## Sanhedrin Daf 23a

###### Sanhedrin 23a:1
[Sanhedrin 23a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:1)

מַתְנִי׳ דִּינֵי מָמוֹנוֹת בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה. **זֶה בּוֹרֵר** לוֹ אֶחָד, וְזֶה בּוֹרֵר לוֹ אֶחָד, וּשְׁנֵיהֶן בּוֹרְרִין לָהֶן עוֹד אֶחָד, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: שְׁנֵי דַיָּינִין בּוֹרְרִין לָהֶן עוֹד אֶחָד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** Cases of **monetary law** are adjudicated **by three.** They are chosen in the following manner: **This** litigant **chooses one for himself and that** litigant **chooses one for himself, and the two of them choose one more for themselves;** this is **the statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say:** The **two judges** that were chosen **choose one more** judge **for themselves.**


###### Sanhedrin 23a:2
[Sanhedrin 23a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:2)

זֶה פּוֹסֵל דַּיָּינוֹ שֶׁל זֶה, וְזֶה פּוֹסֵל דַּיָּינוֹ שֶׁל זֶה – דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: אֵימָתַי? בִּזְמַן שֶׁמֵּבִיא עֲלֵיהֶן רְאָיָה שֶׁהֵן קְרוֹבִין אוֹ פְּסוּלִין. אֲבָל אִם הָיוּ כְּשֵׁרִין אוֹ מוּמְחִין מִפִּי בֵּית דִּין – אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְפוֹסְלָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**This** litigant can **disqualify the judge** chosen **by that** litigant **and that** litigant can **disqualify the judge** chosen **by this** litigant; this is **the statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say: When** can one of the litigants disqualify the judges? Only **when he brings evidence about them that they are related** to one of the litigants or to each other, **or** that they are **disqualified** from serving as judges for another reason. **But if they are fit** to serve as judges **or are experts** ordained **by the court, he cannot disqualify them.**


###### Sanhedrin 23a:3
[Sanhedrin 23a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:3)

זֶה פּוֹסֵל עֵדָיו שֶׁל זֶה, וְזֶה פּוֹסֵל עֵדָיו שֶׁל זֶה. דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: אֵימָתַי? בִּזְמַן שֶׁמֵּבִיא עֲלֵיהֶן רְאָיָה שֶׁהֵן קְרוֹבִין אוֹ פְּסוּלִין, אֲבָל אִם הָיוּ כְּשֵׁרִין – אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְפוֹסְלָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**This** litigant can **disqualify the witnesses of that** litigant **and that** litigant can **disqualify the witnesses of this** litigant; this is **the statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say: When** can one litigant disqualify the other’s witnesses? Only **when he brings evidence about them that they are related** to one of the litigants or to each other, **or** that they are **disqualified** from bearing witness for another reason. **But if they are fit** to serve as witnesses, **he cannot disqualify them.**


###### Sanhedrin 23a:4
[Sanhedrin 23a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:4)

**גְּמָ׳** מַאי ״זֶה בּוֹרֵר לוֹ אֶחָד וְזֶה בּוֹרֵר לוֹ אֶחָד״? בִּתְלָתָא סַגִּי!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The Gemara assumes that the statement: This litigant chooses one and that litigant chooses one and the two of them choose one more, means that each litigant chooses a court of three judges and the two courts together choose one more court, for a total of nine judges. The Gemara asks: For **what** purpose does **this** litigant **choose one** court **for himself and that** litigant **choose one** court **for himself;** isn’t it **sufficient** to judge the case **with three** judges?


###### Sanhedrin 23a:5
[Sanhedrin 23a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:5)

הָכִי קָאָמַר: כְּשֶׁזֶּה בּוֹרֵר לוֹ בֵּית דִּין אֶחָד, וְזֶה בּוֹרֵר לוֹ בֵּית דִּין אֶחָד, שְׁנֵיהֶן בּוֹרְרִין לָהֶן עוֹד אֶחָד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **This** is what the mishna **is saying:** In a case **where this** litigant **chooses one court for himself,** i.e., he requests to be judged before three specific judges, **and that** litigant **chooses one** other **court** of three judges **for himself,** as he does not wish to be judged before the court that the first litigant requested, in this case, **both of them choose one more** court **for themselves,** i.e., they must reach a compromise and decide about the composition of the court that will judge them.


