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Beit Midrash
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The mishna (Sanhedrin 37a) says that beit din warns the witnesses regarding capital cases: "Perhaps you are relating based on assumption or rumor, or you heard testimony, one witness from another or from a reliable person." The gemara (ibid. 37b) says that the inadmissibility of an account coming from someone else applies to monetary law as well. The exception to this rule is when the first testimony was related to a beit din, in which case, the dayanim or others present in court may repeat the information in front of a different beit din. According to many authorities, this is only when the first beit din determined that the testimony was accurate. Another exception is that witnesses can testify about what they saw in a valid document, which is of value if the document was subsequently erased or destroyed [regarding written testimony, in general, see next week].
Based on this, when a witness is in a distant location, beit din can send three dayanim to the witness to hear his testimony, and they can later testify on that which they heard from him. According to almost all opinions, there must be three people accepting the testimony; one representative of the court is insufficient. Therefore, a simple notarized statement does not have a special halachic standing.
Regarding hearing testimony through a translator, the mishna (Makkot 6b) says that it is not valid. However, the gemara says that if the dayan understands the language reasonably and needs a translator only to communicate his questions to the witness, it is permitted to do so. The Radvaz says that the disqualification of hearing through a translator is only rabbinic, and therefore if there is no dayan available who understands the witness, a translator may be used. This, though, is still talking about a case where the witness speaks and the translator translates in front of beit din. If the translator alone comes to court to relay testimony, that is actually a case of one testifying in the name of another, which, we saw, is invalid.
P'ninat Mishpat (829)
Various Rabbis
139 - Culpability for Bad Financial Advice
140 - Laws of Witnesses
141 - Laws of Witnesses
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P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Did Any Furniture Go to the Buyer? – part I
based on ruling 84093 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Unsuccessful Transfer of Yeshiva – part V
based on appeal ruling 82138 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Smoking Rights in a Rental? – part III
based on ruling 85076 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
