משנה: הוֹרוּ בֵית דִּין וְיָדַע אֶחָד מֵהֶן שֶׁטָּעוּ וְאָמַר לָהֶן טוֹעִין אַתֶּם אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מוּפְלָא שֶׁל בֵּית דִּין שָׁם אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶן גֵּר אוֹ מַמְזֵר אוֹ נָתִין אוֹ זָקֵן שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה לוֹ בָנִים הֲרֵי זוֹ פָטוּר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כָּאן עֵדָה וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן עֵדָה. מָה עֵדָה הָאֲמוּרָה לְהַלָן כּוּלָּן רְאוּיִין לְהוֹרָייָה. אַף עֵדָה הָאֲמוּרָה כָאן כוּלָּן רְאוּיִין לְהוֹרָייָה. MISHNAH: If the Court ruled but one of them knew that it was in error and he told them, you are erring117Then the ruling of the Court is not unanimous; no sacrifice is due; Note 36., or that the distinguished member of the Court was not there118The ruling is not ex cathedra, Note 71., or that one of them was a proselyte, or a bastard, or a Gibeonite119While they can be civil judges, they are not eligible for the High Court as explained in the Halakhah., or a childless old man120He should not be member of a criminal court since he never raised children and as a consequence never learned to have a positive attitude towards misbehaving people., it is not liable since it is said here “congregation” and it is said there “congregation”121“Here” is Lev. 4:13; “there” is Num.35:12,24,25 containing the rules of criminal courts.. Since in the congregation mentioned there, all of them were worthy of ordination, also the congregation here all have to be worthy of ordination.
הלכה: הוֹרוּ בֵית דִּין וְיָדַע אֶחָד מֵהֶן שֶׁטָּעוּ כול׳. מַתְנִיתָא דְרִבִּי. דְּרִבִּי אָמַר. אֵין לְךָ מְעַכֵּב אֶלָּא מוּפְלָא שֶׁלְּבֵית דִּין (בלוד). כְּתִיב וְהָיָ֗ה אִ֣ם מֵֽעֵינֵ֣י הָֽעֵדָה֘. מִי שֶׁהוּא עָשׂוּי עֵינַיִם לָעֵדָה. כְּתִיב וְהִתְיַצְּב֥וּ שָׁם֭ עִמָּֽךְ. מָה אַתְּ לא גֵר וְלֹא נָתִין וְלֹא מַמְזֵר. אַף הֵן לֹא גֵרִים וְלֹא נְתִינִים וְלֹא מַמְזֵרִים וְלֹא עֲבָדִים. נִיחָא גֵר. מַמְזֵר. בֵּית דִּין מְמַנִּין מַמְזֵירִין. רַב חוּנָא אָמַר. בְּשֶׁעָֽבְרוּ וּמִינוּ. רִבִּי חֲנַנְיָה רִבִּי מָנָא. חַד אָמַר. בְּתוֹךְ שִׁבְעִים. וָחָרָנָה אָמַר. חוּץ לְשִׁבְעִים. מָאן דָּמַר. חוּץ לְשִׁבְעִים. נִיחָא. וּמָאן דָּמַר. בְּתוֹךְ שִׁבְעִים. הָא חוּץ לְשִׁבְעִים לֹא. מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְהוֹרָייָה נַעֲשֶׂה כָאֶבֶן. HALAKHAH: “If the Court ruled but one of them knew that it was in error,” etc. The Mishnah is Rebbi’s, since Rebbi said, no one invalidates but the distinguished member of the Court (at Lydda) [only]71The ms. text, בלוד, “at Lydda” makes no sense since the High Court must sit in the ashlar hall on the Temple Mount. One has to read with B בלבד “only”. The president of the Court is the only one for whom no substitute can be found.. It is written122Num. 15:24, detailing the rules governing the sacrifice of a goat if the Court unintentionally permitted idolatry. This is taken as biblical proof that the Court cannot rule in the absence of its president.: If from the eyes of the congregation, from him who is appointed as eyes of the congregation. It is written123Num. 11:16, the appointment of the 70 Elders, the paradigm for the High Court. Babli 4b, they shall stand there with you. Just as you are neither proselyte, nor Gibeonite, nor a bastard124As son of a man and his aunt, Moses would have been a bastard if his parents had married after the promulgation of Torah laws.. Proselytes are reasonable, but bastards? does the court appoints bastards? Rav Ḥuna said, when they breached the rules and appointed125The exclusion of proselytes, Gibeonites, and bastards is strongly recommended but a breach does not invalidate the appointment.. Rebbi Ḥanania, Rebbi Mana. One said, as part of the Seventy; the other said, apart from the Seventy126He holds that the exclusion is prescriptive; an appointment would be invalid.. He who said, apart from the Seventy, is understandable. But he who said, as part of the Seventy, therefore not apart from the Seventy? Since he is not suitable for ordination, he is considered like a stone127If their vote cannot be counted, then automatically not all who are present are voting; therefore the false ruling will never trigger the obligation of a sacrifice..