###### Sanhedrin 23a:6
[Sanhedrin 23a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:6)

וַאֲפִילּוּ לֹוֶה מָצֵי מְעַכֵּב? וְהָאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: לֹא שָׁנוּ אֶלָּא מַלְוֶה, אֲבָל לֹוֶה כּוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ וְדָן בְּעִירוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And can even a debtor restrict** the choice of the court? **But doesn’t Rabbi Elazar say:** The Sages **taught** that **only a creditor** can refuse a court chosen by the debtor, due to his desire to be judged by a prominent court, **but** that as for **a debtor, they compel him** to appear in the court that **presides in his** own **city.**


###### Sanhedrin 23a:7
[Sanhedrin 23a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:7)

כִּדְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בְּעַרְכָּאוֹת שֶׁבְּסוּרְיָא שָׁנוּ. הָכָא נָמֵי, בְּעַרְכָּאוֹת שֶׁבְּסוּרְיָא שָׁנוּ. אֲבָל מוּמְחִין – לָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: It is **as Rabbi Yoḥanan says** concerning a different matter, that the Sages **taught** that other matter **with regard to** the laymen’s **courts [*be’arkaot*] in Syria. Here too,** the Sages **taught** the *halakha* in the mishna **with regard to** the laymen’s **courts in Syria,** which allow even the debtor to refuse to be judged before the court chosen by the creditor, claiming that they are not worthy judges. **But** if the creditor chooses a court of **experts,** the debtor does **not** have the right to refuse to be judged before them.


###### Sanhedrin 23a:8
[Sanhedrin 23a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:8)

רַב פָּפָּא אָמַר: אֲפִילּוּ תֵּימָא מוּמְחִין, כְּגוֹן בֵּי דִינָא דְּרַב הוּנָא וּדְרַב חִסְדָּא, דְּקָאָמַר לֵיהּ: מִי קָא מַטְרַחְנָא לָךְ?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Pappa said: You** may **even say** that the mishna is referring to courts of **experts** in the same city, **such as the courts of Rav Huna and of Rav Ḥisda. As** in that case, each litigant **can say to** the other: **Am I burdening you** by requesting that you be judged by a different court?


###### Sanhedrin 23a:9
[Sanhedrin 23a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:9)

תְּנַן: וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, שְׁנֵי דַיָּינִין בּוֹרְרִין לָהֶן עוֹד אֶחָד. וְאִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ כִּדְקָאָמְרִינַן בֵּית דִּין – בֵּית דִּין בָּתַר דְּפָסְלִי לְהוּ, אָזְלוּ וּבָרְרוּ לְהוּ בֵּי דִינָא אַחֲרִינֵי?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**We learned** in the mishna: **And the Rabbis say:** The **two judges** that were chosen **choose one more for themselves. And if it enters your mind** to interpret the mishna **as we said** before, that each litigant chose **a court** of three judges, this statement is difficult; **after** each **court was disqualified** by one of the litigants, shall the members of both courts **go and choose another court for themselves?**


###### Sanhedrin 23a:10
[Sanhedrin 23a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:10)

וְעוֹד, מַאי ״זֶה בּוֹרֵר לוֹ אֶחָד וְזֶה בּוֹרֵר לוֹ אֶחָד״?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And furthermore,** for **what** reason would the mishna state that the standard procedure for choosing judges is that **this** litigant **chooses one** court **for himself and that** litigant **chooses one** court **for himself,** each disqualifying the court that the other chose?


###### Sanhedrin 23a:11
[Sanhedrin 23a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:11)

אֶלָּא הָכִי קָאָמַר: כְּשֶׁזֶּה בּוֹרֵר לוֹ דַּיָּין אֶחָד, וְזֶה בּוֹרֵר לוֹ דַּיָּין אֶחָד, שְׁנֵיהֶן בּוֹרְרִין לָהֶן עוֹד אֶחָד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather, this** is what the mishna **is saying: When this** litigant **chooses one judge for himself** before whom he requests to be judged, **and that** litigant **chooses one** other **judge for himself** before whom he requests to be judged, **the two** litigants then **choose one more** judge **for themselves,** and the case is adjudicated by these three judges.


