Rosh Hashana 2:1 — Testimony Only From Witnesses They Know

The Lived Mishnah·A Zeman Nakat Project
Mesechta Rosh Hashana
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MoedSederסדרמוֹעֵד
Rosh HashanaMesechtaמסכתראש השנה
2Perekפרקב׳
1Mishnahמשנהא׳
נושא · Topicמִן הַמַּכִּירִיםTestimony Only From Witnesses They Know
This Mishnah is:a rule · a takanawhat does that mean?
Mishnah ראש השנה ב׳:א׳ · Rosh Hashana 2:1
אִם אֵינָן מַכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ, מְשַׁלְּחִין אַחֵר עִמּוֹ לַהֲעִידוֹ.
בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מְקַבְּלִין עֵדוּת הַחֹדֶשׁ מִכָּל אָדָם.
מִשֶּׁקִּלְקְלוּ הַמִּינִין,
הִתְקִינוּ
שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ מְקַבְּלִין אֶלָּא מִן הַמַּכִּירִים:
If they do not recognize him — they send another with him to testify about him.
Originally they would accept edus hachodesh — the testimony on the new moon — from any person.
Once the minim corrupted it,
they enacted
that they would not accept it except from those they knew.
A reading aid, not an exact translation.

This English is a clause-by-clause rendering to help you follow the Hebrew. It is not word-for-word literal, and it is not a transcript of the recorded shiur — the audio carries explanation and context the translation deliberately leaves out.

case/objectrestrictive rulingpermissive rulingreason
Structure
The shape of it
beis dinthe witness they do not knowthe one sent with him, vouchingמְשַׁלְּחִין אַחֵר עִמּוֹ לַהֲעִידוֹ
Summary Chart
Testimony Only From Witnesses They Know
CaseRulingReason
A man saw the new moon and beis din has never laid eyes on him — may he testify?Yes — his own beis din sends another along to vouch for him
Who could once come and testify about the new moon?Anyone at all
And after the minim bought witnesses to force Rosh Chodesh onto Shabbos?Only men beis din knows
Transcript
A machine transcript of the recorded shiur.

This is the shiur as spoken, transcribed automatically and left unedited — the wording is Ephraim's, and occasional transcription errors remain. It follows the audio word by word.

הֲדַרָן עֲלָךְ מַסֶּכֶת רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה
A siyum · Mesechta Rosh Hashana

You have learned every Mishnah of Rosh Hashana — all 43 steps, from the four new years through the tefillos of the day. Hadran alach: we will return to you.