Commentary for Sanhedrin 3:16

ומנין להביא עוד שלשה ממשמע שנאמר (שמות כג, ב) לא תהיה אחרי רבים לרעות שומע אני שאהיה עמהם לטובה אם כן למה נאמר אחרי רבים להטות לא כהטייתך לטובה הטייתך לרעה הטייתך לטובה על פי אחד הטייתך לרעה על פי שנים

A FALSE PROPHET<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XVIII, 20. ');">²⁷</span> AND A HIGH PRIEST CAN ONLY BE TRIED BY A COURT OF SEVENTY-ONE. WAR OF FREE CHOICE<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., all wars apart from the conquest of the seven nations inhabiting Canaan. ');">²⁸</span> CAN BE WAGED ONLY BY THE AUTHORITY OF A COURT OF SEVENTY-ONE. NO ADDITION TO THE CITY OF JERUSALEM OR THE TEMPLE COURT-YARDS CAN BE SANCTIONED SAVE BY A COURT OF SEVENTY-ONE. SMALL SANHEDRINS FOR THE TRIBES CAN BE INSTITUTED ONLY BY A COURT OF SEVENTY-ONE. NO CITY CAN BE DECLARED CONDEMNED<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XIII, 13. ');">²⁹</span> SAVE BY A DECREE OF A COURT OF SEVENTY-ONE. A FRONTIER TOWN CANNOT BE CONDEMNED NOR THREE CITIES AT A TIME,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 82. ');">³⁰</span> BUT ONLY ONE OR TWO. THE GREAT SANHEDRIN CONSISTED OF SEVENTY-ONE MEMBERS; THE SMALL SANHEDRIN OF TWENTY-THREE. WHENCE DO WE DEDUCE THAT THE GREAT SANHEDRIN IS OF SEVENTY-ONE? — IT IS SAID, GATHER UNTO ME SEVENTY MEN;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Num. XI, 16. ');">³¹</span> WITH MOSES AT THEIR HEAD WE HAVE SEVENTY-ONE. R. JUDAH SAID IT CONSISTED ONLY OF SEVENTY. WHENCE DO WE KNOW THAT THE SMALL SANHEDRIN IS OF ONLY TWENTY-THREE? — IT IS SAID, AND THE 'EDAH<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] Congregation. ');">³²</span> SHALL JUDGE … AND THE 'EDAH SHALL DELIVER.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXXV, 24. ');">³³</span> ONE 'EDAH JUDGES, [I.E. CONDEMNS] AND THE OTHER MAY DELIVER [I.E. ACQUIT], HENCE WE HAVE TWENTY. BUT HOW DO WE KNOW THAT A CONGREGATION CONSISTS OF NOT LESS THAN TEN? — IT IS WRITTEN, HOW LONG SHALL I BEAR WITH THIS EVIL 'EDAH?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XIV, 27. Referring to the twelve spies. Ibid. XXXV, 24. ');">³⁴</span> EXCLUDING JOSHUA AND CALEB, WE HAVE TEN. AND WHENCE DO WE DERIVE THE ADDITIONAL THREE? — BY THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE TEXT, THOU SHALT NOT FOLLOW A MAJORITY FOR EVIL,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., for condemnation. Ex. XXIII, 2. ');">³⁵</span> I INFER THAT I MAY FOLLOW THEM FOR GOOD;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For acquittal. ');">³⁶</span> IF SO, WHY IS IT SAID, TO INCLINE AFTER THE MAJORITY?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. ');">³⁷</span> TO TEACH THAT THE MAJORITY TO 'INCLINE AFTER' FOR GOOD [I.E. FOR A FAVOURABLE DECISION] IS NOT THE ONE TO 'INCLINE AFTER' FOR EVIL [I.E. FOR AN ADVERSE DECISION] SINCE FOR GOOD, A MAJORITY OF ONE SUFFICES; WHEREAS FOR EVIL, A MAJORITY OF TWO IS REQUIRED.

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