Halakhah for Sanhedrin 53:15
נימא אביי כר"מ ורבא כר' יוסי אביי כר"מ דאמר אמרינן מקולא לחומרא ורבא דאמר כרבי יוסי דאמר מחומרא לקולא אמרינן מקולא לחומרא לא אמרינן
Raba ruled: He iseligible, because he must have been wicked for the sake of gain [hamas].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H], 'violence', 'plunder'. Cf. Ex. XXIII, 1, 'to be a witness of violence' (E.V. 'unrighteous witness'). I.e., such as a robber; whereas in this case his action is prompted by other motives. ');"><sup>15</sup></span>
Sefer HaChinukh
Not to have a sinner testify: That we not accept the testimony of a man who sins, and we not do anything on account of his testimony, as it is stated (Exodus 23:1), "do not place your hand with an evildoer to be a violent witness." And the explanation comes about this (Sanhedrin 27a), "Do not place an evildoer as a witness, do not place a violent one as a witness," meaning a violent person - to exclude violent people and thieves who are disqualified from testimony, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 19:16), "If a violent witness comes upon a man."
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy