Shoftim 19:18 · unit 2

TT #255 · Parashas Shoftim · Sixth Aliyah · Passuk 19:18

The Complete Passuk

וְדָרְשׁ֥וּ הַשֹּׁפְטִ֖ים הֵיטֵ֑ב וְהִנֵּ֤ה עֵֽד־שֶׁ֙קֶר֙ הָעֵ֔ד שֶׁ֖קֶר עָנָ֥ה בְאָחִֽיו׃

And the judges shall inquire well, and behold, the witness is a false witness; he has testified falsely against his brother.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Makkot 5b.

TT lemma: עֵד שֶׁקֶר הָעֵד.

Sefaria — Makkot 5b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
עֵד שֶׁקֶר הָעֵד – שֶׁהֻזַּם.

English: ‘The witness is a false witness’ – that he has been refuted by hazamah.

On the daf / in context: The technical process of hazamah (proving they could not have been present) is required.

Type of Learning

Derash on the method of refutation (Bavli) — ordinary contradiction is not enough; hazamah is needed for the zomemim penalty.

What Is Learned

Witnesses become liable as zomemim only when it is proven that they could not have been at the scene; mere contradiction of their story is insufficient.