(Devarim 17:4) "And it be told to you, and you hear, and you search it out well": And elsewhere (Ibid. 13:15) it is written "And you shall inquire, and you shall search out, and you shall ask well," and elsewhere (Ibid. 19:18) "And the judges shall inquire well." "well" - "well," for a gezeirah shavah (identity). We are hereby taught that he is examined with seven chakiroth (cross-examinations). This tells me only of chakiroth. Whence do I derive (the same for) bedikoth (examinations)? From (13:15, 17:4) "and, behold, true and correct is the thing."
If in the end, bedikoth are to be included, why are chakiroth mentioned? For if in the chakiroth, if one of the witnesses says "I do not know," their testimony is invalidated. If this happens in the bedikoth, even if both of them say "We do not know," their testimony stands. Both in the chakiroth and in the bedikoth, if they contradict each other, their testimony is invalidated.
(Ibid. 17:4) ("This abomination has been done) in Israel": This tells me only of an Israelite (i.e., that he is to be killed). Whence do I derive (the same for) converts, women, and bondsmen? From (Ibid. 5) "Then you shall take out that man and that woman who did this evil thing".
"to your gates": From this I understand the gate (i.e., beth-din) in which they were judged. It is, therefore, written "your gates" (here) - "your gates" (Ibid. 2) for a gezeirah shavah (identity). Just as "your gates" there refers to the city in which they are found, and not to the beth-din in which they were judged, so, "your gates" here.
"and you shall stone them with stones": I might think, with many stones; it is, therefore, written (Vayikra 20:2) "with a stone." I might then think, with one stone. It is, therefore, written "with stones." How is this to be resolved? If he is not killed with the first stone, he is killed with the second.
(דברים יז ד) וְהֻגַּד לְךָ וְשָׁמַעְתָּ וְדָרַשְׁתָּ הֵיטֵב, וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים יג טו) ״וְדָרַשְׁתָּ וְחָקַרְתָּ וְשָׁאַלְתָּ הֵיטֵב״ – הֵיטֵב הֵיטֵב לִגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבּוֹדְקִים אוֹתוֹ בְּשֶׁבַע חֲקִירוֹת. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא חֲקִירוֹת, בְּדִיקוֹת מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: וְהִנֵּה אֱמֶת נָכוֹן הַדָּבָר.
(Devarim 17:4) "And it be told to you, and you hear, and you search it out well": And elsewhere (Ibid. 13:15) it is written "And you shall inquire, and you shall search out, and you shall ask well," and elsewhere (Ibid. 19:18) "And the judges shall inquire well." "well" - "well," for a gezeirah shavah (identity). We are hereby taught that he is examined with seven chakiroth (cross-examinations). This tells me only of chakiroth. Whence do I derive (the same for) bedikoth (examinations)? From (13:15, 17:4) "and, behold, true and correct is the thing."
אִם סוֹפֵנוּ לְרַבּוֹת בְּדִיקוֹת, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר חֲקִירוֹת? חֲקִירוֹת, אָמַר אֶחָד אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ – עֵדוּתָם בְּטֵלָה. בְּדִיקוֹת, אָמַר אֶחָד אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ, וַאֲפִלּוּ שְׁנַיִם אוֹמְרִים אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים – עֵדוּתָם קַיֶּמֶת. אֶחָד חֲקִירוֹת וְאֶחָד בְּדִיקוֹת, בִּזְמַן שֶׁמַּכְחִישִׁים זֶה אֶת זֶה – עֵדוּתָם בְּטֵלָה.
If in the end, bedikoth are to be included, why are chakiroth mentioned? For if in the chakiroth, if one of the witnesses says "I do not know," their testimony is invalidated. If this happens in the bedikoth, even if both of them say "We do not know," their testimony stands. Both in the chakiroth and in the bedikoth, if they contradict each other, their testimony is invalidated.
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל; גֵּרִים וְנָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (דברים יז ה): ״וְהוֹצֵאתָ אֶת הָאִישׁ הַהוּא אוֹ אֶת הָאִשָּׁה הַהִיא״.
(Ibid. 17:4) ("This abomination has been done) in Israel": This tells me only of an Israelite (i.e., that he is to be killed). Whence do I derive (the same for) converts, women, and bondsmen? From (Ibid. 5) "Then you shall take out that man and that woman who did this evil thing".
(דברים יז ה) אֶל שְׁעָרֶיךָ, שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי שַׁעַר שֶׁנִּמְצְאוּ בוֹ וְשַׁעַר שֶׁנִּדּוֹנוּ בוֹ! תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״שְׁעָרֶיךָ״ ״שְׁעָרֶיךָ״ לִגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה; נֶאֱמַר כָּאן שְׁעָרֶיךָ וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (דברים יז ב) שְׁעָרֶיךָ, מַה שְׁעָרֶיךָ הָאָמוּר לְהַלָּן – שַׁעַר שֶׁנִּמְצְאוּ בוֹ וְלֹא שַׁעַר שֶׁנִּדּוֹנוּ בוֹ, אַף שְׁעָרֶיךָ הָאָמוּר כָּאן – שַׁעַר שֶׁנִּמְצְאוּ בוֹ וְלֹא שַׁעַר שֶׁנִּדּוֹנוּ בוֹ.
"to your gates": From this I understand the gate (i.e., beth-din) in which they were judged. It is, therefore, written "your gates" (here) - "your gates" (Ibid. 2) for a gezeirah shavah (identity). Just as "your gates" there refers to the city in which they are found, and not to the beth-din in which they were judged, so, "your gates" here.
הַהוּא וְלֹא אָנוּס, וְלֹא שׁוֹגֵג, וְלֹא מֻטְעֶה;
"that man": and not one who was forced, and not one who did so unwittingly, and not one who was under some kind of misapprehension.
הַהִוא וְלֹא אֲנוּסָה וְלֹא שׁוֹגֶגֶת וְלֹא מוּטְעֵת.
"that woman": and not one who was forced, and not one who did so unwittingly, and not one who was under some kind of misapprehension.
וּסְקַלְתָּם בָּאֲבָנִים, יָכוֹל בַּאֲבָנִים מְרֻבּוֹת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (ויקרא כ כז): ״בָּאֶבֶן״. אִי בָּאֶבֶן, יָכוֹל בְּאֶבֶן אַחַת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: בָּאֲבָנִים, אֱמֹר מֵעַתָּה: לֹא מֵת בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה – יָמוּת בַּשְּׁנִיָּה.
"and you shall stone them with stones": I might think, with many stones; it is, therefore, written (Vayikra 20:2) "with a stone." I might then think, with one stone. It is, therefore, written "with stones." How is this to be resolved? If he is not killed with the first stone, he is killed with the second.