Shoftim 19:15 · unit 9

TT #233 · 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: שְׁנֵי עֵדִים אוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim 188

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
שְׁנֵי עֵדִים אוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה – מַה שְּׁנַיִם נִמְצָא אֶחָד מֵהֶם קָרוֹב אוֹ פָּסוּל עֵדוּתָן בְּטֵלָה, אַף שְׁלֹשָׁה כֵּן.

English: ‘Two witnesses or three’ – just as with two, if one is found to be a relative or disqualified their testimony is void, so too with three.

On the daf / in context: The presence of a disqualified member can invalidate the whole set.

Type of Learning

Derash applying disqualification rules to larger groups (Sifrei) — three are treated like two for purposes of invalidation.

What Is Learned

If one member of a group of witnesses is disqualified, the testimony of the whole group can fall, whether the group is two or three.