Sanhedrin 37 - January 23, 23 Tevet

Today's daf is sponsored by Helen Danczak in loving memory of her Aunt Doris. "Remembering my Aunt who passed away yesterday. May her neshama have an aliyah." How were the rows of students who stood before the court organized and why? The court of twenty-three judges and the Great Sanhedrin (of 71) were organized in a semi-circle. This is derived from a phrase in a verse in Shir haShirim 7:3. The verse in its entirety is extrapolated, teaching other virtues of the court and the Jewish people. How would they intimidate the witnesses in capital cases? The intimidation tactics were to prevent false witnesses, those who heard about the act but didn't witness it themselves, and also to encourage those who really saw what happened to come forward and not to withhold testimony out of laziness or fear. The Gemara provides an example for one of the things mentioned in the intimidation of the witnesses - not to testify from circumstantial evidence. And a case is brought of Shimon ben Shatach who saw a murder based on circumstantial evidence and did not testify about it. Drashot about Kayin and Hevel (Cain and able) are brought as a verse from there is quoted in the intimidation speech of the court.