִין אָנוּ אוֹתוֹ. אֲבָל בְּאוֹתָן שֶׁאָמְרוּ. אִם רוֹאִין אָנוּ אוֹתוֹ אֵין אָנוּ מַכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ. [לֹא] הָיוּ עוֹרְפִין. דִּכְתִיב וְעֵינֵינוּ לֹא רָאוּ. וַהֲרֵי רָאוּ. מִכָּל מָקוֹם.

HALAKHAH: “The calf whose neck was broken,” etc. It is reasonable only from “they begin and say”. He starts from the beginning of the paragraph. “If there be found,” not in a time when they are frequent. “If there be found,” not that you have to search. “If there be found,” finding anywhere is only by witnesses. “It is not known who killed him”, therefore if it was known, even by a male or female slave, one did not break the neck. There, you say, if it was known, even by a male or female slave, one did not break the neck, and here, you say so? One for the killer, one for the victim. And that which you say that if it was known, even by a male or female slave, one did not break the neck, [is it only] if they say that if we see him we will be able to identify him. Even those who say, if we see him we will not be able to identify him, one did not break the neck since it is written: “Our eyes did not see.” But somebody did see!

בֵּית דִּין [שֶׁרָאוּ] אֶת הַהוֹרֵג. אִית תַּנָּיֵי תַנֵּי. יַעַמְדּוּ שְׁנַיִם וְיָעִידוּ לִפְנֵיהֶם. אִית תַּנָּיֵי תַנֵּי. יַעַמְדּוּ כוּלָן וְיָעִידוּ בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן פָּזִי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי זְעִירָא. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהֵן חֲלוּקִין כָּאן כָּךְ הֵן חֲלוּקִים בְּעֵדוּת הַחוֹדֶשׁ.

If the court saw the killer. Some Tannaïm state, two of them should stand up and testify before them. There are Tannaïm who state that they all should go and testify at another place. Rebbi Jehudah ben Pazi in the name of Rebbi Ze‘ira: As they differ here, so they differ about testimony for the New Moon.

רִבִּי יוּדָה בַּר פָּזִי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי זְעִירָא. [חָלָל וְלֹא מְפַרְפֵּר.] חָלָל וְלֹא מְפַרְכֵּס. רָאוּהוּ מְפַרְפֵּר כָּאן וּבָא לְאַחַר זְמָן וְלֹא מְצָאוֹ. אֲנִי אוֹמֵר. נַעֲשׂוּ לֹו נִיסִּים [וְחָיָיה]. רָאוּהוּ מְפַרְכֵּס כָּאן וּבָא וּמְצָאוֹ מֵת בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר. מוֹדְדִין מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁנִּמְצָא. אֲשֶׁר יי אֱלֹהֶיךְ נוֹתֵן לְךָ. פְּרָט לְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ. לְרִשְׁתָּהּ. פְּרָט לִירוּשָׁלֵם שֶׁהִיא לְכָל הַשְּׁבָטִים. וּכְרִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל. דְּרִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אָמַר. כָּל בִּיאוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרוּ בַתּוֹרָה לְאַחַר אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֶה שָׁנָה נֶאֶמְרוּ. שֶׁבַע שֶׁכִּיבְּשׁוּ וְשֶׁבַע שֶׁחִילְּקוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי פִינְחָס בֵּירִבִּי בּוּן. נֹאמַר כָּל אוֹתָן אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֶה שָׁנָה [לֹא הָיוּ עוֹרְפִים. דִּכְתִיב כִּי יִמָּצֵא. לֹא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהֵן מְצוּיִין. וְכָל אוֹתָן אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֶה שָׁנָה מְצוּיִים] הָיוּ.

Rebbi Jehudah bar Pazi in the name of Rebbi Ze‘ira: “A slain one”, not one in convulsions; “a slain one”, not one in death-throes. If one saw him in convulsions and after some time he came back and did not find him, I say that a miracle occurred and he survived. If one saw him in death-throes here and then found him at another place, one measures from the place where he was found. “Which the Eternal, your God, is giving to you,” this excludes places outside the Land. “To inherit it,” this excludes Jerusalem which belongs to all tribes, and following Rebbi Ismael. For Rebbi Ismael said, any “comings” which were said in the Torah mean after fourteen years, seven during which they conquered and seven during which they distributed. Rebbi Phineas ben Rebbi Abun said, we may say that all these fourteen years they were not breaking the neck, for it is written “if there be found,” not in a time when they are frequent. And all these fourteen years they were frequent.

תַּנֵּי. כֵּיצַד הָיוּ עוֹשִׂין. שְׁלוּחֵי בֵית דִּין יוֹצְאִין וּמְלַקְּטִין אֶת סִימָנָיו וְקוֹבְרִים אוֹתוֹ. וּמְצַיְינִין עַל קִבְרוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּצְאוּ בֵית דִּין מִלִּישְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית וְיָמוֹדוּ.

