Commentary for Sanhedrin 27:16

אי יליף לילף כולה מהתם זקניך ושופטיך למה לי אלא וי"ו ושופטיך למניינא ורבי שמעון וי"ו לא דריש

'Elders' [indicates] two; [similarly,] 'judges', two. And as a court must not be evenly-balanced, another is added; hence there are five: this is R. Judah's view. R. Simeon says: 'Elders' indicates two, and as a court cannot consist of an even member, another is added, making three in all. Now, according to R. Simeon, what purpose is served by the words 'thy judges'? — It is needed, in his view, to indicate the necessity of choosing the most distinguished of 'thy judges'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., members of the Great Sanhedrin. ');">²⁷</span> And R. Judah?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whence does he deduce this? ');">²⁸</span>

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