ראש השנה ב׳Rosh Hashanah 2

Mishnah 1א׳

אִם אֵינָן מַכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ, מְשַׁלְּחִין אַחֵר עִמּוֹ לַהֲעִידוֹ. בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מְקַבְּלִין עֵדוּת הַחֹדֶשׁ מִכָּל אָדָם. מִשֶּׁקִּלְקְלוּ הַמִּינִין, הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ מְקַבְּלִין אֶלָּא מִן הַמַּכִּירִים:

If they do not recognize him [i.e., if beth-din do not recognize the witness as being trustworthy and kasher, they [the beth-din in the witness's city] send another [pair of witnesses] with him to testify about him [before the great beth-din who sanctify the New Moon.] In the beginning, they would accept testimony to the (appearance of) the new moon from all men. When the heretics attempted to undermine (the institution of the New Moon) [by hiring false witnesses to deceive the sages], they ordained that only recognized (witnesses) be accepted.

Mishnah 2ב׳

בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מַשִּׂיאִין מַשּׂוּאוֹת. מִשֶּׁקִּלְקְלוּ הַכּוּתִים, הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ שְׁלוּחִין יוֹצְאִין:

In the beginning, they would light beacons [to inform those at a distance that the month had been sanctified, and they did not have to hire messengers to send them to the exile to apprise them, for they would be apprised by the beacons.] When the Cuthites attempted to undermine (the institution of the New Moon) [and they, too, lit beacons at the wrong time, to deceive them], they ordained that messengers go out [For beth-din would light beacons only for a month which was sanctified on the thirtieth day; and if they did not light them on the eve of the thirtieth day, all knew that the month was full. And once beth-din intercalated the month and did not light beacons on the eve of the thirtieth day — and the Cuthites lit them in their hills and deceived the Jews in the exile into making the month defective (instead of full)].