*7.5 Makkos Daf 05 B (10 lines Up)*

*7.5 Makkos Daf 05 B (10 lines Up)**Summary**Mishna:*It states “A man can be put to death based on the testimony of *two or three* witnesses”. “Three” is *superfluous* , the Torah wrote it in order to compare two to three. Just as we understand that three witnesses can be _mazim_ two; *two can be _mazim_ three* as well.How do I know that this applies *even to a hundred?*The passuk says *“Eidim - witnesses”* (this implies *even many)* .*Rabbi Shimon:* The words *“or three”* teach that just as *both witnesses* need to be _huzam_ in order for the _hazamah_ to be effective (3.2), so to when there are three witnesses, *all three need to be _huzam_* in order for the _hazamah_ to be effective.How do I know that this applies *even to a hundred?*The passuk says *_“Eidim - witnesses”_* (this implies *even many* ).*Rabbi Akiva:* The third witness *cannot produce a leniency* for the others. He can only *be punished* together with them.This third witness is completely unnecessary for the plot of the first two _zoimemim_ , and yet, the Torah punishes him with the full punishment. This teaches us that *certainly Hashem will reward* anyone who joins in with others doing a mitzvah. (That’s the big story of Yefes [see Toras Avigdor Parshas Shoftim 2 “The Third Witness”], https://torasavigdor.org/parshas-shoftim-2-the-third-witness/Sheim didn’t need Yefes’ help to cover his father, yet he received a bracha for that). See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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