Shevuot 69

להכי כתבה רחמנא לעדות גבי שבועת ביטוי וגבי טומאת מקדש וקדשיו דבכולן נאמר בהן ונעלם וכאן לא נאמר בהן ונעלם לחייב על המזיד כשוגג:

For this reason Scripture wrote testimony near the oath of utterance and near [the laws of] uncleanness in connection with the Temple and the holy food thereof: for in all of them it is said, and it be hidden; and here<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the case of testimony. vua vrzd');">¹</span> it is not said, and it be hidden; in order to make him liable for wilful as for unwitting transgression.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Therefore we do not deduce testimony from deposit though we have a , for it is as though Scripture had expressly stated (by the okgbu omission of) that in the case of testimony he is liable also for wilful transgression.');">²</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> משביע אני עליכם אם לא תבואו ותעידוני שאמר איש פלוני ליתן לי מאתים זוז ולא נתן הרי אלו פטורים שאין חייבין אלא על תביעת ממון כפקדון

<big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>[IF A MAN SAID,] 'I ADJURE YOU THAT YOU COME AND BEAR TESTIMONY FOR ME THAT SO-AND-SO PROMISED TO GIVE ME TWO HUNDRED ZUZ, AND DID NOT GIVE ME', THEY ARE EXEMPT, FOR THEY ARE LIABLE ONLY FOR A MONEY CLAIM AS [IN THE CASE OF] DEPOSIT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Where there is a definite liability; but here, even if the witnesses had given their testimony that he had promised the money, he would not have to pay, for he could say that he had changed his mind.');">³</span> 'I ADJURE YOU THAT, WHEN YOU KNOW ANY TESTIMONY FOR ME, YOU SHOULD COME AND BEAR TESTIMONY FOR ME,' THEY ARE EXEMPT, BECAUSE THE OATH PRECEDED THE TESTIMONY.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At the time of the oath there was no testimony to be given.');">⁴</span>

משביע אני עליכם כשתדעו לי עדות שתבואו ותעידוני הרי אלו פטורים מפני שקדמה שבועה לעדות

[IF] HE STOOD IN THE SYNAGOGUE AND SAID, 'I ADJURE YOU THAT IF YOU KNOW ANY TESTIMONY FOR ME YOU SHOULD COME AND BEAR TESTIMONY FOR ME,' THEY ARE EXEMPT<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because he must single out particular witnesses.');">⁵</span> UNLESS HE DIRECTS HIMSELF TO THEM.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [I.e., to some among them in particular. Some texts omit this clause.]');">⁶</span>

עמד בבית הכנסת ואמר משביע אני עליכם שאם אתם יודעין לי עדות שתבואו ותעידוני הרי אלו פטורין עד שיהא מתכוין להם

HE SAID TO TWO [PERSONS].' I ADJURE YOU, SO-AND-SO AND SO-AND-SO, THAT IF YOU KNOW ANY TESTIMONY FOR ME YOU SHOULD COME AND BEAR TESTIMONY FOR ME,' [AND THEY REPLIED,] 'WE SWEAR WE KNOW NO TESTIMONY FOR YOU;' AND THEY DID KNOW TESTIMONY FOR HIM, [BUT IT WAS EVIDENCE OF] 'ONE WITNESS FROM THE MOUTH OF ANOTHER WITNESS;'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A technical phrase denoting indirect evidence. They had no direct evidence, but only what they had heard from others; they could not, in any case, offer that as testimony.');">⁷</span>

אמר לשנים משביע אני עליכם איש פלוני ופלוני שאם אתם יודעין לי עדות שתבואו ותעידוני שבועה שאין אנו יודעין לך עדות והם יודעין לו עדות עד מפי עד או שהיה אחד מהן קרוב או פסול הרי אלו פטורין

OR IF ONE OF THEM WAS A RELATIVE OR [OTHERWISE] INELIGIBLE [AS A WITNESS], THEY ARE EXEMPT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even if there were three witnesses, and only one was ineligible. Though there are two eligible witnesses left, they are also exempt, because as soon as one of the original three is found to be ineligible, the testimony of the other two is inadmissible; v. Tosaf.');">⁸</span> IF HE SENT BY THE HAND OF HIS SERVANT;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He sent his servant to adjure them.');">⁹</span>