###### Sanhedrin 23a:12
[Sanhedrin 23a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:12)

מַאי שְׁנָא דְּעָבְדִי הָכִי? אָמְרִי בְּמַעְרְבָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי זֵירָא: מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁזֶּה בּוֹרֵר לוֹ דַּיָּין אֶחָד, וְזֶה בּוֹרֵר לוֹ דַּיָּין אֶחָד, וּשְׁנֵיהֶן בּוֹרְרִין לָהֶן עוֹד אֶחָד – יֵצֵא הַדִּין לַאֲמִיתּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What is different** about this procedure; i.e., **that** the selection of the judges is **performed** specifically **in this** manner? The Sages **in the West,** Eretz Yisrael, **say in the name of Rabbi Zeira: As a result of** the fact **that this** litigant **chooses one judge for himself, and that** litigant **chooses one judge for himself, and the two** litigants **choose one more** judge **for themselves, the true judgment will emerge.** Each litigant assumes that the judges he chose do not bear a grudge against him, and he will accept their ruling.


###### Sanhedrin 23a:13
[Sanhedrin 23a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:13)

וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים כּוּ׳. נֵימָא בִּדְרַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב קָמִיפַּלְגִי?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches: **And the Rabbis say:** The two judges that were chosen choose one more judge. The Gemara suggests: **Let us say** that Rabbi Meir and the Rabbis **disagree with regard to what Rav Yehuda** says that **Rav says.**


###### Sanhedrin 23a:14
[Sanhedrin 23a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:14)

דְּאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: אֵין הָעֵדִים חוֹתְמִין עַל הַשְּׁטָר אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יוֹדְעִין מִי חוֹתֵם עִמָּהֶן. רַבִּי מֵאִיר לֵית לֵיהּ דְּרַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב, וְרַבָּנַן אִית לְהוּ דְּרַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**As Rav Yehuda says** that **Rav says: Witnesses do not sign a document unless they know who is signing with them.** One does not sign a document unless he recognizes that those signing with him are fit to bear witness. According to the Gemara’s suggestion, **Rabbi Meir does not accept that which Rav Yehuda** says that **Rav says.** Therefore, the litigants can choose the third judge, as the first two judges will be amenable to signing the court order without knowing the third judge. **And the Rabbis accept that which Rav Yehuda** says that **Rav says;** and the judges would not sign the court order without themselves knowing the third judge.


###### Sanhedrin 23a:15
[Sanhedrin 23a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:15)

לָא, דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא אִית לְהוּ דְּרַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב, וְדַעַת הַדַּיָּינִין – כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא לָא פְּלִיגִי דְּבָעֵינַן. כִּי פְּלִיגִי – דַּעַת בַּעֲלֵי דִינִין: רַבִּי מֵאִיר סָבַר דַּעַת בַּעֲלֵי דִינִין נָמֵי בָּעֵינַן, וְרַבָּנַן סָבְרִי דַּעַת הַדַּיָּינִין בָּעֵינַן, דַּעַת בַּעֲלֵי דִינִין לָא בָּעֵינַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this suggestion: **No, everyone accepts that which Rav Yehuda** says that **Rav says; and everyone agrees** with the premise **that we need the consent of the** first two **judges** for the appointment of the third. Rather, **when they disagree,** it is about whether **the consent of the litigants** is necessary. **Rabbi Meir holds** that **we need the consent of the litigants as well, and the Rabbis hold** that although **we need the consent of the** other two **judges, we do not need the consent of the litigants.**


###### Sanhedrin 23a:16
[Sanhedrin 23a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:16)

גּוּפָא, אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: אֵין הָעֵדִים חוֹתְמִין עַל הַשְּׁטָר כּוּ׳. תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי: כָּךְ הָיוּ נְקִיֵּי הַדַּעַת שֶׁבִּירוּשָׁלַיִם עוֹשִׂין – לֹא הָיוּ חוֹתְמִין עַל הַשְּׁטָר אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יוֹדְעִין מִי חוֹתֵם עִמָּהֶן, וְלֹא הָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִין בְּדִין אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יוֹדְעִין מִי יוֹשֵׁב עִמָּהֶן, וְלֹא הָיוּ נִכְנָסִין בִּסְעוּדָה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יוֹדְעִין מִי מֵסֵב עִמָּהֶן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Returning to **the** matter **itself, Rav Yehuda says** that **Rav says: Witnesses do not sign a document** unless they know who is signing with them. **That is also taught** in a *baraita*: **This is what the scrupulous people of Jerusalem would do: They would not sign a document unless they knew who was signing with them, and they would not sit in judgment unless they knew who was sitting with them, and they would not join a meal unless they knew who was reclining,** i.e., eating, **with them.**


###### Sanhedrin 23a:17
[Sanhedrin 23a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:17)

זֶה פּוֹסֵל דַּיָּינוֹ כּוּ׳. כֹּל כְּמִינֵּיהּ דְּפָסֵיל דַּיָּינֵי?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches: **This** litigant can **disqualify the judge** chosen by that litigant and that litigant can disqualify the judge chosen by this litigant. The Gemara asks: **Is it in his** power **to disqualify judges?**


###### Sanhedrin 23a:18
[Sanhedrin 23a:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:18)

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בְּעַרְכָּאוֹת שֶׁבְּסוּרְיָא שָׁנוּ, אֲבָל מוּמְחִים – לֹא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yoḥanan says:** The Sages **taught** this matter **with regard to** the laymen’s **courts in Syria.** In those courts, each litigant can refuse to be judged by the judge the other litigant chose. **But** this *halakha* is **not** stated with regard to a court of **expert** judges.


###### Sanhedrin 23a:19
[Sanhedrin 23a:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:19)

הָא מִדְּקָתָנֵי סֵיפָא: וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, אֵימָתַי? בִּזְמַן שֶׁמֵּבִיא רְאָיָה שֶׁהֵן קְרוֹבִין אוֹ פְּסוּלִין. אֲבָל אִם הָיוּ כְּשֵׁרִין, אוֹ מוּמְחִין מִפִּי בֵּית דִּין – אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְפוֹסְלָן, מִכְּלָל דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר מוּמְחִין נָמֵי קָאָמַר!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges: **From** the fact **that** the mishna **teaches** in **the latter clause: And the Rabbis say: When** can one of the litigants disqualify the judges? **When he brings evidence that they are related** to one of the litigants or to each other, **or** that they are **disqualified** from serving as judges for another reason; **but if they are fit** to serve as judges, **or are experts** ordained **by the court, he cannot disqualify them. By inference, Rabbi Meir is also speaking** of a court of **experts** when he says that one can refuse to be judged.


###### Sanhedrin 23a:20
[Sanhedrin 23a:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:20)

הָכִי קָאָמַר: אֲבָל אִם הָיוּ כְּשֵׁרִין, נַעֲשׂוּ כְּמוּמְחִין מִפִּי בֵּית דִּין, וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְפוֹסְלָן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **This** is what the mishna is **saying: But if they are fit** to serve as judges **they are treated like experts** ordained **by the court, and he cannot disqualify them.**


###### Sanhedrin 23a:21
[Sanhedrin 23a:21](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:21)

תָּא שְׁמַע: אָמְרוּ לוֹ לְרַבִּי מֵאִיר, לֹא כׇּל הֵימֶנּוּ שֶׁפּוֹסֵל דַּיָּין שֶׁמּוּמְחֶה לְרַבִּים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Come** and **hear** a *baraita* that contradicts this interpretation: The Rabbis **said to Rabbi Meir: It is not within** a litigant’s power **to disqualify a judge who** is accepted as **an expert for the public.** Apparently, Rabbi Meir disagrees with the Rabbis with regard to an expert judge.


###### Sanhedrin 23a:22
[Sanhedrin 23a:22](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:22)

אֵימָא: לֹא כׇּל הֵימֶנּוּ שֶׁפּוֹסֵל דַּיָּין שֶׁהִמְחוּהוּ רַבִּים עֲלֵיהֶם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **Say** that the *baraita* should be emended as follows: **It is not within** a litigant’s power **to disqualify a judge whom the public accepted upon themselves as an expert** judge for their matters, just as the *halakha* is concerning the laymen’s courts in Syria.


