Midrash for Sanhedrin 79:8
רבי יהודה אומר קיימת אחד אומר בחמש ואחד אומר בשבע עדותן בטילה שבחמש חמה במזרח ובשבע חמה במערב
AND THE OTHER 'DURING THE THIRD HOUR:' THEIR EVIDENCE IS VALID.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For people are liable to error in matters of the exact time in the hour. ');"><sup>14</sup></span> BUT IF ONE SAYS, AT THREE,' AND ANOTHER, 'AT FIVE,' THEIR EVIDENCE IS INVALID.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' An error in two hours is improbable. ');"><sup>15</sup></span>
Sifrei Devarim
"And you shall inquire": of the Torah. "and you shall search out": from the witnesses. "and you shall ask": of the Talmud. Here (in respect to a man's serving idolatry) it is written (Ibid. 17:4) "And it be told to you, and you hear, and you inquire well," and elsewhere (in respect to scheming witnesses) (19:18) "And the judges inquire well" — "well" - "well" for an identity (gezeirah shavah.) (We are hereby taught) that he (the witness) undergoes seven cross-examinations (chakiroth).
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