שלח ביד עבדו או שאמר להן הנתבע משביע אני עליכם שאם אתם יודעין לו עדות שתבואו ותעידוהו הרי אלו פטורין עד שישמעו מפי התובע:

OR IF THE DEFENDANT SAID TO THEM, 'I ADJURE YOU THAT IF YOU KNOW ANY TESTIMONY FOR HIM YOU SHOULD COME AND BEAR TESTIMONY FOR HIM;' THEY ARE EXEMPT, [BEING LIABLE ONLY] WHEN THEY HEAR [THE ADJURATION] FROM THE MOUTH OF THE CLAIMANT. <big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>Our Rabbis taught; [If a man says,] 'I adjure you that you come and bear testimony for me that So-and-So promised to give me two hundred zuz, and did not give me'; I might think they should be liable, therefore it is said: [If any one] sin,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. V, 1.');">¹⁰</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> ת"ר משביעני עליכם אם לא תבואו ותעידוני שאמר איש פלוני ליתן לי מאתים זוז ולא נתן יכול יהו חייבין ת"ל (ויקרא ה, כא) תחטא תחטא לגזירה שוה

[if any one] sin,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 21.');">¹¹</span> for analogy; here<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' With reference to oath of testimony.');">¹²</span>

נאמר כאן תחטא ונאמר להלן תחטא מה להלן בתביעת ממון ויש לו אף כאן בתביעת ממון ויש לו:

it is said; '[if any one] Sin', an there<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' With reference to oath of deposit.');">¹³</span> it is said: '[if any one] sin'; just as there it deals with a claim of money which is due to him, so he deals with a claim of money which is due to him.'

משביע אני עליכם כשתדעו לי עדות כו':

I ADJURE YOU THAT WHEN YOU KNOW ANY TESTIMONY FOR ME, etc.' Our Sages taught: 'I adjure you that when you know' any testimony for me you should come and bear testimony for me': I might think they should be liable, therefore it is said; and heard the voice of adjuration, he being a witness, whether he hath seen or known<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. V, 1, he being a witness implies that he already had evidence at the time of adjuration.');">¹⁴</span>

ת"ר משביע אני עליכם כשתדעו לי עדות שתבואו ותעידוני יכול יהו חייבין ת"ל (ויקרא ה, א) ושמעה קול אלה והוא עד או ראה או ידע מי שקדמה עדות לשבועה ולא שקדמה שבועה לעדות:

- where the testimony precedes the oath, and not where the oath precedes the testimony. HE STOOD IN THE SYNAGOGUE AND SAID; 'I ADJURE YOU, etc.'

עמד בבית הכנסת ואמר משביעני עליכם: אמר שמואל אפילו עדיו ביניהן

Samuel said: Even if his witnesses are among them [they are exempt]. This is obvious!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For if the witnesses were not there, of course they are exempt.');">¹⁵</span>

פשיטא לא צריכא דקאי עילויהו מהו דתימא כמאן דאמר להו דמי קמ"ל

- It is not necessary [for him to tell us this except] where he stands next to them; you might have thought it is as though he said it to them [specifically], therefore he teaches us [that it is not so]. It was also taught likewise: If he saw a company of men standing, and his witnesses were among them, and he said to them, 'I adjure you that if you know any testimony for me you should come and bear testimony for me;' I might think they should be liable, therefore it is said, he being a witness<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. V, 1.');">¹⁶</span>

תניא נמי הכי ראה סיעה של בני אדם עומדין ועדיו ביניהן ואמר להן משביעני עליכם אם אתם יודעין לי עדות שתבואו ותעידוני יכול יהו חייבין ת"ל והוא עד והרי לא ייחד עדיו יכול אפילו אמר כל העומדין כאן תלמוד לומר והוא עד והרי ייחד עדיו:

- and here he did not single out his witnesses. I might think that even if he said, 'All who stand here [I adjure', they are exempt], therefore it is said, 'he being a witness'; and here he did single out witnesses.

אמר לשנים משביע אני עליכם: ת"ר אמר לשנים משביע אני עליכם פלוני ופלוני אם אתם יודעין לי עדות שתבואו ותעידוני והן יודעין לו עדות עד מפי עד או שהיה אחד מהן קרוב או פסול יכול יהו חייבין ת"ל (ויקרא ה, א) אם לא יגיד ונשא עונו בראוין להגדה הכתוב מדבר:

HE SAID TO TWO [PERSONS]: 'I ADJURE YOU, etc.' Our Sages taught: If he said to two [persons].'