###### Sanhedrin 23a:23
[Sanhedrin 23a:23](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:23)

תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי: לְעוֹלָם פּוֹסֵל וְהוֹלֵךְ, עַד שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל עָלָיו בֵּית דִּין שֶׁמּוּמְחֶה לְרַבִּים. דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**That** interpretation **is also taught** in a *baraita*, which teaches: A litigant **can continuously disqualify** the judges chosen by the other litigant **forever, until** the latter **accepts** to be judged by **a court that** is accepted as **an expert** court **for the public;** this is **the statement of Rabbi Meir.** Clearly, Rabbi Meir concedes that one cannot refuse to have the case judged by an expert court.


###### Sanhedrin 23a:24
[Sanhedrin 23a:24](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:24)

וְהָא עֵדִים כְּמוּמְחִין דָּמֵי? וְאָמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר: זֶה פּוֹסֵל עֵדָיו שֶׁל זֶה, וְזֶה פּוֹסֵל עֵדָיו שֶׁל זֶה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But aren’t witnesses like experts,** in that their standing is independent of their being accepted by the litigants? **And** yet **Rabbi Meir says: This** litigant **can disqualify the witnesses of that** litigant **and that** litigant **can disqualify the witnesses of this** litigant.


###### Sanhedrin 23a:25
[Sanhedrin 23a:25](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:25)

הָא אִיתְּמַר עֲלַהּ, אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: פֶּה קָדוֹשׁ יֹאמַר דָּבָר זֶה? תְּנִי: ״עֵדוֹ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **It was stated with regard to that** statement of Rabbi Meir that **Reish Lakish says: Would a holy mouth,** i.e., that of Rabbi Meir, **say this** strange **statement,** that a litigant can prevent a witness from testifying against him? Rather, emend the text of the mishna and **teach: His witness,** in the singular, meaning that a litigant can disqualify only a witness who testifies alone.


###### Sanhedrin 23a:26
[Sanhedrin 23a:26](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:26)

עֵדוֹ לְמַאי? אִילֵימָא לְמָמוֹן, רַחֲמָנָא פַּסְלֵיהּ! אִי לִשְׁבוּעָה, הֵימוֹנֵי מְהֵימַן כְּבֵי תְּרֵי!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **For what** purpose does **his** single **witness** testify? **If we say** it is **to** testify about **monetary matters, the Merciful One** already **disqualifies him,** as by Torah law the testimony of only one witness is not accepted. **If** it is **to** render the defendant liable to take **an oath** that he does not owe the money being claimed, in this regard the testimony of one witness **is deemed credible like two** witnesses; the Torah states that if one witness supports the claim of the claimant, the defendant is required to take an oath that he does not owe the money.


###### Sanhedrin 23a:27
[Sanhedrin 23a:27](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:27)

לְעוֹלָם לְמָמוֹן. לָא צְרִיכָא, דְּקַבְּלֵיהּ עֲלֵיהּ כְּבֵי תְרֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **Actually,** the purpose of the testimony is **to** testify about **monetary matters;** and **no,** one should not raise that challenge, as this ruling is **necessary** only in a case **where** the litigant initially **accepted upon himself** the single witness **as** equivalent to **two** witnesses. Afterward, he retracted his agreement to accept the single witness’s testimony as if it were that of two witnesses. Rabbi Meir rules that his retraction is valid, and the testimony is not accepted.


###### Sanhedrin 23a:28
[Sanhedrin 23a:28](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/23a:28)

מַאי קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן: דְּמָצֵי הָדַר בֵּיהּ? תְּנֵינָא: אָמַר לוֹ ״נֶאֱמָן עָלַי אַבָּא״, ״נֶאֱמָן עָלַי אָבִיךָ״, ״נֶאֱמָנִין עָלַי שְׁלֹשָׁה רוֹעֵי בָּקָר״ – רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: יָכוֹל לַחֲזוֹר בּוֹ, וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַחֲזוֹר בּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What is this teaching us, that one can retract** this kind of agreement? **We learn** this in the following mishna (24a): If one of the litigants **says to** the other: **My father is trusted** to adjudicate **for me,** or: **Your father is trusted** to adjudicate **for me,** or: **Three cattle herders,** who are not proficient in *halakha*, **are trusted** to adjudicate **for me,** all of whom are legally disqualified from serving as judges, **Rabbi Meir says** that the one who made the offer **can retract it; and the Rabbis say** that **he cannot retract it,** and must accept their verdict.