## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 149

###### Sifrei Devarim 149:1
[Sifrei Devarim 149:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/149:1)

(דברים יז ד) **וְהֻגַּד לְךָ וְשָׁמַעְתָּ וְדָרַשְׁתָּ הֵיטֵב**, וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים יג טו) ״וְדָרַשְׁתָּ וְחָקַרְתָּ וְשָׁאַלְתָּ הֵיטֵב״ – הֵיטֵב הֵיטֵב לִגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבּוֹדְקִים אוֹתוֹ בְּשֶׁבַע חֲקִירוֹת. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא חֲקִירוֹת, בְּדִיקוֹת מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **וְהִנֵּה אֱמֶת נָכוֹן הַדָּבָר**.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
(Devarim 17:4) "And it be told to you, and you hear, and you search it out *well*": And elsewhere (*Ibid*. 13:15) it is written "And you shall inquire, and you shall search out, and you shall ask *well*," and elsewhere (*Ibid*. 19:18) "And the judges shall inquire *well*." "well" - "well," for a *gezeirah shavah* (identity). We are hereby taught that he is examined with seven *chakiroth* (cross-examinations). This tells me only of *chakiroth*. Whence do I derive (the same for) *bedikoth* (examinations)? From (13:15, 17:4) "and, behold, true and correct is the thing."


###### Sifrei Devarim 149:2
[Sifrei Devarim 149:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/149:2)

אִם סוֹפֵנוּ לְרַבּוֹת בְּדִיקוֹת, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר חֲקִירוֹת? חֲקִירוֹת, אָמַר אֶחָד אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ – עֵדוּתָם בְּטֵלָה. בְּדִיקוֹת, אָמַר אֶחָד אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ, וַאֲפִלּוּ שְׁנַיִם אוֹמְרִים אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים – עֵדוּתָם קַיֶּמֶת. אֶחָד חֲקִירוֹת וְאֶחָד בְּדִיקוֹת, בִּזְמַן שֶׁמַּכְחִישִׁים זֶה אֶת זֶה – עֵדוּתָם בְּטֵלָה.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
If in the end, *bedikoth* are to be included, why are *chakiroth* mentioned? For if in the *chakiroth*, if one of the witnesses says "I do not know," their testimony is invalidated. If this happens in the *bedikoth*, even if both of them say "We do not know," their testimony stands. Both in the *chakiroth* and in the *bedikoth*, if they contradict each other, their testimony is invalidated.


###### Sifrei Devarim 149:3
[Sifrei Devarim 149:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/149:3)

**בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל**, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל; גֵּרִים וְנָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (דברים יז ה): ״וְהוֹצֵאתָ אֶת הָאִישׁ הַהוּא אוֹ אֶת הָאִשָּׁה הַהִיא״.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
(*Ibid*. 17:4) ("This abomination has been done) in Israel": This tells me only of an Israelite (i.e., that he is to be killed). Whence do I derive (the same for) converts, women, and bondsmen? From (*Ibid*. 5) "Then you shall take out that man and that woman who did this evil thing".


###### Sifrei Devarim 149:4
[Sifrei Devarim 149:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/149:4)

(דברים יז ה) **אֶל שְׁעָרֶיךָ**, שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי שַׁעַר שֶׁנִּמְצְאוּ בוֹ וְשַׁעַר שֶׁנִּדּוֹנוּ בוֹ! תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״שְׁעָרֶיךָ״ ״שְׁעָרֶיךָ״ לִגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה; נֶאֱמַר כָּאן שְׁעָרֶיךָ וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (דברים יז ב) שְׁעָרֶיךָ, מַה שְׁעָרֶיךָ הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן – שַׁעַר שֶׁנִּמְצְאוּ בוֹ וְלֹא שַׁעַר שֶׁנִּדּוֹנוּ בוֹ, אַף שְׁעָרֶיךָ הָאָמוּר כָּאן – שַׁעַר שֶׁנִּמְצְאוּ בוֹ וְלֹא שַׁעַר שֶׁנִּדּוֹנוּ בוֹ.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"to your gates": From this I understand the gate (i.e., *beth-din*) in which they were judged. It is, therefore, written "your gates" (here) - "your gates" (*Ibid*. 2) for a *gezeirah shavah* (identity). Just as "your gates" there refers to the city in which they are found, and not to the *beth-din* in which they were judged, so, "your gates" here.


###### Sifrei Devarim 149:5
[Sifrei Devarim 149:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/149:5)

**הַהוּא** וְלֹא אָנוּס, וְלֹא שׁוֹגֵג, וְלֹא מֻטְעֶה;

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"*that* man": and not one who was forced, and not one who did so unwittingly, and not one who was under some kind of misapprehension.


###### Sifrei Devarim 149:6
[Sifrei Devarim 149:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/149:6)

**הַהִוא** וְלֹא אֲנוּסָה וְלֹא שׁוֹגֶגֶת וְלֹא מוּטְעֵת.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"*that* woman": and not one who was forced, and not one who did so unwittingly, and not one who was under some kind of misapprehension.


###### Sifrei Devarim 149:7
[Sifrei Devarim 149:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/149:7)

**וּסְקַלְתָּם בָּאֲבָנִים**, יָכוֹל בַּאֲבָנִים מְרֻבּוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (ויקרא כ כז): ״בָּאֶבֶן״. אִי בָּאֶבֶן, יָכוֹל בְּאֶבֶן אַחַת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **בָּאֲבָנִים**, אֱמֹר מֵעַתָּה: לֹא מֵת בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה – יָמוּת בַּשְּׁנִיָּה.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
"and you shall stone them with stones": I might think, with many stones; it is, therefore, written (Vayikra 20:2) "with a stone." I might then think, with one stone. It is, therefore, written "with stones." How is this to be resolved? If he is not killed with the first stone, he is killed with the second.