The Talmud. 



witnesses before their examination were to be thus accosted: " Perhaps 

 you only suspect the man of the crime, or you have heard of it from 

 a trustworthy source; perhaps you do not know that we shall search 

 you and cross-examine you. Consider that this is not a mere matter 

 of mine and thine; it is a question of life and death. If a man has 

 wronged his neighbor by bearing false witness in matters of mine and 

 thine, he may atone for himself, make restitution and be forgiven. 

 But in matters of life and death not only the blood of the innocently 

 slain, but the blood of all his possible posterity, would come upon the 

 false witness. Of Kain, the slayer of his brother, it is said, the voice of 

 thy brother's blood cries up to me. 



" 'Damim' blood is used here in the plural to teach you that he 

 spilled not ouly Abel's blood, but also that of all the posterity he 

 might have had. Or the plural is used, because the blood bespattered 

 stones and wood, and every stone and every piece of wood now cries 

 up against the slayer. Then remember, only one man was created. 

 This is to teach you (1) that whoever destroys the life of one man, is 

 considered by the Scripture as if he had destroyed all mankind; but 

 whoever saveth the life of one man, is considered as if he had saved 

 all mankind; (2) that one man may not say to the other, my father 

 is better and more noble than thine, but that they may all live in 

 peace and good will with each other; (3) that the Sadducees may not 

 say, there are various powers in heaven, of which each created its own 

 world; (4) that God's greatness be thereby made manifest. A man takes 

 many imprints from one seal and they are all exactly like each other, 

 but God Almighty made all men with the seal of Adam, yet there is 

 not one man perfectly like the other. Therefore every man may im- 

 agine, on my account the world was created, L e., no one shall think 

 lightly of himself. Now, you may perhaps think, why should I go to 

 all this trouble and endanger myself (by being a witness)? Remem- 

 ber, that it is said (in Scripture) 'if a man has seen or learned of any 

 wrong and testifieth not, his guilt shall be upon him* (i. e. f it is the 

 solemn duty of everybody to serve society in the capacity of a witness). 

 Or perhaps you may say, why should we bring the blood of this man 

 upon us? Remember, that it is said, ' Thou shalt put away wicked- 

 ness out of your midst/" 



After these representations every witness is separately to be exam- 

 ined in regard to the following seven questions: (1) In what seven 

 years' cycle did it happen? (They reckoned by jubilees of fifty years, 

 consisting of seven cycles of seven years.) (2) In which year of the 

 cycle? (3) In which month? (4) Which day of the week? (5) At 



