(Devarim 1:16) ("And I charged your judges at that time, saying:hear among your brothers": He told them: Be deliberate in judgment. If a (similar) case comes before you one, two, or three times, do not say: I've already ruled on this several times, but be deliberate in (the) judgment (of each case). And thus did the men of the Great Assembly say. "Be deliberate in judgment, and set up many disciples, and make a fence for the Torah.")
It once happened that R. Gamliel placed R. Yochanan b. Nuri and R. Elazar b. Chasma at the head of the academy, and the disciples were unaware of their absence. Towards evening, they returned and sat with the disciples. Such was the trait of R. Gamliel: When he entered (the house of study) and said "Ask" (what is on your minds), it was known that there were no provocateurs there. When he entered and did not say "Ask," it was known that there were provocateurs there. When he entered and found R. Yochanan b. Nuri and R. Elazar b. Chasma sitting among the disciples, he said to them: (By your behavior) you have made it known to the congregation that you do not wish to exercise authority over them — In the past, you were independent; from now on, you are obligated to the congregation (for their good and welfare). (Ibid.) "Hear among your brothers": He told them: Be deliberate in judgment. If a (similar) case comes before you one, two, or three times, do not say: I've already ruled on this several times, but be deliberate in (the) judgment (of each case). And thus did the men of the Great Assembly say. "Be deliberate in judgment, and set up many disciples, and make a fence for the Torah."
"among your brothers": and not among Canaanites. And this was the way of R. Yishmael: When two came to him for judgment, one a Canaanite and one a Jew — If he could find for the Jew by Jewish law, he judged by Jewish law; and if by the laws of the gentiles, he judged by the laws of the gentiles, saying, Why should I not do so? Has the Torah not written "Hear among your brothers"? ...
"and judge righteously": (one who may be) a tzaddik (a righteous one) in his righteousness and a claimant (against him) who brings proofs (for his claim); the first, cloaked in his talith; the second saying it is mine (and adducing proofs); the first plowing with his ox; the second saying it is mine; the first sitting in his house; the second saying it is mine; the first holding his fields; the second saying it is mine. This is the intent of "and judge righteously," (between) "the righteous one in his righteousness" and the claimant adducing his proofs, (the rule being: "The burden of the proof is upon him who would take something from his neighbor, who is holding it).
"between a man and his brother": This tells me only of the foregoing. Whence do I derive (the same for) one woman vis-à-vis another, one tribe, one family? From "Hear among your brothers" (All Jews are "brothers.") "and between his ger":
(דברים א טז) וָאֲצַוֶּה אֶת שֹׁפְטֵיכֶם בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר שָׁמֹעַ בֵּין אֲחֵיכֶם וּשְׁפַטְתֶּם צֶדֶק, אָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם: הֱיוּ מְתוּנִים בַּדִּין, שֶׁאִם בָּא דִין לְפָנֶיךָ פַּעַם שְׁתַּיִם וְשָׁלֹשׁ אַל תֹּאמַר כְּבָר בָּא דִין זֶה לְפָנַי וּשְׁנִיתִיו וְשִׁלַּשְׁתִּיו, אֶלָּא הֱיוּ מְתוּנִים בַּדִּין. וְכָךְ הָיוּ אַנְשֵׁי כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה אוֹמְרִים (אבות א א): הֱיוּ מְתוּנִים בַּדִּין וְהַעֲמִידוּ תַלְמִידִים הַרְבֵּה וַעֲשׂוּ סְיָג לַתּוֹרָה.
(Devarim 1:16) ("And I charged your judges at that time, saying:hear among your brothers": He told them: Be deliberate in judgment. If a (similar) case comes before you one, two, or three times, do not say: I've already ruled on this several times, but be deliberate in (the) judgment (of each case). And thus did the men of the Great Assembly say. "Be deliberate in judgment, and set up many disciples, and make a fence for the Torah.")
בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר, לְשֶׁעָבַר הֱיִיתֶם בִּרְשׁוּת עַצְמְכֶם; עַכְשָׁיו הֲרֵי אַתֶּם עֲבָדִים מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים לַצִּבּוּר!
(Devarim 1:16) "And I charged your judges at that time, saying": In the past, you were independent; now you are obligated to the congregation.
מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן נוּרִי וּבְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר חַסְמָא, שֶׁהוֹשִׁיבָם רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בִּישִׁיבָה וְלֹא הִרְגִּישׁוּ בָּהֶם הַתַּלְמִידִים. לְעִתּוֹתֵי עֶרֶב הָלְכוּ וְיָשְׁבוּ לָהֶם אֵצֶל הַתַּלְמִידִים. וְכָךְ הָיְתָה מִדָּתוֹ שֶׁל רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל: כְּשֶׁהָיָה נִכְנָס וְאוֹמֵר ׳שַׁאֲלוּ׳ – בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁאֵין שָׁם קִנְתּוּר, כְּשֶׁהָיָה נִכְנָס וְלֹא הָיָה אוֹמֵר ׳שַׁאֲלוּ׳ – בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם קִנְתּוּר. נִכְנַס וּמָצָא אֶת רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן נוּרִי וְאֶת רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר חַסְמָא שֶׁיָּשְׁבוּ לָהֶם אֵצֶל הַתַּלְמִידִים. אָמַר לָהֶם: יוֹחָנָן בֶּן נוּרִי וְאֶלְעָזָר חַסְמָא, הֲרֵעֹתֶם לַצִּבּוּר, שֶׁאִי אַתֶּם מְבַקְּשִׁים לַעֲשׂוֹת שְׂרָרָה עַל הַצִּבּוּר! לְשֶׁעָבַר הֱיִיתֶם בִּרְשׁוּת עַצְמְכֶם, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ הֲרֵי אַתֶּם עֲבָדִים מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים לַצִּבּוּר.
It once happened that R. Gamliel placed R. Yochanan b. Nuri and R. Elazar b. Chasma at the head of the academy, and the disciples were unaware of their absence. Towards evening, they returned and sat with the disciples. Such was the trait of R. Gamliel: When he entered (the house of study) and said "Ask" (what is on your minds), it was known that there were no provocateurs there. When he entered and did not say "Ask," it was known that there were provocateurs there. When he entered and found R. Yochanan b. Nuri and R. Elazar b. Chasma sitting among the disciples, he said to them: (By your behavior) you have made it known to the congregation that you do not wish to exercise authority over them — In the past, you were independent; from now on, you are obligated to the congregation (for their good and welfare). (Ibid.) "Hear among your brothers": He told them: Be deliberate in judgment. If a (similar) case comes before you one, two, or three times, do not say: I've already ruled on this several times, but be deliberate in (the) judgment (of each case). And thus did the men of the Great Assembly say. "Be deliberate in judgment, and set up many disciples, and make a fence for the Torah."
שָׁמֹעַ בֵּין אֲחֵיכֶם, כָּךְ הָיְתָה מִדָּתוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: כְּשֶׁהָיוּ בָּאִים אֶצְלוֹ לְדִין לְפָנָיו, אֶחָד יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶחָד גּוֹי, אִם בְּדִינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל – הָיָה מְזַכֶּה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִם בְּדִינֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם – הָיָה מְזַכֶּה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. אָמַר: מָה אִכְפַּת לִי? לֹא כָּךְ אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה שָׁמֹעַ בֵּין אֲחֵיכֶם? רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר: אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ, אִם בָּא לָדוּן בְּדִינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל – הָיָה דָּן בְּדִינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; בְּדִינֵי אֻמּוֹת – הָיָה דָּן בְּדִינֵי אֻמּוֹת.
