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Ramban on Deuteronomy 13:15/רמב"ן על דברים י״ג:ט״ו

אוְדָרַשְׁתָּ וְחָקַרְתָּ וְשָׁאַלְתָּ הֵיטֵב, הַדְּרִישָׁה וְהַחֲקִירָה מְפֹרָשִׁין בְּדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (סנהדרין מ). וְהִזְכִּיר הַכָּתוּב זֶה בְּעִיר הַנִּדַּחַת וּבְעוֹבֵד ע"ז, וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר כֵּן בִּנְבִיא הַשֶּׁקֶר וּבַמֵּסִית, כִּי הַנָּבִיא מְפַרְסֵם עַצְמוֹ בְּאוֹתוֹתָיו וּבְמוֹפְתָיו, וּבַמֵּסִית הַכָּתוּב יְדַבֵּר עִם הַמּוּסָת כִּי הָרֹג תַּהַרְגֶנּוּ, וְהוּא הַיּוֹדֵעַ וָעֶד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר וְלֹא תַחְמֹל וְלֹא תְכַסֶּה עָלָיו. אֲבָל בְּעִיר הַנִּדַּחַת וּבְעוֹבֵד ע"ז שֶׁהֵם מַעֲשִׂים מַגִּיעִים אֵלֵינוּ בִּשְׁמוּעָה, הִזְכִּיר בָּהֶם דְּרִישָׁה וַחֲקִירָה, וְלֹא הֻצְרַךְ לְהַזְכִּיר כֵּן בִּשְׁאָר חַיָּבֵי מִיתוֹת, כִּי מִקַּל וָחֹמֶר יִוָּדַע הַדָּבָר. וְאָמַר בְּעֵדִים זוֹמְמִים (דברים י"ט:י"ח), וְדָרְשׁוּ הַשּׁוֹפְטִים הֵיטֵב, בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁלֹּא יִוָּדַע מִי מִשְּׁתֵּי הַכִּתּוֹת יֹאמַר הָאֱמֶת בִּלְתִּי אַחַר חֲקִירָה רַבָּה. וּלְעִנְיַן הַדִּין כֻּלָּן לְמֵדִין זֶה מִזֶּה בִּגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה, וּמִכֻּלָּם יָצְאוּ לָנוּ שֶׁבַע חֲקִירוֹת וּבְדִיקוֹת:

1AND THOU SHALT INQUIRE, AND MAKE SEARCH, AND ASK DILIGENTLY. The nature of “inquiry” and “making search” [with which the judges are to test witnesses] are explained in the words of our Rabbis.¹⁷⁶ Now Scripture mentions these investigations [here] in the case of an apostate city,¹⁷⁷ and also in the case of an idol-worshipper,¹⁷⁸ but it does not mention them in the case of the false prophet or the inciter, because the prophet publicizes himself with his signs and wonders, and in the case of the inciter Scripture addresses itself to the incited party: but thou shalt surely kill him,¹⁷⁹ and he [the incited party, is the one] who knows and bears witness, just as is stated, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him.¹⁸⁰, Verse 9. Thus, Scripture need not enjoin diligent inquiry and testing of witnesses because the facts are well known to those charged with administering the penalty; the public in the case of a false prophet, and the victim in the case of the inciter. But in the case of an apostate city¹⁷⁷ and of an idol worshipper, which are deeds that reach us by means of report, Scripture mentions, with reference to them, inquiry and investigation [of the witnesses]. It was unnecessary to state this about the others liable to death because it is known by means of a kal vachomer.¹⁸¹ He states in the case of plotting witnesses, and the judges shall inquire diligently,¹⁸² because it cannot be determined which of the two conflicting groups of witnesses is telling the truth except after considerable investigation. Concerning the law, all cases are deduced from each other by means of a similarity of Scriptural expressions. And from all the combined expressions we derive the principle that we are to test the witnesses with seven inquiries,¹⁸³ and examinations.¹⁸⁴).