*7.2 Makkos Daf 05 B (15 Lines Dn)*

*7.2 Makkos Daf 05 B (15 Lines Dn)**Summary**Reish Lakish* : It is already *established that this woman brings false witnesses* and we cannot accept the third testimony.*Rabbi Yochanan (and Rabbi Elazar):* The fact that she is a faker *doesn’t prove that all Jews are fakers* and we must accept the testimony of two kosher Jews.*Suggestion:* It would seem that *Reish Lakish* is following *the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda* (6.2 “A crooked pair cannot be relied upon”), and *Rabbi Yochanan* is following *the Chachomim* (ibid. “They can even be _mazim_ one hundred pairs”).*Response:**Reish Lakish* does not necessarily argue with the Chachomim, because *no one brought these _mazimim_ into _beis din_* - unlike the case of the woman who was the one bringing different sets of false witnesses.*Rabbi Yochanan* does not necessarily argue with Rabbi Yehuda. It is difficult to accept the Chachomim’s view because: Were *all two hundred people* really *with this one set of _mazimim?_* However in our case, there is nothing in the third testimony indicating that it’s false.*Mishna:* _Zoimemim_ are not *put to death* for testifying against somebody unless he was *already sentenced.* (They’re also not punished if the sentence was carried out already).The _Tzedukim_ refused to punish _zoimemim_ until they had actually caused the *death* of their victim, based on the _passuk nefesh b’nefesh_ - “a life for a life”.*The chachamim argued* from the _passuk “Ka’asher zamam laasos l’achiv_ - As he intended to do to *his brother”* - so it seems that the brother is still around. The verse _nefesh b’nefesh_ teaches that they are not punished until their victim’s “life” was in peril because he was sentenced. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate