Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 189/ספרי דברים קפ״ט
א(דברים יט טז) כִּי יָקוּם עֵד חָמָס בְּאִישׁ לַעֲנוֹת בּוֹ סָרָה – אֵין חָמָס אֶלָּא גַּזְלָן. לַעֲנוֹת בּוֹ סָרָה, אֵין סָרָה אֶלָּא עֲבֵרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יג ו): ״כִּי דִבֶּר סָרָה״, וְאוֹמֵר (ירמיה כח טז): ״הַשָּׁנָה אַתָּה מֵת כִּי סָרָה דִבַּרְתָּ עַל ה׳״.
1Pisqa’ 1892641. “If a malicious witness offers testimony against a man, charging him arbitrarily” (Dt. 19:16).Actually, malicious implies that he has stolen[the defendant’s reputation by]“charging him arbitrarily”265. Cf. the usage of sarah (“rebellious”) at Dt. 13:6/Pisqa’ 86.1. (Dt. 19:16).Actually, arbitrarily implies commission of a transgression,as it is said [of the lying prophet]:“For he spoke arbitrarily” (Dt. 13:6).And He says:“This year shall you die, for you have spoken arbitrarily (sarah) of HASHEM” (Jer. 28:17).
ב[לַעֲנוֹת בּוֹ], מַגִּיד שֶׁאֵינוֹ חַיָּב עַד שֶׁיַּכְחִישׁ אֶת עַצְמוֹ. מִכָּן אָמְרוּ (מכות פ״א מ״ד): אֵין הָעֵדִים נַעֲשִׂים זוֹמְמִים עַד שֶׁיָּזוֹמּוּ אֶת עַצְמָם. כֵּיצַד? מֵעִיד אֲנִי בְּאִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי שֶׁהָרַג אֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְכוּ׳.
22. “Charging him” (Dt. 19:16)—this explains that a malicious witnessis liable only if he contradicts himself.266189, n. 2On this basis they taught:Witnesses are deemed to be refuted267 “refuted” “discredited,” also “malicious”, depending upon context.[and thus liable to punishment]when their own testimony[as reported by a second pair of witnesses]refutes them.How so?If [the first pair said]:We268 testify regarding So-and-so that he murdered someone.{If269 others replied:How can you testify?The victim or the murderer was with us that very day,in some other place—this is not a case of refuted witnesses,[for only the first witnesses’ testimony is questioned, not their character].But if others replied:How can you testify?For, indeed, you both were with us that very day,in some other place—this is a case of refuted witnesses,[for the second witnesses’ testimony impugns the character of the first].270And in capital cases, they are executedon the basis of their own statements.}