1. Judgments in money and judgments in souls must be equally inquired into
and investigated; as is said, “Ye shall have one manner of law.”(389)
“What is the difference between judgments in money and judgments in
souls?” “Judgments in money (require) three judges, judgments in souls
twenty-three. Judgments in money open the case either for clearing or
proving indebted, but judgments of souls open the case for clearing, and
the case is not opened for condemning. Judgments in money are balanced by
one judge either for clearing or proving indebted; but judgments in souls
are balanced by one for clearing and by two for condemning. Judgments in
money may be reversed either for clearing or proving indebted; but
judgments in souls may be reversed for clearing, but must not be reversed
for condemnation. All may express an opinion on judgments in money for
clearing or proving indebted. All may express an opinion on judgments in
souls for clearing, but all must not express an opinion for condemnation.
He who has expressed an opinion on judgments in money for proving
indebted, may express an opinion for clearing, and he who has expressed an
opinion for clearing, may express an opinion for proving indebted. He who
has expressed an opinion on judgments in souls for condemnation may
express an opinion for clearing, but he who has expressed an opinion for
clearing must not reverse it to express an opinion for condemnation.
Judgments in money are conducted by day and settled by night. Judgments in
souls are conducted by day and settled by day. Judgments in money are
settled on the same day, either for clearing or proving indebted.
Judgments in souls are finished on the same day for clearing, and on the
day after it for condemnation—wherefore there can be no judgments on
Friday or on the eve of a festival.”(390)
2. Judgments in legal uncleanness and legal cleansings begin with the
Supreme (judge). Judgments in souls begin with a judge at his side. All
are eligible to pronounce judgments in money matters, but all are not
eligible to pronounce judgments in souls—only priests, Levites, and
Israelites who can intermarry into the priesthood.
3. The Sanhedrin was like half a round threshing-floor, in order that the
members might observe each other. And two scribes of the judges stood
before them—one on the right and one on the left. And they wrote the
sentence of acquittal, and the sentence of condemnation. R. Judah said,
“three; one scribe wrote the sentence of acquittal, and one wrote the
sentence of condemnation; and the third wrote both the sentence of
acquittal and the sentence of condemnation.”
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