Sotah 47B

עד ימיו היה פטיש מכה בירושלים. ובימיו אין צריך לשאול על הדמאי.

Until his days the hammer of smiths would strike in Jerusalem on the intermediate days of a Festival, but he banned the practice. And furthermore, in his days there was no need to inquire about doubtfully tithed produce [demai], as everyone was careful to tithe.

גמ׳ תנו רבנן: מנין שאם נערפה העגלה ואחר כך נמצא ההורג שאין פוטרת אותו ⁠— תלמוד לומר: ״ולארץ לא יכפר לדם אשר שפך בה כי אם בדם שפכו״.

Talmud: A baraita states: From where is it derived that if the heifer’s neck was broken and afterward the killer was found, then the breaking of the neck does not exempt him from punishment? The verse states: “And the land should not be atoned, for the blood that was spilled in it, but by the blood of he who spilled it” (Numbers 35:33).

עד אחד אומר ראיתי את ההורג כו׳. טעמא דמכחיש ליה, הא לא מכחיש ליה ⁠— עד אחד מהימן.

The Mishnah taught that if one witness says: I saw the killer, and another testifies: You did not see him, they would break the heifer’s neck. The Talmud infers: The reason they break the neck is because the second witness contradicts him, but if no one contradicts him, one witness is relied upon, and they do not break the heifer’s neck.

מנהני מילי? דתנו רבנן: ״לא נודע מי הכהו״. הא נודע מי הכהו, אפילו אחד בסוף העולם ⁠— לא היו עורפין. רבי עקיבא אומר: מנין לסנהדרין שראו אחד שהרג את הנפש ואין מכירין אותו, שלא היו עורפין ⁠— תלמוד לומר: ״ועינינו לא ראו״, והלא ראו.

From where are these matters derived? The Talmud answers that it is as A baraita states: It states with regard to the heifer whose neck is broken: “It is not known who has smitten him” (Deuteronomy 21:1). Consequently, if it was known who struck him, even if it was only one person at the end of the world who knew, they would not break the neck of the heifer. R' Akiva says: From where is it derived that if the members of the Sanhedrin themselves saw one person kill someone, but they do not recognize him, then they would not break the neck of the heifer? The verse states: “Nor did our eyes see” (Deuteronomy 21:7), and did they not see? Seeing the murder alone obviates the need for the performance of the ritual.