Witnesses testify they saw a murder in the eastern hall. Two others say: 'You were with us in the western hall at that time.' When are the first witnesses considered zomeimim?
If normal vision cannot span the distance, the first witnesses are disqualified. We do not speculate about exceptional eyesight. If ordinary vision could reach across, they are not zomeimim.
Question 2
Witnesses testify that a theft and slaughter occurred on Sunday and sentence was on Sunday. Others say: 'You were elsewhere on Sunday but sentence was actually on Friday.' Are the first witnesses punished as zomeimim?
If the defendant was already obligated to pay before the original testimony, the testimony had no harmful effect — the fine was already owed. Zomeim punishment only applies when the witnesses' testimony would have caused harm.
Question 3
A document is dated the first of Nisan in Jerusalem, but witnesses testify the signatories were in Babylon that day. What is the document's status if the signatories never claimed to have signed on that date in court?
Without the document witnesses declaring in court 'we signed it on the stated date,' the document could have been post-dated — the signatories were perhaps in Jerusalem earlier when they actually signed. The document and witnesses remain valid.
Question 4
What standard does the court use when calculating whether witnesses could travel from one location to another?
Rambam states: 'we always calculate according to the known standards familiar to all.' We do not consider unusually fast camels or other exceptional means. Standard, commonly known travel times are the measure.
Question 5
When are document-witness signatories disqualified retroactively after being found to be zomeimim?
If there are prior witnesses who saw them sign or saw the document with their signature, disqualification is retroactive to that known signing date. Without such witnesses, disqualification begins only from when they testified in court.