I've been looking at some websites that deal with the Noahide laws and noticed that some of the sites state that in a court case, only one witness is required for a conviction. Is this true? Does the Babylonian Talmud actually say this? Does anyone have a link to an authoritive website? If it is true, then why would it not be two or three witnesses as stipulated in the Torah? The websites that seem legitimate don't seem to mention the number of witnesses necessary.
allonyoav
Favorite Answer
For a capital case, there has to be a minimum of two kosher witnesses. For lesser offences, the same holds, as it does in matters of monetary law. There are a few exceptional instances wen only one witnesses is needed- one such is in the instance when there is only one witness to someone dying- in this case the widow can get remarried on the testimony of the one witness. There are a few other exceptions as well- the most notable one is really in the law of Sotah (the wife who was warned not to exclude herself with a specific individual, and then did so)- here the presence of a single witness is enough to prevent the drinking of the bitter waters (the sotah was taken to Jerusalem and a special "water" prepared for her. If she drank it and was innocent she was blessed, if she was guilty, both the woman and the man with whom she had committed adultery died- throughout the ritual she was exhorted to confess if guilty and it was cancelled if there was anything to either confirm or deny her guilt).
Overall- the generic rule in all religious, criminal and monetary matters is that two witnesses are needed and it is only in a few exceptions that fewer are allowed.
Anna
To bad because here in America we need 12 witnesses and I like it better just in case those two are in cu-hoots LOL You can never trust your life in the hands of ungodly people today because people today lack good morals. The people back than had morals but today it is a rare Virtue to find. God bless you and continua the fight for what is right in Yahweh's eyes. Anna
Anonymous
I've only just come online, and saw this post - I'll try and find some more info for you and come back with it a bit later :)