Ki Seitzei 25:02 · unit 3

TT #618 · Parashas Ki Seitzei · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 25:02

The Complete Passuk

וְהָיָ֛ה אִם־בִּ֥ן הַכּ֖וֹת הָרָשָׁ֑ע וְהִפִּיל֤וֹ הַשֹּׁפֵט֙ וְהִכָּ֣הוּ לְפָנָ֔יו כְּדֵ֥י רִשְׁעָת֖וֹ בְּמִסְפָּֽר׃

And it shall be, if the wicked one is to be flogged, the judge shall cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence, according to his guilt, by number.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Makkot 5a.

TT lemma: בִּן הַכּוֹת הָרָשָׁע.

Sefaria — Makkot 5a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
מְשַׁלְּשִׁין בְּמָמוֹן וְאֵין מְשַׁלְּשִׁין בְּמַכּוֹת. כֵּיצַד? הֵעִידוּהוּ שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב לַחֲבֵרוֹ מָאתַיִם זוּז וְנִמְצְאוּ זוֹמְמִין – מְשַׁלְּשִׁין בֵּינֵיהֶם. אֲבָל אִם הֵעִידוּהוּ שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב מַלְקוּת אַרְבָּעִים וְנִמְצְאוּ זוֹמְמִים – כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לוֹקֶה אַרְבָּעִים. מַאי טַעְמָא? אָמַר אַבַּיֵי: נֶאֱמַר רָשָׁע בְּחַיָּבֵי מִיתוֹת וְנֶאֱמַר רָשָׁע בְּחַיָּבֵי מַלְקוּת – מַה לְהַלָּן אֵין מִיתָה לְמֶחֱצָה אַף כָּאן אֵין מַלְקוּת לְמֶחֱצָה.

English: We divide monetary liability among the witnesses, but we do not divide lashes. How so? If they testified that he owes his fellow two hundred zuz and they are found to be zomemim, they divide the payment among themselves. But if they testified that he is liable to forty lashes and they are found to be zomemim, each one receives forty lashes. What is the reason? Abaye said: The word ‘rasha’ is stated regarding those liable to death and the word ‘rasha’ is stated regarding those liable to lashes – just as there death is not imposed partially, so here lashes are not imposed partially.

On the daf / in context: On the daf of Makkot the Gemara distinguishes the law of false witnesses for money from the law of false witnesses for corporal punishment.

Type of Learning

Gezerah shavah (rasha / rasha) — R’ Yishmael #2.

What Is Learned

False witnesses who would have caused a monetary loss share the payment; false witnesses who would have caused lashes each receive the full measure of lashes. Corporal punishment cannot be fractionated.