## Sanhedrin Daf 40a

###### Sanhedrin 40a:1
[Sanhedrin 40a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/40a:1)

מַתְנִי׳ **הָיוּ בּוֹדְקִין** אוֹתָן בְּשֶׁבַע חֲקִירוֹת: בְּאֵיזוֹ שָׁבוּעַ, בְּאֵיזוֹ שָׁנָה, בְּאֵיזוֹ חוֹדֶשׁ, בְּכַמָּה בַּחֹדֶשׁ, בְּאֵיזֶה יוֹם, בְּאֵיזוֹ שָׁעָה, בְּאֵיזֶה מְקוֹם. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: בְּאֵיזֶה יוֹם, בְּאֵיזוֹ שָׁעָה, בְּאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** The court **would examine** the witnesses in capital cases **with seven interrogations,** i.e., interrogatory questions, and they are: **In which seven-year** period, that is, in which cycle of seven years within a jubilee did the event occur; **in which year** of the Sabbatical cycle did the event occur; **in which month** did the event occur; **on which** day **of the month** did the event occur; **on which day** of the week did the event occur; **at which hour** did the event occur; and **in what place** did the event occur. **Rabbi Yosei says:** The court would examine the witnesses with only three interrogations: **On which day** did the event occur, **at which hour,** and **in what place.**


###### Sanhedrin 40a:2
[Sanhedrin 40a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/40a:2)

מַכִּירִין אַתֶּם אוֹתוֹ? הִתְרֵתֶם בּוֹ? הָעוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה: אֶת מִי עָבַד, וּבַמֶּה עָבַד?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
They would also ask: **Do you recognize him** as the man who committed the transgression? **Did you warn him?** They would then ask the witnesses about the particulars of the incident. For example, in the case of **one who** is an accused **idol worshipper,** they ask the witnesses: **Whom,** i.e., which idol, **did he worship, and in what manner did he worship** it, and so on.


###### Sanhedrin 40a:3
[Sanhedrin 40a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/40a:3)

כָּל הַמַּרְבֶּה בִּבְדִיקוֹת – הֲרֵי זֶה מְשׁוּבָּח. מַעֲשֶׂה וּבָדַק בֶּן זַכַּאי בְּעוּקְצֵי תְּאֵנִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to **all** judges **who increase** the number of **examinations,** i.e., who add questions about the details of the event, **this is praiseworthy,** as this may clarify that the witnesses are lying. **An incident** occurred **and ben Zakkai examined** the witnesses by questioning them **about** the color and shape of **the stems of figs** in order to unearth a contradiction between the witnesses.


###### Sanhedrin 40a:4
[Sanhedrin 40a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/40a:4)

מָה בֵּין חֲקִירוֹת לִבְדִיקוֹת? חֲקִירוֹת – אֶחָד אוֹמֵר ״אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ״, עֵדוּתָן בְּטֵילָה. בְּדִיקוֹת – אֶחָד אוֹמֵר ״אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ״, וַאֲפִילּוּ שְׁנַיִם אוֹמְרִים ״אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין״, עֵדוּתָן קַיֶּימֶת. אֶחָד חֲקִירוֹת וְאֶחָד בְּדִיקוֹת, בִּזְמַן שֶׁמַּכְחִישִׁין זֶה אֶת זֶה – עֵדוּתָן בְּטֵילָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The mishna explains: **What** is the difference **between interrogations and examinations?** With regard to **interrogations,** if **one** of the witnesses **says: I do not know** the answer, **their testimony is void** immediately. With regard to **examinations,** if **one says: I do not know** the answer, **and even** if **two say: We do not know** the answer, **their testimony** still **stands. Both** with regard to **interrogations and examinations, at a time when** the witnesses **contradict one another, their testimony is void.**