"among your brothers": and not among Canaanites. And this was the way of R. Yishmael: When two came to him for judgment, one a Canaanite and one a Jew — If he could find for the Jew by Jewish law, he judged by Jewish law; and if by the laws of the gentiles, he judged by the laws of the gentiles, saying, Why should I not do so? Has the Torah not written "Hear among your brothers"? ...
וּשְׁפַטְתֶּם צֶדֶק, צַדִּיק בְּצִדְקוֹ תּוֹבֵעַ וּמֵבִיא רְאָיוֹת. מָשָׁל: זֶה עוֹטֵף בְּטַלִּיתוֹ וְזֶה אוֹמֵר שֶׁלִּי הִיא, זֶה חוֹרֵשׁ בְּפָרָתוֹ וְזֶה אוֹמֵר שֶׁלִּי הִיא, זֶה מַחֲזִיק בְּתוֹךְ שָׂדֵהוּ וְזֶה אוֹמֵר שֶׁלִּי הוּא, זֶה יוֹשֵׁב בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ וְזֶה אוֹמֵר שֶׁלִּי הוּא. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וּשְׁפַטְתֶּם צֶדֶק, צַדִּיק בְּצִדְקוֹ תּוֹבֵעַ וּמֵבִיא רְאָיוֹת!
"and judge righteously": (one who may be) a tzaddik (a righteous one) in his righteousness and a claimant (against him) who brings proofs (for his claim); the first, cloaked in his talith; the second saying it is mine (and adducing proofs); the first plowing with his ox; the second saying it is mine; the first sitting in his house; the second saying it is mine; the first holding his fields; the second saying it is mine. This is the intent of "and judge righteously," (between) "the righteous one in his righteousness" and the claimant adducing his proofs, (the rule being: "The burden of the proof is upon him who would take something from his neighbor, who is holding it).
בֵּין אִישׁ – לְהוֹצִיא אֶת הַקָּטָן, מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ: אֵין דָּנִים יְתוֹמִים.
"between a man": to exclude a minor — whence they ruled: Orphans (who are minors) are not subject to adjudication.
בֵּין אִישׁ וּבֵין אָחִיו – אֵין לִי אֶלָּא בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִישׁ, בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשָּׁה, בֵּין אִשָּׁה לְאִישׁ, בֵּין אֻמָּה לְמִשְׁפָּחָה, בֵּין מִשְׁפָּחָה לַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: בֵּין אִישׁ וּבֵין אָחִיו – מִכָּל מָקוֹם.
"between a man and his brother": This tells me only of the foregoing. Whence do I derive (the same for) one woman vis-à-vis another, one tribe, one family? From "Hear among your brothers" (All Jews are "brothers.") "and between his ger":
וּבֵין גֵּרוֹ – זֶה שֶׁאוֹגֵר עָלָיו דְּבָרִים: אָמַר לוֹ, חָרַשְׁתָּ תֶּלֶם בְּתוֹךְ שָׂדִי – וְהוּא אוֹמֵר, לֹא חָרַשְׁתִּי; הֵמִית שׁוֹרְךָ אֶת שׁוֹרִי – וְהוּא אוֹמֵר, לֹא הֵמִית; הֵמִית שׁוֹרְךָ אֶת עַבְדִּי – וְהוּא אוֹמֵר, לֹא הֵמִית. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וּבֵין גֵּרוֹ – זֶה שֶׁאוֹגֵר עָלָיו דְּבָרִים.
One who "piles up" ("oger") claims against him, saying "You plowed in my land" — and he denies it; "your ox killed my servant" — and he denies it.
דָּבָר אַחֵר: וּבֵין גֵּרוֹ – זֶה שְׁכֵנוֹ; דָּבָר אַחֵר: זֶה שׁוֹשְׁבִינוֹ; דָּבָר אַחֵר: זֶה תּוֹתָבוֹ.
Variantly: "and between his ger" — his neighbor (one who lives ["gar"] near him.) Variantly: his groomsman. Variantly: his tenant.