Shoftim 19:15 · unit 4

TT #228 · 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 Sanhedrin 30a–b.

TT lemma: אוֹ עַל פִּי שְׁלֹשָׁה עֵדִים.

Sefaria — Sanhedrin 30a–b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אוֹ עַל פִּי שְׁלֹשָׁה עֵדִים – לְהַשְׁווֹת שְׁלֹשָׁה לִשְׁנַיִם.

English: ‘Or by the mouth of three witnesses’ – to equate three with two.

On the daf / in context: Three witnesses are treated under the same rules as two for many purposes.

Type of Learning

Derash equating three with two (Bavli) — the verse places three on the same footing as two.

What Is Learned

A group of three witnesses is governed by the same principles that govern a pair; the extra witness does not create a different category.