###### Sanhedrin 40a:5
[Sanhedrin 40a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/40a:5)

אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״בִּשְׁנַיִם בְּחֹדֶשׁ״, וְאֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה בַּחֹדֶשׁ״ – עֵדוּתָן קַיֶּימֶת, שֶׁזֶּה יוֹדֵעַ בְּעִיבּוּרוֹ שֶׁל חֹדֶשׁ, וְזֶה אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ בְּעִיבּוּרוֹ שֶׁל חֹדֶשׁ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The mishna clarifies: If **one** witness **says** the event occurred **on the second of the month, and one** witness **says** that the event occurred **on the third of the month,** this is not regarded as a contradiction and **their testimony stands,** since it is possible to say **that this** witness **knows of** the **addition of** a day to the previous **month,** and according to his tally the event occurred on the second of the month, **and that** witness **does not know of** the **addition of** a day to the previous **month,** and according to his tally the event occurred on the third of the month. Their testimony is not considered incongruent.


###### Sanhedrin 40a:6
[Sanhedrin 40a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/40a:6)

אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה״, וְאֶחָד אוֹמֵר ״בַּחֲמִשָּׁה״ – עֵדוּתָן בְּטֵילָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
By contrast, if **this** witness **says** the event occurred **on the third** of the month **and one** witness **says** the event occurred **on the fifth** of the month, **their testimony is void,** as this disparity cannot be attributed to a mere error. Therefore, their testimony is not congruent.


###### Sanhedrin 40a:7
[Sanhedrin 40a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/40a:7)

אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״בִּשְׁתֵּי שָׁעוֹת״, וְאֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״בְּשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת״ – עֵדוּתָן קַיֶּימֶת. אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״בְּשָׁלֹשׁ״, וְאֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״בְּחָמֵשׁ״ – עֵדוּתָן בְּטֵילָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Similarly, if **one** witness **says** that the event occurred **at two hours,** i.e., the second hour of the day from sunrise, **and one** witness **says** that the event occurred **at three hours, their testimony stands,** as one could reasonably err this amount in estimating the hour of the day. By contrast, if **one says** that the event occurred **at three** hours, **and one says** that the event occurred **at five** hours, **their testimony is void.**


###### Sanhedrin 40a:8
[Sanhedrin 40a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/40a:8)

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: קַיֶּימֶת. אֶחָד אוֹמֵר ״בְּחָמֵשׁ״, וְאֶחָד אוֹמֵר ״בְּשֶׁבַע״ – עֵדוּתָן בְּטֵילָה, שֶׁבְּחָמֵשׁ חַמָּה בַּמִּזְרָח וּבְשֶׁבַע חַמָּה בַּמַּעֲרָב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yehuda says:** Also in this case their testimony **stands,** as one could reasonably err concerning even this length of time. Rabbi Yehuda adds: But if **one says** that the event occurred **at five** hours, **and one says** that the event occurred **at seven** hours, **their testimony is void.** Here the difference is recognizable to all, **since at five** hours **the sun** is **in the east and at seven the sun** is **in the west,** and one could not err concerning this. Therefore, their testimony is not congruent.


###### Sanhedrin 40a:9
[Sanhedrin 40a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/40a:9)

וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַכְנִיסִין אֶת הַשֵּׁנִי וּבוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ. אִם נִמְצְאוּ דִּבְרֵיהֶם מְכֻוָּונִים, פּוֹתְחִין בִּזְכוּת. אָמַר אֶחָד מִן הָעֵדִים: ״יֵשׁ לִי לְלַמֵּד עָלָיו זְכוּת״, אוֹ אֶחָד מִן הַתַּלְמִידִים: ״יֵשׁ לִי לְלַמֵּד עָלָיו חוֹבָה״ – מְשַׁתְּקִין אוֹתוֹ. אָמַר אֶחָד מִן הַתַּלְמִידִים: ״יֵשׁ לִי לְלַמֵּד עָלָיו זְכוּת״ – מַעֲלִין אוֹתוֹ וּמוֹשִׁיבִין אוֹתוֹ בֵּינֵיהֶם, וְלֹא הָיָה יוֹרֵד מִשָּׁם כׇּל הַיּוֹם כּוּלּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The mishna continues: **And afterward,** after the court examines the first witness, **they bring in the second** witness **and examine him. If the statements** of the witnesses **are found** to be **congruent,** the court begins to deliberate the matter. **They open** the deliberations **with** an appeal to anyone who can find a reason to **acquit** the accused. If **one of the witnesses said: I can teach** a reason to **acquit him, or** if **one of the students** sitting before the judges said: **I can teach** a reason to deem **him liable,** the judges **silence him,** i.e., both the witness and the student. The reason is that these people are not allowed to offer information such as this. But if **one of the students said: I can to teach** a reason to **acquit him, they raise him** to the seat of the court **and seat him among them, and he would not descend from there the entire day,** but would sit and participate in their deliberations.


