Parallel Talmud
Bava Batra — Daf 162b
Babylonian Talmud (Gemara) · Soncino English Talmud
איבעיא להו שיטה ומחצה מאי תא שמע הרחיק את העדים שני שיטין פסול הא שיטה ומחצה כשר
אימא סיפא שיטה אחת כשר שיטה אחת הוא דכשר הא שיטה ומחצה פסול אלא מהא ליכא למשמע מינה
מאי הוי עלה ת"ש דתניא הרחיק את העדים שני שיטין מן הכתב פסול פחות מכאן כשר
היו ארבעה וחמשה עדים חתומין על השטר ונמצא אחד מהן קרוב או פסול תתקיים עדות בשאר
מסייע ליה לחזקיה דאמר חזקיה מלאהו בקרובים כשר
ואל תתמה שהרי אויר סוכה פוסל בשלשה סכך פסול פוסל בארבעה
איבעיא להו שני שיטין שאמרו
The question was raised: What [is the ruling in the case of] a line and a half? — Come and hear: 'If the [signatures of the] witnesses were removed two lines from the text, [the deed] is invalid', [from which it may be inferred that if they were removed] a line and a half only [the deed] is valid. Explain, [however], the first clause: '[If only] one line, [it is] valid' [from which it follows] that only [if the interval was] one line is [the deed] valid but [if it was] a line and a half [the deed] is invalid! From this, then, no deduction can be made. What about an answer to the question? — Come and hear what has been taught: [If] the [signatures of the] witnesses were removed two lines from the text, [the deed] is invalid; [if] less than this [it is] valid. [If] four or five witnesses have signed on a deed, and the first two were found to be relatives or [such as are in any other way] disqualified, the evidence may be confirmed by the remaining witnesses. [This] affords support to [the view of] Hezekiah; for Hezekiah said, '[If] it was filled with [the signatures of] relatives, [the deed] is valid', And there is nothing strange [in this law], for [while] air [space] renders the festive tabernacle ritually unfit when [that space measures only] three [handbreadths], unfit roofing renders [it] ritually unfit [only] when [that roofing measures] four [handbreadths]. The question was raised: [Do] the 'two lines' which were mentioned