Mishnah.org Logo
Perek 1

Mishnayos Horayos Perek 1 Mishnah 4

הוריות פרק א׳ משנה ד׳

4
If the court issued a ruling, and one of the judges knew that they erred and he said to them: You are mistaken; or if the most distinguished [mufla] member of the court was not there for that session of the Sanhedrin, or if one of the judges was disqualified from serving as a judge, e.g., because he was a convert, or a child born from an incestuous or adulterous relationship [mamzer], or a Gibeonite, or an old man no longer able to father children, this court is exempt, because they have not rendered a full-fledged ruling. This is derived by means of a verbal analogy, as “assembly” is stated here with regard to a court that issues an erroneous ruling: “And if the entire assembly of Israel shall act unwittingly” (Leviticus 4:13), and “assembly” is stated there with regard to the halakha of one who commits murder unwittingly: “And the assembly shall judge between the one who struck and the blood redeemer” (Numbers 35:24). Just as in the “assembly” stated there, with regard to the unwitting murderer, all the judges must be fit to issue rulings, so too, in the “assembly” stated here, with regard to the court that issued an erroneous ruling; the court will not be liable unless all the judges will be fit to issue rulings. If the judges of the court issued an erroneous ruling unwittingly and the entire congregation performed a transgression unwittingly on the basis of their ruling, the court brings a bull, as it is stated in the Torah with regard to an unwitting communal sin-offering. If the court issued the erroneous ruling intentionally, as they knew that their ruling was incorrect, and the congregation performed a transgression unwittingly on the basis of the ruling of the court, each member of the congregation brings a female lamb or a female goat as an individual sin-offering. If the court issued the erroneous ruling unwittingly and the congregation performed a transgression intentionally, i.e., with the knowledge that the ruling of the court was erroneous, these people are exempt from bringing an offering.

הוֹרוּ בֵית דִּין, וְיָדַע אֶחָד מֵהֶן שֶׁטָּעוּ, וְאָמַר לָהֶן טוֹעִין אַתֶּם, אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מֻפְלָא שֶׁל בֵּית דִּין שָׁם, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה אַחַד מֵהֶן גֵּר אוֹ מַמְזֵר אוֹ נָתִין אוֹ זָקֵן שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה לוֹ בָנִים, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ פְטוּרִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כָּאן עֵדָה (ויקרא ד) וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן (במדבר לה) עֵדָה, מָה עֵדָה הָאֲמוּר לְהַלָּן עַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כֻלָּם רְאוּיִין לְהוֹרָאָה, אַף עֵדָה הָאֲמוּרָה כָאן עַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כֻלָּם רְאוּיִים לְהוֹרָאָה. הוֹרוּ בֵית דִּין שׁוֹגְגִים וְעָשׂוּ כָל הַקָּהָל שׁוֹגְגִין, מְבִיאִין פָּר. מְזִידִין וְעָשׂוּ שׁוֹגְגִין, מְבִיאִין כִּשְׂבָּה וּשְׂעִירָה. שׁוֹגְגִין וְעָשׂוּ מְזִידִין, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ פְטוּרִין:

ד׳

.And one of them knew that they had erred, etc. – As it is written (Leviticus 4) “And if the whole congregation of Israel shall err, until they will all agree that they acted in error.

Mufla of the beit din – the most important/knowledgeable, the head of a yeshiva.

An elder who did not have children – He is not fit to judge in capital cases because he is cruel and will not be compassionate.

It says later on “congregation” – the congregation was judged.

Just as the “congregation” further on, etc. – As it is said that in the Sanhedrin (Numbers 11) “that they may stand there with you,” meaning like you, with a distinguished lineage like you. Except for a convert, a nateen (variously translated as “subject” and “Temple slave”) and a mamzer (child of an illicit marriage) who are not fit to judge in capital cases.

Intentionally – The beit din knew that the matter was forbidden and is exempt from bringing a communal sacrifice because one who wilfully transgresses does not bring a sacrifice. Those who transgress in error bring a ewe or a female goat as an individual sin-offering.

[If the court ruled] unwittingly and [the people] acted willingly accordingly, they are exempt – The beit din is exempt because they did not act, the people acted according to the ruling and not did not make their actions dependent on the beit din because they knew the beit din ruled wrongly. Everyone who acted is exempt because they acted willfully and those who sin wilfully do not bring a sacrifice.

וידע אחד מהן שטעו וכו׳ דאמר קרא (ויקרא ד׳:י״ג) ואם כל עדת ישראל ישגו, עד שיהיו כולם מסכימים בשגגה:

מופלא של בית דין. הגדול שבהן, ראש הישיבה:

זקן שלא ראה בנים. אינו ראוי לדון דיני נפשות, שסתמו שהוא אכזרי ולא ירחם:

ונאמר להלן עדה. ושפטו העדה:

מה עדה האמורה להלן וכו׳ שנאמר בסנהדרין (במדבר י״א:ט״ז) והתיצבו שם עמך, בדומין לך, מיוחסין כמותך. פרט לגר ולנתין ולממזר שאינן ראויין לימנות בסנהדרין:

מזידין. שידעו בית דין שהדבר אסור, פטורים מקרבן צבור, דמזיד לאו בר קרבן הוא. והעושים שוגג, מביאים כשבה או שעירה חטאת יחיד:

שוגגים ועשו מזידין אלו ואלו פטורים. בית דין פטורים שהרי לא עשו הקהל מפי הוראתם ולא תלו מעשיהם בבית דין, שהרי ידעו שבית דין טעו. וכל העושים פטורים, שהרי מזידים הן ומזיד לאו בר קרבן הוא: