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Text Excerpt
מה לנו ולצרה הזאת? והלא כבר נאמר: ״והוא עד או ראה או ידע אם לוא יגיד וגו׳״. ושמא תאמרו: מה לנו לחוב בדמו של זה? והלא כבר נאמר: ״באבד רשעים רנה״.
Why would we want this trouble? Perhaps it would be better not to testify at all. But be aware, as is it not already stated: “And he being a witness, whether he has seen or known, if he does not utter it, then he should bear his iniquity” (Leviticus 5:1)? It is a transgression not to testify when one can do so. And perhaps you will say: Why would we want to be responsible for the blood of this person? But be aware, as is it not already stated: “When the wicked perish, there is song” (Proverbs 11:10)?
גמ׳ תנו רבנן: כיצד מאומד? אומר להן: שמא כך ראיתם? שרץ אחר חבירו לחורבה, ורצתם אחריו, ומצאתם סייף בידו ודמו מטפטף, והרוג מפרפר. אם כך ראיתם – לא ראיתם כלום.
Talmud: A baraita states: How does the court describe testimony based on conjecture? The court says to the witnesses: Perhaps you saw this man about whom you are testifying pursuing another into a ruin, and you pursued him and found a sword in his hand, dripping with blood, and the one who was ultimately killed was convulsing. If you saw only this, it is as if you saw nothing, and you cannot testify to the murder.
תניא, אמר רבי שמעון בן שטח: אראה בנחמה אם לא ראיתי אחד שרץ אחר חבירו לחורבה, ורצתי אחריו וראיתי סייף בידו ודמו מטפטף והרוג מפרפר. ואמרתי לו: רשע, מי הרגו לזה? או אני או אתה. אבל מה אעשה שאין דמך מסור בידי, שהרי אמרה תורה ״על פי שנים עדים יומת המת״. היודע מחשבות יפרע מאותו האיש שהרג את חבירו. אמרו: לא זזו משם עד שבא נחש והכישו ומת.
It is taught in a baraita that R' Shimon ben Shataḥ said as an oath: I will not see the consolation of Israel if I did not once see one person pursue another into a ruin, and I pursued him and saw a sword in his hand, dripping with blood, and the one who was ultimately killed was convulsing. And I said to him: Wicked person, who has killed this man? Either you or I. But what can I do, since your blood is not given over to me, as the Torah states: “At the mouth of two witnesses, or 3 witnesses, should he that is to die be put to death” (Deuteronomy 17:6), and I did not witness you killing him. The One Who knows one’s thoughts should punish this man who killed another. The rabbis said: They did not move from there before a snake came and bit the murderer, and he died.