שלח ביד עבדו וכו': ת"ר שלח ביד עבדו או שאמר להן הנתבע משביעני עליכם שאם אתם יודעין לו עדות שתבואו ותעידוהו יכול יהו חייבין ת"ל אם לא יגיד ונשא עונו

I adjure you, So-and-So and So-and-So, that if you know any testimony for me you should come and bear testimony for me'; and they knew testimony for him, but it was evidence of 'one witness from the mouth of another witness', or if one of them was a relative or [otherwise] ineligible [as a witness]; I might think they should be liable, therefore it is said, if he do not tell it, then he shall bear his iniquity<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. tuk tk shdh tk uk ot');">¹⁷</span> - with those who are eligible to tell, the verse deals.

מאי תלמודא אמר ר"א אם לוא יגיד כתיב אם לו לא יגיד ונשא עונו ואם לאחר לא יגיד פטור:

IF HE SENT BY THE HAND OF HIS SERVANT, etc. Our Sages taught: If he sent by the hand of his servant; or if the defendant said to them, 'I adjure you that if you know any testimony for him you should come and bear testimony for him;' I might think they should be liable, therefore it is said, if he do not tell i then he shall bear his iniquity. How is the deduction made? - R'Eleazar said: It is written: if he tell it not,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Heb. has instead of ; so that we may deduce: .');">¹⁸</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> משביעני (אני) עליכם מצוה אני עליכם אוסרכם אני הרי אלו חייבין

[implying] if to him<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The claimant.');">¹⁹</span> he tell it not, then he shall bear his iniquity; but if to another he tell it not, he is exempt.

בשמים ובארץ הרי אלו פטורין באלף דלת ביוד הי בשדי בצבאות בחנון ורחום בארך אפים ברב חסד ובכל הכנויין הרי אלו חייבין

<big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>[IF HE SAID.] 'I ADJURE YOU'; 'I COMMAND YOU'; 'I BIND YOU'; THEY ARE LIABLE.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If he uses any of these forms when adjuring the witnesses, they are liable, if they deny knowledge of testimony.');">²⁰</span> 'BY HEAVEN AND EARTH!' THEY ARE EXEMPT.'

המקלל בכולן חייב דברי ר"מ וחכמים פוטרין

BY ALEF DALETH';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If he adjures them by the Name Adonai.');">²¹</span> 'BY YOD HE';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Tetragrammaton.');">²²</span>

המקלל אביו ואמו בכולן חייב דברי ר"מ וחכמים פוטרין

'BY SHADDAI';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Almighty.');">²³</span> 'BY ZEBAOTH';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' (Lord of) Hosts.');">²⁴</span>

המקלל עצמו וחבירו בכולן עובר בלא תעשה (דברים כח, כב) יככה ה' אלהים וכן יככה אלהים זו היא אלה הכתובה בתורה

'BY THE MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS ONE'; 'BY THE LONG SUFFERING ONE'; 'BY THE ONE ABOUNDING IN KINDNESS'; OR BY ANY OF THE SUBSTITUTES [FOR THE NAME]: THEY ARE LIABLE. HE WHO BLASPHEMES<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Name.');">²⁵</span>

אל יכך ויברכך וייטיב לך ר"מ מחייב וחכמים פוטרין:

BY ANY OF THEM IS LIABLE:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Death by stoning, v. Sanh. VII, 5.');">²⁶</span> THIS IS THE OPINION OF R'MEIR; BUT THE SAGES EXEMPT HIM.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If he uses the substitutes; holding that he is liable only if he uses the Names: Tetragrammaton, God, Lord, Almighty, Hosts.');">²⁷</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> משביעני עליכם מאי קאמר אמר רב יהודה הכי קאמר משביע אני עליכם בשבועה האמורה בתורה מצוה אני עליכם בצוואה האמורה בתורה אוסרכם אני באיסור האמור בתורה

HE WHO CURSES HIS FATHER OR MOTHER BY ANY OF THEM IS LIABLE;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Lev. XX, 9; Sanh. 66a; but the Sages hold that if he uses the substitutes he is exempt.');">²⁸</span> THIS IS THE OPINION OF R'MEIR; BUT THE SAGES EXEMPT HIM.

