Q&A: Do Not Accept the Testimony of a Wicked Person
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Do Not Accept the Testimony of a Wicked Person
Question
Hello Rabbi!
The Torah says, “Do not accept the testimony of a wicked person.” The Talmud defines what a wicked person is. The definition is someone who violates a prohibition punishable by lashes. For example: someone who eats carcasses and non-kosher animals, or someone suspected of sexual immorality. The Talmud does not define a trait of honesty, even though that is the main thing in testimony. Why?
Answer
There is no requirement that a person be honest. Perhaps that is because there is no way to check it. There are witnesses who are disqualified for all kinds of reasons—not necessarily because of a lack of honesty—and that can be defined. Anyone who is not disqualified is presumed fit.