Rosh Hashanah 24A

גירי קא משדייא.

that the sun is shooting arrows at those who deny its divinity, using the rainbow as its bow. The concave side of the rainbow always faces away from the sun, so that it does not look like a bow held by the sun.

כמה היה גבוה, ולאין היה נוטה כו׳. תנא חדא: לצפונה ⁠— דבריו קיימין, לדרומה ⁠— לא אמר כלום. והתניא איפכא: לדרומה ⁠— דבריו קיימין, לצפונה ⁠— לא אמר כלום.

§ The Mishnah taught that the examination of the witnesses included the following questions: How high was the moon over the horizon, and in which direction did it tilt? It was taught in one baraita: If the witness testifies that he saw the moon to the north of the sun, his statement is valid. However, if he says that he saw it to its south, he has not said anything of significance, as this is impossible. The Talmud asks: Isn’t the opposite taught in a different baraita: If he testifies that he saw the moon to the south of the sun, his statement is valid. However, if he says he saw it to its north, he has not said anything.

לא קשיא: כאן, בימות החמה. כאן, בימות הגשמים.

The Talmud answers: This is not difficult. Here, in the second baraita mentioned above, it is referring to the summer, when the moon is to the south of the sun; there, in the first baraita mentioned above, it is referring to the winter, when the moon is to the north of the sun.

תנו רבנן: אחד אומר גבוה שתי מרדעות, ואחד אומר שלש ⁠— עדותן קיימת. אחד אומר שלש, ואחד אומר חמש ⁠— עדותן בטילה. אבל מצטרפין לעדות אחרת.

A baraita states: If one witness says that he saw the moon two plow handles high above the horizon, and the other one says it was 3 plow handles high, their testimony is valid, as a small discrepancy of this kind is reasonable. However, if one says that he saw the moon 3 plow handles above the horizon, and the other one says it was 5 plow handles high, their testimony is void, as that discrepancy is unacceptable. However, this does not mean that the witnesses themselves are disqualified, as either of them may join with another testimony, i.e., he may combine his account with that of another witness who testifies likewise.