כִּ֣י יִפָּלֵא֩ מִמְּךָ֨ דָבָ֜ר לַמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט בֵּֽין־דָּ֨ם ׀ לְדָ֜ם בֵּֽין־דִּ֣ין לְדִ֗ין וּבֵ֥ין נֶ֙גַע֙ לָנֶ֔גַע דִּבְרֵ֥י רִיבֹ֖ת בִּשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָ וְקַמְתָּ֣ וְעָלִ֔יתָ אֶ֨ל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּֽוֹ׃
If a case is too baffling for you to decide, be it a controversy over homicide, civil law, or assault—matters of dispute in your courts—you shall promptly repair to the place that your God יהוה will have chosen,
מַתְנִי׳ זָקֵן מַמְרֵא עַל פִּי בֵּית דִּין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי יִפָּלֵא מִמְּךָ דָבָר לַמִּשְׁפָּט״. שְׁלֹשָׁה בָּתֵּי דִינִין הָיוּ שָׁם: אֶחָד יוֹשֵׁב עַל פֶּתַח הַר הַבַּיִת, וְאֶחָד יוֹשֵׁב עַל פֶּתַח הָעֲזָרָה, וְאֶחָד יוֹשֵׁב בְּלִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית.
MISHNA:A rebellious elder according to the court, who does not observe the ruling of the court, is executed by strangulation, as it is stated: “If there shall be a matter too hard for you in judgment…and you shall arise and ascend unto the place that the Lord your God shall choose…and you shall do according to the matter that they shall declare unto you…and the man that shall do so intentionally, not to listen…and that man shall die” (Deuteronomy 17:8–12). There were three courts there in Jerusalem. One convenes at the entrance to the Temple Mount, and one convenes at the entrance to the Temple courtyard, and one convenes in the Chamber of Hewn Stone.
אֲבָל זָקֵן מַמְרֵא הָאָמוּר בַּתּוֹרָה הוּא חָכָם אֶחָד מֵחַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ קַבָּלָה וְדָן וּמוֹרֶה בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁיָּדוּנוּ וְיוֹרוּ כָּל חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. שֶׁבָּאת לוֹ מַחְלֹקֶת בְּדִין מִן הַדִּינִים עִם בֵּית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל וְלֹא חָזַר לְדִבְרֵיהֶם אֶלָּא חָלַק עֲלֵיהֶם וְהוֹרָה לַעֲשׂוֹת שֶׁלֹּא כְּהוֹרָאָתָן. גָּזְרָה עָלָיו תּוֹרָה מִיתָה וּמִתְוַדֶּה וְיֵשׁ לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא דָּן וְהֵן דָּנִים הוּא קִבֵּל וְהֵם קִבְּלוּ הֲרֵי הַתּוֹרָה חָלְקָה לָהֶם כָּבוֹד. וְאִם רָצוּ בֵּית דִּין לִמְחל עַל כְּבוֹדָן וּלְהַנִּיחוֹ אֵינָן יְכוֹלִין כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַרְבּוּ מַחְלֹקֶת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל:
The "rebellious elder" mentioned in the Torah, by contrast, is one of the sages of Israel who has received the tradition from previous sages and who analyzes and issues ruling with regard to the words of Torah as do all the sages of Israel. His rebellion involves an instance when he has a difference of opinion in one of the Torah's laws with the Supreme Sanhedrin and did not accept their views, but instead issued a ruling to act in a different manner. The Torah decreed that he should be executed. He should confess his sin before being executed so that he will be granted a portion in the world to come.
Even though he analyzes and they analyze; he received the tradition and they received the tradition, the Torah granted them deference. Even if the court desires to forgo their honor and allow him to live, they are not allowed so that differences of opinion will not arise within Israel.
Even though he analyzes and they analyze; he received the tradition and they received the tradition, the Torah granted them deference. Even if the court desires to forgo their honor and allow him to live, they are not allowed so that differences of opinion will not arise within Israel.
לֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֥ה אַחֲרֵֽי־רַבִּ֖ים לְרָעֹ֑ת וְלֹא־תַעֲנֶ֣ה עַל־רִ֗ב לִנְטֹ֛ת אַחֲרֵ֥י רַבִּ֖ים לְהַטֹּֽת׃
You shall neither side with the mighty to do wrong—you shall not give perverse testimony in a dispute so as to pervert it in favor of the mighty—
מנא הא מילתא דאמור רבנן זיל בתר רובא מנלן דכתיב (שמות כג, ב) אחרי רבים להטות
§ After discussing the role of presumptive status in determining halakha, the Gemara discusses the role of the majority. From where is this matter that the Sages stated: Follow the majority, derived? The Gemara is surprised at the question: From where do we derive it? Obviously, it is derived from a verse, as it is written explicitly: “After the majority to incline” (Exodus 23:2).