English: “You shall not spare and you shall not conceal him” — Rabbi Chama bar Chanina said: From the teaching of Rabbi Chiya bar Abba I heard: From where do we know that we do not plead on behalf of a mesis? From the verse “you shall not spare and you shall not conceal him.”
On the daf / in context: In ordinary capital cases the court seeks arguments for acquittal; for the mesis the Torah forbids such advocacy.
Type of Learning
Derash on the verse (Sanhedrin) — the court may not raise arguments in favor of the mesis.
What Is Learned
Judges may not plead on behalf of a mesis; the verse forbids both sparing and concealing him.