The Great Sanhedrin was composed of seventy-one [judges], and a lesser one of twenty-three. From where [do we know] that the great one was seventy-one? Because it says: Gather to me seventy men from the leaders of Israel, and Moses [pre-sided] over them; hence, seventy-one. R’ Yehudah says: Seventy. And from where [do we know] that a lesser one is com-prised of twenty-three? Because it says: And the congregation shall judge ... and the congregation shall save —- a congrega-tion which judges and a congregation which saves; we thus arrive at twenty. And from where [do we know] that a congregation consists of ten? Because it says: Until when, this evil congregation? —- which excludes Joshua and Caleb. And from where do we [know to] include another three? From the implication of that which it says: Do not follow a majority to convict, I may infer that I should follow them to exonerate. If so, why does it say: according to the majority [the matter] shall be de-cided? [This teaches that] the decision to convict is unlike the decision to exonerate. The decision to exonerate turns on the vote of one; [while] the decision to convict [must] turn on the vote of two. But since no court may consist of an even number, we must add another, for a total of twenty-three.  How many must be in a town to warrant a sanhedrin? One hundred and twenty. R’ Nechemiah says: Two hundred and thirty, corresponding to the officers of the tens.

The Kohen Gadol may judge and be judged. He may testify, and he may be testified against. He may perform chalitzah, and chalitzah may be performed with his wife, and yibum may be performed with his wife. However, he may not perform yibum, because he is forbidden to [marry] a widow. [If] someone [close] to him dies, he may not follow the bier; rather, [once] they pass from view, he may appear; [where] they appear, he must remain concealed from view; and goes with them until the entrance to the town; [these are] the words of R’ Meir. R’ Yehudah says: He does not leave the Temple, as it is stated: And from the Temple, he shall not depart. When he comforts others, it is customary for all the people to pass along one after an-other, and the appointed one places him between himself and the people. When he is comforted by others, all the people say to him, “We are your atonement,” and he says to them, “May you be blessed from Heaven.” When they feed him the mourner’s meal, all the people sit on the ground and he sits on a stool.

The king may not judge nor be judged. He may not testify nor be testified against. He does not perform chalitzah, nor is chalitzah performed with his wife. He does not perform yibum, nor is yibum performed with his wife. R’ Yehudah says: If he wishes to perform chalitzah or yibum, the is remembered favorably. They said to him: They do not listen to him. No one may marry his widow. R’ Yehudah says: A king may marry the widow of [another] king, as we find that David married the widow of Saul, as it is stated: And I gave you the house of your master and the wives of your master in your bosom.

[If] someone [close] to him dies, he does not leave the entrance of his palace. R’ Yehudah says: If he wishes to go out after the bier he may go out, for so we find concerning David that he went out after the bier of Abner, as it is stated: And King Da-vid followed the bier. They said to him: This was only to placate the people. When they feed him the mourner’s meal, all the people sit on the floor and he sits on the dargash.

He may wage a discretionary war with the consent of the court of seventy-one. He may break through to make a path for himself and no one may impede him. The king’s path has no limits. All the people plunder and place [it] before him, and he takes the first portion.  Let him not take for himself many wives —- only eighteen. R’ Yehudah says: He may take for himself [even] many, as long as they do not turn his heart. R’ Shimon says: Even one, if she turns his heart, he may not marry her. If so, why does it say: Let him not take for himself many wives? Even [if they are] like Abigail. Let him not accumulate for himself many horses —- only enough for his chariots. And silver and gold let him not accumulate for himself greatly —- only enough to pay his troops. He writes a Torah scroll for himself —- [when] he goes out to war, he takes it with him; [when] he returns, he brings it back with him; [when] he sits in judgment, it is with him; [when] he reclines, it is before him; as it is stated: And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life.

No one may ride on his horse, sit on his throne, or use his scepter; and no one may observe him when he takes a haircut, or when he is undressed, or when he is in the bathhouse; as it is stated: You shall surely place upon yourselves a king —- [do so in a manner] that his awe shall be upon you.

Monetary cases [are judged] by three. Each one chooses one [judge], and they both choose another; [these are] the words of R’ Meir. However, the Sages say: The two judges choose another. Each can disqualify the judges of the other; [these are] the words of R’ Meir. However, the Sages say: When? When he proves that they are relatives or ineligible. But if they are eli-gible or experts, he cannot disqualify them.  Each one can disqualify the witnesses of the other; [these are] the words of R’ Meir. However, the Sages say: When? When he proves that they are relatives or ineligible. But if they are eligible, the cannot disqualify them.