It was stated: How is it done? The emissaries of the court come out, collect all his signs and bury him. They put up a marker on his grave so that the court who come from the stone hall may measure.

מְנַיִין לְצִיּוּן. רִבִּי בְּרֶכְיָה וְרִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר בַּת יַעֲקֹב בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי חוֹנִיָיא דִבְרַת חַוְורָן. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר לָהּ רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אָחָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי חוֹנִיָּא דִבְרַת חַוְורָן. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה רִבִּי עוּזִּיאֵל בְּרֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי חוֹנִיָּה דִבְרַת חַוְורָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי חוֹנִיָיא דִבְרַת חַוְורָן וְטָמֵא טָמֵא יִקְרָא. כְּדֵי שֶׁתְּהֵא טוּמְאָה קוֹרָא לָךְ בְּפִיהָ וְהִיא אוֹמֶרֶת לָךְ. פְּרוֹש. רִבִּי אִילָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן. וְעָבְרוּ הָעוֹבְרִים בָּאָרֶץ וְרָאָה עֶצֶם. מִיכָּן שֶׁמְצַיְינִין עַל הָעֲצָמוֹת. אָדָם מִיכָּן שֶׁמְצַיְינִין עַל הַשִּׁזְרָה וְעַל הַגּוּלְגּוֹלֶת. וּבָנָה. מִיכָּן שֶׁמְצַיְינִין עַל אֶבֶן קְבוּעָה. אִם אוֹמֵר אַתְּ עַל גַּבֵּי אֶבֶן תְּלוּשָׁה. אַף הִיא הוֹלֶכֶת וּמְטַמָּא בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר. אֶצלוֹ. בְּמָקוֹם טָהֳרָה. צִיּוּן. מִיכָּן לְצִיּוּן.

From where about marks? Rebbi Berekhiah, Rebbi Jacob the son of the daughter of Jacob, in the name of Rebbi Onias from Hauran. Rebbi Yose said it in the name of Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Onias from Hauran. Rebbi Ḥizqiah, Rebbi Uziel the son of Rebbi Onias from Hauran in the name of Rebbi Onias from Hauran (Lev. 13:45): “impure, impure, he shall call out;” the impurity itself has to call out and say to you: go away! Rebbi Hila in the name of Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman (Ez. 39:15): “The emissaries shall crisscross the land; if one sees a bone”, from here that one makes markers for bones. A human, from here that one makes markers for spine and skull. He builds, from here that one makes markers on fixed stones. If you say on loose stones, it would move and make other places impure. Near it, on a place of purity. A marker, from here the marks.

מָצָא אֶבֶן מְצוּיֶינֶת. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין מְקַיְימִין כֵּן. הַמַּאֲהִיל עָלֶיהָ טָמֵא. אֲנִי אוֹמֵר מֵת קַמְצוֹץ הָיָה נָתוּן תַּחְתֶּיהָ. הָיוּ שְּׁתַּיִם. הַמַּאֲהִיל עֲלֵיהֶן טָהוֹר. בֵּינֵיהֶן טָמֵא. הָיָה חָרוּשׁ בֵּנְתַיִים. הֲרֵי הֵן כִּיחִידִיּוֹת. בֵּינֵיהֶן טָהוֹר. סְבִיבוֹתֵיהֶן טָמֵא.

If one found a single marked stone, even though one should not keep it so, if somebody forms a tent over it he is impure; I say a compressed corpse was under it. If there were two, he who forms a tent over any one of them is pure; between them he is impure. If between them was a ploughed strip they are single stones, between them the area is pure and around them impure.

תַּנֵּי. אֵין מְצַיְינִין עַל הַבָּשָׂר שֶׁמָּא נִתְאַכֵּל הַבָּשָׂר. רִבִּי יוּסְטֵא בַּר שׁוּנֵם בְּעָא קוֹמֵי רִבִּי מָנָא. לֹא נִמְצָא מְטַמֵּא טַהֲרוֹת לְמַפְרֵעַ. אָמַר לֵיהּ. מוּטָּב שֶּׁיִּתְקַלְקְלוּ בוֹ לְשָּׁעָה וְלֹא יִתְקַלְקְלוּ בוֹ לְעוֹלָם.

It was stated: One does not mark flesh, for perhaps it will decompose. Rebbi Justus bar Shunem asked before Rebbi Mana: Will that not cause pure foods to be retroactively made impure? He said to him, it is better that these should become unusable for a limited time than that [the earth] become unusable forever.