###### Sanhedrin 40a:10
[Sanhedrin 40a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/40a:10)

אִם יֵשׁ מַמָּשׁ בִּדְבָרָיו, שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ. וַאֲפִילּוּ הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״יֵשׁ לִי לְלַמֵּד עַל עַצְמִי זְכוּת״, שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיֵּשׁ מַמָּשׁ בִּדְבָרָיו.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**If the statement of** that student **has substance,** the court **listens to him. And** if **even** the accused **says: I can teach** a reason to **acquit me,** the court **listens to him** and considers his statement, **provided that his statement has substance.**


###### Sanhedrin 40a:11
[Sanhedrin 40a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/40a:11)

וְאִם מָצְאוּ לוֹ זְכוּת, פְּטָרוּהוּ. וְאִם לָאו, מַעֲבִירִין אוֹתוֹ לְמָחָר, וּמִזְדַּוְּוגִין זוּגוֹת זוּגוֹת. הָיוּ מְמַעֲטִין מִמַּאֲכָל, וְלֹא הָיוּ שׁוֹתִין יַיִן כׇּל הַיּוֹם, וְנוֹשְׂאִין וְנוֹתְנִין כׇּל הַלַּיְלָה. וְלַמׇּחֳרָת מַשְׁכִּימִין וּבָאִין לְבֵית דִּין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And if** the court **found** it fit to **acquit him** during the deliberations, as all or a majority of the judges agreed to acquit him, **they excuse him. But if** a majority does **not** find it fit to acquit him, **they delay** his verdict **to** the **following day, and** they then **assign pairs** of judges to discuss the matter with each other. **They would minimize** their **food** intake **and they would not drink wine all day. And they** would **deliberate all night, and the following day they** would **arise early and come to court** and then vote again and tally the votes of the judges.


###### Sanhedrin 40a:12
[Sanhedrin 40a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/40a:12)

הַמְזַכֶּה אוֹמֵר: ״אֲנִי מְזַכֶּה, וּמְזַכֶּה אֲנִי בִּמְקוֹמִי״. וְהַמְחַיֵּיב אוֹמֵר: ״אֲנִי מְחַיֵּיב, וּמְחַיֵּיב אֲנִי בִּמְקוֹמִי״. הַמְלַמֵּד חוֹבָה מְלַמֵּד זְכוּת, אֲבָל הַמְלַמֵּד זְכוּת אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַחְזוֹר וּלְלַמֵּד חוֹבָה. טָעוּ בַּדָּבָר – שְׁנֵי סוֹפְרֵי הַדַּיָּינִין מַזְכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ. אִם מָצְאוּ לוֹ זְכוּת – פְּטָרוּהוּ, וְאִם לָאו – עוֹמְדִים לַמִּנְיָן. שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מְזַכִּין וְאַחַד עָשָׂר מְחַיְּיבִין – זַכַּאי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**One who** yesterday was of the opinion to **acquit** the defendant **says: I** said to **acquit, and I acquit in my place,** i.e., I stand by my statement to acquit. **And one who** yesterday was of the opinion to **deem** him **liable says: I** said to **deem** him **liable, and I deem** him **liable in my place. One who** yesterday **taught** a reason to deem him **liable may** then **teach** a reason to **acquit, but one who** yesterday **taught** a reason to **acquit may not then teach** a reason to deem him **liable.** If **they erred in the matter,** as one of the judges forgot what he had said the previous day, **two judges’ scribes,** who recorded the statements of the judges, **remind him. If** the court then **found** it fit to **acquit him** unanimously, **they excuse him, and if not** all of the judges determine to acquit, **they stand to count** the vote. If **twelve** judges vote to **acquit** him **and eleven** judges **deem** him **liable,** he is **acquitted.**


