Shoftim 19:15 · unit 1

TT #225 · Parashas Shoftim · Sixth Aliyah · Passuk 19:15

The Complete Passuk

לֹֽא־יָקוּם֩ עֵ֨ד אֶחָ֜ד בְּאִ֗ישׁ לְכׇל־עָוֺן֙ וּלְכׇל־חַטָּ֔את בְּכׇל־חֵ֖טְא אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶֽחֱטָ֑א עַל־פִּ֣י ׀ שְׁנֵ֣י עֵדִ֗ים א֛וֹ עַל־פִּ֥י שְׁלֹשָֽׁה־עֵדִ֖ים יָק֥וּם דָּבָֽר׃

A single witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity or for any sin, in any sin that he may commit; by the mouth of two witnesses or by the mouth of three witnesses a matter shall be established.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei Devarim 188 / Sanhedrin.

TT lemma: לֹא יָקוּם עֵד אֶחָד.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim 188 / Sanhedrin

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
לֹא יָקוּם עֵד אֶחָד בְּאִישׁ – אַזְהָרָה שֶׁלֹּא לְקַבֵּל עֵדוּת עֵד אֶחָד.

English: ‘A single witness shall not rise up against a man’ – a prohibition against accepting the testimony of a single witness.

On the daf / in context: The verse is the foundation of the two-witness requirement.

Type of Learning

Derash establishing the two-witness rule (Sifrei / Bavli) — one witness is insufficient for any penal consequence.

What Is Learned

No judicial penalty or liability may be imposed on the basis of a single witness. Two or three witnesses are required.