שהיה בדין ומה אם עדות ראשונה שאין אוסרתה איסור עולם אינה מתקיימת בפחות משנים. עדות אחרונה שאוסרתה איסור עולם אינו דין שלא תתקיים בפחות משנים. תלמוד לומר (במדבר ה, יג) ועד אין בה כל עדות שיש בה. קל וחומר לעדות הראשונה מעתה. ומה אם עדות אחרונה שאוסרתה איסור עולם. הרי היא מתקיימת בעד אחד. עדות הראשונה שאין אוסרתה איסור עולם אינו דין שתתקיים בעד אחד. תלמוד לומר (דברים כד, א) כי מצא בה ערות דבר. ולהלן הוא אומר (דברים יז, ו) על פי שנים עדים יקום דבר. מה להלן על פי שנים עדים. אף כאן על פי שנים עדים:
For it would have been logical: Now if the first evidence [that the woman had secluded herself with the man], which does not prohibit her [to her husband] for all time, is not established by fewer than two witnesses, is it not logical that the final evidence [that she had been defiled] which does prohibit her to him for all time, should not be established by fewer than two witnesses! Scripture states, “And there is no witness against her” (Numbers 5:13) whatever testimony there may be against her [is believed]. And now with respect to the first evidence [about her seclusion with the man] there is an a fortiori (kal vehomer) argument: Now if the final evidence [regarding her being defiled], which prohibits her to her husband for all time, is established by one witness, is it not logical that the first evidence, which does not prohibit her to him for all time, should be established by one witness! Scripture states, “Because he has found some unseemly matter in her” (Deuteronomy 24:1), and elsewhere [Scripture] states, “By the mouth of two witnesses ... shall the matter be established” (Deuteronomy 19:15); just as the “matter” mentioned in this latter case must be based on the testimony of two witnesses, so also here [in the case of the suspected woman] the “matter” must be based on the testimony of two witnesses.
Comments
Select a line on the left to view commentary.
Help support Theologa. Click to donate now!