The Sanhedrin was [seated] in the shape of a semi-circular threshing floor so that they should see one another. Two judicial scribes stand before them, one to the right and one to the left, and they record the words of those who defend and those who convict. R’ Yehudah says: Three: One records the words of those who defend; one records the words of those who convict; and the third records the words [both] of those who defend and those who convict.

Three rows of scholars sat before them, each one recognizing his place. [If] they need to ordain, they ordain from the first [row]; one from the second row [then] moves up to the first, one from the third [row] moves up to the second, and they choose one from the congregation and sit him in the third [row]. He does not sit in the place of the first but in the place appropriate to him.

How do they admonish the witnesses in capital [cases]? They admit them and admonish them [saying to them]: Perhaps what you say is conjecture or hearsay, or testimony from the mouth of another witness, [or something] you heard from a reliable person; or perhaps you do not realize that we will check you through inquiry and examination. Know that capital cases are not like civil cases —- [in] civil cases, a person pays [back the] money and receives atonement; [but in] capital cases, his blood and the blood of his descendants are his responsibility until eternity. For so we find with Cain who killed his broth-er, as it is stated : The bloods of your brother cry out. It does not say the blood of your brother but the bloods of your brother —- his blood and that of his descendants. Alternatively, the bloods of your brother —- because his blood was spat-tered over the trees and stones. Therefore was man created singly, to teach you that whoever destroys a single life from Is-rael is considered by Scripture as if he had destroyed an entire world; and that whoever preserves a single life from Israel is considered by Scripture as if he had preserved an entire world. Also for the sake of peace among people, so that no man should [be able to] say to another, “My father was greater than yours.” And so that heretics should have no [reason to] say there are many powers in Heaven. And to teach the greatness of the Holy One, Blessed be He, for a man mints many coins from one mold and they are all alike, but the King of kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He, minted all men from the mold of Adam and not one is like another. Therefore, everyone is obligated to say, “For my sake was the world created.” Perhaps you will say, “What need have we for this trouble?” But it has already been stated: And he is a witness who saw or knew, if he will not attest, etc. And perhaps you will say, “What need have we to incur responsibility for this man’s blood?” But it has already been stated: When the wicked perish there is joy.

They interrogate them with seven questions: In which septenary? In which year? In which month? On which day of the month? On which day? In which hour? In which place? R’ Yose says: On which day? In which hour? In which place? Did you recognize him? Did you warn him? [In the case of] an idolater [they ask], what did he worship and how did he worship [it]?

Whoever expands the interrogations is praiseworthy. It [once] happened that Ben Zakkai interrogated concerning the stems of figs. What [difference] is there between examinations and interrogations? [In the case of] examinations, [if] one says, “I do not know,” their testimony is null. [In the case of] interrogations, [if] one says, “I do not know,” or even [if] two say, “We do not know,” their testimony is upheld. Whether [in the case of] examinations or [in the case of] interrogations, if they contradict each other, their testimony is null.

[If] one says [it happened] on the second of the month and one says [it happened] on the third of the month, their testimony is upheld, because this one is aware of the intercalation of the month and this one is not aware of the intercalation of the month. [If] one says [it happened] on the third and one says [it happened] on the fifth, their testimony is null. [If] one says [it happened] in the second hour [of the day] and one says [it happened] in the third hour [of the day], their testimony is up-held. [If] one says [it happened] in the third [hour] and one says in the fifth, their testimony is null. R’ Yehudah says: It is up-held. [But if] one says [it happened] in the fifth [hour] and one says in the seventh, their testimony is null, because in the fifth [hour] the sun is to the east while in the seventh [hour] it is to the west.

After this, they admit the second [witness] and examine him. [If] their words concur, they open with [the consideration of] acquittal. [If] one of the witnesses says, “I can pre- sent grounds for his acquittal,” or one of the disciples [says,] “I can pre-sent grounds for his conviction,” they silence him. [If] one of the disciples says, “I can present grounds for his acquittal,” they elevate and seat him among them, and he does not descend from there the entire day. If there is substance to his words, they listen to him. Even if he says, “I can present grounds for my own acquittal,” they listen to him, as long as there is substance to his words.

If they find a reason to acquit him, they acquit him; if not, they postpone his verdict until the next day. They then pair off —- limiting their [consumption of] food and abstaining from wine the entire day —- and analyze the matter through the night. On the following morning they arise early and come to court. The one who argued for acquittal declares, “I argued for ac-quittal and I maintain my position in favor of acquittal.” The one who argued for conviction says, “I argued for conviction and I maintain my position in favor of conviction.” One who argued for conviction may argue for acquittal, but one who argued for acquittal may not re- verse [himself] and argue for conviction. [If] they erred, the two judicial scribes remind them. If they find an argument to acquit him, they acquit him; if not, they take a vote. [If] twelve vote for acquittal and eleven for convic-tion, he is acquitted. [If] twelve vote for conviction and eleven for acquittal, or even eleven vote for acquittal and eleven for conviction, and one says, “I do not know,” or even twenty-two vote for acquittal or conviction, and one says, “I do not know” —- they add judges. Up to how many do they add? Two by two until [they reach] seventy-one. [If] thirty-six vote for acquittal and thirty-five for conviction, he is acquitted. [If] thirty-six vote for conviction and thirty-five for acquittal, they debate each other until one of those voting for conviction agrees with the opinion of those voting for acquittal.