The witnesses — and someone to vouch for them
Their town's beis din sends someone along
One — or two (meforshim differ)
Sects in the days of the second Beis HaMikdash
Tzedukim · Baysusim · Perushim · the Dead Sea sect
They argued over the ketores, the Parah Adumah, the water-pouring
The Omer: “on the day after the Shabbos”
Chachamim: after the first day of Pesach — 16 Nisan
Baysusim: on Sunday
If Rosh Chodesh Nisan falls on Shabbos…
So they bribed witnesses
If Beis Din does not know him, his town sends another with him
Permissivethey send
At first, from anyone — once the minim spoiled it, only from those they knew
Permissivethey would accept edus hachodesh — the testimony on the new moon — from any person.
ReasonOnce the minim corrupted it,
Minim — here, the Baysusim
Restrictivethat they would not accept it except from those they knew.
→ only those they know
Rosh Hashana 2:1
An Eid the Beis Din Does Not Know
אִם אֵינָן מַכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ
אִם אֵינָן מַכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ, מְשַׁלְּחִין אַחֵר עִמּוֹ לַהֲעִידוֹ.
בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ מְקַבְּלִין עֵדוּת הַחֹדֶשׁ מִכָּל אָדָם.
מִשֶּׁקִּלְקְלוּ הַמִּינִין,
הִתְקִינוּ
שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ מְקַבְּלִין אֶלָּא מִן הַמַּכִּירִים: