שבועות ד׳Shevuot 4

Mishnah 1א׳

שְׁבוּעַת הָעֵדוּת נוֹהֶגֶת בַּאֲנָשִׁים וְלֹא בְנָשִׁים, בִּרְחוֹקִין וְלֹא בִקְרוֹבִין, בִּכְשֵׁרִים וְלֹא בִפְסוּלִין. וְאֵינָהּ נוֹהֶגֶת אֶלָּא בָרְאוּיִין לְהָעִיד, בִּפְנֵי בֵית דִּין וְשֶׁלֹּא בִּפְנֵי בֵית דִּין, מִפִּי עַצְמוֹ, וּמִפִּי אֲחֵרִים, אֵין חַיָּבִין עַד שֶׁיִּכְפְּרוּ בָהֶן בְּבֵית דִּין, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, בֵּין מִפִּי עַצְמוֹ וּבֵין מִפִּי אֲחֵרִים, אֵינָן חַיָּבִין עַד שֶׁיִּכְפְּרוּ בָהֶן בְּבֵית דִּין:

The oath of testimony applies to men but not to women, to relatives and non- relatives, and by those fit but not by those unfit. It only applies to those who are fit to testify, whether before a court or not before a court, by oneself, and by others. They [the witnesses] are not liable unless they deny it [their knowledge] before a court, these are the words of Rabbi Meir. The Sages say: whether it was by oneself or by others, they are not liable unless they deny it before a court.

Mishnah 2ב׳

וְחַיָּבִין עַל זְדוֹן הַשְּׁבוּעָה, וְעַל שִׁגְגָתָהּ עִם זְדוֹן הָעֵדוּת, וְאֵינָן חַיָּבִין עַל שִׁגְגָתָהּ. וּמַה הֵן חַיָּבִין עַל זְדוֹן הַשְּׁבוּעָה, קָרְבָּן עוֹלֶה וְיוֹרֵד:

And they are liable for an intentional transgression of the oath and for its unintentional transgression with an intentional denial of the testimony, but they are not liable for an unintentional act. What are they liable for in an intentional oath? An offering of an Oleh veYored [a sliding-scale Chattat offering where the economic status of the individual determines whether he brings an animal, a bird, or flour].

Mishnah 3ג׳

שְׁבוּעַת הָעֵדוּת כֵּיצַד. אָמַר לִשְׁנַיִם בֹּאוּ וַהֲעִידוּנִי. שְׁבוּעָה שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין לְךָ עֵדוּת, אוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ לוֹ אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין לְךָ עֵדוּת, מַשְׁבִּיעַ אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם וְאָמְרוּ אָמֵן, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ חַיָּבִין. הִשְׁבִּיעַ עֲלֵיהֶן חֲמִשָּׁה פְעָמִים חוּץ לְבֵית דִּין וּבָאוּ לְבֵית דִּין וְהוֹדוּ, פְּטוּרִים. כָּפְרוּ, חַיָּבִים עַל כָּל אַחַת וְאֶחָת. הִשְׁבִּיעַ עֲלֵיהֶן חֲמִשָּׁה פְעָמִים בִּפְנֵי בֵית דִּין וְכָפְרוּ, אֵינָן חַיָּבִין אֶלָּא אַחַת. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, מַה טַּעַם, הוֹאִיל וְאֵינָם יְכוֹלִין לַחֲזֹר וּלְהוֹדוֹת:

How is an oath of testimony, [is it done]? If one said to two, come and testify for me, [and they answered] "[We take] an oath that we do not know testimony for you. Or they say to him: "We do not know testimony for you", [he responds], I make you swear, and they said, Amen, agreed, they are liable. If he made them swear five times outside the court, and they come to the court and admitted, they are exempt, if they deny, they are liable for each one. If he made them swear five times before the court, and they deny, they are only liable for one. Rabbi Shimon said: What is the reason? Since they cannot retract and admit.

Mishnah 4ד׳

כָּפְרוּ שְׁנֵיהֶן כְּאַחַת, שְׁנֵיהֶן חַיָּבִין. בָּזֶה אַחַר זֶה, הָרִאשׁוֹן חַיָּב וְהַשֵּׁנִי פָטוּר. כָּפַר אֶחָד וְהוֹדָה אֶחָד, הַכּוֹפֵר חַיָּב. הָיוּ שְׁתֵּי כִתֵּי עֵדִים, כָּפְרָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה וְאַחַר כָּךְ כָּפְרָה הַשְּׁנִיָּה, שְׁתֵּיהֶם חַיָּבוֹת, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָעֵדוּת יְכוֹלָה לְהִתְקַיֵּם בִּשְׁתֵּיהֶן:

If the two [witnesses] denied knowledge at the same time, the two of them are liable, one after the other, the first is liable, the second is exempt. If one denied and one admitted, the one who denies is liable. If there were two pairs of witnesses, if the first denied, and after the second denied, the two of them are liable, because the testimony could be established by the two of them.

