Study Sanhedrin folio 23A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
מתני׳ דיני ממונות בשלשה. זה בורר לו אחד, וזה בורר לו אחד, ושניהן בוררין להן עוד אחד, דברי רבי מאיר. וחכמים אומרים: שני דיינין בוררין להן עוד אחד.
Mishnah: Cases of monetary law are adjudicated by 3. They are chosen in the following manner: This litigant chooses one for himself and that litigant chooses one for himself, and the two of them choose one more for themselves; this is the statement of R' Meir. And the Rabbis say: The two judges that were chosen choose one more judge for themselves.
זה פוסל דיינו של זה, וזה פוסל דיינו של זה – דברי רבי מאיר. וחכמים אומרים: אימתי? בזמן שמביא עליהן ראיה שהן קרובין או פסולין. אבל אם היו כשרין או מומחין מפי בית דין – אינו יכול לפוסלן.
This litigant can disqualify the judge chosen by that litigant and that litigant can disqualify the judge chosen by this litigant; this is the statement of R' Meir. And the Rabbis say: When can one of the litigants disqualify the judges? Only when he brings evidence about them that they are related to one of the litigants or to each other, or that they are disqualified from serving as judges for another reason. But if they are fit to serve as judges or are experts ordained by the court, he cannot disqualify them.
זה פוסל עדיו של זה, וזה פוסל עדיו של זה. דברי רבי מאיר. וחכמים אומרים: אימתי? בזמן שמביא עליהן ראיה שהן קרובין או פסולין, אבל אם היו כשרין – אינו יכול לפוסלן.
This litigant can disqualify the witnesses of that litigant and that litigant can disqualify the witnesses of this litigant; this is the statement of R' Meir. And the Rabbis say: When can one litigant disqualify the other’s witnesses? Only when he brings evidence about them that they are related to one of the litigants or to each other, or that they are disqualified from bearing witness for another reason. But if they are fit to serve as witnesses, he cannot disqualify them.
גמ׳ מאי ״זה בורר לו אחד וזה בורר לו אחד״? בתלתא סגי!
Talmud: The Talmud assumes that the statement: This litigant chooses one and that litigant chooses one and the two of them choose one more, means that each litigant chooses a court of 3 judges and the two courts together choose one more court, for a total of 9 judges. The Talmud asks: For what purpose does this litigant choose one court for himself and that litigant choose one court for himself; isn’t it sufficient to judge the case with 3 judges?
Text data via Sefaria: William Davidson Edition - English and William Davidson Edition - Vocalized Aramaic, CC-BY-NC; edition provenance: Koren. Display terminology has been modernized for readability.