###### Sanhedrin 40a:13
[Sanhedrin 40a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/40a:13)

שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר מְחַיְּיבִין וְאַחַד עָשָׂר מְזַכִּין, וַאֲפִילּוּ אַחַד עָשָׂר מְזַכִּין וְאַחַד עָשָׂר מְחַיְּיבִין וְאֶחָד אוֹמֵר ״אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ״, וַאֲפִילּוּ עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנַיִם מְזַכִּין אוֹ מְחַיְּיבִין וְאֶחָד אוֹמֵר ״אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ״ – יוֹסִיפוּ הַדַּיָּינִין. וְכַמָּה מוֹסִיפִין? שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם, עַד שִׁבְעִים וְאֶחָד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The mishna continues: In a case where **twelve** judges **deem** him **liable and eleven** judges **acquit; or even** if **eleven** judges **acquit and eleven deem** him **liable and one** judge **says: I do not know; or even** if **twenty-two** judges **acquit or deem** him **liable and one** judge **says: I do not know,** the judge who said he does not know is disregarded, and **the judges add** additional judges to the court until they reach a definitive ruling. **And how many** judges **do they add?** They add **pairs of two** judges each time they do not reach a ruling **until** there are **seventy-one** judges, but no more than that.


###### Sanhedrin 40a:14
[Sanhedrin 40a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/40a:14)

שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה מְזַכִּין וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה מְחַיְּיבִין – זַכַּאי. שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה מְחַיְּיבִין וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה מְזַכִּין – דָּנִין אֵלּוּ כְּנֶגֶד אֵלּוּ, עַד שֶׁיִּרְאֶה אֶחָד מִן הַמְחַיְּיבִין דִּבְרֵי הַמְזַכִּין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
At that point, if **thirty-six** judges **acquit and thirty-five** judges **deem** him **liable,** he is **acquitted.** If **thirty-six** judges **deem** him **liable and thirty-five** judges **acquit, they** continue to **deliberate** the matter, **these** judges **against those** judges, **until one of those who deems** him **liable sees** the validity of **the statements of those who acquit** and changes his position, as the court does not condemn a defendant to death by a majority of one judge.


###### Sanhedrin 40a:15
[Sanhedrin 40a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sanhedrin/r/40a:15)

**גְּמָ׳** מְנָא הָנֵי מִילֵּי? אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: דְּאָמַר קְרָא ״וְדָרַשְׁתָּ וְחָקַרְתָּ וְשָׁאַלְתָּ הֵיטֵב״, וְאוֹמֵר ״וְהֻגַּד לְךָ וְשָׁמָעְתָּ וְדָרַשְׁתָּ הֵיטֵב״, וְאוֹמֵר ״וְדָרְשׁוּ הַשּׁוֹפְטִים הֵיטֵב״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The Gemara asks: **From where are these matters** derived? What is the source for these seven interrogations? **Rav Yehuda says:** It is **as the verse states** with regard to an idolatrous city: **“And you shall inquire, and investigate, and ask diligently”** (Deuteronomy 13:15); **and** it **states** with regard to one who worships idols: **“If it be told to you and you have heard it and inquired diligently”** (Deuteronomy 17:4); **and** it **states** with regard to conspiring witnesses: **“And the judges shall inquire diligently”** (Deuteronomy 19:18). Taken together, there are seven interrogations alluded to in these verses by each instance of the terms inquire, investigate, and diligently.