Shoftim 19:15 · unit 3

TT #227 · 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.

TT lemma: עַל פִּי שְׁנֵי עֵדִים.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim 188

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
עַל פִּי שְׁנֵי עֵדִים – וְלֹא עַל פִּי כְּתָב.

English: ‘By the mouth of two witnesses’ – and not by writing alone.

On the daf / in context: Oral testimony is the model; written evidence has its own rules.

Type of Learning

Derash on the mode of testimony (Sifrei) — the phrase ‘by the mouth’ emphasizes spoken testimony.

What Is Learned

Judicial establishment of a matter requires the oral testimony of two witnesses, not merely written documents.