Commentary for Sanhedrin 26:8

ור' שמעון אי כתיב הכי הוה אמינא מאי על בסמוך ורבי יהודה גמר ראש ראש מעולה ור"ש לא גמר ראש ראש מעולה

&nbsp; ['and they shall lay'] implies two; similarly, 'zikne' ['the elders'] implies two, and as there can be no court with an even number, another is added; hence five in all are required: this is R. Judah's view. R. Simeon said: 'Zikne' ['elders'] indicates two, and as a court cannot consist of an even number, another is added, making three in all. But according to R. Simeon, is it not written 'wesameku' ['and they shall lay']? — That is needed for the text itself.]<a rel="footnote" href="#56a_20">²⁰</a> And R. Judah?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Does he not admit this? ');">²¹</span> — That is not needed for the text itself, since if the word wesameku has no significance for deduction, the text could have read [without it]: The Elders, their hands [being] on the head of the bullock.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A kind of absolute clause. ');">²²</span>

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