Sanhedrin 37: Witness Intimidation, Estimation, Obligation

A number of points on today's daf:

• each Sage has his own place in the front three rows facing the Sanhedrin
• there is a procedure to replace each Sage so that the front three rows remain full and orderly
• proofs are provided for these edicts
• the rabbis consider whether or not Yisraelim should be trusted to understand these proofs/ the halachot
• Even Yisraelim are said to be filled with mitzvot like the seeds of a pomegranate

A new Mishna teaches about what it means to frighten witnesses in capital cases:

• Is this intimidation?
• Judges might say: 
• Perhaps you are estimating 
• perhaps you heard from other witnesses
• In monetary cases, false testimony could lead to payment and atonement 
• in capital cases, you could be responsible for a wrongful death and for all of his future descendants lost

• G-d created one person to teach that killing one Yisrael is destroying the entire world; saving one life is saving the entire world
• This promotes peace
• this minimizes the idea that we have different amounts of power
• G-d made all people to be the same but to look different so that we believe that this world was made for us

• The rabbis discuss whether or not witnesses will involve themselves in such cases
• The rabbis share examples of G-d's knowledge of our actions when we witness a crime
• If we witness, we must testify

• The four death penalties:
• by stoning: the beit din throw the perpetrator down from a height and drop a boulder on him if he survives.  Others continue to throw stones at him if he still survives, or he could be trampled by a beast
• by burning, more severe than sword: falls into a fire, or a snake bites and burns him
• by sword: killed by a guillotine or stabbed by robbers
• by choking: drowns in a river or dies of 'quincy', a throat disease

• The Mishna stated that one cannot testify using estimation 
• The rabbis argue whether this is true for both monetary and capital cases
• A baraita tells that a dead camel was fount next to a mating or biting camel and the 'estimation'  that the biting camel killed the other is valid
• Although guessing is invalid for monetary cases, we must tell capital witnesses that guessing is invalid

• This Mishna noted that blood was on wood and stones and thus it was demei, bloods
• The rabbis discuss some of the details of murders and the punishment for the murderers
• The rabbis debate whether or not galut, exile, stands as atonement for any level of crime