About this episode
Today's daf is sponsored in honor of Marcel Loewenberg on his 75th birthday, with love from his children and grandchildren. "We are grateful for the joy of Torah learning you've instilled in us." While Shmuel maintains that a ruling by two judges is valid, Rabbi Abahu disagrees with this position. Rabbi Abba challenges Rabbi Abahu's view from a Mishna in Bechorot 28b, which appears to validate even a single judge's ruling. This apparent contradiction is resolved by explaining that the Mishna refers to a specific case where both litigants explicitly accepted the authority of the single judge to rule on their case. The Mishna in Bechorot addresses a case where the litigants accepted a judge's authority, but he subsequently made an error in his ruling and became liable for any resulting losses. However, if his mistake involved ruling contrary to an explicit Mishna, he bears no liability since such a ruling is automatically void. Consequently, the Gemara concludes that the judge's error must have involved a matter of judgment - specifically, determining which opinion to follow. Rabbi Meir and the rabbis dispute whether mediation requires one or three people. The Gemara initially suggests that this debate parallels the disagreement between Rabbi Abahu and Shmuel, as mediation is likened to judgment based on the verse in Samuel II 8:15. However, this parallel is ultimately rejected. Instead, their disagreement centers on whether mediation should be equated with formal judgment at all. Rav Acha explains that the requirement of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel for two people in mediation serves only to ensure proper witnessing of the proceedings - in principle, a single mediator would suffice. Is it necessary to perform a kinyan , act of acquisition, in a mediation proceeding? If judges have concluded proceedings ( gmar din ) in a case, they can no longer switch to mediation. Rav later provides a precise definition of what constitutes gmar din . The text then explores several fundamental questions regarding mediation and compromise: Is it merely permitted or actually preferred? Could it sometimes be forbidden? If mediation is permitted, at what stage in the legal proceedings does this option expire? Multiple opinions are presented addressing these questions. In Tehillim 10:3 it says that God scorns a botzea who blesses or one who blesses a botzea . Three different interpretations of that verse are brought - one of which relates to mediation and how it is despised by God. The Gemara also explores multiple interpretations of two other relevant verses: Samuel II 8:15, which discusses the relationship between law and charity, and Deuteronomy 1:17, which instructs judges not to fear any person. The discussion concludes with several statements emphasizing the gravity of judicial responsibility and the solemnity with which judges must approach their rulings.