Monetary cases [are judged] by three; [cases of] theft and bodily injury [are judged] by three; [claims for] full damages and half damages, twofold compensation, and fourfold or fivefold compensation, [are judged] by three; [claims against] a rapist, a seducer, and a defamer [are judged] by three; [these are] the words of R’ Meir. However, the Sages say: [Claims against] a defamer are [judged] by twenty-three, because they involve a capital charge.

[Cases of] lashes [are judged] by three. In the name of R’ Yishmael they said: By twenty-three. The intercalating of the month is by three; the intercalating of the year is by three; [these are] the words of R’ Meir. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: It is begun with three, discussed by five, and concluded by seven. If they concluded with three it is valid.

The semichah of the elders and the decapitation of the calf are by three; [these are] the words of R’ Shimon. R’ Yehudah, however, says: By five. Chalitzah and refusal are before three. The fourth-year fruit and the maaser sheni whose value is unknown are [judged] by three. [Redemption] of articles of hekdesh is [judged] by three. Assessments of movable objects is by three. R’ Yehudah says: One of them [must be] a Kohen. That of real property is by nine and a Kohen, and likewise for a human being.

Capital cases are [judged] by twenty-three. The [animal] which commits an act of bestiality or is its recipient [is judged] by twenty-three, as it says: And you shall kill the woman and the animal, and it says: And the animal you shall kill. An ox which is to be stoned [is judged] by twenty-three, as it says: The ox shall be stoned and also its owner shall be put to death —- in the same manner as the owner [is put to] death, the ox is [put to] death.  The wolf, the lion, the bear, the leopard, the bardelas, and the snake are sentenced to death by twenty-three. R’ Eliezer says: Whoever is first to kill them acquires merit. R’ Akiva says: Their death is by twenty-three.

A tribe, a false prophet, and a Kohen Gadol, may not be judged except before the court of seventy-one. A discretionary war may not be waged without the approval of the court of seventy-one. Additions to the city and to the courtyards may be made only with the court of seventy-one. Sanhedrins for the tribes may be appointed only by the court of seventy-one. An apostate town can be so designated only by the court of seventy-one. They cannot designate an apostate town on the border, nor three, but they may so designate one or two.

[If there were] two brothers, one poor and one wealthy, and their father left them a bathhouse or an olive press —- [if] he had made them for renting, the rent is divided; [if] he made them for themselves, the wealthy one can say to the poor one, “Ac-quire servants, and let them bathe in the bathhouse; acquire olives, and come process them in the olive press.”  Two people in the same town, both named Yosef ben Shimon, cannot produce a document of indebtedness against each other; nor can another produce a document of indebtedness against them. [If] one found among his documents [a receipt stating], “The note of Yosef ben Shimon is paid,” both their notes are [treated as] paid. What should they do? They should [record] the third [gen-eration]. If they were [identical] for three [generations], they should write a description. If they were alike, they should write “Kohen.”  If someone said to his son, “One of my notes is paid, but I do not know which,” all the notes are paid. [If] two [notes] from one person were found there, the larger one is [treated as] paid and the smaller one is not [considered] paid.  One who lends to another through a guarantor may not collect from the guarantor. If he said, “On condition that I can collect from whomever I wish,” he may collect from the guarantor. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: In either case, if the borrower has property, he may not collect from the guarantor. Similarly, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: [If one was] the guarantor of a woman's kesubah, and her husband was divorc-ing her, he must vow not to derive any [further] benefit from her, to prevent them from plotting against this one's property and [then] remarrying.

One who lends another money with a document collects from mortgaged properties; with witnesses, he collects [only] from available properties. [If] he produced his handwritten [note] that he is indebted to him, he collects [only] from available prop-erties.  [If] a guarantor appears below the document's signatures, he collects [only] from available properties. A case came before R' Yishmael, and he said: He collects [only] from available properties. Ben Nannas said to him: He collects neither from mortgaged properties nor from available properties. He said to him: Why? He said to him: [If] someone was choking someone in the street, and another encountered him and said, “Let him alone,” he is exempt, because he did not lend him due to his trust in him. Rather, which is a guarantor who is liable? [if he said,] “Lend him, and I will give you,” he is liable, because he lent him due to his trust in him. Said R' Yishmael: One who wishes to become wise should involve himself in [the study of] monetary laws, as there is no branch of Torah greater than them, because they are like a welling fountain. And one who wishes to in-volve himself in monetary laws should serve Shimon ben Nannas.