תַּמָּן תַּנִּינָן. סְמִיכַת זְקֵנִים וָעֲרִיפַת הָעֶגְלָה בִשְׁלֹשָׁה. דִּבְרֵי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר. בַּחֲמִשָּׁה. מַה טַעֲמָא דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. וְסָמְכוּ [זִקְנֵי] שְׁנַיִם. אֵין בֵּית דִּין שָׁקוּל. מוֹסִיפִין עֲלֵיהֶן עוֹד אֶחָד. הֲרֵי שְׁלֹשָׁה. מַה טַעֲמָא דְּרִבִּי יְהוּדָה. וְסָמְכוּ שְׁנַיִם. זִקְנֵי שְׁנַיִם. אֵין בֵּית דִּין שָָׁקוּל. מוֹסִיפִין עֲלֵיהֶן עוֹד אֶחָד. הֲרֵי חֲמִשָּׁה. וּבְעֶגְלָה עֲרוּפָה [מַה טַעֲמָא דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. זְקֵינֶיךָ וְשׁוֹפְטֶיךָ שְׁנַיִם אֵין בֵּית דִּין שָָׁקוּל. מוֹסִיפִין עֲלֵיהֶן עוֹד אֶחָד. הֲרֵי שְׁלוֹשָׁה. מַה טַעֲמָה] דְּרִבִּי יְהוּדָה. וְיָצְאוּ זְקֵינֶיךָ שְׁנַיִם. וְשׁוֹפְטֶיךָ שְׁנַיִם. אֵין בֵּית דִּין שָׁקוּל. מוֹסִיפִין עֲלֵיהֶן. הֲרֵי כָּאן חֲמִשָּׁה. אָמַר רִבִּי. נִרְאִין דִּבְרֵי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בִּסְמִיכָה וְדִבְרֵי רִבִּי יְהוּדָה בָּעֲרִיפָה. נִרְאִין דִּבְרֵי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בִּסְמִיכָה. דְּלֹא דָרַשׁ וְסָמְכוּ. וְדִבְרֵי רִבִּי יְהוּדָה בָּעֲרִיפָה. דְּלֹא דָרַשׁ וְיָצְאוּ. אִין תֵּימַר. נִרְאִין דִּבְרֵי רִבִּי יוּדַה בְּעֶגְלָה עֲרוּפָה. דְּדָרַשׁ וְסָמְכוּ וְדָרַשׁ וְיָצְאוּ. אַשְׁכָּחַת אַתְּ אֲמַר. וְיָצְאוּ. שְׁנַיִם. זְקֵינֶךָ. שְׁנַיִם. וְשׁוֹפְטֶיךָ. שְׁנַיִם. אֵין בֵּית דִּין שָׁקוּל. מוֹסִיפִין עֲלֵיהֶן עוֹד אֶחָד. הֲרֵי כָּאן שִׁבְעָה. מַה מְקַיְימִין רַבָּנִין זְקֵינֶיךָ וְשׁוֹפְטֶיךָ. זְקֵינֶיךָ שֶׁהֵן שׁוֹפְטֶיךָ. תַּנֵּי רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר. זְקֵינֶיךָ. זֶה בֵּית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל. וְשׁוֹפְטֶיךָ. זֶה מֶלֶךְ וְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל.

There, we have stated: The leaning of the hands of the Elders and the breaking of the neck of the calf is done by three [judges]; Rebbi Jehudah says, by five. What is the reason of Rebbi Simeon? “The Elders shall lean,” two. No court has an even number of members; one adds another one, that makes three. What is the reason of Rebbi Jehudah? “They shall lean,” two; “the Elders,” two. No court has an even number of members; one adds another one, that makes five. And for the calf whose neck is broken, what is the reason of Rebbi Simeon? “Your Elders, your judges,” two. No court has an even number of members; one adds another one, that makes three. What is the reason of Rebbi Jehudah? “Your Elders shall go out,” two, “and your judges,” two. No court has an even number of members; one adds, that makes five. Rebbi said, the words of Rebbi Simeon are reasonable for the leaning of the hands and those of Rebbi Jehudah for the breaking of the neck. The words of Rebbi Simeon are reasonable for the leaning of the hands, for he does not refer to “they shall lean”. And those of Rebbi Jehudah for the breaking of the neck, for he does not refer to “they shall go out.” If you would say that the words of Rebbi Jehudah are reasonable for the calf whose neck is broken because he refers to both to “they shall lean” and “they shall go out,” it turns out that you have to say “there shall go out” two, “your Elders” two, “and your judges,” two. No court has an even number of members; one adds another one, that makes seven. How do the rabbis explain “your Elders and your judges”? Your Elders who are your judges. It was stated: Rebbi Eliezer ben Jacob says “your Elders,” that is the High Court; “and your judges” these are king and High Priest.