Mishnah 5ה׳

מַשְׁבִּיעַ אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם אִם לֹא תָבֹאוּ וּתְעִידוּנִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִי בְיַד פְּלוֹנִי פִּקָּדוֹן וּתְשׂוּמֶת יָד וְגָזֵל וַאֲבֵדָה. שְׁבוּעָה שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין לְךָ עֵדוּת, אֵין חַיָּבִין אֶלָּא אַחַת. שְׁבוּעָה שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְךָ בְיַד פְּלוֹנִי פִּקָּדוֹן וּתְשׂוּמֶת יָד וְגָזֵל וַאֲבֵדָה, חַיָּבִין עַל כָּל אַחַת וְאֶחָת. מַשְׁבִּיעַ אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם אִם לֹא תָבֹאוּ וּתְעִידוּנִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִי בְיַד פְּלוֹנִי פִּקְדוֹן חִטִּין וּשְׂעֹרִין וְכֻסְּמִין. שְׁבוּעָה שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין לְךָ עֵדוּת, אֵין חַיָּבִין אֶלָּא אַחַת. שְׁבוּעָה שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין לְךָ עֵדוּת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְךָ בְיַד פְּלוֹנִי חִטִּין וּשְׂעֹרִין וְכֻסְּמִין, חַיָּבִין עַל כָּל אַחַת וְאֶחָת:

I make you swear, that if you do not come and testify for me that I have in the possession of so-and-so a deposit, a loan, a stolen object, or a lost object, [and they swear:] An oath that we do not know testimony for you, they are only liable once. An oath that we do not know that you have in the possession of so-and-so a deposit, a loan, a stolen object, or a lost object, they are liable for each one. I make you swear that if you come and testify for me that I have in the possession of so-and-so a deposit of wheat, barley, and spelt”, [and they swear:] an oath that we do not know testimony for you, they are only liable once. An oath that we do not know testimony for you that you have in the possession of so-and-so a deposit of wheat, barley, and spelt, they are liable for each one.

Mishnah 6ו׳

מַשְׁבִּיעַ אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם אִם לֹא תָבֹאוּ וּתְעִידוּנִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִי בְיַד פְּלוֹנִי נֶזֶק וַחֲצִי נֶזֶק, תַּשְׁלוּמֵי כֶפֶל, תַּשְׁלוּמֵי אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה, וְשֶׁאָנַס אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי אֶת בִּתִּי, וּפִתָּה אֶת בִּתִּי, וְשֶׁהִכַּנִי בְנִי, וְשֶׁחָבַל בִּי חֲבֵרִי, וְשֶׁהִדְלִיק אֶת גְּדִישִׁי בְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ חַיָּבִין:

I make you swear, that if you do not come and testify for me that I have in the possession of so-and-so damages and half damages, double payment, four or five payment; that so-and-so raped my daughter or seduced my daughter; that my son struck me; or that my neighbor injured me or set fire to my stack of grain on the Day of Atonement, they are liable.

Mishnah 7ז׳

מַשְׁבִּיעַ אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם אִם לֹא תָבֹאוּ וּתְעִידוּנִי שֶׁאֲנִי כֹהֵן, שֶׁאֲנִי לֵוִי, שֶׁאֵינִי בֶן גְּרוּשָׁה, שֶׁאֵינִי בֶן חֲלוּצָה, שֶׁאִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי כֹהֵן, שֶׁאִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי לֵוִי, שֶׁאֵינוֹ בֶן גְּרוּשָׁה, שֶׁאֵינוֹ בֶן חֲלוּצָה, שֶׁאָנַס אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי אֶת בִּתּוֹ, וּפִתָּה אֶת בִּתּוֹ, וְשֶׁחָבַל בִּי בְנִי, וְשֶׁחָבַל בִּי חֲבֵרִי, וְשֶׁהִדְלִיק גְּדִישִׁי בְשַׁבָּת, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ פְטוּרִין:

I make you swear, that if you do not come and testify for me that I am a priest, that I am a Levite, that I am not the son of a divorced woman, or that I am not the son of a chalutsah [widow of a childless man released from the obligation of Levirate marriage by a ceremony performed by her brother-in-law]; that so-and-so is a priest, that so-and-so is a Levite, that he is not a son of a divorced woman, or that he is not the son of a chalutsah; that so-and-so raped his daughter or seduced his daughter; that my son injured me; that my neighbor injured me or set fire to my stack of grain on Shabbat, they are exempt.

Mishnah 8ח׳

מַשְׁבִּיעַ אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם, אִם לֹא תָבֹאוּ וּתְעִידוּנִי שֶׁאָמַר אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי לִתֶּן לִי מָאתַיִם זוּז וְלֹא נָתַן לִי, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ פְטוּרִים, שֶׁאֵין חַיָּבִין אֶלָּא עַל תְּבִיעַת מָמוֹן כְּפִקָּדוֹן:

I make you swear, that if you do not come and testify for me that so-and-sosaid he would give me two hundred zuz [a silver coin] and he did not give it to me, they are exempt, because they are only liable regarding a claim of money like a deposit.

Mishnah 9ט׳

מַשְׁבִּיעַ אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם, כְּשֶׁתֵּדְעוּן לִי עֵדוּת שֶׁתָּבֹאוּ וּתְעִידוּנִי, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ פְטוּרִים, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁקָּדְמָה שְׁבוּעָה לָעֵדוּת:

I make you swear, that when you can inform me of testimony that you will come and testify for me, they are exempt, because the oath of testimony comes first.

Mishnah 10י׳

עָמַד בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וְאָמַר, מַשְׁבִּיעַ אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם שֶׁאִם אַתֶּם יוֹדְעִים לִי עֵדוּת שֶׁתָּבֹאוּ וּתְעִידוּנִי, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ פְטוּרִין, עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מִתְכַּוֵּן לָהֶם:

If he stood in a synagogue and said, I make you swear that if you know testimony for me, that you will come and testify for me, they are exempt, unless he will intend for them.

Mishnah 11י״א

אָמַר לִשְׁנַיִם, מַשְׁבִּיעַ אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי וּפְלוֹנִי, שֶׁאִם אַתֶּם יוֹדְעִין לִי עֵדוּת שֶׁתָּבֹאוּ וּתְעִידוּנִי, שְׁבוּעָה שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין לְךָ עֵדוּת, וְהֵם יוֹדְעִין לוֹ עֵדוּת עֵד מִפִּי עֵד אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶן קָרוֹב אוֹ פָסוּל, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ פְטוּרִין:

If one said to two, I make you swear, so-and-so and so-and-so, that if you know any testimony for me that you will come and testify for me an oath that we do not know testimony for you, and they did know testimony for him, [known by] a witness from the mouth of another witness or if one of them was a relative or invalid [witness], they are exempt.

Mishnah 12י״ב

שִׁלַּח בְּיַד עַבְדּוֹ, אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶן הַנִּתְבָּע מַשְׁבִּיעַ אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם שֶׁאִם אַתֶּם יוֹדְעִין לוֹ עֵדוּת שֶׁתָּבֹאוּ וּתְעִידוּהוּ, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ פְטוּרִין עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁמְעוּ מִפִּי הַתּוֹבֵעַ:

If one sent by the hand of his servant, or if the defendant said to them, I make you swear that if you know any testimony for him that you will come and testify for him, they are exempt, unless they hear this from the mouth of the claimant.

Mishnah 13י״ג

מַשְׁבִּיעַ אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם, מְצַוֶּה אֲנִי עֲלֵיכֶם, אוֹסֶרְכֶם אָנִי, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ חַיָּבִין. בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ פְטוּרִין. בְּאל"ף דל"ת, בְּיו"ד ה"א, בְּשַׁדַּי, בִּצְבָאוֹת, בְּחַנּוּן וְרַחוּם, בְּאֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חֶסֶד, וּבְכָל הַכִּנּוּיִין, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ חַיָּבִין. הַמְקַלֵּל בְּכֻלָּן, חַיָּב, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר, וַחֲכָמִים פּוֹטְרִין. הַמְקַלֵּל אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ בְּכֻלָּן, חַיָּב, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר, וַחֲכָמִים פּוֹטְרִין. הַמְקַלֵּל עַצְמוֹ וַחֲבֵרוֹ בְּכֻלָּן, עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה. יַכְּכָה אֱלֹהִים, וְכֵן יַכְּכָה אֱלֹהִים, זוֹ הִיא אָלָה הַכְּתוּבָה בַתּוֹרָה. אַל יַכְּךָ, וִיבָרֶכְךָ, וְיֵיטִיב לְךָ, רַבִּי מֵאִיר מְחַיֵּב וַחֲכָמִים פּוֹטְרִין:

I make you swear, I command you, I forbid you, these are liable. By the heavens and the earth, these are exempt. With Alef, Dalet, with Yud, Hey, with Shaddai, with God's hosts, with the Gracious and Merciful one, with Slow to Anger and Abundantly Kind, and with all euphemisms, these are liable. The one who curses with any of these, is liable, these are the words of Rabbi Meir, but the Sages exempt. The one who curses his father or mother with any of these, is liable, these are the words of Rabbi Meir, but the Sages exempt. The one who curses oneself or one's fellow with any of these, transgresses a negative commandment. God will strike you, and thus God will strike you, this is the written curse in the Torah. "[God will] not smite you", "[God] will bless you", "[God] will do well by you", (Devarim 28:22-35) Rabbi Meir makes him liable, and the Sages exempt.