אמר ליה אביי אלא הא דתני רבי חייא כובלכם אני הרי אלו חייבין כובל באורייתא מי כתיב

HE WHO CURSES HIMSELF OR HIS NEIGHBOUR BY ANY OF THEM TRANSGRESSES A NEGATIVE PRECEPT.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. infra 36a.');">²⁹</span> [IF HE SAID,] 'THE LORD<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [So MS.M. Cur. edd.: The Lord God. Var. lec. (v. Mishnah texts) : God smite you; v. n. 7.]');">³⁰</span>

אלא אמר אביי ה"ק משביע אני עליכם בשבועה מצוה אני עליכם בשבועה אוסרכם אני בשבועה כובלכם אני בשבועה:

SMITE YOU'; OR 'GOD SMITE YOU';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [If you do not come to testify for me. According to var. lec. given in previous note: or 'Thus may God smite you.' I.e., having heard some one reading the curses in Deut. XXVIII, he says, 'Thus may God smite you if you do not come to testify for me.']');">³¹</span> THESE ARE THE CURSES WRITTEN IN THE TORAH.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. XXVIII, 22; e.g., 'The Lord smite you with consumption if you do not bear testimony for me'.');">³²</span>

באלף דלת ביוד הי בשדי בצבאות בחנון ורחום בארך אפים ברב חסד:

'MAY [THE LORD] NOT SMITE YOU'; OR 'MAY HE BLESS YOU'; OR 'MAY HE DO GOOD UNTO YOU [IF YOU BEAR TESTIMONY FOR ME]': R'MEIR MAKES [THEM] LIABLE,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because the opposite may be deduced: 'May the Lord smite you if you do not bear testimony.');">³³</span> BUT THE SAGES EXEMPT [THEM].

למימרא דחנון ורחום שמות נינהו ורמינהי יש שמות שנמחקין ויש שמות שאין נמחקין אלו הן שמות שאין נמחקין כגון אל אלהיך אלהים אלהיכם אהיה אשר אהיה אלף דלת ויוד הי שדי צבאות הרי אלו אין נמחקין

<big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>'I adjure you:' what does he mean? Rab Judah said; Thus he means: 'I adjure you by the oath stated in the Torah'; 'I command you by the command stated in the Torah;' 'I bind you by the bond stated in the Torah'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Using forms of adjuration mentioned in Scripture.');">³⁴</span>

אבל הגדול הגבור הנורא האדיר והחזק והאמיץ העזוז חנון ורחום ארך אפים ורב חסד הרי אלו נמחקין

Abaye said to him: But then what of R'Hiyya who taught; 'I chain you';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I impose upon you the obligation like a chain to bear testimony.');">³⁵</span> they are liable.

אמר אביי מתניתין במי שהוא חנון

Is 'chain' then mentioned in Scripture? - Well, said Abaye. Thus he means: 'I adjure you by oath'; 'I command you by oath', 'I bind you by oath'; 'I chain you by oath'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In all cases invoking the Name.');">³⁶</span> 'BY ALEF DALETH'; 'BY YOD HE, BY SHADDAI'; 'BY ZEBAOTH'; 'BY THE MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS ONE'; 'BY THE LONG SUFFERING ONE'; 'BY THE ONE ABOUNDING IN KINDNESS'. Shall we say that Merciful and Gracious are Names?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., substitutes for the divine Name, and that therefore adjuration by these Names makes then, liable.');">³⁷</span> This is contradicted [from the following]: There are Names which may be erased;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Because they are not used solely of the Deity, and are therefore not sacred.');">³⁸</span> and there are Names which may not be erased. These are the Names which may not be erased, such as: 'El',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' God.');">³⁹</span> 'Eloha',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Vilna Gaon, a.l. vhvt rat vhvt');">⁴⁰</span> 'Elohim', 'your God', I am that I am,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' .');">⁴¹</span> 'Alef Daleth', 'Yod He', 'Shaddai', 'Zebaoth' - these may not be erased; but the Great, the Mighty, the Revered, the Majestic, the Strong, the Powerful, the Potent, the Merciful and Gracious, the Long Suffering, the One Abounding in Kindness these may be erased!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Hence, Merciful and Gracious are not substitutes for the divine Name.');">⁴²</span> Abaye said: Our Mishnah means: '[I adjure you] by Him who is Gracious';